What the numbers tell us about the past 20 years.

Active US Army personnel in Monterey County in 1988 and 2008: 14,900 | 3,500

Massage parlors in Monterey County in 1988 and 2008: 20 | 6

Pawnshops on Fremont Boulevard in Seaside in 1988 and 2008: 3 | 0

Espresso shops on Fremont Boulevard in Seaside in 1988 and 2008: 0 | 3

African-American population in Seaside in 1988 and 2008: 9,139 | 4,680

Latino population in Seaside in 1988 and 2008: 6,247 | 10,929

Production value of agriculture in Monterey County in 1988 and 2007: $1.155 billion | $3.823 billion

1988 ag production value adjusted to 2007 dollars: $2,108 billion

Yield per acre of major crops adjusted to current dollars in 1988 and 2007: $8,056 | $10,124

California minimum wage in June 1988 and June 2008: $3.35/hour | $8.00/hour

People employed in the county in 1988 and 2008: 146,865 | 172,846

Median household income in the county in 1988, 2008: $33,520 | $55,045

Median home price in 1988, 2008 and change: $198,200 | $685,100 | increased 246 percent

Retiring US President, his age on Election Day and the age of the candidates to replace him:

1988: Ronald Reagan, 77 yrs, 275 days GHW Bush: 64 yrs, 150 days | M Dukakis: 55 yrs, 5 days

2008: George W Bush, 62 yrs, 121 days J McCain: 72 yrs, 67 days | B Obama: 47 yrs, 92 days

NY Times bestseller, Summer 1988 and Summer 2008: A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking | June 2008, What Happened, Scott McClellan

General interest, new and used bookstores in Monterey County in 1988 and 2008: 28 | 15

Average annual daily traffic on Blanco Road at Davis Road in 1988 and 2008: 19,600 | 26,300

Average annual daily traffic Highway 68 at Canyon Del Rey in 1988, 2008: 17,900 | 22,500

Average daily traffic in May on Del Monte Avenue at Figueroa in 1988, 2008: 16,740 | 16,792

Average price of a gallon of regular gas in summer 1988, 2008 and change: $1.08 | $3.75 | up 247 percent

Number of newspapers published in Monterey and Salinas in 1988 and 2008: 15 | 9

Prettiest names of dead newspapers: Coasting, Pacific Grove Monarch, Fort Ord Panorama

Audited circulation of Montere yCounty Herald in 1988, 2008 and change: 38,500 | 28,933 | down 248 percent

Audited circulation of Salinas Californian in 1988, 2008 and change: 21,600 | 15,740 | down 271 percent

Audited circulation of Monterey County Weekly in 1988, 2008 and change: 12,899 | 39,879 | up 209 percent

Weight in pounds of Weekly publisher Erik Cushman in 1988, 2008 and change: 165 | 178 | up 78 percent

Population of Monterey County in 1988, 2008 and change: 340,600 | 428,549 | up 258 percent

School enrollment, Salinas Union High School District, 1988, 2008: 8,399 | 13,350

School enrollment, Pacific Grove Unified School District, 1988, 2008: 2,349 | 1,698

Number of record stores, Monterey/ Salinas, 1988, 2008: 14 | 8

Number of felony marijuana arrests, Monterey County, 1988 and 2008: 98 | 88

Hotel tax paid to the city of Monterey in 1988 and 2008: $7,681,959 | $15,868,881

One-day adult admission to Monterey Bay Aquarium in 1988 and 2008: $7 | $24.95

Price paid for a new laser printer at Monterey County Weekly, 1988 and 2008: $28,500 | $1,250

Number of gratuitous, egomaniacal self-references in the Squid Fry column: Who cares?

Compiled by Erik Cushman, with apologies to the Harper’s Index

Sources: Base Reuse Plan FORA, Presidio PAO, 1988 Monterey and San Benito County Pacific Bell Smart Yellow Pages, Seaside stroll, Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, Monterey County Agriculture Commissioner 2007 Crop Report, California Employment Development Department, Wikipedia, New York Times, Monterey County Public Works, CalTrans, City of Monterey, 1980s flashbackcom, Audit Bureau of Circulation, Verified Audit Circulation, Cushman’s bathroom scale, Salinas Union High School District, PGUSD, California Department of Justice, Monterey Bay Aquarium, MC Weekly controller, Squidself