ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995 TAG: 9512010075
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: HORIZON EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: COX NEWS SERVICE
Q: Do the the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have the death penalty?
A: Neither has the death penalty.
Q: I want to write to Queen Elizabeth, and I wish to address her properly. How do I do it?
A: Address the envelope to Her Majesty the Queen, Buckingham Palace, London, England. As an American, begin: Your Majesty (and continue with your message). In the text, use Your Majesty in any reference. To close: Yours very respectfully or Yours respectfully, and sign your name. A Briton would be much more formal and subservient, using phrases such as ``my humble duty'' and ``Your Majesty's most obedient servant.''
Q: An article about Princess Diana said that if Queen Elizabeth were to die, Diana would become queen. Will you clarify?
A: That is the case as long as Diana is not divorced from Prince Charles, British Embassy spokesman Peter Bean confirmed. As long as they are legally married, Diana would become queen, even if separated from the king. Charles, as eldest son of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, is heir to the throne. So if Queen Elizabeth dies, he becomes king and Diana queen. Diana's constitutional position was reaffirmed by the prime minister when the couple's separation was announced, Bean said. In an interview with Hearst Newspapers, British constitutional historian Douglas Keay said Diana's statements show that she is leading a ``princess' party'' against the ``prince's party'' in a struggle over the throne when the queen dies. In her TV interview, Diana pointedly refused to reject the possibility of Charles standing aside to allow the couple's elder son, Prince William, 13, to become the successor to the queen, Keay said. William is next in line after his father as heir to the throne. ``As she herself told her interviewer, she does not now expect to become queen herself and will agree to a divorce if Charles asks for one. What she is aiming for is the influence and prestige that stems from being the mother of the king.''
Q: What is the proper way to display an American flag? I recently observed one being flown in a disrespectful manner. I'm especially interested in how it should be displayed at night.
A: The Flag Code, adopted by Congress in 1942 and subsequently amended, says only this about nighttime display: ``It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, the flag may be displayed at night upon special occasions when it is desired to produce a patriotic effect.'' In Washington, the White House flies it day and night, with floodlights at night; it also flies day and night over the east and west fronts of the U.S. Capitol, without floodlights at night, but with illumination from the Capitol dome. It also is flown 24 hours a day (illuminated at night) at Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore and at various U.S. Customs ports of entry.
Q: What does the IRS do with the money it collects from lottery winners?
A: It's treated like any other money paid by taxpayers. It goes into the Treasury. Regardless of the amount won in any form of gambling, it's considered taxable income, said IRS spokeswoman Loretta Bush. If the amount is $5,000 or more, a percentage is withheld in advance for taxes, and the winner is issued a W2-G form. When the winner files a tax return, the money is listed as income.
Q: I've heard bits and pieces about a newly discovered planet, but can't find any information. What is that all about?
A: Scientists and astronomers are all atwitter after the announced discoveries of several distant planets beyond the solar system. In the past year or so, three discoveries have been disclosed: a Jupiter-sized planet circling a star known as 51 Pegasus; an object 20 times the size of Jupiter that revolves around a star known as GL 229; and the finding of two, perhaps three, planets orbiting around a very distant pulsar (a burned-out stellar remnant). The discoveries have sparked interest in sending four linked telescopes into orbit around the sun, where they can scan for details and possibly more planets.
Q: What exactly is an entitlement? A recent article reported on a Louis Harris survey saying the public favors government entitlements.
A: Entitlements are programs funded by taxpayers and administered by the federal government - such as Medicare, Medicaid and veterans' benefits - that must be provided to all eligible people who seek them. Recipients are ``entitled'' to the benefits simply by meeting certain criteria. In order to reduce the cost of entitlements, always an explosive issue, Congress would have to make significant policy changes, such as raising the age requirements for Social Security benefits.
Q: How can an ordinary citizen buy precious metals such as gold and silver?
A: The nation's best-selling bullion investment coins are available through the U.S. Mint's American Eagle Gold and Silver Bullion Coin Program. American Eagles, launched in 1986, are the only gold and silver bullion coins fully backed by the U.S. government for weight, content and purity. American Eagles are intended for small- to medium-sized investors. Because prices fluctuate, the Mint doesn't sell Eagles directly to the public; they're distributed by precious metal firms, coin dealers and participating banks. To locate a competitively priced dealer, call the Mint's referral line, 800-872-4653. Sources also are listed in the Yellow Pages under Gold, Silver and Platinum Dealers.
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