Years ago, 1992 actually, I threw a Halloween party at the old house in New Orleans and it was fun even though my birthday is the same day it was not a birthday party really, just a fun time for costumes and great food. I had made a large batch of Duck and Andouille Gumbo with rice on the side and also made some Shrimp Imperial, which is a jumbo shrimp stuffed with crabmeat and baked in the oven with a garlic butter sauce. I had other culinary delights, but cannot seem to remember what they were 16 years ago. At the time my yet to be bride told me that I could make them for her anytime, my immediate response was “Well…you know, there is a price for everything!” It was a cute joke at the time and we still laugh about that flirty exchange today. Well, I did make the shrimp preparation again, but she was already sold on me, and eventually a few years later we would become happily married. We have shared our traditions and created new ones together for almost 15 years now, so I’d say it was worth the price!
Name your price.
Yesterday it was announced that Anheuser-Busch, brewer of Budweiser beer agreed to sell it’s interests to the Belgium based brewing company InBev for $52 billion, ending a 150 year history of the Saint Louis, MO based American owned legacy. NPR devoted almost 3 minutes of air play to the story by Adam Allington and printed an excerpt on their site (linked above). Once approved by both organizations shareholders the merger would create the largest brewing company in the world, with an expected production of 12 billion gallons of beer annually. That’s a lot of beer! I don’t even like Bud, but the company brewed 75% of the domestic beer sold in 2007 with $16.9 billion in revenues the same year with an 8.74% profit margin.
Many of the proud Anheuser-Busch workers may have their heads hanging low now because the American based company with many generations of steeped history will soon be owned by foreign interests. The trend towards global ownership appears with increasing regularity and is gaining more ground as it seems American owned interests are being bought up by Japanese, Chinese and European organizations. Is this a good thing for the American economy? Will this trend allow the continual sell off of all that is American? Will “American Made” be a thing of the past? Does the global economy dictate that this trend continue for American economic success in the future? What is “Made in America” anymore and does it really matter? Are we willing to sell off our American heritage for a short term $70.00 per share profit? Anheuser-Busch will!
“There is a price for everything!”
What is your price for happiness and success?
