thanks, insel, that's starting to get somewhere. I hadn't thought of the rap-rip(rip-rap!) idea. or rip cord.
it occurs to me that the "let" is almost more curious than the rip, and I think you've gotten to that with 'a flare let [itself] rip,' hmmm. there's a given in there that I hadn't seen.

grapho, I have used it as in the example and also as insel demonstrates.


formerly known as etaoin...