Exploited Snack Cake Thoughts from the White Board - Nov 17

Yes, I know yesterday I said that I would be taking a break this weekend from the blog.  But who could pass up a news day like this past one? 

My wife, while checking her Facebook, mentioned she'd heard that Hostess Snack Foods was going under.  I was incredulous.  Not Hostess!  I remember sitting at my grandma's kitchen table and enjoying their fruit pies when I was just a little boy.  I've never been a die-hard Twinkies fan, but I've certainly partook of my share of them over the years.  And Suzie-Q's?  My mom got me hooked on them at one time.  Used to be my snack with my lunch, when I worked at Parker Hannifin in the Weber Industrial Park.  Every now and then I still eat a thing of donettes out of the vending machine at my current job, even though I've cut back.  I'd like to say I did that for health reasons, but the truth is, it's more due to the high price of the stuff in there these days.

My wife's bet, and I agree, is that Twinkies and all the rest aren't going away.  Somebody will buy the recipes and go that way.  I feel bad for all those people out of work.  The story online said it was something to do with mis-management combined with a strike by the workers.  Hey, I'm not the first to say it, but how come Uncle Sam doesn't bail out the Twinkie people?  Did it for shady finance outfits during the fallout from the housing crunch.  So why not the people who keep us in sweet sweet goodies, huh?

The news on Hostess, from New York Times/Dealbook

The memes over Twinkies have already begun.



Then my good wife said there was more news of note.  Walmart may have a strike on Black Friday.  They are already having trouble in some places with labor.  How interesting.

You know, I've often wondered how long it would take before labor unrest would really start stirring again.  The "Great Recession" put business back firmly in a position of leverage in this country, and workers are paying the price for it.  One of the quotes from the story my wife was reading (I was looking over her shoulder by then) was from a mother of two (maybe three) who said she didn't understand how she could work for one of the richest U.S. companies and still need state health insurance and food stamps. 

Now I know I can be a bit of a crackpot from time to time (ha!), but if you ask me, companies are so worried about their bottom line in these hard times of growing economic competition and almost constant crisis (one after another after another) that they aren't taking as good a care of the working man (and woman) as they should. 

Pro-Union perspective on the Walmart/Labor debate.

My suggestion?  I know my voice is small, and few will actually read this, especially in time to make a difference.  But I urge all who read my words to show Walmart that a strike by their employees is not necessary.  Instead, don't patronize them on Black Friday, or anytime that whole weekend for that matter.  Tell somebody why you won't be there.  My wife and I won't be going in to that store, and we'll let others know why.  Let's face it, a strike shouldn't be what it takes to get the proletariat a decent cut in this country. 

And while I'm on the subject of Black Friday, let me just say that there is no reason to impinge on a holiday like Thanksgiving with a door-buster sale.  Let's get Black Friday back on Friday!  Keep Thanksgiving a day for family.  If you want to shop, go sit in line outside the store and wait for the early AM opening.  Let those who don't wanna shop and would rather be with their families do so.  That item you get a good price on will not make up for the time you lose with your family, and shouldn't cost other people their time with theirs.

Nine reasons why the Walmart strike can work, and what it will mean. Yes, I know I could provide other links that focus on a more balanced viewpoint (i.e.: big business's side), but if you've read this far, you know I don't agree with big business's point-of-view. Yes, business has its side, and there are practical concerns, but Walmart could do more for its workers.

Last, but certainly not least, if the economy and the price of gas isn't bad enough, we get an oil rig explosion off the Louisiana coast.  Great.  My wife was just was saying the other day how she had read a few weeks back that the price of gas was supposed to fall twenty cents, and it only went down like... maybe four.  If that doesn't put the clinch to it, I don't know what does.  So more bad news all around.

NBC news story about the oil rig explosion.

My prayers and hopes go out to the employees of Hostess who took their cause to the edge and have lost their livelihoods.  And to the people who make Walmart what it is - the workers.  Power to your cause.  And to the people who were hurt and the families of those who died on that rig.  And to us all, who are doing the best we can with what we got, and trying to make it all make sense at the end of the day.

Whenever that may be.

I love Twinkies, and the reason I am saying that is because we are all supposed to think of reasons to live. ― Stephen Chbosky, from The Perks of Being a Wallflower

In the Soviet Union, capitalism triumphed over communism. In this country, capitalism triumphed over democracy. - Fran Lebowitz

This would be a great time in the world for some man to come along that knew something. - Will Rogers

By working faithfully eight hours a day, you may get to be a boss and work twelve hours a day. - Robert Frost

The parting comment:

"Silly Customer. You cannot hurt a Twinkie." Couldn't find a YouTube clip (really? the Twinkie is going bye-bye and nobody uploaded a crappy clip?), so this'll have to do.