A letter to the editor repeats a verifiable falsehood, Condé Nast Traveler, October 1997:

On a more serious note, regarding your response to Lloyd Morrison in the same column, please reconsider your use of the term "rule of thumb," which comes from common law—a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick, as long as it was no thicker than his thumb. Perhaps it is time to think about retiring that expression.

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