I read in the paper that the author Guest of Honor at Balticon was Gene Wolfe. The article even mentioned that he'd been the editor of Plant Engineering, a trade publication, and had even helped develop a component of the machinery or manufacturing process for Pringles potato chips.
I didn't know that. If I had known, I would've asked him about it, years ago, when I had a chance in an author's Q&A at some science fiction con long ago (maybe ConStellation?).
I don't particularly care for Pringles. (I prefer Utz.) But it turns out that I have a cousin who started working at Procter & Gamble 2 or 3 years ago, and handles PR for Pringles (or something like that). I overheard her mom talking about it at the clan reunion last fall. She was saying something like, "My daughter does PR for Pringles and they're coming out with a new flavor for Wal-Mart in November. And she can't tell me anything about it -- her own mother!!
She said this with a twinkle in her eye, and added, "I shop at Wal-Mart," and chuckled. As if to say, 'I go slumming at Wal-mart'. Making fun of the downscale reputation of the mass retailer admidst a gaggle of retired aunties who are more likely to stress their comfortable (upscale?) lifestyles.
(Anyhow, Wal-Mart must sell a whole lotta Pringles for P&G to come out with a special flava for 'em. And since I never go near that stuff, I may be taste deprived till the day I die.)
Perusing the Wash. Post today, I ran across an article about a controversy involving a speech given by OSHA (Occup'l Safety & Health Admin.)chief Foulkes to kids who won or placed in a safety-on-the-job poster designing contest.
The controversy was fanned by a progressive blog about labor-mgt. relations and occupational safety issues, Confined Space.
Lately, the blogger has been discussing the recent coal mining deaths in Kentucky, faulty regulatory environment (affecting safety equipment, inspections, etc.), and political posturing.
With regard to the last point, when I turned on the radio, last night, I heard on C-SPAN, a repeat of Mitch McConnell's (R-KY) remarks in the Senate urging passage of some kind of mine safety (?) bill and approval of the Mine Safety & Health Admin. nominee (whose nomination has been languishing for 2 months or so). I listened to McConnell's remarks with a certain degree of cynicism, having been biased by the blog commentary.
Perhaps I shouldn't have allowed myself to feel that way, but I was already negatively disposed towards McConnell due to his stand, years ago, on campaign finance reform.
(As a slightly irrelevant aside, it should be noted that his wife is the Secretary of Labor, the federal department that contains OSHA. She is, of course, Elaine Chao. (Back in the day, she was a cutie with a high political profile -- or is it the other way around?))
Meanwhile, it doesn't hurt that I sorta know the blogger. I remember him from my high school German class.
(Can't remember if he had a passion for labor relations and occupational safety, in those days, but then it's hard to predict where one's life will lead.)
Yeah, once again it's Asian Pacific american heritage month. A friend forwarded an announcement to me about a commemorative program tomorrow at the Ronald Reagan building in DC.
I don't think I could make it all the way down there.
The keynote speaker will be George Takei, best known for his role as Sulu in Star Trek.
I mean, I've seen Takei speak before, a couple times, over the years. I find him okay, better than some, but a little on the stuffy-sounding side.
Talking 'bout Takei reminds me of that other Asian american actor on Star Trek, Voyager, Garrett Wang. What's he been up to? Turns out that he's been doing some film/tv gigs since Star Trek, but I wonder if they've been enough to pay the bills. He probably does other stuff, like theater and star trek conventions, but will he have enough for retirement?
(Well, that's a question for us all.)
But I want to continue talking about Asian American male actors in dramatic media.
This past weekend, I was walking through the tv section of a department store, and noticed a Bruce Lee film being shown. I think it was the Game of Death. I've never seen the whole film from start to finish, so I'm not sure how it goes, and when Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Chuck Norris make their appearances.
The scene being shown was a fight between Bruce and Dan Inosanto. I don't know how the scene was planned, shot and edited, but it seemed kind of stilted to me. It didn't help that much of the vocalizations were horrendously dubbed, adding to the cartoonish feel.
But what drew me into it, besides the martial arts skills on display were the youthful look of the actors. Bruce and Dan still looked young, with smooth, unwrinkled faces.
(I met Inosanto once, when he substituted for my drivers training instructor, one day. That was in the days before he became a martial arts guru. My brother said that Inosanto was his drivers training instructor.)
I just finished moving, from one side of town to the other.
It was a grueling experience. I'm still pretty ehausted.
I spent about $175 on boxes, above what I had already.
Costliest rental was a 15-ft. truck. Also rented a 10-ft. cargo van.
Most of my stuff is loose paper, newspapers, weeklies, pamphlets, magazines, books, cassettes, reel-to-reel tapes, and records (lp's).
(Yeah, I'm an analog type of guy, a throwback...)
Heaviest item: Fender Rhodes electric piano.
=- =- =- =- =-
Asian environments...
it seems the place I left had several Pilipinos moving in recently. People speaking Tagalog. What's with that? What drew them there?
Place I've moved to has several neighboring Asian households. Didn't know that when I decided to move there.