holding down a BS job

Stanley Bing's newest book: 100 Bullshit Jobs... And How to Get Them. The Times has the whys and wherefores.

"I don't ever intend to do that much work on a book again," he says.

Obviously, "Writer of This Book" (Bing) made No. 96 on the list, sandwiched between "Xerox Repairman" and "Wine Industry Professional," whose job it is to "Talk the talk. And Drink!"

Writing the book was the hard part for Bing. But coming up with a list of 100 careers (if you can call them careers) from the many BS industries in the world was easier than BS job No. 24: "Cold Caller...."

Don't get the wrong idea, having a BS job is a good thing. A great thing even. People with BS jobs are "having fun, making a living, and enjoying their lives, perhaps more than you," Bing writes.

If it weren't for the "making a living" part, teaching English would probably qualify.

On a related English-teachery note, read about how language is getting saltier--and, paradoxically, losing some of its saltiness.