capo

I know this word only in the musical sense. Surprise.

Definition of capo:
“1. A small movable bar placed across the fingerboard of a guitar or similar instrument so as to raise the pitch of all the strings uniformly.
2. The head of a branch of an organized crime syndicate. [Italian, from Latin caput, head.”(answers.com).

Where I ran across it:
Frank Rich’s 7/13/08 NYT op-ed column, “The Real-Life ‘24’ of Summer 2008,” on Jane Mayer's scary new Washington tell-all book, "The Dark Side."

“…No wonder the former Rumsfeld capo, Douglas Feith, is trying to discredit a damaging interview he gave to the British lawyer Philippe Sands for another recent and essential book on what happened, “Torture Team.…”

My two cents:
OK, you watch The Sopranos. Or you know – or you ARE – one. Or your vocabulary is just better than mine. So you’re not surprised by definition number two. Badda bing, good for you. You. You got a talent.

Maybe you also already know what Frank Rich has to say in his fairly alarmist op-ed column about Jane Mayer's book exposing the wise guy tactics employed by the current administration. If so, score another one for you, pal. If not, maybe you should read the column, and Jane Mayer's book -- and weep.

Cue the mandolins and cross yourself. It ain't pretty.