Anheuser-Busch agrees to InBev sale

[Perfection]

TERRIBLE LIE.

No, 'cuz Czech beer tastes horrible. It's all bitter and nastola.

 

[innonimatu]

Yeah, but France has never been entirely comfortable with 'Anglo-Saxon' free trade, and Italy is run by corrupt neo-fascist idiots. I'm not naive enough to be surprised by this, but it will always strike me as weird that a people so ideologically sold on the idea of non-interference in economic matters are the first to make irrational melodramatic objections to free trade.

There are very good reasons to object the so-called "free trade" and "globalization". But I'll let future events show that to everyone, the collapse of "liberalized trade" is in motion already.
People will pay for blindly believing the high priests of "globalization". Trade is good, provided the conditions are advantageous. Advantageous not only to who is doing the trading but also to those indirectly affected by it, who are therefore interested parties, with a duty to check if it is advantageous to them or not.

But yes, you're right that the Berlusconi of the world are the first to promote free trade when it suits them and oppose it when it does not. It's up to everyone else to keep those greedy, lying bastards under control.

 

[Mise]

Free trade is only good if it is advantageous?

People promote things that benefit them, and oppose things that don't benefit them?

 

[Winner]

Our Bud is better then your Bud.

That's like saying that Mecca Cola is better than Coke

dream on, the name "bud" has a higher brand value in the USA then the real obscure varient of the Czechs, different markets, different perspectives.

I don't think that Budweiser Budvar is obscure in Europe, it's actually selling quite well abroad. The problem is that Budvar (the Czech brewery) can't sell its beer under its rightfull name in the US. Meanwhile it wages a legal war of attrition with Anh-B in many other countries for the same right.

 

[philippe]

That's like saying that Mecca Cola is better than Coke



I don't think that Budweiser Budvar is obscure in Europe, it's actually selling quite well abroad. The problem is that Budvar (the Czech brewery) can't sell its beer under its rightfull name in the US. Meanwhile it wages a legal war of attrition with Anh-B in many other countries for the same right.

I was talking about the USA market, don't worry, we can appreciate good beers in Europe But jupiler is still better then your pilsner

 

[Winner]

No, 'cuz Czech beer tastes horrible. It's all bitter and nastola.

Well, that might have something to to with the fact that it is a beer, unlike its many American counterparts...

 

[Winner]

I was talking about the USA market, don't worry, we can appreciate good beers in Europe But jupiler is still better then your pilsner

It would be acceptable if they allowed Budvar to use some kind of "bud" name. As of now, anything containing "bud" is forbidden, which is ridiculous.

 

[Enkidu Warrior]

There are very good reasons to object the so-called "free trade" and "globalization". But I'll let future events show that to everyone, the collapse of "liberalized trade" is in motion already.
People will pay for blindly believing the high priests of "globalization". Trade is good, provided the conditions are advantageous. Advantageous not only to who is doing the trading but also to those indirectly affected by it, who are therefore interested parties, with a duty to check if it is advantageous to them or not.

But yes, you're right that the Berlusconi of the world are the first to promote free trade when it suits them and oppose it when it does not. It's up to everyone else to keep those greedy, lying bastards under control.

I hate borders and anything that breaks them down gets a thumbs up from me, so I'm an enthusiastic supporter of globalisation from an internationalist perspective, but of course most of the people within governments who praise "free trade" are just seeking narrow national benefit by exploiting the worlds poor. Trade can never be free so long as the rich nations twist it to their benefit, whether through bullying poor nations into one-sided trade deals or by adopting stupid nationalist protectionist policies.

If you don't approve of genuine free trade, what do you advocate instead? I'm certainly don't have an irrational love of the private sector, but I couldn't throw my support behind anything that twists trade to serve the narrow national interest at the expense of those beyond your borders. It's a genuinely difficult balance to make.

 

[twansalem]

Our Bud is better then your Bud.

I was in Switzerland about a week and a half ago, and had a Budvar Budweiser, and I'd say that while it is clearly a different beer, the quality is comparable to our good old American Budweiser.

 

[bhsup]

Busch Lite is officially a European beer. Enjoy

 

[Masquerouge]

Yeah, but France has never been entirely comfortable with 'Anglo-Saxon' free trade, and Italy is run by corrupt neo-fascist idiots. I'm not naive enough to be surprised by this, but it will always strike me as weird that a people so ideologically sold on the idea of non-interference in economic matters are the first to make irrational melodramatic objections to free trade.

Seconded. I'm pretty sure that, just like the Boeing vs Airbus Defense contracts, it's not the last we'll hear of that deal.

EDIT: about France, France is one big hypocritical country on that topic, I'm afraid. It's nice of you to give it the excuse of not being comfortable with 'Anglo-Saxon" free trade, but French companies can be quite the predators when acquiring foreign companies.

 

[Godwynn]

From Paul Krugmann's Blog:

Oh, no! Anheuser-Busch, it appears, is about to be acquired by InBev, which is Belgian-Brazilian (?).

Belgian Bud! Next thing we’ll be talking about French bourbon. Oh, wait:

“I’ll tell you one thing,” said the 21-year-old concrete worker during his lunch break at The Brick of St. Louis bar, in the shadow of this city’s storied Anheuser-Busch Cos. brewery, “if Budweiser is made by a different country, I don’t drink Budweiser anymore. I’ll go back to Wild Turkey.” (Wild Turkey, a Kentucky bourbon, is owned by French drinks giant Pernod Ricard SA.)

Bwahahahaha!

 

[Masquerouge]

From Paul Krugmann's Blog:



Bwahahahaha!

Having tried both Stella Artois and Budweiser, there is no comparison.

It's hard to find Stella down 'ere, hopefully this will improve my chances next time I go to BP.

Well, read the comments

"The most absurd comment was on Lou Dobbs last week. The reporting started with “ImBev, better known as the owner of Stella Artois and Beck’s …”. Unfortunately for Dobbs, both Stella and Beck’s are owned by Anheuser-Bush, together with many other foreign beers (http://www.anheuser-busch.com/BeerVerified.html.) This is not the case of an European brand buying an American brand, but rather a multinational conglomerate buying another multinational conglomerate …. not that Lou Dobbs will ever say that, it goes against his “Selling America” theme !"

 

[Rossiya]

I can see people getting drunk with excitement having heard this news.

 

[I'm Cleo!]

Busch Lite is officially a European beer. Enjoy

Bah! The Belgians can now get a taste of Natural Ice!

Cleo

 

[Godwynn]

Bah! The Belgians can now get a taste of Natural Ice!

Cleo

Sucks to be them.

 

[Zarn]

I have the feeling it is still going to taste awful, so only it's deluded moro... customers who will continue drinking it.

 

[Phlegmak]

American beer (and all other beer) can go to hell. It's just horse piss anyway.

 

[philippe]

Bah! The Belgians can now get a taste of Natural Ice!

Cleo

I'd rather die, kthxbai.

 

[emzie]

Bah! The Belgians can now get a taste of Natural Ice!

Cleo

I rarely drink beer, but how is 5.9% considered high alcohol content? Y'all beer drinkers are . .. .. .. .. .. .. ..