Saturday, February 23, 2008

The Invisible War

Are we still at war in Iraq? I recall a war that is draining billions of dollars from our economy and that has taken the lives of thousands of Americans, not to mention tens of thousands of Iraqis.

But I really couldn't tell by reading The Post this week. On Tuesday the only mention of Iraq was in the World in Brief roundup on Page A12 ["Rockets Hit Houses, U.S. Base in Baghdad"]. Wednesday's paper devoted a single column of type on A14 to the Iraqi government's efforts to rid the streets of disabled people who might be used as suicide bombers.

Is this all that is happening in Iraq? Is the American public so bored with the war or so preoccupied with the elections that we can't be bothered to read about it anymore? We need to be reminded every day about this war that we are responsible for and so many are paying for with their lives.

-- Carol Radomski

Silver Spring

Crime Tip Exposed

Thank you for the lesson in how to shoplift ["Women Used Disguises to Steal in Several States, Police Allege," Metro, Feb. 14].

I am sure stores loved to read in a national publication about how to construct "boosting bags." Shoplifting costs the stores (and consumers) enough now without The Post making it easier.

-- Ralph D. Gibson

Mechanicsville

The Finger of Fate

Mary Ann Akers and Paul Kane [In the Loop, Feb. 14] recounted an anecdote about how Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) lost a finger. "Tonight, the truth will come out," Emanuel was quoted as saying at a congressional dinner. "It was a bris gone terribly wrong."

To which the reporters added helpfully, Emanuel "did lose the middle finger of his right hand -- but to a meat slicer, not a moyle."

The Moyle is a lovely river in Ireland. A mohel is the officiant at a bris (circumcision).

-- Jerry Filbin

Washington

Hidden Asset

According to the Feb. 19 Metro article "Supplying Fresh Controversy for 300 Years," the gourmet grocer Dean & DeLuca was invited to bring "cache to the Annapolis waterfront." Perhaps transport of its inventory was intended, or this was a Francophone misspelling of "cash" -- also much needed, according to the article. I suspect, however, that the company's carefully cultivated "cachet" was intended to bring the sweet smell (sachet) of cash from tourists as well as locals sashaying along the waterfront in search of food.

I hope that The Post can afford a proofreader familiar with French as well as English borrowings and not rely on electronic spellcheck.

-- Heather Banks

Montgomery Village

There's Only One Honcho

Two articles in the Feb. 7 Style section, "Challenging History" by Bob Thompson and the preview of NBC's "Lipstick Jungle" by Tom Shales, used the term "head honcho." Thompson was referring to the newest president of Harvard, and Shales to a "Lipstick Jungle" character who heads a film studio.

This is redundant. "Honcho" is Japanese and came to be used extensively during the Vietnam War. It means "leader" -- the guy in command. There are no other honchos above or below him.

I fear that this common mistake will be repeated forever.

-- Jonathan Abel

Alexandria