RIP Twinkie

[Gaucho]

hedge funds

nuff said

[Pitt87]

While hardly a pro-union guy, it should be noted that Hostess' problems began before the economic downturn as they last entered bankruptcy eight years ago (with nearly a half billion in debt) where two hedge funds specializing in the purchasing distressed companies were able to bring them out of bankruptcy. The writing was on the wall at that point, and I think that management had been cashing out while they still could. If unions are to blame, it's for actions that happened a decade or longer ago; not the last three years.

That said, I'm very interested to see if the government can resist the urge to intervene now. 18,000 mostly union jobs for a company which has to be one of the largest purchasers of subsidized material (HFCS, corn starches, etc). Hopefully they'll allow the market to allocate Hostess' assets, but I'd be shocked.

Thats exactly right. Its not that different than the UAW; Union labor is not the reason they bankrupt, its the long-term legacy cost of unions that put the business at risk.

I'll be interested to see what the Teamsters do for the folks that are losing their jobs and those that started getting pension payments recently. This is one in a series, for sure.

[mac5155]

Thats exactly right. Its not that different than the UAW; Union labor is not the reason they bankrupt, its the long-term legacy cost of unions that put the business at risk.

Which begs the question, why do a bunch of truck drivers and cupcake bakers need to be in a Union? But I digress..

[DelPen]

Thats exactly right. Its not that different than the UAW; Union labor is not the reason they bankrupt, its the long-term legacy cost of unions that put the business at risk.

Which begs the question, why do a bunch of truck drivers and cupcake bakers need to be in a Union? But I digress..

I'll give you truck drivers. There are actual dangers to them and motorists if there were no union regulating how they do business. I could be wrong here but I am assuming the union would regulate routes and prices so some crazy guy on meth isn't doing business cheap and fast making him a danger to everyone by staying awake for 5 straight days?

Bakers though? fire them all and replace with non-union.

[since1970]

...you had to be DOT certified to drive for Hostess on local routes, not a big deal, and they have over the road guys delivering to depots were very closely monitored by the company, and when I worked for them it was a teamster pension with contribution by the company.

[Sarcastic]

Screw Twinkie. Garbage food. I admit, I've had a few over the years. Usually while drunk and desperate.

[mac5155]

Thats exactly right. Its not that different than the UAW; Union labor is not the reason they bankrupt, its the long-term legacy cost of unions that put the business at risk.

Which begs the question, why do a bunch of truck drivers and cupcake bakers need to be in a Union? But I digress..

I'll give you truck drivers. There are actual dangers to them and motorists if there were no union regulating how they do business. I could be wrong here but I am assuming the union would regulate routes and prices so some crazy guy on meth isn't doing business cheap and fast making him a danger to everyone by staying awake for 5 straight days?

Bakers though? fire them all and replace with non-union.

Plenty of companies have non-union truck drivers. There's the NHTSA for a reason. All the Unions do is set pricing guidelines for everyone else. With UPS's contract expiring in July it will be interesting to see how the Teamsters handle that one,

[GaryRissling]

Yep, it isn't like they're professional hockey players or anything. :)

[DudeMan2766]

A guy I know, who must have absolutely nothing else to do with his time, posted this on Facebook - I thought it was kind of funny.

Spoiler:

A long long time ago,
I can still remember how those twinkies used to make me smile,
and I knew if I had my chance
I could get a cash advance
and buy enough to last me for awhile...
...Mid November made me shiver
my knees shake and my liver quiver
Baker union protests
Who will make the Donettes?
I can't remember if I cried when they sold their bread brand named Home Pride
and cupcakes with the cream inside
the day the Twinkies died...
So

My my
Individual Pies
And the Sno Balls and the Ho Ho's
Now are nothing but lies
Suzy Q beats Little Debbie 3 out of 4 times
How dare those bakers organize
This will take some weight off my thighs

Have you tried a Ding Dong
and have you written any parody songs
I did many years ago
and do you believe that's what it takes
to commemorate delicious cakes
and can you teach me recipes to bake
We'll I know that you loved their muffins
cause I saw you eat one in the gym
I would have had one too
But my mom packed a Suzy Q
I was a hungry teenage broncin' buck
Health conscience? I don't give a ...
So I went and hijacked a truck
The day the twinkies died
I started singing...

Repeat Chorus

I met a girl with Suzy Q's
and I asked her for some happy news
she just smiled and turned away
I went down to the sacred store
Where I bought the twinkies years before
but the man there said he sold out yesterday
and in the streets the children screamed
the lovers cried
and the poet's dreamed
but not a word was spoken
One guy sang Billy Ocean
and the three snacks I admired most
and the wonder bread that made my toast
they caught the last train for the coast
the day the twinkies died
and they were singing...

[mac5155]

[DelPen]

Got the last box of twinkies at my local walmart and they were chocolate cream filled. Sad day.

[columbia]

Governor Christie: It's Bad Enough I Said The Word "Twinkie" Behind This Podium

[Shyster]

Anyone here ever have a Chocodile?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocodile

Modest Medusa (mentioned on the Wikipedia page) is one of the webcomics I read regularly, and the author is indeed majorly bummed about his character’s favorite snack being discontinued.

[Grunthy]

I want a chocodile!

[FreeCandy44]

Time to hit the hostess store in murrysville before work tomorrow.

[columbia]

[llipgh2]

Time to hit the hostess store in murrysville before work tomorrow.

Forget it. Saw on the news all the local stores have been cleaned out. And won't be getting any more shipments.

[blackjack68]

[Rylan]

Zingers were, without a doubt, the most sugar laced, pancreas killing, insulin required snacks of all time.

[since1970]

That should be King Don, and the TMNT pies were just the choc/vanilla pudding pies in a different wrapper, also Chocodiles were the worst just something like sponge cake covered in chocolate. Hostess had at one time the highest quality product in the snack cake area. Hostess had a one week shelf life then off to the thrift store if it wasn't sold for another week, after that it was pig food.

[Lt. Dish]

Loved these. Yes, since1970, I remember when they used to be called King Dons. But no one ever called them that. Hostess bowed to the masses.

Ho-Hos were my favorite, though. Slightly chill 'em in the fridge so the cream filling is cool and the chocolate's not too "melty." Yum.

[FreeCandy44]

Time to hit the hostess store in murrysville before work tomorrow.

Forget it. Saw on the news all the local stores have been cleaned out. And won't be getting any more shipments.

Wow what a buzzkill. Ill still try though. And I will probably be posting my finds tomorrow.

[Lt. Dish]

My mom always used to take me and my sister to the Hostess Store in Beaver. We always seemed to have a case of Hostess Cupcakes in the pantry. Even though I live in Philly now, I still prefer Hostess to Tasteycake. The fact that Tasteycake is a big sponsor of the Flyers makes me stay away from them anyways/

I swear to God I had a yellow Pirates Poncho, sponsored by Tastykake, in the late 1970s. Sounds strange since Tastykake is a Philly company, but it has stuck in my memory that way for ages.

Tastykakes, to me, are chintzy and gross. I always found Hostess to be more substantial. In a pinch, I'll settle for a Tastykake Koffee Kake, but won't touch any other kinds. I believe the road to Hell is paved with Butterscotch Krimpets.

Then there's my irrational aversion to intentionally misspelling words for marketing (and in a portmanteau, no less)...

[Lt. Dish]

Not a facepalm, but grief.

[Tim Thomasen]

Just came back from Sheetz in North Huntingdon. Out of twinkies, but picked up some Hostess cupcakes.

So good.