ESOP

As of January 1, 2013, the supermarket, Lueken's Village Foods, will change ownership. Joe Lueken, the current owner, received many significant offers from large supermarket chains who wanted to take over his two locations in Bemidji, Minnesota and Wahpeton, North Dakota. Mr. Lueken has owned and managed the Lueken's for 45 years. At 70, he is ready to move on to world travel and time with family. Thus, time to sell. Or, maybe time to give.

Instead of accepting one of the bids, Mr. Lueken, decided to pass ownership to his 400+ employees via an ESOP (employee ownership stock plan). Raised during the Great Depression, Mr. Lueken said his parents emphasized the dictate to "do the right thing." He added that, "My employees are largely responsible for the success I've had, and they deserve to get some of the benefits of that. You can't always take. Sometimes you have to give back."

And, since it's just on the cusp of December, the epitomous month of giving (and, honestly, it's not all puppy dogs, bubble gum and ESOP, also getting and taking), Mr. Lueken's generosity seems like a story (and store) worth sharing.

Life sometimes can be ESOP.

ESOP--noun
  a plan under which a company's capital stock is acquired by its employees or workers

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239883/Retiring-grocery-store-owner-70-gives-supermarkets-employees-travel-wife.html#ixzz2DYEt1rHF
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

My employees are largely responsible for any success I've had, and they deserve to get some of the benefits of that,' he told the paper. 'You can't always take. You also have to give back.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239883/Retiring-grocery-store-owner-70-gives-supermarkets-employees-travel-wife.html#ixzz2DYEt1rHF
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

My employees are largely responsible for any success I've had, and they deserve to get some of the benefits of that,' he told the paper. 'You can't always take. You also have to give back.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2239883/Retiring-grocery-store-owner-70-gives-supermarkets-employees-travel-wife.html#ixzz2DYEt1rHF
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Mexican

A site search for "Gorrostieta" will return no hits on domestic news sites like the Huffington Post, MSNBC or NPR. Yet, more global sources like the Daily Mail and the BBC both reported on the November assassination of Maria Santos Gorrostieta, former mayor of the town of Tiquicheo within the western state of Michoacan, merely outskirt-ting Mexico City proper. Michoacan is contemporarily, albeit tragically, infamous for [brutal] femicide. Being not just female but also a prominent political figure, Gorrostieta had survived two assassination attempts prior to the third and final.

Gorrostieta had taken a firm stance against Mexico's drug cartel reign. Her position cost not just her life, but that of her former husband's, and she leaves behind three children (her daughter being the prime witness to Gorrostieta's fatal abduction). Throughout her tenure as mayor, she suffered serious injuries, including gunshot wounds that left her in permanent pain and disfigurement. She posted pictures of her injuries in support of her strong stance to not back down from her position against the cartel. They, as well as that of her partially nude dead body, are available online, but with all do respect to her, this blog will refrain.

No witty remarks for this posting, but since it somehow eclipsed the surveillance of much better informed American sources, it seemed like a disservice to not acknowledge it. Which begs and begs the question to our country in whole and part: Why do we continue to pretend like Mexico does not share a border with us?

Life sometimes can be Mexican.

Mexican: --adj.
  of or pertaining to Mexico, an arm of the Atlantic bordered by the U.S. 

Traditional

Denmark is a great place to be. While that comment is entirely subjective, chances are, by the end of the post you'll agree (if you don't already; after all, when is the last time someone told you stay out of Denmark (likely centuries ago when that certain something was rotten)). At exactly 8:59pm on the first Friday of November every year since 1980 Tuborg Brewery lets loose its seasonal (i.e., Christmas) blend, Julebryg (Jule'be'drunk is the nearest North American translation).

 

While most happy-go-lucky revelers and/or seasonally seasoned celebrators would find this Danish novelty pleasing enough, it does get better. Tuborg is so behind its own festivities that it goes so far as to dispatch its own gang of blue-clad Tuborg elves who visit some 450 locations throughout the country, where they proceed to merrily distribute two or three cases of free beer to each, which ends up being about 25,000 bottles, plus a delightful gamut of blue-themed swag. Thus, "J-Day" is christened, marking the limited holiday season.

The brew itself is said to have hints of licorice and black currant, so it's dark, and it's strong at 5.6% alcohol (apples to apples: Heineken is 5.0%; apples to oranges: Budeweiser is 4.1%). Because of the combination of potency, early inaugural drinking commencement time and general glee and excitement, the bars admit that it's not their highest volume night, nor is it a cheery next morning for all. With a loosely enforced legal drinking age of 18, when the celebration was formerly held on a non-Friday weekday, students were notably un-notable the following day.

The J-Day tradition is so solid that the annual commercial hasn't changed for 30 years, and other countries (like Slovenia) are attempting to adopt the tradition themselves. All in all, cheers to the merry Dutch!

Life sometimes can be traditional.

Traditional: --adj.
 conventional, customary, established