Globalization Hits Germany's Oktoberfest

[newyawker99]

The polka bands struck up and beer started flowing at this year's Oktoberfest this weekend, even as the sale of a venerable Bavarian brewer to foreign owners injected tough global realities into the party.

Billed as the biggest annual festival anywhere, the two-week beer bash is expected to draw more than 6 million revelers after rain last year and the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001 kept crowds smaller than usual.

A magnet for tourists and a deeply Bavarian tradition for nearly 200 years, the Oktoberfest has always adapted to the times. With many Americans still avoiding foreign trips, Italian visitors - but also Russians and Chinese - are filling the gaps.

Security measures were increased further this year and new amusement park rides were added.


globalization

[T_i_B]

1. Globalization can be a force for beery good too!

At the Great British Beer Festival I signed a petition callijng on the Czech government not to privatize the Budweiser Buvar brewery (The original and best bud, I just boycott the american shite) Globalization is also a force for allowing quality craft brewers to export there ware and the likes of the campaign for Real Ale to work outside of the UK to improve global beer quality.

And also there was a campaign for a Local Communities Sustainability Bill which I will link to here, although I am still unsure about that one.

http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/local_works_steering.aspx

[Dirk39]

2. Can't we make an exception here!

As americans seem to like german beer and bavaria and their stupid leather-trousers and weiswurst so much, what about excluding Bavaria from Germany and the EU and sell it to Texas including all those right wing hicks and peasants... I would even pay to get rid of them, any offers?
Special offer lasting till the end of Octoberfest: if you buy Bavaria, you get Austria for free!
Prosit from Germany,
Dirk

[Flubadubya]

3. Can we send Ahnuld back there while we're at it?

[Mairead]

4. Naja, some of us like the Heide and Waterkant better.

Moin moin, Dirk. :evilgrin:

[Dirk39]

5. So there's hope:

How many Waterkant and Heide do you want in exchange for Kucinich? We need someone like him in Germany. I would even give up drinking beer!
I really admire this guy! Today the bavarians vote and the far-right-wing-CSU Stoiber will get about 70% of the votes!
Americans can still say, not even 25% of all Americans, who are allowed to vote, supported him!
Glad to live in Hamburg (I hate mountains anyway, I looooove whater),
Dirk

[Don_G]

6. I'm All For The Easier Export Of Quality Brew

However, I will draw the line at allowing Bud Light sold in the US as "beer" to be sold in the UK and German Beer Festivals as "beer."

We make it, we market it and I, for one, won't buy it, until the taste and quality improves.