Date:  Fri, 19 Jan 1996 00:41:59 -0500

From:  Ronald Butters <amspeech[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ACPUB.DUKE.EDU>

Subject: rat pack



> >Here's a passage that's got me puzzled:

> >

> >  New Year's is a time to stand back and take stock (or divest, if you

> >  happened to have bought shares of Caere Corp. in the past six months).

> >  The Rat Pack is another rodent lighter, and luckless taxpayers are

still

> >  waiting for the gates to open at Yellowstone and the immigration

office.

> >

> >Could someone please tell me what's a rodent lighter? An upsized version

> >of those Gokiburi Hoi Hois or something?

>

> A lighter is a large flat-bottomed boat to carry cargo over short distances

> or between cargo ships and docks. (American Heritage). Assumedly, there's

> also a pun on the year of the rat and the pack of rats in Washington, DC.

>

> yoroshiku

> Benjamin Barrett



"The Rat Pack" was the name given inthe 1960s (or earlier?) to a bunch of

Hollywood playmates that included Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Junior, and

Frank Sinatra. I assume that the "rodent" is Dean Martin, who died this

year. Indeed, Sinatra (age 80) may be the only rat left. (?)