The Straight Dope 11/22/2002

The Straight Dope -- By Cecil Adams
http://www.straightdope.com

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THE STRAIGHT DOPE 11/22/2002

Dear Cecil:

What exactly is fire? I know it's combustion of fuel, blah, blah . . . but 
what is it exactly? Is it purely energy? What state of matter is it? I 
suspect it's highly energetic gases, whose energy state is so high that they 
emit light, and thus we see flame, with the hotter flames being higher in 
electromagnetic energy. But I've never seen any source explaining exactly 
what fire is. Can it be ionized? Can it be affected by magnetism? Gravity? -- 
Wenhsingyu

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Cecil replies:

This letter shows why the world needs me. The explanations of fire in most 
standard reference works (not to put too fine a point on it) suck. The 
Encyclopaedia Britannica, for example, takes the following ineffectual stab: 
"rapid burning of combustible material with the evolution of heat and usually 
accompanied by flame." No wonder people have lost faith in science. Time to 
let a professional show how it's done. 

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/021122.html


STAFF REPORT

Dear Straight Dope:

Is it true that vintners Ernest and Julio Gallo got friendly politicians to 
pass a law for one day that allowed them to pass a large portion of their 
assets to family members without paying estate or gift taxes and the 
following day, after the exchange, the law reverted to its original state? 
The professor of a tax class I took around 1987 mentioned it, saying people 
referred to it as the "Gallo Law." --Bob Brown, Boston, MA 

SDSTAFF Veg replies:

Some people might call it the "Gallo Law," Bob, but it's usually referred to 
as the "Gallo Wine Amendment." The story behind it just goes to show that 
when you make a fortune, make sure you give some of it to a politician or 
two--and it doesn't matter what party they represent, because, in the end, 
they're all members of the Green party.

For more, see: 
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mgallolaw.html


STRAIGHT DOPE CLASSIC - 04/19/1974

Dear Cecil: 

How is it determined which date Easter Sunday will fall on each year? --Tim 
F., Washington, D.C.

Dear Tim:  Easter falls on the first Sunday subsequent to the first full moon 
after the vernal equinox (March 21). Thus, it can occur as early as March 22 
and as late as April 25. (If the full moon after the equinox falls on Sunday, 
Easter follows a week later.) 

For more, see:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_126a.html

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