If I stayed up late, late, this would have come to my attention sooner, but …

Craig Ferguson needs a PIG® Leak Diverter.

Then he’ll be ready the next time there’s a hole in his ceiling and it’s pouring outside during taping. No need to bring out the rain gear nor fear kicking the bucket. The Leak Diverter will channel the leak away to a drain or container out of sight, and the audience will never even know that the Late Late Show set isn’t as weather-tight as Letterman’s.

So Craig—have your people call our people! Our order line is 1-800-HOT-HOGS® (468-4647). Toll-free from California and less glamorous states as well.

Ever get the Return Guilts? I get ‘em.

I’m standing in line at a store returns desk, and even if everything’s in order—I have the receipt, I didn’t open the package, I even smoothed down the corner of a price sticker that curled up, so it’s nicer than when I bought it—still, I’m bracing myself like it’s traffic court. I have Return Guilts based on bad experiences. Some stores seem intent on creating an aura of suspicion: brisk returns clerks, complicated procedures, intimidating postings about policies.

I have my credit card out. I double-check that it’s the one I used for that purchase. It’s signed, but I’m also ready to show my driver’s license. Not just show it—I slide it from the holder because I’m sometimes asked to do that. I have my clergy person on speed-dial as a character reference. I work at looking relaxed.

Return Guilts are hard on the innocent.

I was stunned recently when a store return was quick and easy.  I handed over the receipt, there was some bar code scanning and button punching, and I got the processed receipt back with a smile. I barely had time to pick up the pen on the counter. I didn’t need to sign anything anyway.

The power of easy returns hit me in a fresh way. I could feel the appreciation ripple through me as I walked out. I’d be back.

New Pig has always offered an unconditional guarantee and easy returns. We even pay the original and return freight if you’re not satisfied. I’m glad to say that. Life is too short for Return Guilts!

P.S. I was back in that store sooner than I expected. I was so stunned that I walked away with their pen. I returned it with a smile.

I’m one up on the comic book geeks! I bet even a lot of them don’t know about Absorbing Man!

Yes, there really is such a character. He’s featured here and in Wikipedia, which says:

Carl “Crusher” Creel was a boxer and later jailed criminal who becomes the Absorbing Man when he drinks a liquid which the Asgardian god Loki laced with rare Asgardian ingredients. Discovering that he could absorb the properties of anything he touched, Creel escaped prison and went on to battle Thor.

Below, when Captain America whips his shield at him, Absorbing Man takes on the properties of the shield:

That’s just like how PIG® Absorbent Mat takes on the properties of anything that it absorbs. For instance, PIG® Mat saturated with a hazardous liquid should be treated as hazardous. That’s why you see this text on PIG® product cartons:

Please note: PIG® absorbent products must be disposed of
in compliance with local, state and federal regulations.
Because various fluids absorbed may be of toxic or hazardous nature,
New Pig Corporation does not recommend disposal procedures.

That’s always good to keep in mind. As is this tip from Wikipedia: If you encounter Absorbing Man, spray him with water. He’ll take on the properties of the water and flow apart!

In that way, he’s unlike PIG® Mat, which stays strong even when soaked because of its multi-layer construction:

Uh-oh! What would happen if you flung a bale of PIG® Mat Pads at Absorbing Man and then sprayed him with water? He’d be unstoppable!

I’m starting to think that pigs are plotting to take over the world.

First swine flu dominates the front page, now it’s the comics page. I don’t know what comics you read, but of the twenty-one nationally-syndicated strips in our local newspaper today, three are related to pigs. None of these strips has a pig as a regular character, and National Pig Day was back on March 1, so it’s not that. Pigs are just hogging (yes, hogging!) the funnies today!

(The last one is set at a yard sale, in case it’s not clear.)

This feels like the beginning of Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds. Remember? People start saying to each other “Have you noticed more birds than usual hanging around … ?” The next thing you know, they’re running for their lives and abandoning town.

Sparky isn’t commenting on my suspicions, which is suspicious in itself.

I’m just saying: Keep your eyes open, and report back here with anything related to this pattern.

I know some microfiber cleaning products that might be feeling a little jealous right about now.

Here’s a concept cleaning product that has nanofibers and cleans floors by itself!

Aww, they’re cute! They crawl around, you have to be careful not to step on them, they need changing from time to time … I want one!

Imagine one in little jammies made of PIG® Absorbent Mat! Set it loose where there’s an oil sheen, turn on the video camera and show it to everyone you meet! You’d be so proud!

Not that the items below wouldn’t also make you proud. They’re just older. It’s different.

WypAll® Microfiber Cloths with Microban® Protection -- heavy-duty, 24 towels

WypAll® Microfiber Cloths with Microban® Protection -- medium-duty, 24 wipers

WypAll® Microfiber Cloths with Microban® Protection -- light-duty, 24 wipers

Microfiber Mophead

Microfiber String Mop

Microfiber Wet Pad

Microfiber Scrubber Pad

Nicholas Nadel at Asylum.com makes an excellent point: Pigs have been getting bad press lately (being linked to a possible pandemic and all). He’s tried to balance that out with a list of 10 Pigs We Love:

10. Vance from “Big Top Pee-Wee”
9. Napoleon from “Animal Farm”
8. “Spider-Pig/Harry Plopper” from “The Simpsons Movie”
7. Orson Pig from “Garfield and Friends”
6. Arnold Ziffel from “Green Acres”
5. The Piggly Wiggly Pig
4. Porky Pig
3. Babe
2. Wilbur from “Charlotte’s Web”
1. Miss Piggy

My list would have to include our own Sparky! He’s cheerful, a hard worker and always ready to lend a helping hoof! I mean, name another hog who blogs!

Another deserving candidate is Zhu Jianqiang (“strong and tough pig”) , who became famous just about a year ago after surviving for 36 days in a home ruined during China’s earthquakes.  She inspired the nation and is China’s reigning Favorite Animal!

Have any other names in mind? Share ‘em!

All you fans of the documentary Man On Wire …

About Philippe Petit’s famous walk between the Twin Towers …

Don’t you think the whole incident was … missing something?

See our Fall Protection items:

Harnesses

Lanyards

Lifelines

Anchor Points

Fall Protection Kits

A glass bottle drops ten feet onto a concrete floor and …

… bounces?

Yes, now it’s possible to make (nearly) unbreakable glass whose initial cost is about the same as the current stuff and whose long-term cost is less.

Sounds like this goes way beyond CorningWare. (Happy Golden Anniversary, CorningWare! You don’t look a day over 49.)

Ah, well, I guess no one will need these much longer for dealing with broken glass:

Glass Bandage

Cut-Resistant Gloves

Cut-Resistant Sleeves

PIG® Repair Putty

It was fun while it lasted …

On the plus side, we’ll no longer have to worry about an accident with a mirror bringing seven years of bad luck!

Image © Ruta Saulyte – Fotolia.com

Yes, emergency responders come to us for personal protective equipment and other gear (see links below).

No, we’ve never had a request for a Spider-Man costume.

But after reading about this boy’s rescue, we’ll have to think about carrying them.

Image © Windowseat – Fotolia.com

Level A protective suits
Boots, overboots & overshoes
Disposable footwear
Chemical-resistant gloves
Safety goggles
Reusable respirators