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I’m just going to admit up front that this post is kind of dumb, but the New York Times recently ran a piece called “24 Hours in America: documenting moments across the country, large and small, quiet and indelible.” It does not pretend to be a representative look at jobs or anything else, but something about the list of jobs struck me anyway. Here they are:

  • Fisherman
  • Teacher
  • Ferry boat driver
  • Hydroelectric mechanic
  • Rancher/Rodeo organizer
  • Minister
  • Barber
  • Tribal chief
  • Cinematographer
  • Football coach
  • Peanut farmer
  • Boutique owner
  • Blackjack dealer
  • Bing Kong elder
  • Case manager at refugee agency
  • Barbeque owner
  • Manager at lunch meat manufacturer
  • Hotel worker, aspiring comic artist
  • Oil field worker
  • Airplane mechanic
  • Volunteer hotline operator for transgender peer support
  • Bakery operations manager
  • Border patrol agent
  • Wildlife biologist

I realize it’s almost impossible to guess what’s on my mind, but is there anything about this list that seems a little odd? Like something very common is missing? All guesses are welcome in comments.

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DONALD TRUMP & DEMOCRACY

Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And we need your support like never before, to fight back against the existential threats American democracy faces. Fundraising for nonprofit media is always a challenge, and we need all hands on deck right now. We have no cushion; we leave it all on the field.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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