taboo attraction?

[Dave Hause]

I've heard the term used that way (no reference) metaphorically to mean
something like, "not what I really wanted" or maybe as something which will
distract the recipient from an objective (oh, maybe that is the actual
usage.)
Dave Hause, dwhause at jobe.net
Ft. Leonard Wood, MO
----- Original Message -----
From: "Laurence Horn" <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>


(as opposed to taboo avoidance)

On a recent NYPD blue, the head of the squad, Lt. Tony Rodriguez,
uses "hand job" in the sense of 'con job'.  He's talking to his
ex-wife, who is trying to get off drugs, explaining how he had to
call in a lot of favors to get her into a detox center in Brooklyn.
"So if this is another hand job...", he says.  To which she assures
him that no, she's really serious about quitting this time.  Is this
use of the compound otherwise attested?  Or were they just trying to
see if we were paying attention and/or trying to earn their "viewer
discretion" label?

larry