For many decades the United States Air Force has had a big presence in North Dakota: Grand Forks AFB and Minot AFB.
In the past year or so, a second squadron of B-52s were brought to Minot AFB. Although not quite as big a story as the Bakken it does bring additional revenue into North Dakota. In this Minot Press story, it is about a new dormitory for the base.
This is a pretty mundane story in the big scheme of things, but for me it brings back wonderful memories. In another life, I was fortunate enough to have flown in a B-52 out of Grand Forks AFB. It was an eight-hour flight, flying low level over (and through) the Rocky Mountains.
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Meanwhile, the lead story, in the Fargo Forum, is .... drum roll.... drum roll .... the interview with Bristol Palin. The Fargo Forum bills itself as "North Dakota's #1 news website!" Oooo-kay. The reason I bring this up: I, too, was having trouble finding any news in the oil patch this morning. I guess "we" are all taking a collective breath after all the news this past week: a) price of oil well over $80. (Now trending back down.); b) North Dakota sets new record for number of active drilling rigs (153); c) updates on Hess planning to drill Bakken-like wells near Paris, France; and, d) all the new oil drilling permits being issued this past week.
Between the oil boom, the agricultural boom, and the airbase expansion, Minot has become a boom town. As happens with booms, hyperbole is rampant. Even educated people in authoritative positions are making public pronouncements about the likely doubling or tripling of Minot's population. That's a bet in which I'd like to invest.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the B2 ride, it's to your credit that you carefully avoid flaunting your credentials. I'm reminded of a certain politician for whom you have special regard. He wrote an engaging autobiography just out of college and managed to completely avoid flaunting impressive credentials.
Hess342
Thank you for your kind comments.
ReplyDeleteI questioned whether I should put even that much about my flight in a B-52 but it brought back great memories and personalizes the blog a bit.
After that one flight, my first flight ever in a military bomber, my respect for military pilots soared (no pun intended). That was an eight-hour flight, at night, in the weather (clouds), flying low-level through the valleys of the Rocky Mountains. They flew off radar; no visual.
I was not aware of all the "hyperbole" in Minot. Very, very interesting. I did hear that Menard's in Minot may be the busiest Menard's in their chain, due to all the Canadians coming down to Minot to shop. This past summer "we" went to Menard's in Minot to pick up some "stuff."
Take-off was delayed four hours (maybe more, I forget) due to mechanical problems and all crew members sat in the plane during those four hours waiting for clearance.
In our Web World where so much distain and disrespect for others is on public display, I'd like to say a word about the heart and soul of our state - the farmers.
ReplyDeleteIn urban America I expect there's a fair amount of condescension towards them. In truth, I'd be surprised if a one day visit during harvest wouldn't cause most people to walk away with the feeling that these are some of the most impressive people on earth. They live incredibly independent lives on farms that represent a family legacy reaching back to sod huts and horses and plows. They're often college educated jacks of all trades who know how to do hundreds of things for which the rest of us rely on specialists. They deal in multi million dollar financing, investment, markets, and futures speculation. They learn, operate, and maintain incredibly expensive and high tech equipment that would blow people away if experienced directly. If there's a shortage of family members to do the work they have an almost impossible time finding help because the skills required are almost nonexistent and the oil boom is draining the pool. So please don't begrudge the farmers of North Dakota their oil boom day in the sun - praise them for what they do and the food they put on our tables.
Hess342
You are so correct about a shortage of workers for the farms.
ReplyDeleteOne of my readers told me there is a word for this: Dutch disease.
It refers to what happened in the Far East decades ago when the Dutch (Shell Oil) discovered oil there. Yes, the oil business took off but everything else struggled because there were no workers. Blue collar workers all left for higher-paying oil jobs and farming, school teachers, restaurants, etc., couldn't pay the same wages.
This is a real concern: the viability of farming in northwest North Dakota. I guess I would have to look at the area around Tulsa, Oklahoma, to see how they coped. More on this later, perhaps.