How did “No Immigrants” day work out for all of you?

Not the news reports. You PERSONALLY.

My experience was as follows:

Thursday evening my legal immigrant former neighbor Illyana joked about getting to stay home from work. Then she clarified, saying in essence that she would be working, and she was angry at illegal immigrants who wanted a free ride into this country. Apparently Illyana worked hard for legitimate citizen status.

This morning I drove to the Keep, and saw people who were apparently immigrants (could be 5th-generation Americans, could be last week’s fence-jumpers, I didn’t ask) doing landscaping. I saw more landscapers, again apparently immigrants, in downtown Provo.

I saw no banners, no signs, no marching… nothing. Business at Dragon’s Keep was hopping, especially for a Monday, and there were apparent immigrants (oh how politically correct I am — yeesh!) among the shoppers. Shaggy’s comment (tongue-in-cheek) was along the lines of “If this is what happens, they should do this EVERY Monday.”

In summary, if it hadn’t been for the news, I wouldn’t have noticed a thing. Howard’s Personal Politics are Behind The Cut

Cox and Forkum recently linked to this chart that graphs the price of gasoline in the US over a 25 year period, as paid by one particular consumer.

It’s fascinating, because what it says is that when inflation is accounted for, we’re paying less now for gasoline than we did at the height of the 1980 “energy crisis.” Granted, it’s just a hair less, but it’s still LESS. There was gasoline rationing back then. You had to wait in line at the pump, and the attendant would sometimes check your gas gauge and if you still had half a tank or more, he wouldn’t let you fill up.

I got to thinking about that. I remember back when gasoline was $1.20 per gallon (ca 1985-1986). What else could I get for $1.20? Well… I could get a double-cheesburger, an order of fries, and a drink. At least I THINK that’s what I remember paying.

Last week I paid $2.79 for a gallon of gas. I haven’t had a double-cheeseburger value meal lately, but I think they’re around $2.80.

This probably explains, at least in part, why Americans aren’t curbing their driving despite higher pump-prices. Or maybe it explains why so many of us eat at McDonalds.