WASHINGTON: We have all had occasion to write on our hand, either because no paper was available or because we knew we'd probably forget the bit of paper along with the thing we'd written on it (although if your memory's in that sort of shape, you probably won't be able to find a pen).
There is a big difference, however, between scrawling "bin liners" on the back of your hand before you go to the shops and reading off your palm on television, as Sarah Palin did during the Tea Party Convention at the weekend. Photographs of her speaking show one hand clearly decorated with crib notes.
Close-ups reveal she'd written "Energy" and "Budget cuts". Then she had clearly crossed out "Budget" and written "Tax". Under that were the words "Lift American spirits". That last one is a bit cryptic, although it could be a reminder to shoplift a specific brand of cigarette later.
Palin didn't make use of what people are already calling the Hillbilly Palm Pilot during her speech, but she did make the mistake of waving it around as she criticised President Obama for using a teleprompter. She then rather obviously paused to consult it during a subsequent Q&A session.
She appears, however, to be an untutored cheat, incapable of reading surreptitiously and wholly unaware that you should always write your answers on the inside of the wrist below the sleeve line, or neatly along the sides of your fingers.
But she should have realised that this type of note-taking leaves no room for crossing-out; unless you're ambidextrous, you can't carry over to the other hand.
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