Steve Brust writes: Okay, someone check me if I'm wrong--I also like it when someone corrects my English errors (one of many reasons I so adore Pamela), but I've always used that phrase in this sense: "Bush was elected primarily by the backing of such industries as oil and major finance, which begs the question of who is served by the war in Iraq." In other words, "begs the question" means something like, "raises the question and simultaneously answers it." Is this correct, or am I asking the poor phrase to do too much work? You're asking the poor phrase to do too much work. "begs the question" has a meaning; let's not overload it. "raises the question" or "leads to the question" is correct, and if the question is simultaneously answered, that tells me that whoever wrote the above quote needs an editor and a beating. rone -- Remember Remember It's tilted