Carrol used the phrase, "rule of thumb, " I'd heard a few years ago about the origins of that phrase in the Middle Ages referring to the "proper" dimensions of a rod or stick to use to beat one's wife. A search on google just now brought up some hits. Unfortunately, the first one was from some anti-feminist website that used the disingenuous work of Christina Hoff Sommers. Other hits, more credible, on H-Net. So, just what is the truth regarding this? Michael Pugliese