Still Looking for 'the Whole Nine Yards'

Archives from the morning edition segments of late John Ciardi, now being rebroadcast weekly on npr as "On Words with John Ciardi". John Ciardi was a poet, teacher and translator. Segments are available also for download as podcast. The current segment explores the origin of the idiom "The Whole Nine Yards" and its possible links to the concrete mixer trucks shown in the picture ( courtesy npr).

Exploration of "Kangaroo Court" and "Jimmies" in earlier episodes of "On words" were treats for ones literary/etymological appetite.

Few interesting quotes from John Ciardi..
1. Every game ever invented by mankind, is a way of making things hard for the fun of it!
2. A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in the students.
3. Love is the word used to label the sexual excitement of the young, the habituation of the
middle-aged, and the mutual dependence of the old.

As John Ciardi says, Good words to you!