Still, Torre also waved a cautionary flag about the possibility of having his best pitcher in October.

And a cautionary flag was raised to avoid tackling too many eradication efforts simultaneously because failure can follow when enthusiasm overrides realism.

That is compelling blackboard logic, but this deal raises a cautionary flag for the media regulators ostensibly guarding the public interest.

"It may," he said, "be appropriate to at least put up a cautionary flag, say this has to be revisited."

The report also raised some cautionary flags, including concerns about the contract agencies that deliver child services for government.

"That's the big cautionary flag, if these insiders come back and say, 'I want to sell,' " he said.

In an interview yesterday, the Republican candidate for governor, John Faso, said that there was "a cautionary flag about the professionalism and quality of the courts."

But his advice to the party was just one of a number of cautionary flags dropped here this weekend.

Lest I wax too enthusiastic, however, let me unfurl a cautionary flag.

A nuke merely serves as a cautionary flag to potential users.