Shmos

From yesterday’s New York Times on-line edition:

"After a thorough and comprehensive search, no remains of Mr. Hoffa have been located," Judith M. Chilen, an assistant special agent, said at a news briefing at the farm entrance.

More than 35 agents, geologists, archaeologists and other experts spent 12 days digging and demolishing a 100-foot barn to examine the ground beneath the foundation.
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Last time I checked (just now), ‘thorough’ and ‘comprehensive’ are both variations on ‘complete.’

I can’t decide what’s more irritating.

The fact that we’re paying nearly three dozen highly educated professionals to sift through dirt looking for a dead teamster or that they’re using way too many syllables to describe the effort.

And who was Jimmy Hoffa, really? The New York Times didn’t even bother explaining it in the article. No background whatsoever.

Maybe it’s because the venerable writers at the Paper of Record assume everyone already knows. Or maybe they believe their avid followers read the six (yes, six) previous articles they published on this burning issue over the past two weeks.

In reality, I think it’s because it is downright embarrassing to admit they’re still covering the quest to find some working-class shmo who’s been dead for more than 30 years.
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Still, the Hoffa legacy lives on: A Laborers union is on strike in Illinois today.

Could somebody please explain what happened to striking workers actually marching to protest whatever it is that they’re protesting?

Every striker I’ve seen lately has his ass planted firmly in a lawn chair next to a giant box of Dunkin’ Donuts and a boom box. Yapping on his mobile phone.

They don’t look outraged. And certainly not mistreated.

They seem comfortable. And rather happy to be lounging sleepily in the sunshine.
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Editorial note: I received an unbelievable and unwarranted load of crap over the whole golf/golfing thing yesterday. Now there was some genuine outrage. You working-class shmos could take a lesson from those highly put-upon and pissed off white-collar shmos.

Really.
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I am reading: Chicago Sun-Times
I am listening to: Howie Day - Collide
And I am: Complete