A move to the coffee machine is necessary to find out what is taking so long. An investigation turns up the cause. The communication screen clearly asks if a regular cup or something special is required. Neglecting to make a choice sends the machine into hibernation. The original settings called for a regular 10 oz delivery. The machine must have taken some advice from the WordPress Happiness Engineers and decided to do something different. So the question is answered, and in a happy moment, the cup is delivered.
The clock is at hand, and after a sip of soothing syrup, the setting is May 24, 1924. The time is two hours, and the location is the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC. The plunger is pulled, and we arrive just in time to witness Calvin Coolidge signing the Immigration Act of 1924.
The act limited immigration in response to public and political anxiety about the country’s rapid social and demographic changes. The 1924 act supplanted earlier legislation by vastly reducing immigration from countries outside the Western Hemisphere: Immigrants from Asia were banned, and the total annual immigration quota for the rest of the world was capped at 165,000—an 80% reduction of the yearly average before 1914.
The law was passed in both houses of Congress with very few dissenting votes. A strong West Coast lobby effort designed to limit Asian immigration proved successful in the final passage of the law. The 1924 act would define U.S. immigration policy for nearly three decades, until being substantially revised by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 and ultimately replaced by the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. The 1924 act also made provision for the founding of the US Border Patrol.
The act incensed the government of Japan, and some believe it laid the groundwork for the attack on the US in 1941.
It is a lovely day in Washington, and the signing ceremony on the South Lawn is brief. Our alarm goes off, and the couch becomes the new destination. A text notification comes through. It’s from Linda Hill and reads: Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “move.” Use it as a verb or a noun; write the first thing that comes to mind. Have fun!
Move by John W. Howell © 2024
“Boy, times have changed.”
“I know. Can you imagine banning an entire culture in this day and age?”
“Yeah, I don’t even want to comment on that.”
“Wise man.”
“I see you snuck the prompt in early.”
“I had to. There was the opportunity, and I took it.”
“Speaking of opportunity.”
“You want to move to the pub?”
“You are a mind reader as well.”
“It doesn’t take a mind reader to figure out your move on a Saturday.”
“Bam. He does it again.”
“Uber?”
“Over there.”
Pixabay photo
“I would say you’re kidding, but I know that is not true.”
“Fully air-conditioned. Room for three. Yes, I’ll stand.”
“What did this cost?”
“Nothing. A friend of mine owns it. We just need to deliver a hay bale, is all.”
“To the pub?”
“No, there’s a farm a little bit out of the way.”
“How far out of the way?”
“Two hours.”
“Aw, man. Let’s just get a car.”
“And miss the fun?”
“I know I’m going to regret this.”
“It’ll be fun.”
“I’ve heard that before. Okay, Let’s go.”
“You won’t be sorry.”
“I think I already am.”
Fiction Favorites 
I’ve seen that vehicle on highways when I passed through certain areas. Doesn’t surprise me to see it appear as an Uber option.
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Seemed like the right choice for the summer.
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We’re having mid-90’s to high 90’s temps this weekend, so I would nix the Uber this week – I need the AC for any trip, but 2 hour-long one?!! 😣🥵
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We are into the feels like 100+ so I agree. Two hours seems like a bit much.
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Hmmmmm. How far HAVE we come? Really?
Don’t answer that on an empty stomach. Or a full one.
Just go make hay, young man.
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Need a Voo Doo to answer that.
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I feel that!
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😁
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Riding to the pub in a John Deere would be interesting, since it’s air-conditioned. Whether it’s worth it to have a longer ride is a matter of opinion. Have a good weekend, John. 😉
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Thank you, Tim. Have a good weekend too. 😁
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“It’ll be fun.”–always famous last words. 🤣
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Yes they are. They make me laugh. Thanks, Lois
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Oh what fun it is.. I just took a 3 hour trip and I couldn’t bare an uber tractor but I’ll meet you at the pub.. ha❣️
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I’ll join you. 😊
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A good opportunity to work up a thirst. At least it’s not a wagon load of the old style hay bales.
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It has a nice sound system too.
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Not your grandfather’s tractor?
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Nope.
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BAM! Direct hit!
“The original settings called for a regular 10 oz delivery. The machine must have taken some advice from the WordPress Happiness Engineers and decided to do something different.”
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My comments section is all screwed up. When I make a comment on the first one the rest disappear and the The End sign comes up. How to explain that to the Happiness Engineers?
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Maybe do a screencast?
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And they will ask for more. I just reload the comment page and move on
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I had a problem with being unable to like WP posts last night. Then the problem seemed to resolve itself.
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That does happen. Sometimes problems go away.
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I’m starting to give WP some time to fix itself instead of driving myself crazy trying to figure it out.
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Guess what? The comment problem just went away 😁 I think you are a WP caster.
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Go figure . . . 🤔
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I know right?
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🙂
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To the WordPress Happiness Engineers, I would say you cannot engineer happiness, but here we are, in a world of double-speak. Now, get a move on 😉
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I like your style. 😊
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Great post John you bailed me over!! 😜
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Thank you, Willow.
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I enjoy so much of this post. The image makes me smile. The commentary a knee slapper. Loved it!
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Glad you did. Thanks, Audrey.
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80% reduction of immigrants and no Asians allowed? Oh boy. The bale of hay might be a fun ride.
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Yes indeed
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That wouldn’t fly today… And I think after two hours in that thing, you’ll need at least TWO VooDoos!
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I think you are right. Thanks, Dale
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😊
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😊
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Perhaps the hay is good insulation for a couple of bottles along the route, since you aren’t driving.
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Good idea for sure.
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Sadly, it would seem that our immigration policy isn’t all that different from the Coolidge days. For a country of immigrants, some aren’t the slightest bit bashful about their biases.
As always, you’ve met the challenge and dispatched it to the win column. Well done, John. You’ve earned a bonus VooDoo with this week’s edition.
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Thank you, Monika. I think there will come a time that folks will become more concerned about the open border policy that exists now. Thank you for allowing me an extra VooDoo. Maybe I’ll cash in next week. 😁
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Love those rolls of hay. They are massive.
Actually, one could roll over a Voodoo Ranger with one, and that would be that for that one there, anyway.
No, I’m not talkin’ a bottle of beer, I’m talkin’ the real deal!
🧟♂️⚔️🧟♀️⚔️🧟⚔️
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The real deal is scary. I think it would take more than a bale of hay. Made me laugh through.
🧟♂️⚔️🧟♀️⚔️🧟⚔️🧟⚔️
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🧟♂️⚔️ 😂⚔️ 😂⚔️ 🧟♂️⚔️
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😁X 😊X 😀X 😁X
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Hey!
😅⧖
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😊
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How interesting that immigration was an issue as far back as 1924 and still is today. A fun excursion and that includes the Uber. 🙂
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Thank you, Jan. 😊
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[…] Streamof Consciousness Saturday – Prompt – “Move” | Fiction Favorites(johnwhowell.com) A move to the coffee machine is necessary tofind out what is taking so long. An investigation turns […]
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Thank you for the links, Traci.
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