Say Anything Blog

SO predictable.  Never mind the fact that all of that profit that InBev will be making from Budweiser is going overseas.

You’re probably the same type of person who sees no problem in buying everything from China while ignoring American made goods.

It’s not just a Belgium owned buyout, there are more Brazilians on their board of directors than Belgians.
I think it was a selfish move on AB’s part, but such is business.

You’re probably the same type of person who sees no problem in buying everything from China while ignoring American made goods.

Such arguments ignore the most important aspect of free trade: Buying power.

Why should I dilute my buying power to buy American?  Should I not want to maximize the amount I can purchase with my money?

As I’ve said before, I think the economic illiterates who promote protectionism should be forced to buy American only.  The rest of us can laugh at you while you can’t afford anything.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Anna,

You have it exactly right!  ImBev is basically a Brazilian company, formed when Brazil’s AmBev bought out/merged with its European cousin.

Most analysts had AB pegged at about $50-55 per share, and it has been trading in that range for the better part of the past 5 years.  Hard to turn down a 35-40% premium over market and book.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Anna, I don’t think A-B initially wanted to go along with this but as Bat points out...InBev made the pot sweet enough and the powers that be at A-B had a duty to the stockholders to make the right decision.

There’s nothing greedy about it.  It’s just business.  The fact that the buying company is foreign instead of American matters naught.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

"As I’ve said before, I think the economic illiterates who promote protectionism should be forced to buy American only.  The rest of us can laugh at you while you can’t afford anything. “

And I’ll be laughing as our economy continues to decline while China’s continues to rise as you send your American dollars overseas.

You might be saving a little money now, but in the long run you will pay for it.

Spend it where you make it.

As much as I like to see people investing in our country, I don’t know that this is going to be a good deal.  Are we to seriously claim that brewing is an industry where the end product is so compact and valuable, that the advantage of having one brewmaster run a bazillion hecto liter brewery overcomes the disadvantages of extra layers of management and transportation?

Anheuser-Busch’s own corporate structure belies this idea; they have small satellite breweries around the country to minimize the distance that barley, hops, corn syrup, tapioca, and whatever other garbage they put into their swill must go before it is brewed, fermented, and bottled.

This one isn’t about good business or economies of scale.  It’s about leaning on liquor store owners to give A-B-InBev more shelf space, and their competitors less.  In other words, it’s probably not good for customers--at least those who aren’t willing to go the extra mile for something good.

InBev is the combined Belgian company Interbrew and the Brazilian company AmBev.  They’re CEO is Brazilian and Anna is right some board members are Brazilian.  None of that bothers me, the Belgians are the highest per capita beer drinkers in the world.  But it wouldn’t really matter if it was the Belgians or the Chinese, the free market is the free market.

August Busch IV was a playboy playing at CEO, now he can get back to what he’s good at.  It find it amusing that the Belgians now own Shamu, since Busch owns Seaworld and Busch Gardens.  Speculators say they could be sold to help finance the $52Bs.

Same goes with Dubai’s ownership in Citigroup and whichever foreign group just bought part of some building in NYC.  Remember when the Japanese were buying up buildings in NYC and LA in the 90’s, turned out to be horrible investments for them and they lost millions. LOL The low US$ unfortunately makes the entire country a good bargain hunting ground right now.

I hope the Belgians are successful and I hope this means wider distribution for my favorite Belgian beer - Hoegarden.

Yep, pussycat, nobody wants to buy USA products. 

The United States’ trade deficit narrowed in May as exports — including industrial supplies and consumer goods — climbed to all-time highs.

Trade deficit down 1.2% as exports rise to record high

You don’t have to be a moron to be a liberal Democrat but it sure helps.

What do exports have to do with American citizens spending a few cents more to buy American goods?

Where are the lefties whining about “evil speculators”?  InBev bid around $70/share for stock that was selling in the $50-55 range.  Didn’t they just inflate the beer market?

"Give the lefties a pile of money, and they’ll spend it buying votes.” - Rush Limbaugh on the “bailout”.

Anheuser-Busch was started by a German immigrant.
Turnabout is fair play.

More about distribution than beer.

CatMow - And I’ll be laughing as our economy continues to decline while China’s continues to rise as you send your American dollars overseas.

...he said on a computer manufactured with parts made in China.

Spend it where you make it.

Ignorant.

Trade enriches all participants.

Anheuser-Busch was started by a German immigrant.
Turnabout is fair play.

But, but, but...!

Belgians are but speed-bumps for Germans.

Von Schlieffen must be rolling over in his grave.

...for great justice

Maybe they can make it taste like Stella.

Actually, when you think about it, the Busch family has done a lot better maintaining and enhancing the value of their family enterprise than most others.  According to the company website, the first Adolfus Busch went to work in his father-in-law’s brewery just before the start of the Civil War, some 150 years ago.

By comparison, Arthur O. Sultzburg, Jr., who succeeded his father and grandfather and great grandfather at the helm of the New York Times, has managed to run that company into the ground.  The NYT was founded one year earlier (1851) than the brewery that became the Anheuser-Busch Company.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Catmow, you are wasting your time with these mutts. They would all gladly sell there friends and neighbors jobs out to the Chinese, so they can save a couple bucks on there DVD player. “Me first, fuck everyone else” is there motto. They have absolutely no pride in the once strong American industrial base. The American exports they brag about are the raw goods we ship overseas so other countries can ship back the finished goods. Its sad to see Americans so selfish as to not care about there brothers well-being.

Patriot,

You would choose Hoegarten over Stella-Artois???

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Move_Zig:  Hahahahaha!!  Too, too funny!!

"Here lies, in honored glory, an American soldier, known but to God.”

The times, they are a-changin’...
Bob Dylan

They would all gladly sell there (sic) friends and neighbors jobs out to the Chinese, so they can save a couple bucks on there (sic) DVD player.

I care about your well being. You are using the wrong word. The word you are looking for is ”their”. BTW, Your sentiments are equally wrong.

They have absolutely no pride in the once strong American industrial base.

You have absolutely no idea WTF you’re talking about. I work for a strong American manufacturing company. YOU are talking out of your ass!
You’re welcome to leave the eighteenth century and join the world economy* anytime you please!

*World economy as regards to international markets, not any New World Order conspiratorial nonsense.

Next time you catmow - mulch!

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

No biggie, I always thought Bud tasted like what I expected clydesdale piss to taste like and one bottle was enough to give me an excruciating headache. That’s why I generally drink Molson.

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

Bat One:  I like Stella, I love Hoegarden.  Stella was everywhere when I lived in Brussels, so I drank it frequently but if they had Hoegarden I’d go with that.

Hoegarden is similar to Blue Moon in the midwest.  So, frankly sort of a “girl beer” as one guy explained it to me.

Actually, most American companies would be more than happy to stay here, but the taxes and regulations from the greedy govt make it economically unfeasible.
Think about it: If it were only about labor costs, there would be no businesses located in wealthy countries.  Duh.

"Give the lefties a pile of money, and they’ll spend it buying votes.” - Rush Limbaugh on the “bailout”.

Oops!  Forgot to mention the greedy unions.

"Give the lefties a pile of money, and they’ll spend it buying votes.” - Rush Limbaugh on the “bailout”.

Actually, most American companies would be more than happy to stay here, but the taxes and regulations from the greedy govt make it economically unfeasible.

Right, that’s why Texas is prospering while other high tax states are not.

You don’t have to be a moron to be a liberal Democrat but it sure helps.

BTW, catdoofus, I went to Wal-Mart today and bought oven cleaner and a paint tray both made in the USA, some Lock-tite adhesive made in Germany, paint brushes and envelopes made in Indonesia. Nothing Chinese in the bunch! Sorry to disappoint you!

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Its sad to see Americans so selfish as to not care about there brothers well-being.

You’re a member of a bargaining unit aren’t you?

Oops!  Forgot to mention the greedy unions.

You nailed the biggest problem right there R108. Bargaining unit employees have delusions they can compete with those working for less than 1/8 the their own cost. They don’t seem to realize that in order for themselves to compete they have to produce 8 times as much. Thus the standard union mentality that the contract says they have to work, it doesn’t say how hard. Yet they whine about losing jobs to their cost efficient betters.

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

I still like the point about the greedy speculators raising the price of beer.

"Give the lefties a pile of money, and they’ll spend it buying votes.” - Rush Limbaugh on the “bailout”.

BTW, InBev already sells a beer that’s exponentially better than Bud:  Beck’s.  It’s certainly not a “girl beer"- lots of hops.

"Give the lefties a pile of money, and they’ll spend it buying votes.” - Rush Limbaugh on the “bailout”.

They don’t seem to realize that in order for themselves to compete they have to produce 8 times as much.

Putting it another way, what value is added to the product by paying for overpriced, and some times (not always) lazy labor when the same results can be achieved with lower cost labor outside of the country, or inside the country by outsourcing to a non union shop?

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

Catmow - Catmow, you are wasting your time with these mutts.

Hey “Buzz” - you might want to sign out “Catmow” the next time you use the computer after your son. Just a tip.

Here’s another one - if you believe that you’re wasting your time, then bounce on out of here. You won’t be missed.

I still like the point about the greedy speculators raising the price of beer.

It’s Bush’s fault...he’s obviously related, the name sounds the same!!!1!!eleventy!!1

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

Hey “Buzz” - you might want to sign out “Catmow” the next time you use the computer after your son. Just a tip.

Son or sockpuppet?

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

Among the states with annual pay below the U.S. average, Montana posted
the lowest average pay ($25,194) in 2001.  The next lowest pay levels were
in South Dakota ($25,600), North Dakota ($25,707), Mississippi ($25,919),
and Arkansas ($27,258).  These five states continued to have the lowest
average wages in the nation, as they have since 1988.

OMG, no wonder you guys are so pissed off. Even back in 2001 I made twice that much, bring home. In fact I put more than that in my retirement accounts. But dont worry, if you never have money, you wont miss it.

Buy American, Buy Union Made… the job you save might be your own.

How does that feel, lumped in with Arkansas, and Mississippi? AND NORTH DAKOTA IS 91.5% WHITE. Still the niggas are making more than you. Looks like you could use some collective bargaining. Just hang your heads and look ashamed. What a pathetic bunch, I almost feel sorry for you poor ass bitches now, ALMOST.

Buy American, Buy Union Made… the job you save might be your own.

if you never have money, you wont miss it.

True, You’re likely not to squander it when you happen upon it, too. A life lesson, so hard times are beneficial to those capable of learning, for those not capable of learning life will alway suck, and it will always be somebody elses fault.

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

"Putting it another way, what value is added to the product by paying for overpriced, and some times (not always) lazy labor when the same results can be achieved with lower cost labor outside of the country, or inside the country by outsourcing to a non union shop?”

You obviously have no concern for the American worker.
You’re calling American labor lazy? You’d rather save a few dimes by buying a product that was built by children in some foreign country.  How exploitative!

The unions will get the last laugh when you decide to build a new home and instead of hiring competent union workers you contract some non-union contractor who uses illegal immigrants to do shoddy, unregulated work that barely passes standards.

but the reality is that the international mingling of economies is good for overall prosperity and peace

that doesn’t mean that this acquisition isn’t a function of the economy and the dollar vs the euro. europe has immense buying power now and I know someone who was trying to work on restructuring for A-B before this deal went down.

Yun Chu said, “You must strictly not express in words what is very significant. Both dragon and snake are killed in one blow.”

Why do you think that the majority of industrial and commercial jobs are done union?

Because the big companies don’t want cheap Mexicans doing shoddy work that could cost them millions later down the road.

Non union labor companies and contractors do not require their workers to undergo any type of apprenticeship or training.  Why do you think people even work for non-union labor contractors when they could get paid much more with benefits working union?  Because they are not SKILLED enough to work union or are ILLEGAL immigrants.

You obviously have no concern for the American worker.
You’re calling American labor lazy? You’d rather save a few dimes by buying a product that was built by children in some foreign country.

catmow: In my 25+ years in the machining industry, I started out in a tool room as a “b” machinist and finally worked my way into engineering about 8 years ago. I’ve lived on both sides of the street, heard all of the excuses from both sides, I’ve still got tee shirts hanging in the closet that were given to me when I worked in the tool room. I can honestly tell you that management would prefer to keep jobs local as it is much easier to address problems with a 5 minute walk to the source of the problem than booking travel arrangements half way around the world. However, when there are a consistent few that require an expensive engineer camp out in their cell to solve their problems for them, thus preventing said engineer from performing his/her job required functions, it doesn’t take long for management to decide to bail out on the lazy bastard and his family, as it becomes very in expensive to send said engineer half way around the world to address the issues of an individual that really wants, nay is really desperate for the opportunity, to do the job and support his/her family

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

According to the report, the national average public schoolteacher salary for 2005–06 was $49,026. State average public schoolteacher salaries ranged from those in California ($59,825), Connecticut ($59,304) and the District of Columbia ($59,000) at the high end to South Dakota ($34,709), North Dakota ($37,764) and West Virginia ($38,284) at the low end.

49th out of 50, shame on you guys. So tight you don’t even care about your children’s education. Maybe with all the tons of money your saving at Walmart you could kick in a little for the teacher to pay off there collage debt.

Buy American, Buy Union Made… the job you save might be your own.

CatMow - You obviously have no concern for the American worker.

Assumption number 1.

You’re calling American labor lazy?

This question is illogical in light of the quote that was quoted, “and some times (not always) lazy labor”.

You’d rather save a few dimes by buying a product that was built by children in some foreign country.  How exploitative!

Assumption number 2.

The unions will get the last laugh when you decide to build a new home and instead of hiring competent union workers you contract some non-union contractor who uses illegal immigrants...

Assumption number 3.

...to do shoddy...

Assumption number 4.

...unregulated work...

Assumption number 5.

...that barely passes standards.

Assumption number 6.

Why do you think that the majority of industrial and commercial jobs are done union?

Begging the question.

Because the big companies don’t want cheap Mexicans doing shoddy work that could cost them millions later down the road.

Assumption number 7.

Non union labor companies and contractors do not require their workers to undergo any type of apprenticeship or training.

Assumption number 8, although that one is not a hard and fast rule. Some do, some don’t. It is up to the consumer to do his homework.

Why do you think people even work for non-union labor contractors when they could get paid much more with benefits working union?

Begging the question.

Because they are not SKILLED enough to work union or are ILLEGAL immigrants.

Assumption number 9.

The pro-union bag of tricks was on full display in CatMow’s comments.

Why do you think that the majority of industrial and commercial jobs are done union?

Why is union representation at it’s lowest levels ever?
Perhaps workers want to keep the $20 a month and earn their living based upon their own merits, not seniority?

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

Cat, I asked (well, I could have stated that you must be) earlier and you failed to respond, so I’ll ask again. Are you employed via a bargaining unit? Not that it matters in the scheme of all of this, but it would be telling about your position on the subject.

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

CAT
Go practice your mafia apologetics elsewhere. I have lived for a number of years in Providence and Philly.

I know, first hand, how lazy, racist, wasteful, and totally bent on ripping us all off the unions are.

Sending jobs to Mexico is wrong, but overpaying fatass white, racist union workers to order Mexicans around here is wrong too. Just because a job goes to a union doesn’t mean its all union workers.

I used to deliver things to various jobsites. Trust me. There will be a union guy there, in one of those GE mods, watching TV with 5 others in the A/C. I show up, ask for some help unloading the stuff. “Sure.” They get on the phone and then go back to watching TV. In a few minutes, a couple minorities will show up to help you unload.

True.

Drive by any road crew site, or workers repairing a telephone poll. There will be 20 smoking, standing, and eating… and two guys working. They will be minorities.

The unions are racists; lazy democrats. They are corrupt and the add sand to the concrete. Look at the Big Dig in Boston. How long did it take for the shitty union job to fall apart and kill a couple newlyweds? A matter of weeks. You know how much that cost?

Yun Chu said, “You must strictly not express in words what is very significant. Both dragon and snake are killed in one blow.”

collage debt

they shouldn’t spend so much on glue and scissors.

Yun Chu said, “You must strictly not express in words what is very significant. Both dragon and snake are killed in one blow.”

Buzz - 49th out of 50, shame on you guys. So tight you don’t even care about your children’s education.

And there’s your level of understanding. So poor that even when you go off topic, you still don’t get it right.

Look up “cost of living” and then do a comparison. Then look up how much the state of ND has spent in education in recent years. You should be able to find plenty of articles from this blog.
Here you go to get started.
Shows how much spending has gone up even as enrollment has gone down.
Here’s another one.

But you’re not interested. You only want to make off topic cheap shots like an asshole. At least your son could stay on topic, disjointed as he was.

Hey, how are those Washington DC schools doing, btw? They’re among the most expensive per pupil per year, and yet they’re also among the worst. But it shouldn’t be that way, right? Because money = quality.

You joker.

My best example of Union Labor and its (lack thereof) efficiency is from the early ‘90’s. 

My college roommate went to work as an engineer at General Motors in Detroit after we graduated from NDSU.  One day at work she was waiting for an urgent FedEx. She kept going down to the receiving dock to check when it didn’t arrive on her desk.  Finally the Fedex truck had been there and she saw her letter size Fedex lying there addressed to her so she took it and went back to her cubicle. 

Later, she was mortified to learn there was a Union grievance filed against her because a Union guy had seen her pick up her package and go back to her office.  It was a union job to deliver the mail (and Fedex etc) and they did it on their own time, never mind urgency, and a non-union person (in her case a salaried engineer) cannot do the “job” of a Union person.  Unions suck and absolutely share in the blame of the downfall of the American Auto industry.

Go practice your mafia apologetics elsewhere. I have lived for a number of years in Providence and Philly.

I know, first hand, how lazy, racist, wasteful, and totally bent on ripping us all off the unions are.

Sparkie, you surprised me...I never in my wildest thought I even dream of you saying that...I’m getting a bale of hay and going back to sleep, must be a nightmare…

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

^a bale of hay and going back to sleep, must be a nightmare… Gotta feed the nightmares....

"we should select our leaders on principle first, electability second.”

A young man whose wisdom far exceeds his years

Buzz,

OMG, no wonder you guys are so pissed off. Even back in 2001 I made twice that much, bring home.

Adjust that income for cost of living and get back to me.

49th out of 50, shame on you guys. So tight you don’t even care about your children’s education.

Actually, here in North Dakota education spending has gone up 30% over the last ten years despite enrollment going down some 16,000 students.

But answer me this, smart guy: Why should North Dakota pay a penny over what it costs to hire a qualified teacher?

Why should I care what teachers in California make?  All I care is what it takes to hire a good teacher in North Dakota.

Given that it’s a hell of a lot cheaper to live here than other parts of the country, we can pay less because the money goes further.

Maybe if you spent a little less time reading union press releases and a little more time living in reality you wouldn’t be so, well, stupid.

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

Spartacus
I am from a rural place where people actually work really hard to eke out a living. I have no softspot for loafing, corrupt, laziness.
Moreover, I have lived in Providence and Philadelphia recently and I have these things on the front of my head called eyes. Let’s just say its frustrating to trip over a pothole in the street when you are trying to read your paycheck to figure out where all the money you earned went. Especially if they have taken enough to from you to plausibly make the place look like Monte Carlo.

Yun Chu said, “You must strictly not express in words what is very significant. Both dragon and snake are killed in one blow.”

Tell me Buzz, do you oppose free trade because you don’t like paying less for goods and services or because you hate people from other countries?

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

-- Thomas Jefferson

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

you could kick in a little for the teacher to pay off there (sic) collage (sic) debt.

collage: a technique of composing a work of art by pasting on a single surface various materials not normally associated with one another, as newspaper clippings, parts of photographs, theater tickets, and fragments of an envelope.

Buzz: Why would teachers go into debt to make art from newspaper clippings?

When the Chinese hang us, they will of (sic) sold us the rope that they use.

I think your grade school grammar teacher is reaching for a rope! You will have disappointed her too many times!

Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

49th out of 50, shame on you guys. So tight you don’t even care about your children’s education. Maybe with all the tons of money your saving at Walmart you could kick in a little for the teacher to pay off there collage debt.

Wow, that’s so stupid I don’t know where to start.

Um, Walmart and schools aren’t in competition, don’t know if you didn’t get that memo. Wages, including for teachers, tend to be partially based on cost of living. A worker, teacher, etc will get more money in New York than North Dakota...but they will also pay more for rent, transportation, taxes, etc…

Not to mention that we continue to spend more and more money on schools than makes sense. Our schools consistantly do worse the more money we spend on them. And as Rob pointed out, despite falling enrollment, school spending has gone UP.

Or in short, you’re an economic illiterate suffering from a case of general stupidity.

And that stuff about putting more than 20k in your retirement fund every year is unmitigated bullshit.

For the first time in my adult life, I am ashamed of my country.

"I know, first hand, how lazy, racist, wasteful, and totally bent on ripping us all off the unions are.”

You win the award for most ignorant blanket statement of the year.

And, as usual, Proof offers little more than a grammar lesson. No one gives a fuck that you proofread all of your posts on an online internet forum.  Most of us type it out and click submit.

Buy American, Buy Union Made… the job you save might be your own.

You win the award for most ignorant blanket statement of the year.

Wrong!  We retired that Diane Memorial Trophy on your second day here.

“Poverty of goods is easily cured; poverty of the mind is irreparable.”

Wrong!  We retired that Diane Memorial Trophy on your second day here.

Wow, that brings back memories.  I was trying to remember why this thread seemed so familiar.