Was it the Associated Press or the Times-Union that developed the headline on page 3B Tuesday that reads "Reborn Harvick Proves His Metal With Daytona Win"?
Which organization doesn't know the difference between "metal" and "mettle" and which should be used? Hint: One is a chemical element such as copper or iron that is usually solid and the other is strength of character.
No matter who wrote the headline, an editor should not have allowed it to go to press as written.
Jim Newcombe
Leesburg, via e-mail
Note: Ah, the pitfalls of trying to be clever. The suggested headline by Associated Press was an attempt at a pun, which, in retrospect, would have been better if placed inside quotation marks to alert readers to the play on words. The phrase, "proves his metal" was used because the article highlighted the fact that Harvick's car was able to survive and win a crash-riddled Daytona 500. Harvick proved his mettle while proving his metal, so to speak. I hope this serves to assuage the letter writer's concern with regard to the level of literacy of the Times-Union and the Associated Press.
