-Caveat Lector- McDonald's in Belgrade Opens By GEORGE JAHN .c The Associated Press BELGRADE, Yugoslavia (AP) -- In a city under NATO attack, a small event can assume great meaning. Take, for instance, the reopening of a McDonald's outlet vandalized last month by an anti-American mob. Or the fact that tens of thousands ignored heavy rain and chilly winds -- not to mention a wartime atmosphere -- to cheer runners in the annual Belgrade marathon and an accompanying three-mile fun run. ``Let us show them (NATO) that our spirit is high and we are not afraid of their bombs,'' a well-dressed elderly woman said, as she cheered the runners on by waving her umbrella in the air. In a city struggling to adjust to the NATO air campaign and the resulting miseries -- nights in air raid shelters, gasoline shortages and fraying nerves -- both events brought hopes of a return to normal life in the capital. ``The main thing is that we are open,'' McDonald's employee Snezana Atanazovic said. Dozens of Belgraders lined up for their first fix of fries, shakes and burgers since the seven McDonald's outlets closed in Belgrade on March 26. That was two days after the first NATO missile struck Yugoslavia, releasing a torrent of anti-U.S. feeling in a city of American fast-food addicts. A mob targeted the McDonald's restaurant on downtown Terazije Square, along with the nearby American Cultural Center and the U.S. Embassy a few miles away, breaking windows and smearing outer walls with hateful slogans. The center and embassy remain closed. But along with two other outlets, the Terazije McDonald's opened Saturday despite signs that not all was right: windows boarded over; a metal detector at the entrance; police nearby. Belgraders came to eat -- or to stare. ``I went in just to see if it was open, because I didn't believe it when I walked past,'' said Radomir Kratovac. ``I'm pleased but also surprised because a lot of people in Belgrade remain resentful of America.'' Kratovac, 35, and others interpreted the reopening as a hopeful sign. ``It means that normal life is returning somehow.'' Expressing the same sentiments in more elemental terms, Aleksandar Simeonovic, 4, clamped down on a double-decker burger that half hid his face, rolling his eyes when asked if it tasted good. ``Mmm, I missed this,'' he said, coming up for air. His grandmother, Jelena Simeonovic, 53, said not all Belgraders shared the sentiments of the mostly youthful mob that wrecked the restaurant. ``I am happy for this day, both for my grandson and because I hope it's a sign things will get better,'' she said. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
