Here’s an entry off the beaten path …

This weekend, I happened upon a recording of Hal Holbrook’s famous portrayal of Mark Twain. It’s double comic genius.

Then I happened to wonder about any connections between pigs and Mark Twain. I asked my buddy Google about that and was pointed to this quotation: (It’s a good one, but I gather in various sites that it’s not necessarily from Mark Twain):

Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes time and annoys the pig.

Hey, we’ve all been there, right?

Anyway, I also read that Twain based the character of the noble Jim in “Huckleberry Finn” on a pig farmer—yes, a farmer of pigs— named John T. Lewis. Here, I found a picture of the two men (no pigs in sight, but a man does need to knock off work now and then):

Here’s a quote from Twain about Lewis: “I have not known an honester man nor a more respect-worthy one.”

I’m sure that Lewis treated his pigs well through to their appointed ends. Mortality in the hands of an immortal.

Hm, I could use the previous sentence as a segue to mention New Pig’s forever guarantee. But no, that would just be ham-handed.

I’ll try to get a report next week from our team who attended the Nightclub & Bar Convention & Trade Show in Las Vegas March 8-10 to show our foodservice products. Sounds like a rough time, huh?

Here’s the booth description from the exhibitor list:

PROFILE
Spills in restaurants cause unsafe conditions and your staff and productivity can hit the floor. Don’t spread the mess around - absorb it! PIG® Absorbents soak up dangerous oil and water spills fast and dry the floor so you can Keep on Cookin. See PIG® Absorbents in action at booth #841.

CATEGORIES

• Cleaning
• Health
• Safety/Safety Products

Below are illustrations of the booth and a shot of one of the booth staff.

Hey, guess whose products will be used throughout the 118 venues of the 2010 Winter Olympics?!

I mean besides the usual suspects.

Image © Norman7 | Dreamstime.com

You guessed it—PIG® products! The ones shown below (dozens of each!) were ordered for controlling leaks and spills.

Are we thrilled? Ab-sow-luge-ly!!

PIG® Spill Kit in a 95-Gallon Overpack Salvage Drum

PIG® Spill Kit in a 20-Gallon Overpack Salvage Drum

PIG® Poly Spill Containment Pallet

A train full of  toxic chemicals is barreling this way. Will Denzel Washington be able to stop it??

I’m talking about the movie Unstoppable. This project is more than a year away from release, but we care about it around here because some scenes will be shot five miles from New Pig in Tyrone. Denzel himself may come to town!

We’ve worked our contacts to let the production people know that we’re ready to provide any assistance they might need. Our message was along the lines of: “You’re making a movie about an imminent toxic spill, we have the world’s largest selection of products for managing liquid messes. If you need anything, give us a squeal!”

Image © raven - Fotolia.com

A fellow Pigger (whose identity I’ll protect) just loves the idea of bacon-scented perfume.

He (yes, He—are you surprised that it’s a guy?) found perfume like this online and sent an excited email to some of us:

Here it is! YUM

I feel sorry for his girlfriend. I feel a little better if I picture his specially-purchased bottle of bacon-scented perfume tipping over and everything running out, lost forever except for delicious fumes that don’t last too long.

This is a good time to mention that we’ve taken calls here in New Pig Tech about shipping perfume. We’ve had customers who need an absorbent for the master cartons. We recommend PIG® BubbleZorb® Absorbent Mat (which has cushioning bubbles) in rolls or pads, or PIG® Universal Absorbent Mat. In case there’s a spill, the Mats will save the day.

Woman image © ksp photo - Fotolia.com
Bacon image © robert lerich - Fotolia.com

This useful article on choosing reusable respirators highlights getting employee input

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Inspect any light poles at your site that came from Whitco Co. LP (now out of business). They may not be safe.

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Missouri lawmakers banned floating polypropylene but meant polystyrene.

Hey, use traffic barriers as traffic barriers! Not to make awesome monsters! You’ll go to jail!

Nowadays, everybody has a mascot. New Pig has Sparky, and the Little Fiber Guy is a wanna-be. The Phillies have the Fanatic. And the Health Partners health clinic in the Twin Cities have Petey. Petey P. Cup to be precise.

Now, being an FOS (friend of Sparky),  I understand the need for people to identify with a lovable, personable character, a face to go with the brand. I also understand that a health clinic doesn’t have a whole lot of options.

So out of necessity, Petey was born. I must admit, he is popular. He has his own Facebook page with over a 1,000 fans! Not bad for a plastic waste container.

Well, maybe the clinic was short on ideas, but people are buzzing about Petey. He’s on Youtube.

Maybe I’m  asking the the wrong question …

To pee or not to pee: That is the question. (Click here for rimshot)

But seriously, Petey, I’m wishing you a super summer!

But not a great fall! (Click here for rimshot)

But in case you do have a great fall, we recommend several of these:  PIG® BioSafety Spill Cleanup Kit.