Europeans Smarter Than North Americans?

LOL @ Chia Pets! Now we eat the seeds as well as growing them on the pets!

But I would imagine although these things will be bought , they will be bought so much less as to cause some kind of crash.

We need an economy expert.
 
Black Friday is a uniquely American tradition. Millions are lured into stores and online. Some sales can be absolute bargains. Some places selling at cost to entice more buying. I don't know why either Eurpeans or Americans would be smarter , because of that tradition. Sorry, Packertjohn, that's a loaded question. BTW I noticed how you included Canada, in the discussion of smartness with "North Americans".:)
 
We don't shop for presents, but we do give cash to the kids and they spend it, so it's the same thing without the returns involved.
My husband went out on Black Friday to buy himself some things yesterday. There weren't that many people out and he was able to get bargains on things he wanted anyway. I think he was disappointed the reality didn't measure up to the hoopla in the media. Evidently the craziness is no longer present in my region.
 
Mike said:
There were claims in our press that it was all a con,
over here anyway and that most offers were cheaper
at other times, either before or after the event.

https://www.businesscloud.co.uk/news/most-black-friday-prices-higher-than-at-other-times

Mike.
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I don't doubt that at all. I've always felt stores offered just a few come-alongs and jacked up the price on even more items. It's called "Mark it up, Mark it down". Most of us always knew that game and Macy's got in big trouble for it a few years ago.
 
RadishRose said:
LOL @ Chia Pets! Now we eat the seeds as well as growing them on the pets! But I would imagine although these things will be bought , they will be bought so much less as to cause some kind of crash. We need an economy expert.
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I'm no economy expert but it takes a lot more than that to crash the market. News reports of events such as trade deals going bad with China and other countries are more likely to do it but so far so good. We've been due for a crash now for some time and it's not happening. Market is soaring. Well, I haven't checked today though.
 
RadishRose said:
Total population America
223,553,265
72.4% of the total U.S. population (2010) are European
Most are of German origin.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Americans
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Both my Grandma and Grandpa and my husbands Grandma and Grandpa were Italian....All brought up in different Italy towns....
They didn't learn English when I was born....I never met my 2 grandpa's but I did know my 2 grandma's and they never
spoke English....My Dad's Mom only stayed in the kitchen when the whole Italian family went there for dinner...She just kept
the apron on and cooked the dinner while our aunts and uncles sat around the table....Me and my cousin would help her...
It was hard for us to understand Grandma....But she did hand us the dishes and glasses to bring them and the utensils to
to the table in the Dining room...My paternal Grandma died 3 month's after my son was born....My Mom's Mom died when
I was 13 years old.... I never learned Italian, but my Granddaughter is studying Italian...She is in High School...
 
peppermint said:
Both my Grandma and Grandpa and my husbands Grandma and Grandpa were Italian....All brought up in different Italy towns....
They didn't learn English when I was born....I never met my 2 grandpa's but I did know my 2 grandma's and they never
spoke English....My Dad's Mom only stayed in the kitchen when the whole Italian family went there for dinner...She just kept
the apron on and cooked the dinner while our aunts and uncles sat around the table....Me and my cousin would help her...
It was hard for us to understand Grandma....But she did hand us the dishes and glasses to bring them and the utensils to
to the table in the Dining room...My paternal Grandma died 3 month's after my son was born....My Mom's Mom died when
I was 13 years old.... I never learned Italian, but my Granddaughter is studying Italian...She is in High School...
Click to expand...
I'm in CT among a high concentration of Italians as in NJ and NYC and nearby areas. It's a great culture and I was fortunate! LOL, I used some Italian expressions learned from the kids outside without even knowing they weren't English words.
 
RadishRose said:
I don't much care for the huge consumerism that goes under the guise of the "Christmas Spirit" each year. As I grow older, I can't face the crowds, so I get what few things I need early and pick up some gift cards at a nearby place.

Yet I wonder what would happen to the world's economy if it all suddenly... stopped. No one bought a Christmas present.

What would happen?
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Kind of reminds me of when as a manager I stopped doing small vehicle repairs in house. We sub contracted those to much less expensive outside shops. The parts houses we used had to lay off employees since we no longer bought there. The businesses we sub contracted to had different suppliers that met their needs without adding employees. It was a matter of economics that made it possible for me to eventually reduce the number of employees thru attrition improving my operating costs.

It's all about adjusting to changing with the times.
 
RadishRose said:
I'm in CT among a high concentration of Italians as in NJ and NYC and nearby areas. It's a great culture and I was fortunate! LOL, I used some Italian expressions learned from the kids outside without even knowing they weren't English words.
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That reminds me ... a song I play every year at this time for my granddaughters .... our Italian and NY/NJ roots
.. they love it 😀

 
My two cents - I noticed that many Europeans are more minimalist and less wasteful. Probably just because they have always needed to be. A European riding a bicycle isn’t immediately suspected of doing so because of DUI, but of making a prudent, logical choice of transportation. Such prudent behavior is not much admired here. We’ll drive the Escalade if the destination is more than 100’ from the house. Different values.
 
Islandgypsy said:
My two cents - I noticed that many Europeans are more minimalist and less wasteful. Probably just because they have always needed to be. A European riding a bicycle isn’t immediately suspected of doing so because of DUI, but of making a prudent, logical choice of transportation. Such prudent behavior is not much admired here. We’ll drive the Escalade if the destination is more than 100’ from the house. Different values.
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Try telling that to my son in Denver who prefers to ride his bike to the office everyday .... and in not so great weather at times.
...many do the same.

Different values ?? ... I say out of touch.
 
Camper6 said:
My favorite Italian words.

Va Via.
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Oh, I have some Italian words.....I can't put them here!!!!! Moma Mia....Is the only words I will put here....
My Dad never reprimanded me, cause if I knew he was mad, I would run upstairs to stay in my room...
But, my little brother was the culprit....At that time, he would get a squat on his behind....LOL!!!!
Not to do that anymore....!!!!!!!
 
Startled by your comment. I was about to post the same exact words. Are you Edgar, my Siamese twin separated and adopted at birth ?
 


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