"There are countless horrible things happening all over the world and horrible people prospering, but we must never allow them to disturb our equanimity or deflect us from our sacred duty to sabotage and annoy them whenever possible." -Auberon Waugh
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday funnies
One of our competitors is taken down (H/T: Captain Heinrichs).
Twinkies were a favorite of mine, back in the old days. When I heard of their impending doom, I picked up the next to last box at the IGA, for old times sake. I would guess it's been at least 30 years since I last indulged in the golden sponge and cream, and my memory must be failing. I would swear these were about half the size, and flavor, of what I remember.
Hostess is finished, but I wouldn't worry too much about the future of Twinkies themselves. Someone will buy the product name and the recipe - most likely Bimbo, the giant Mexican food conglomerate. You'd be surprised how many American brands they own. They are the #1 baker in the US already).
I haven't eaten a Hostess product [or any other commercial baked good, really] for at least a decade. I used to like the cupcakes when I was a kid.
Someone will buy the best sellers. Wonderbread may still be the best selling bread in the country.
About 2500 union bakers [caution: at one time, decades ago I was actually a union baker] cost themselves and 12,000+ others their jobs in the face of the obvious math.
And many union types [mostly those who are in no danger of losing their cushy jobs and benefits] are cheering this as a union 'win'. Evidently they've never heard of Pyhhrus.
King Pyrrhu is just some dead, white male. Who cares about him in the age of political correctness?
Old Orwell was very perceptive. Politically correct speech, such as we often see enforced on college campi, is a version of his Newspeak. It is intended to make it so that nobody can even think in "racist", "sexist", "your bugbearhereist" thoughts. Of course, stubborn people keep using the new words to represent the old ideas. When "bum" was declared verboten in favor of "homeless", people started using the latter to mean bum. Newspeak requires massive coercion to work at all. I'm sure the "progressives" (i.e. reactionary twits) will be willing to suppoly it, if they get the chance.
Off topic, I'd like to recommend "Captain Vorpatril's Alliance," the latest novel in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigin SF series. It's an SF comedy of manners, and lol-funny in parts. It's her second attempt at a comedy of manners, and even better than the first one ("A Civil Campaign"). Glen Reynolds commented that before reading it he was afraid that the character Ivan Vorpatril, a secondary character in the other books, would not be able to carry a whole book as protagonist, but Bujold made it work. The novel is excellently crafted, too.
JeffS, I think the series has gotten better over time. From Space Opera she has moved to mysteries (very difficult in an SF setting since you must be sure that you're not pulling a rabbit out of a hat to solve it) and, as I mentioned, comedies of manners. The latter really are funny. I actually like the later ones better than the earllier stories about Miles' command of the Dendarii Mercenary Fleet.
Ivan Vorpatril was Bujold's designated comic relief character for several of the earlier novels of Miles' adulthood. He has become a bit more complex in the later books. With the latest one, the character has matured. I'm sure that came as a great relief to Alys Vorpatril. I'm looking forward to future stories about Ambassador Vorpatril.
Twinkies were a favorite of mine, back in the old days. When I heard of their impending doom, I picked up the next to last box at the IGA, for old times sake. I would guess it's been at least 30 years since I last indulged in the golden sponge and cream, and my memory must be failing. I would swear these were about half the size, and flavor, of what I remember.
ReplyDeleteWhich is true of a lot of things, I suppose.
I'll match your wood iPads with wood flat-screen TV. (Last item in the Police Beat.)
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/celxloh
Hey Miami, you wanna match stupid for stupid, well Tacoma's your huckleberry.
Dave: Haw! Looks like there's still one born every minute.
ReplyDeleteHostess is finished, but I wouldn't worry too much about the future of Twinkies themselves. Someone will buy the product name and the recipe - most likely Bimbo, the giant Mexican food conglomerate. You'd be surprised how many American brands they own. They are the #1 baker in the US already).
ReplyDeleteI haven't eaten a Hostess product [or any other commercial baked good, really] for at least a decade. I used to like the cupcakes when I was a kid.
ReplyDeleteSomeone will buy the best sellers. Wonderbread may still be the best selling bread in the country.
About 2500 union bakers [caution: at one time, decades ago I was actually a union baker] cost themselves and 12,000+ others their jobs in the face of the obvious math.
And many union types [mostly those who are in no danger of losing their cushy jobs and benefits] are cheering this as a union 'win'. Evidently they've never heard of Pyhhrus.
King Pyrrhu is just some dead, white male. Who cares about him in the age of political correctness?
ReplyDeleteOld Orwell was very perceptive. Politically correct speech, such as we often see enforced on college campi, is a version of his Newspeak. It is intended to make it so that nobody can even think in "racist", "sexist", "your bugbearhereist" thoughts. Of course, stubborn people keep using the new words to represent the old ideas. When "bum" was declared verboten in favor of "homeless", people started using the latter to mean bum. Newspeak requires massive coercion to work at all. I'm sure the "progressives" (i.e. reactionary twits) will be willing to suppoly it, if they get the chance.
Off topic, I'd like to recommend "Captain Vorpatril's Alliance," the latest novel in Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigin SF series. It's an SF comedy of manners, and lol-funny in parts. It's her second attempt at a comedy of manners, and even better than the first one ("A Civil Campaign"). Glen Reynolds commented that before reading it he was afraid that the character Ivan Vorpatril, a secondary character in the other books, would not be able to carry a whole book as protagonist, but Bujold made it work. The novel is excellently crafted, too.
Betcha Paco Enterprises swoops in and picks up Twinkies for a song. Perhaps, you could use a photo of Michelle Antoinette on the new packaging. HA.
ReplyDeleteMichael: The book sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteAnon: Hostess is a natural fit for Paco Enterprises - sweet snacks completely lacking in nutritional value!
I finished reading "Captain Vorpatril's Alliance" last Friday morning, Michael. Around 2 AM. Excellent!
ReplyDeleteBujold is carrying the series forward quite nicely, building on all of the characters. The Barrayar series has been a great from the start.
JeffS,
ReplyDeleteI think the series has gotten better over time. From Space Opera she has moved to mysteries (very difficult in an SF setting since you must be sure that you're not pulling a rabbit out of a hat to solve it) and, as I mentioned, comedies of manners. The latter really are funny. I actually like the later ones better than the earllier stories about Miles' command of the Dendarii Mercenary Fleet.
Ivan Vorpatril was Bujold's designated comic relief character for several of the earlier novels of Miles' adulthood. He has become a bit more complex in the later books. With the latest one, the character has matured. I'm sure that came as a great relief to Alys Vorpatril. I'm looking forward to future stories about Ambassador Vorpatril.