Posted On: Tuesday - September 9th 2025 7:03PM MST
In Topics: Immigration Stupidity Economics
Maids, they used to call them, and some still do in non-corporate-speak. We may imagine those French Maid outfits, probably not seen since the 1960's in
It's not the lack of sexy uniforms that concerns us here at Peak Stupidity, but the lack of citizenship, or even more like the lack of being American. In our previous post on the economics of illegal immigration and the supposed great savings for the consumer we discussed the hand picking of produce by Hispanics. Produce is a product. Today, let's do services.
Peak Stupidity was nearly apoplectice when President Trump made his hopefully, BS statements* about excluding illegals that work for farmers and in the Hotel and Leisure "industry" from deportation 3 months back. Therefore, our selective produce post covers the farming angle, and we'll pick hotel housekeeping as a good example of the latter. Trump would know this, as it's part of his own business, but the hotel business is probably close to restaurant busboy/waiter work in the level of illegal alien employment.
From the www I came across the number of just over half a million people, almost all women, we can assume, who work as hotel housekeepers in American motels and hotels. How many are illegal? Ever try to tell one of them you have a different check-out time? (See What we have heah is failure to communicate.) If you CAN get her to understand a word, she just might not be. Usually you can't.
Therefore, getting some quick numbers for this post from hotel housekeepers in hotels I've stayed at recently was not as simple as it sounds. There are exceptions, so lately I was able to get a number of 10 to 17 rooms cleaned per shift. There's a lot to it - I don't envy them. I could not always get statistical info, as if I were asking Steve Sailer, Mr. Hail here, or Commenter Res on The Unz Review, such as on how long one's shift usually is. It's not like that, but I will use a conservative average of only 1 room cleaned per hour. It's probably closer to 1.25 to 1.5.
I may have asked about pay to women that seemed friendly, but I cannot remember - AI (I figured it could at least help with something like this) says average pay is about $11.50/hr. So, keeping it simple and even more conservative, we'll go with $12 as the cost, without overhead, to have each room cleaned.**
I felt lucky to get a rate rounded off to $100 including tax recently at a decent chain place. This ain't the day when Motel 6 really meant $6! (Super 8, I gotta assume, meant that they were at 8 bucks at one point.) It's not even '20 anymore. $120 out-the-door is a good deal for any kind of decent place, it seems, and not in the big city either.
Let me talk about that tax. If you want to raise money for your city or county, why piss off the locals any more than
That cost of the room cleaning is something like 10% of the total paid by a customer. What we're looking at is the differential in cost, were mostly Americans to actually do this work again. Rather than the $30/hr that would motivate me, were I young today, to pick cucumbers in the hot summer sun with no alternative but sitting on my ass, I'd say even $25/hr would be decent for American women for this work. That $13 differential per hour, and per room cleaning is just over 10% of the retail actual out-the-door price of a hotel room. Call it 15%. Is it worth it to pay that much more in a country full of Americans? You could even have a conversation with the
OK, this is no rigorous economic analysis as part of the journal "literature", as we promised, so let's just say we've got these rough numbers that say, salad eaters and hotel guests would only have to pay 10-15% more, and then crops would not be rotting in the fields and bedbugs would not be rotting under the sheets. It's even better than that, though. In our next post on this subject, we will discuss the externalities and that perhaps by sending these illegal aliens home and hiring Americans, we will SAVE money... yes, A LOT!
PS: I could have talked to the hotel managers, I guess, or even gone to the web regarding the rooms cleaned, but I'd rather ask those who do the work.
* This was also when the loudmouth talked about issuing half a million visas for Chinese students.
** The new thing, going along with Peak Stupidity's discovery years ago that Green is the new cheap-ass, is that for stays over multiple nights, one should notify someone if he wants the room cleaned in between. I completely understand that, economics-wise. How messy can the room be after only one night? I guess that depends on who else comes along...
*** This joke doesn't really work well anymore. If you didn't know, the maids used to watch those daytime TV "soap opera" shows, my example being the most famous (OK, Days of Our Lives fans, tone it down!) These were on the 3 big networks, so these women could keep up together with all the goings on. The Mexican women, even some then, could keep up with the La Usurpadora and other Telenovellas from hell.
Now, as everywhere else, they are listening to, or watching, their phones... or even, on the phone all day. Yes, that is done now. If you've gotta do this kind of work, more power to you for making it better.
Comments:
The Alarmist
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 3:40PM MST
PS
Evening all.
Iโm old enough to remember having to go down to the local general store to make a phone call.
Just kidding.
Evening all.
Iโm old enough to remember having to go down to the local general store to make a phone call.
Just kidding.
Moderator
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 1:23PM MST
PS: From Mr. Smith's screenshot of AI wisdom:
"The ownership figures are inflated."
YES, they are ... by 0.7%! Wait, no, that's 0.7 percentage POINTS. Ownership figures are inflated by 1.5%. So there, Adam! These tropes are way, way off!
"The ownership figures are inflated."
YES, they are ... by 0.7%! Wait, no, that's 0.7 percentage POINTS. Ownership figures are inflated by 1.5%. So there, Adam! These tropes are way, way off!
Moderator
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 1:20PM MST
PS: "I'm old enough to remember when you had to answer the phone to know who was calling. (I'm sure I'm not the only one.)" No, you're not. That was generally a good thing, especially if you were an American prank caller (wasn't called spam or junk then) who wanted to know if one's refrigerator was running, or some more such survey questions.
"Then go catch it!"
I dunno - seemed hilarious at the time...
"Then go catch it!"
I dunno - seemed hilarious at the time...
Adam Smith
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 10:51AM MST
PS: Good afternoon, friends!
(Good evening, Mr. Alarmist!)
A little more about that google AI...
(This one is kinda istevey and kinda fun...)
https://i.ibb.co/6RYJVz1g/despite-being-2-percent-of-the-population-jews-own-46-7-percent-of-the-nba-franchises.jpg
I have some other examples of google AI's weird programming biases, but this one is short and to the point.
Cheers! โฎ๏ธ
(Good evening, Mr. Alarmist!)
A little more about that google AI...
(This one is kinda istevey and kinda fun...)
https://i.ibb.co/6RYJVz1g/despite-being-2-percent-of-the-population-jews-own-46-7-percent-of-the-nba-franchises.jpg
I have some other examples of google AI's weird programming biases, but this one is short and to the point.
Cheers! โฎ๏ธ
Adam Smith
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 10:27AM MST
PS: Good afternoon, Mr. Moderator!
๐ผ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐ค๐๐ ๐ด๐ผ, ๐ด๐๐๐?
Nope. That is Lydia. She is a ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ and ๐ก๐ค๐๐ก๐โ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ from London...
https://www.youtube.com/@lydiaviolet
๐โ๐๐ก ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ก๐...
Yes. Lydia is a QT 3.14โโ.
๐ธ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข โ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, โ๐ ๐ค๐๐ข๐๐๐'๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐...
Too true. I'm old enough to remember when you had to answer the phone to know who was calling. (I'm sure I'm not the only one.)
Happy Wednesday! โฎ๏ธ
๐ผ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ก ๐กโ๐๐ก ๐ค๐๐ ๐ด๐ผ, ๐ด๐๐๐?
Nope. That is Lydia. She is a ๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ and ๐ก๐ค๐๐ก๐โ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐๐๐ from London...
https://www.youtube.com/@lydiaviolet
๐โ๐๐ก ๐ค๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ก๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ก๐...
Yes. Lydia is a QT 3.14โโ.
๐ธ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข โ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐, โ๐ ๐ค๐๐ข๐๐๐'๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐...
Too true. I'm old enough to remember when you had to answer the phone to know who was calling. (I'm sure I'm not the only one.)
Happy Wednesday! โฎ๏ธ
The Alarmist
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 10:18AM MST
PS
โWHEREโS THE REMAINING DOLLAR.โ
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue taxed the savings at 20%.
๐
โWHEREโS THE REMAINING DOLLAR.โ
The Massachusetts Department of Revenue taxed the savings at 20%.
๐
Moderator
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 4:18AM MST
PS: "Then each guest made a minibar purchase and owed the hotel an additional $637." Ha!
Then, don't forget the room phone. Using these to call outside the hotel has always been a really bad deal, as long as I can remember. Now, it'd just be silly. Even if your mobile phone broke, and you had to call someone, he wouldn't answer as the unknown number would, hell, SHOULD be considered SPAM.
Then, don't forget the room phone. Using these to call outside the hotel has always been a really bad deal, as long as I can remember. Now, it'd just be silly. Even if your mobile phone broke, and you had to call someone, he wouldn't answer as the unknown number would, hell, SHOULD be considered SPAM.
Moderator
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 4:15AM MST
PS: I take it that was AI, Adam? It's so hard to tell for sure. That was pretty cute.
The comments have a myriad ways to think of this, but hopefully some fun remarks on the video girl, though I haven't gotten to one yet.
The comments have a myriad ways to think of this, but hopefully some fun remarks on the video girl, though I haven't gotten to one yet.
Moderator
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 4:12AM MST
PS: Boy, that's an oldie, SafeNow. I was a college student when I first heard this trick and wondered for a while... Ahhh, the 2 bucks ought to be subracted from $27 to get the check-sum to $25.
The interesting thing is that the room rate was $30, NO, wait, only $25! I guess this trick would have to be updated to $90 for the cheap room (and 2 people stay in the car with their heads down while the one guy rents the room, otherwise the room charge will be higher. ;-}
I like your idea of the M.I.T. maids quizzing guests with this one, though. They could also have done calculus integration problems for a buck each too, and other tricks...
The interesting thing is that the room rate was $30, NO, wait, only $25! I guess this trick would have to be updated to $90 for the cheap room (and 2 people stay in the car with their heads down while the one guy rents the room, otherwise the room charge will be higher. ;-}
I like your idea of the M.I.T. maids quizzing guests with this one, though. They could also have done calculus integration problems for a buck each too, and other tricks...
Adam Smith
Wednesday - September 10th 2025 12:09AM MST
PS: There is no missing dollar...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LRNupp8fOU
Cheers! โฎ๏ธ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LRNupp8fOU
Cheers! โฎ๏ธ
SafeNow
Tuesday - September 9th 2025 8:59PM MST
PS
If the invaders were fired, the replacements might include college students. A good part-time gig. $30 per hour (plus a few bucks cash tip, if people still do this.) At the M.IT. hotel, the maids could challenge guests with this one..make a money betโฆ
THREE PEOPLE CHECK INTO A HOTEL
THEY PAY S30 TO THE MANAGER AND GO TO THEIR ROOM.
THE MANAGER FINDS OUT THAT THE ROOM RATE IS $25
AND GIVES THE BELLBOY S5 TO RETURN TO THE GUESTS. ON THE WAY TO THE ROOM THE BELLBOY REASONS
THAT S5 WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SPLIT AMONG
THREE PEOPLE SO HE
POCKETS S2 AND GIVES S1
TO EACH PERSON. NOW EACH PERSON PAID S10 AND GOT BACK S1. SO THEY PAID S9 EACH TOTALING S27. THE BELLBOY HAS
ANOTHER S2, ADDING UP TO S29.
WHERE IS THE
REMAINING DOLLAR?
If the invaders were fired, the replacements might include college students. A good part-time gig. $30 per hour (plus a few bucks cash tip, if people still do this.) At the M.IT. hotel, the maids could challenge guests with this one..make a money betโฆ
THREE PEOPLE CHECK INTO A HOTEL
THEY PAY S30 TO THE MANAGER AND GO TO THEIR ROOM.
THE MANAGER FINDS OUT THAT THE ROOM RATE IS $25
AND GIVES THE BELLBOY S5 TO RETURN TO THE GUESTS. ON THE WAY TO THE ROOM THE BELLBOY REASONS
THAT S5 WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SPLIT AMONG
THREE PEOPLE SO HE
POCKETS S2 AND GIVES S1
TO EACH PERSON. NOW EACH PERSON PAID S10 AND GOT BACK S1. SO THEY PAID S9 EACH TOTALING S27. THE BELLBOY HAS
ANOTHER S2, ADDING UP TO S29.
WHERE IS THE
REMAINING DOLLAR?
Luxury! We had to walk 10 miles to what they called the Dry Goods Store, to get pennies, to put in the pay phone 5 miles from there. It was a big round-robin just to make one call to request "Free Bird" on the radio station request line... all 3 legs uphill... in the snow.
Yeah, I will post something about Charlie Kirk. "Fourth Turning Point."