A year ago, there had also been a rash of bankruptcies by large discount chains that was unnerving to those shopping for shopping centers at the time, Mr. Merin said.
"There appears to have been a rash of improper and insensitive searches," the memorandum says.
Nor has there been a rash of such thefts around town, the Police Department says.
Elsewhere, there has been a rash of attacks on government targets from individuals pursuing extremist aims.
Some employees and customers found the ads clever or amusing, but there has also been a rash of complaints.
There have been a rash of extraditions of ETA fugitives recently, although Castro continues to be friendly.
Ever since Kramnik prevented Kasparov from getting any advantage, there have been a rash of new examples.
While Ms. Mearns recovered admirably, there have been a rash of falls this season at City Ballet.
In recent months, there has been a rash of failed successions at blue-chip firms, from Coca-Cola to Gillette.
"I'd noticed that, for some reason, there'd been a rash of all these folks wearing caps from Jim's Truck Stop and the like," she told me.
