ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Sunday, March 24, 1996 TAG: 9603220098
SECTION: HORIZON PAGE: F-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FROM WIRE REPORTS
Q: What would happen if a presidential nominee died before a general election? Does the Constitution address that?
A: The party leadership would have to choose a replacement. Charles Bullock, Richard Russell professor of political science at the University of Georgia, said such a hypothetical situation could be compared to what happened in 1972 when Sen. George McGovern, the Democratic nominee, dumped his vice presidential pick, Sen. Thomas Eagleton. ``The process is a party function,'' Bullock said. ``That's how these people get chosen. The Constitution does not provide for the process at all.''
Q: How can I write to Christopher Darden?
A: Send mail in care of the William Morris Agency, 151 El Camino Drive, Beverly Hills, Calif. 90212.
Q: What was the birth order of Joseph P. and Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy's children?
A: They had nine children: Joseph Jr., born in 1915; John, 1917; Rosemary, 1919; Kathleen, 1920; Eunice, 1921; Patricia, 1924; Robert, 1926; Jean, 1928; and Edward, 1932.
Q. What is the origin of the expression ``Heaven's to Betsy''? Who is Betsy?
A. The origin is uncertain, but ``Picturesque Expressions: A Thematic Dictionary'' suggests a possible connection with Betsy Ross. Another theory is that it comes from a frontiersman's habit of calling his rifle Betsy. In his 1955 book ``Heavens to Betsy,'' historical novelist Kenneth Roberts wrote: ``Our family originated in Auvergne, [but] when things were being made rough for the Huguenots, settled in Stratford-on-Avon. I think that `Heavens to Betsy' was nothing but a corruption of the words Auvergne betisse, meaning `What won't they think of next!' ''
Q: How is the date for Easter determined? It changes from year to year.
A: As decreed by the first Council of Nicea in A.D. 325, Easter is observed on the Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox, a range of 35 days. It cannot come before March 22 or after April 25. The Orthodox Church and some other Eastern churches reckon the date differently from the West and usually celebrate Easter later, but for most Christians these are the dates for the next few years: 1997, March 30; 1998, April 12; 1999, April 4; and 2000, April 23.
Q: Does Speaker Newt Gingrich's wife still work with that company boosting business development in Israel?
A: Marianne Gingrich is on indefinite leave of absence from her job as a marketing agent for the Israel Export Development Co., which is developing a free trade zone in Israel.
Q: I understand that George Burns was buried in the same cemetery as Walt Disney. Wasn't Disney's body frozen cryonically to be thawed out at some future date?
A: No. Disney was buried Dec. 17, 1966, in Forest Lawn Memorial-Park in Glendale, Calif. A Forest Lawn spokeswoman confirmed that Disney is buried there, ``but we don't point out the location of celebrities to visitors.'' Forest Lawn is the cemetery to the stars.
Q: I'm curious about the aurora borealis, or northern lights. Does the same phenomenon occur in the Southern Hemisphere? What causes it?
A: Yes. In the Southern Hemisphere it's called the aurora australis, or southern lights. In both hemispheres, the luminous phenomenon occurs in the upper atmosphere and is seen primarily at the high latitudes. Auroras are caused by the interaction of energetic particles (electrons and protons) from outside the atmosphere with atoms of the upper atmosphere. The result is luminous curtains, arcs and bands, often greenish rays in the sky sometimes edged with a red border rippling like drapery material.
Q: Who were the oldest U.S. presidents to take office? How old is Sen. Bob Dole?
A: The oldest president at inauguration was Ronald Reagan, 69 (first term), 73 (second term). Some others: William Henry Harrison, 68; James Buchanan, 65; George Bush and Zachary Taylor, 64; Dwight Eisenhower, 62; Andrew Jackson, John Adams and Gerald Ford, 61. Dole is 72 (birthdate: July 22, 1923).
LENGTH: Medium: 84 linesby CNB