European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 20, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes Page 11 Arm Landers results of cafes Price Survey discussed i understand that in 1988 a Survey was conducted for cafes to  How its prices stacked up against Large retail stores in the United Sims. I believe the results of this Survey found that the majority of the cafes items were cheaper than those of other retail ers. Well this All sounded real Good but i find it hard to believe. I would like to see a copy of the Survey or even have it available at the local Exchange office so All cafes customers can see it. Recently i moved from the United states to Ger Many after spending almost six years at fort Hood Texas. While at fort Hood 1 had the Opportunity of shopping at the Exchange there i am told it is the largest one in the world. I also shopped at k. Mart Wal Mart Sears and other Large retail stores in the fort Hood Austin and Waco area. My wife and i did a Jot of comparison shopping and we found that the majority of cafes items were More expensive. I will add. Though that it was a lot cheaper to Pur Chase Auto repair parts through the cafes service station there. There were a few other items that were cheaper to Purchase at the Exchange but not Many. We did notice that some luxury items were usually cheaper at the Exchange but the typical Soldier or his family does t buy Fine China Diamond rings Crystal or hum Mel figurines on a daily basis. In fact i invite cafes to Send a representative to my House so i can show them All the name Brand items that i did t buy at cafes because they were cheaper at a competitor. These items weren t on Sale either. Name withheld fad Kissinger West Germany editor s note it col. Charlie while Public affairs officer he cafes Europe replies if Yon really want to see the Nielsen Survey for your self i have i copy of it Here at our Headquarters in Munich. It is Bulky and contains raw data which is Why it in t available it every Exchange in cafes. However the summary of the Survey is very positive about what cafes does trying to save you Money. It is possible that the prices around fort Hood were much More competitive than those in the Survey area. At any rate cafes never claimed to have the lowest prices All the time. The Nielsen Survey is conducted to ensure cafes is meeting its goal of saving customers at least 20 percent. Last year the Surrey included 317 High volume nation ally branded items. Five test shopping of each item in each location were attempted. The Survey compared commercial prices of the Day including Sale prices with the cafes regular prices. Shoppers using the Exchange can expect an average savings of 24.9 percent compared to commercial prices based on the Nielsen Survey results. The Survey showed cafes prices were lower 93 percent of the time while commercial prices were lower 7 percent of the time. A breakdown by departments showed the greatest savings in household and stationery items. The Survey gathered information from 17 different locations in the United states. All locations were near an army or air Force installation and were geographically dispersed to avoid regional pricing differences. The 1989 Survey has just been completed. We expect the results in late May or june. We know the Survey is just a snapshot of what is going on in the world of retail sales. There arc Many factors which change the Way the Survey can be applied the area of the country amount of Competition from outside sources loss leaders and wholesale discounts. Still All things considered Day in and Day out you will find a Good value for your Money at your Exchange. Nato Observance of holidays explained i was very proud when my husband was assigned to nato. Recently i wondered if my Pride was misplaced. My husband was not Given a Day off to celebrate mar tin Luther King or s birthday. I was told that nato does not recognize the Day As a Holiday. If this is True Why Shirley c. Smalls Heidelberg West Germany editor s note it col. Raymond j. Coffman Deputy commander he nato shape support group replies nato is an organization which is composed of 16 nations. Each of these nations has a different Holiday schedule intended to Honor significant events and Indira do movie review corrected i m sorry Chuck Vinch you stand corrected. In a recent movie review you misquoted one off if most important and scariest parts of Serpent and the  you said the drug induces a Zombie state in recently deceased corpses. No the drug is inhaled and then the body goes into a coma like state. The person is taken for dead but they Are wide awake but unable to move or speak and they arc. Well that s the scary part they re buried alive. Or. Vinch is right though it s a must see. I be seen it. I know. Tina u Sirc Owci Brocken a West Germany All letters to the editor must contain the full printed name and address of the writer and must be signed. We do not read unsigned letters but we will withhold your name on request and protect your privacy. All letters arc subject to editing. Als. Naturally nato operations would be severely Handi capped if it were to follow 16 different Holiday schedules. In order to provide a uniform schedule for All of the members an agreement was signed in 1967 among the different National representatives of nato and shape. This agreement provided that Only belgian National holi Days will be celebrated by nato Headquarters in Bel Gium. When a non belgian Holiday occurs nationals from the country concerned May be released from duty subject to workload and with the permission of the individual s supervisor. If a is. Civilian is required to work on Martin Luther King or s birthday or on any other american holi Day Federal Laws require that the rate of pay will be at 200 percent of the Normal rate. Gasthaus tapes sought in Early february 1989. An Europe eked two episodes of the television  Gram Gasthaus maturing a. Jim Shipley discussing alcoholism an Archive copies of these two episodes Are no longer available. Tarn looking Lor copies of these tapes Tor use in a new training program Lor Nurl commanders. Any Reader who can help la awed to Contact Michael s. Vaughn by phone ets 425-3714 or by mail at Hho Usma gun. Aim Loco. Apo . 09454. Pen pals please Plica my name in your pen Pel column. I am 24 years old. Spec. Mark Harmony co 701 my be . Box b75 Apo . . 09458t would like pen pals-1 am 20 Yean old Nanki m Resoft 5-a regt no comp. Batada. Davao try philippine i am 21 Yean old and would like pen pats Alteon florase45bvlcarrasbel Maybay Pasay City.  1 am 27 years old and enjoy singing dancing and its Tong to Good music t would be very much 10 have a pen pal. I am a roman Catholic Juc Kirt 0. Jau noon 2 or. V Locsin St Dumaguet City Philipp no dear Ann Landers the letter from the woman married to the Tightwad she could t get an extra Quarter out of him reminded me of my wonderful aunt who was beautifully warmhearted and had a great sense of humor. Aunt Emma was married to a Tightwad who was also a Little strange. He made a Good salary but they lived frugally because he insisted on putting 20 percent of his paycheck under the mattress. The Man did t Trust Banks the Money he said was going to come in Handy in their old age. When Uncle Ollie was 60, he was stricken with cancer. Toward the end he made aunt pm Promise in the presence of his Brothers that she would put the Money he had stashed away in his coffin so he could buy his Way into heaven if he had to. They All knew he was a Little Odd. But this was clearly a crazy request. Aunt pm did Promise however and assured Uncle Ollic s Brothers that she was a woman of her word and would do As he asked. The following morning she look the Money about $26,000 to the Bank and deposited it. She then wrote a Check and put it in the casket four Days later. This is a True Story and our family has laughed about it Ever since. Bismarck . Dear Bismarck thank you for providing a laugh for several million people. Aunt Emma must have been a real doll. Dear Ann Landers i lost a dear Friend a few Days ago. She was a Beautiful vibrant 28-year-old woman with a Bright future. No it was t drugs or alcohol that killed her. It was dieting. She had lost More than too pounds in 10 months. The diet was a medically supervised liquid fasting program. The participants arc Given a liquid supplement to replace their daily meals. Although i Don t know All the details it is my under standing that my Friend had not had a single bite of food in 10 months. Her death was attributed to a blood problem and acute changes in her heart. Ann please Tell your readers about the dangers of this Type of dieting. 1 recently read an article that said these methods arc unsafe and the participants could literally starve to death. Please sign me mourning in v1dor.tex. Dear Vidor liquid diets can be very effective but it is imperative that the Dieter be monitored frequently and carefully by a competent physician who knows exactly what to watch for. Anyone who is considering this diet should tape the above on his or her bathroom Mirror. It could be a matter of life or death As your letter pointed out. My Heartfelt condolences on the loss of our Friend. Dear Ann Landers you be printed several letters in the last few months about transvestites. What s All the Hullabaloo about there arc plenty of straight Guys who Wear ruffled evening shirts formal shoes with bows fur Coats Gold chains around their necks and bracelets. They get to Cir hair styled use blow dryers and hair Spray. Can you explain Why transvestites arc considered so different Charleston . Dear Charleston most men Don t experience sexual excitement from putting on makeup Vigil the two aids tests mentioned in in column 01 March 14 were switched around. The most reliable aids to is the Western Bui european edition col Jeffrey m. Cook. Usa commander editor in cruel it col Suzanne a Phillips. U3af Deputy commander editor in chief Marie Kominicki Mart Proctor 0�ane b. Mcdermott production manager menacing editor off citation manager this newspaper la an authorized unofficial publication for member of the a Mary services overseas. 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