wrote in message
...

Ran across alot of them at one place I worked. The owner was Bylorus and hie
Wife, Polish. They were sort of an overground railroad for new arivals. Now
let's just dispel the myth that none of them have any money, they could
afford to get here but then they also have to live so they're not going to
splurge.

I did the TVs and VCRs, he sold Zenith (ugh) but he also sold really good
quality appliaces. Back when microwave ovens were under a hundred bucks
(1994) my Mother bought a microwave from him, it was a special buyout and
wholesale, and still over $150. (nice bigun)

I don't know how hep you arte to microwave ovens but they are by no means
created equal. This one is one of the best I've ever seen, alnng with the
fact that the only problem with it is now in the last month the lightbulb
finally blew out.

So anyway, he sells high guality appliances in a relatively upscale area.
People buy new stoves and fridges there just to change the color. They'll do
their kitchen at the drop of a hat. Throw out the old granite countertop and
have a new one put in. When will it be ready ? Oh cost ? Oh yeah, thanks for
the estimate, forgot all about that. Washer or dryer breaks, just go see
this gyu. Fix ? What's that, I am just going to drop $700 on a new matching
pair. Then he fixed the old ones.

So their old appliances got sold to these immigrants getting them setup in
their house for less money, and put money straight into the guy's pocket.

One thing I noticed, some of them speak English with an accent, but then
some of them speak better than most of the natives here. Well descendants of
earlier immigrants... Even with their thick accent sometimes I find them
easier to understand than some Blacks, or wiggers. And Hispanics speak too
fast sometimes. Some of these Europeans, when they decided to learn English,
they really went at it. They pronounce the "H" in words like "where" and
"when", and they make it sound natural. Like we are the ones doing it wrong.
And they say "pwerto rico" not "porter rico".

Well I guess someone has to keep the English language alive, who better than
a bunch of foreigners ? :-)

Have you run into anyone recently from Ukraine ? Or still talks to people
there ? the media is full of bull**** about what's going on there.
Seriously. Of course if you're in the UK your local sources are better than
here. I won't say my sources because I pretty much ignore them anymore in
favor of international news sources. Even there you have to dig. They got so
much spin and disinformation out there that alot of people don't know that
all this goings on with Ukraine and Syria and a few other places all have to
do with what I have dubbed "the pipeline wars". This is all over the markets
for natural gas and oil. these low prices of today wee cause simply by
pulling some of the speculation money, and with the market depressed because
they are trying to punish Russia, they have to frack to make up the
difference. Well Gasprom is not fracking, not even thinkig of it and
Russia's economy is better than ours. The stat of California has more debt
than the whole country of Russia. There is no sanction that won't hurt us
more than them. Russia is also not engaged in destroying their currecy by
quantitative easing.

Which brings us to a question; how long have those people been there ?
Immigration from those areas to the US seems to have slowed. I have no
direct knowledge of that but several reports here and there are sdaying that
we aren't quite the land of milk and honey anymore. And this amnesty **** is
a kick in the face to people who do it the right way, and that is Europeans.
Of course a hell of alot more of them get here on a visa because many have
skills.

Anyway, your neighborhood did not just get taken over by immigrants. Really,
what it is is that word of mounth advertising really works with these
people. You give a couple of them good service a few times, all their
friends and family will be there. they didn't bring their kids in to learn
electronics, they're showing them where to take their stuff to get fixed
when they grow up !

I **** you not.





I like these people, they obviously don't have a load of money, their
keyboards are clapped out because they use them A LOT!
I don't give them any ****, I don't rip them off, and yes, they tell their
friends and they bring me more stuff to fix.

Granted it is one of the most difficult areas to deal with, because they
want miracles performed for the least amount possible, and nine times out of
ten a Blacksmith has had a go at repairing them before with disasterous
consequences.

I dunno, best I can do is both parties leaving with a smile on their faces.
Does it for me.


Gareth.