Snack Time

As I mentioned on Friday, Hostess has decided to declare bankruptcy and lay off its entire workforce. This not only resulted in people on the internet lamenting the loss of the company, but a mad rush to begin hoarding the various snacks the company made for the future (ignoring the fact that they might still be made in one form or another). At the time I wasn't particularly upset because I have never been the biggest Twinkie fan. However, a little bit later I learned that Hostess also owns Drake's, which is the company that makes Yodels and that their production would be shut down as well. Suddenly, shit got real. I happen to have quite the affinity for Yodels and the thought those could be going away as well is quite disturbing. I know we should all be eating healthier and fewer chocolate snacks at our fingertips would probably benefit us all in the long run, but every now and again a treat does a world of good. It is starting to look like this shut down will have wider ramifications than first thought. This is the problem with allowing companies to get too big and allowing them to buy up all the competition - when they fail an entire industry goes down. Sure, Congress gets all pissy if they see Microsoft trying to corner the computer market and telecommunication mergers are shut down if it looks like it will make one super-company to dwarf all the rest, but apparently you can buy up all the snack cake makers and they won't raise a finger. I'm willing to let a lot of things in Washington slide, but when I hear stories like this it just reminds me they really don't have our best interest in mind.