French tires?



Status
Not open for further replies.
George-<< For chrissake, here we go again. George F. Johnson A veteran for peace

Michelin is French. I think Avocet is as well.

Peter- 'Veteran for a quick and succesful end to the War in Iraq.

Peter Chisholm Vecchio's Bicicletteria 1833 Pearl St. Boulder, CO, 80302
(303)440-3535 http://www.vecchios.com "Ruote convenzionali costruite eccezionalmente bene"
 
In article <[email protected]>, "J.Ouellet" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Again :-( ..... a "patriot" targeting France ?!?
>
> Better leave politics to politicians...and talk Cycling!

That is certainly not the American way! ;-)

> Dont forget that France's position and opposition to the present invasion war of Irak, is
> also shared by Germany, Russia, China, Canada, and most nations of the World ! France is not
> alone, oh no!

Well, about 70% of Americans support the war in Iraq; about 80% of Europeans do not. In the rest
of the world, public opinion against the war is even higher- perhaps only in Israel is there
another nation with strong popular support for this war. This may be the least popular war of the
last 100 years.

Perhaps part of this is that Europeans have had two major, devastating wars on their soil in the
past century. Americans haven't had a major war on US soil since the Civil War- no one alive
remembers it. Europeans have dealt with terrorism for decades, small scale attacks; Americans have
dealt with two catastrophic terrorist attacks courtesy of Timothy McVeigh and Al Quaeda, both in the
past 10 years or so. We have a longstanding fear of weapons of mass destruction thanks to the Cold
War, Mutually Assured Destruction and hundreds of school films about "duck and cover."

As a result the outlook on war is different. Add to that a Cabinet populated with people who have
been planning a war against Iraq to restore American military prestige, and all that was needed was
a match and a President with little understanding about international issues. The Supreme Court
provided the President, Al Quaeda provided the match- hell, a blowtorch. We're going to kick Saddam
Hussein's ass not because it will make us safer, but because we think it will make us *feel* safer.
Unfortunately that will come at the cost of thousands of innocent lives and decades of increased
risk for terrorism and the essentially permanent emnity of a billion people around the world.
 
One would think that the entire country has forgotten what it is supposed to stand for. The freedom
part was originally about the freedom to disagree, to have dissent, and to kill lots of Native
Americans. Whoops. Sorry. I won't mention that genocide again. Not the freedom to do what the only
superpower wants. Democracy should extend beyond the borders of the USA. It is a pain in the ass, I
know, but, that's democracy.

Whitfit.
 
In article <[email protected]>, "Gearóid Ó Laoi, Garry Lee"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> e.g. In Cork working class English you hear
>
> I does you do he do we do ye do they do.
>
> Now you say. That's wrong. You are wrong. It's dialect and such is found in many English cities.

In parts of Chicago it's "youse does." ;-) I've also heard "yins" for "you." Language is indeed
fluid and adaptable.
 
In article <[email protected]>, "W K" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Sheldon Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
> > This attitude is bigoted and chauvinistic, and right-thinking people of all nationalities find
> > it offensive.
>
> But not as bad as wanting to boycott people who disagree.

It's not unusual and nothing wrong with it at all. There are a number of businesses that I try to
avoid because I don't like their corporate values (or lack thereof).

I hear American conservative religious radio stations targeting specific companies frequently,
calling for boycotts, letter writing campaigns, threatening to "put them out of business" unless
their business practices are modified to suit the conservatives, etc. I recently heard one show
calling for a boycott of the Marriot hotel chains because "they are in the business of pushing
pornography" by providing cable television in the rooms.
 
Antti Salonen <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Sheldon Brown <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > However, beyond the question of correct capitalization of proper nouns, Salonen's posting
> > appears to refer to the spelling of "tire" vs. "tyre."
> >
> > Educated English speakers are aware that there are different spelling conventions and word
> > usages in different English speaking countries.
> >
> > A narrow-minded minority, however, seem to believe that the convention used where they live is
> > the only "correct" one and that people from other countries, following the established rules
> > they were taught in school, are somehow "incorrect."
>
> My posting was a late-at-night attempt on humour, and I agree it might not have been very
> successful. I was trying to point out the lack of punctuation in the original poster's posting,
> among other things. English is not my first language and I definitely don't beleive that one
> spelling convention is better than others. If somebody was offended by my posting I wish to
> apologize.

I wish to second this sentiment, as I also posted a spelling flame to this thread. My post
less-than-charitable; I will try to behave in a less Rumsfeldian manner in the future.
 
Once again I will mention that in my origonal post I did not mention war or boycot just that I did
not want to buy french TIRES maby their rubber isn't as good or something it was most of you folks
that twisted it into a political thread.

Nationalism is the the strongest in countries outside the US, they do this for a reason it is to
protect their own intrests as someone involved in manufacturing I can tell you first hand the
effects of a slow economy weather it is caused by global slowdown or shrinking exports it's no fun.
It seems in bad taste for someone in the US to want to buy American but it's commonplace and
expected for people in other countries to support their economy first.

To the spelling flamers GET A LIFE.

To George F. Johnson sorry I may have mistook your post.

To J.Ouellet I think you need to check the countries you mention most already are calling for
boycots of American goods as someone from a country sharing a very long border with the US and a
major trading partner I would be a bit concered when your people lash out so openly at the US,
around here setiment isn't too high for canada right now. And by the way do you have a cristal ball
or something aparently you know what will happen after this war "it will fuel new terrorists actions
against the free world, from Middleast and from Asia " you have no idea what will happen everything
may be better that's your own paranoia talking.

Over and outta here Pete
 
"Pete Russell" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Well if you are a veteran for peace I would think you would be upset with
a
> country that sells equipment including nuclear supplies and gives moral support to someone we are
> at war with.

Who declared war?

>
> Pete an anti war pro USA citizen
>
> PS.I said nothing in my origonal post about the war maby I want to stay away form french products
> just because they are rude self centered people

in
> general.
>
>
> "George F. Johnson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > >From: "Pete Russell"
> >
> > >I was just about to buy a few set's of new tires and wanted to stay
away
> > >from any french brands I believe Michelin are made in france are any
> others?
> >
> > For chrissake, here we go again. George F. Johnson A veteran for peace
 
>From: [email protected] (Qui si parla Campagnolo)

>Michelin is French. I think Avocet is as well.
>
>Peter- 'Veteran for a quick and succesful end to the War in Iraq.
>

While Avocet certainly looks French, it is not. I believe the company got its start in California;
may have had something to do with Palo Alto Cycles, Jobst Brandt could enlighten us. It's not even
really a French word (it is however derived from a French word), although the owner of one LBS I
know pronounces it ah'-vous-say. To wit:

avocet (àv´e-sèt´) noun Any of several long-legged shore birds of the genus Recurvirostra,
characterized by a long, slender, upturned beak.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition copyright © 1992 by
Houghton Mifflin Company. Electronic version licensed from InfoSoft International, Inc. All rights
reserved. George F. Johnson A veteran for peace
 
In a previous post I wrote:
>Jobst Brandt could enlighten us.

Yikes! Just realized what I said; sorry Jobst, wasn't even trying to be flippant (this time).

George F. Johnson A veteran for peace
 
Pete Russell wrote:

>Once again I will mention that in my origonal post I did not mention war or boycot just that I did
>not want to buy french TIRES maby their rubber isn't as good or something it was most of you folks
>that twisted it into a political thread.
>
>
>
Or something. So, what exactly IS the problem?
 
"Lance" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> "Pete Russell" <[email protected]> wrote in news:[email protected]:
> > Well if you are a veteran for peace I would think you would be upset
with a
> > country that sells equipment including nuclear supplies and gives moral support to someone we
> > are at war with.
>
> Is Lance Armstrong a traitor?

He's loyal - but only to cash and himself.

> He said he would race in the Tour de France, war or no war. Should Bush let him back in the US if
> he wins the Tour?

Yes. Anyone who has eaten French fries, used a French letter, given or received a French kiss,
competed in a French sport or driven a French car should be tried for Anti-US activities in the
US. Mark Lee
 
"Tim McNamara" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, "W K" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > "Sheldon Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> >
> > > This attitude is bigoted and chauvinistic, and right-thinking people of all nationalities find
> > > it offensive.
> >
> > But not as bad as wanting to boycott people who disagree.
>
> It's not unusual and nothing wrong with it at all. There are a number of businesses that I try to
> avoid because I don't like their corporate values (or lack thereof).

Thats different from expressing a view. France said "hey ... does this need to be done now ... so
fast". If that election went the other way I doubt that it would have been now and so fast.
Otherwise there would be no difference between the two US parties.

Ignore the opinion of France at your peril. 10% arab and with a population that rembers what
occupation, tyranny and liberation. If you cannot understand their point of view you have no chance
at all of understanding the point of view of the people who will next attack america ( or people who
speak english, as happened to the mainly australian tourists in Bali).
 
"Sheldon Brown" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In response to: Spelling flames are generally the lowest form of newsgroup posting, though they
> are sometimes amusing, when, as in this case, the flame itself contains errors.

> However, beyond the question of correct capitalization of proper nouns, Salonen's posting appears
> to refer to the spelling of "tire" vs. "tyre."

If you don't like what he said, tough ****!

> Educated English speakers are aware that there are different spelling conventions and word usages
> in different English speaking countries.

A buffoon like you educated? I don't think so!

> A narrow-minded minority, however, seem to believe that the convention used where they live is the
> only "correct" one and that people from other countries, following the established rules they were
> taught in school, are somehow "incorrect."

Unlike you.

> This attitude is bigoted and chauvinistic, and right-thinking people of all nationalities find it
> offensive.

I find you offensive you old smelly, dirty fart!

> Sheldon "Touchy On This Point" Brown Newtonville, Massachusetts

GOOD!
 
> George-<< For chrissake, here we go again. George F. Johnson A veteran for peace

"Qui si parla Campagnolo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Michelin is French. I think Avocet is as well.

Not that I want to pander to this silly discussion but the Gallic-sounding "ahv-o-SAY" tires were
made by Inoue/IRC in Osaka, far from France.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971
 
Those of you boycotting French products might be interested in an article in the Wall
Street Journal.

> http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB104940909953735600-search,00.html?collection=wsjie%2F30day&vql-
> _string=michelin%3Cin%3E%28article%2Dbody%29

South Carolina decided that it would be the patriotic thing to do to boycott French products. Then
they discovered that there were Michelin tire plants all over South Carolina. Suddenly, the bill
that had been introduced to formalize the boycott disappeared from the State Senate.

There are several interesting ethical questions in this behavior, but I think it points out the
problems with being short sighted.
 
anonymous writes:

> Those of you boycotting French products might be interested in an article in the Wall Street
> Journal.

http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB104940909953735600-search,00.html?collection=wsjie%2F30day&vql_s-
tring=michelin%3Cin%3E%28article%2Dbody%29

That is, if you are a subscriber.

> South Carolina decided that it would be the patriotic thing to do to boycott French products. Then
> they discovered that there were Michelin tire plants all over South Carolina. Suddenly, the bill
> that had been introduced to formalize the boycott disappeared from the State Senate.

> There are several interesting ethical questions in this behavior, but I think it points out the
> problems with being short sighted.

This syndrome is also known a the conservative approach, aka knee jerk. A liberal view would
investigate more than the most obvious aspect of an issue after having been trolled by the John
Wayne Justice perception. "I can tell black hats from white hats and to hell with liberalism.
Six-gun the bastards!" Let's go to war! We know who the bad guys are.

Jobst Brandt [email protected] Palo Alto CA
 
Tim McNamara <[email protected]> wrote:

> Perhaps part of this is that Europeans have had two major, devastating wars on their soil in the
> past century. Americans haven't had a major war on US soil since the Civil War- no one alive
> remembers it.

A few months ago I was on vacation SCUBA diving in Hawaii. Oddly enough, there seemed to be a large
display concerning a war where the US involvement started with an attack on US soil. It was quite a
bit later than the US Civil War, too, happening in late 1941. I'm surprised that you hadn't heard of
it, Mr. McNamara. Of course, that may have been part of some vast conspiracy, as some posters have
alleged concerning the current Iraqi fracas. But, as a Navy veteran, I don't think so.

mike

--
Mike Fischbein [email protected] Any opinions expressed are mine and not necessarily those of any other
entity. They may not even be mine.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

G
Replies
61
Views
2K
A