Use of "passes away"

Like Larry David's beloved c.u.n.t???

 

greatest "curb" ever.

 

I was going to write a posting full of frustration, but died recently made a lede at my paper, although both the skybox line and headline had passes. It was nice seeing a rare bit of increased professionalism at the paper, a place that too often makes me think of a line Casey Stengel used when managing the New York Mets in the 1960s, "Can't anybody play this here game?"

 

I've always sort of viewed "passed away" as somewhat passive. If nothing else, it's an extra word when one will do the trick.

 

I have mentioned around the office that one of the first things I was taught was "Always use as few words as possible," and how "passed away" is two words and died is one.

The basic problem is a clueless publisher with no commitment to quality and no market pressure to make the paper better. (Paper is distributed for free, so there's no risk of turning off readers.)

 

Taking a dirt nap.

 

We're not allowed to use stupid euphemisms. It's died. You did not pass away. You are not pushing up daisies. You did not kick the bucket. You died.

Edit to add: I just now realized I quoted someone from July.

 

Personal favorite.

My first job in the business was writing, entering and confirming obits and dead scripts (notices). I so wanted to quit. I hated it. It was awful. But, at night, they would let me work the prep desk, answer phones and sling horse agate. So, for a kid in school, it was a way in...

Probably where I picked up my gallows humor.

 

Died, killed, murdered.

Don't use "passes away" or "expired."

 

People are not milk. Most of them, anyway.

 

Died.

 

why do you hate jesus, zeke?