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10291. Magoseph - 7/13/2004 8:50:15 PM The Bastille Days' festival was well-attended this year as it was last year when the French bashing was at its peak. This morning, in contrast, this is what we read front page this morning in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and happened last Saturday:
The disturbance at this year's Greek Festival appeared to be a coordinated effort by as many as 200 young people to disrupt the festival, intimidate patrons and elude police, Wauwatosa police said Tuesday.
Capt. Jeff Sutter told a Common Council committee that a group dressed alike in solid white T-shirts and dark pants, with some wearing whistles, converged on the festival and broke into smaller groups that harassed isolated or intoxicated patrons.
In one case, he said, a group of about 50 to 100 people began encroaching on officers, pelting them with plastic bottles and trash, as they tried to arrest a woman on a disorderly conduct charge. The officers were able to escape with the woman through a line of motorcyclists who "formed a shield" between police and the teens, Sutter said...Police received reports of shots fired, property damage, cruising and an attempt to overturn a Milwaukee County Transit bus.
Both police departments issued an "all city assist," meaning all available police cars were sent to the scene, and the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department also responded. At least three officers were injured.
For heavens' sake, why? The article doesn't say. 10292. Magoseph - 7/13/2004 9:54:52 PM Happy Bastille Day, everyone! 10293. Macnas - 7/13/2004 10:04:20 PM I think you should at least throw a stone through the post office window. 10294. Magoseph - 7/13/2004 10:41:05 PM A good idea, Mac, but I can't do that now because I just noticed that our neighbor kitty-corner from us just hoisted a French flag in my honor. He didn't do that last year. 10295. Macnas - 7/13/2004 10:51:05 PM I think, that it is only in America that you will find ordinary householders who have the means to actually hoist a flag. 10296. Magoseph - 7/13/2004 11:21:42 PM They probably sell these hoisting things in Walmart or Home Depot, cheap. 10297. Magoseph - 7/13/2004 11:34:33 PM When I first came to this country, I was astonished to see people out of a job interviewed on TV--here they were, living in comfortable homes, well-dressed, plush furniture, cars and trailer vacation homes, complaining how poor they were and unfair the system was. 10298. Macnas - 7/13/2004 11:39:16 PM I'd say the standard of living has been higher in the US than anywhere else since the early 1900's, the depression years being an exception. 10299. Magoseph - 7/13/2004 11:41:45 PM Maybe that long-sustained prosperity has spoiled them so that they feel they do not have any need to save. 10300. Macnas - 7/14/2004 12:19:02 AM re 10299
I don't know that to be true Mago, many yanks I've known save very hard so they can retire early, or do the sailing thing, the horrendous cost of college or whatever.
There is a difference in what most old yuropeens consider comfortable and what yanks might consider a bit impoverished.
10301. Magoseph - 7/14/2004 12:29:57 AM They keep telling us,(the powers that be, that is) that our rating saving rate is abysmally low compared to European countries and Japan. 10302. Macnas - 7/14/2004 12:39:24 AM Consumer confidence figures might suffer if people started saving!
But then, saving has always been part of my life at least. We do not borrow if we can help it at all, and while this means doing without for a while, it has always, literally, paid off in the end. 10303. Magoseph - 7/14/2004 12:59:52 AM Well, I grew up believing in saving also. I never earned a check that I din't save part of it. I learned early that it was safe not to tell anyone how much I saved over the years, not even to my loved ones...just in case, you know. 10304. Macnas - 7/14/2004 1:05:30 AM I know what you mean, but I find that hard to do when my Missus lives by the credo "Whats yours is mine and whats mine is my own"
Now then, time to throw a few shapes, see you tomorrow. 10305. Magoseph - 7/14/2004 1:55:00 AM 
If Jex had thought of me, he would have put this image right here where it belongs!
10306. Ms. No - 7/14/2004 3:52:39 AM And a happy Bastille Day to you, Magoseph! 10307. Ms. No - 7/14/2004 3:54:49 AM I agree with you about the American penchant for living on credit and beyond one's means. It's truly a way of life here and quite frightening. I'm always amazed by what people consider necessary expenditures and how many people make so much more money than I do but can't keep their heads above water financially. I wonder how it ever got started?
10308. Magoseph - 7/14/2004 4:09:46 AM Thank you, Ms. No. I remember being quite shocked by the lady of the house in which I lived when I first came. When she cooked and say, used an onion or a head of lettuce, she would take what she needed and throw the rest out. Her rationale for doing so was that it was too much bother to wrap those items and store them away for further use. The whole household left the lights on in every room they left. I would turn them off all the time and this behavior would make them smile. 10309. judithathome - 7/14/2004 4:45:25 AM Sorry to be so late with this but:
Happy Bastille Day, Magoseph!! 10310. Magoseph - 7/14/2004 4:57:24 AM Thanks, Juds.
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