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.