Three Pages of Beautiful Photographs of Southwest North Dakota -- And, Yes, Even a Bakken Story

Link here.

These photos are from 2011, but I came across them while looking for stories about this year's event: the 10th annual Medora Balloon Rally.

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CarpeDiem on jobs, jobs, jobs ...

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From the front page of the LA Times (this is a dynamic link, and will change), at the very top, no editing:

Higher taxes on top earners would be a major 2nd-term goal for Obama
By Christi Parsons, Kathleen Hennessey and David Lauter
Other priorities would include Iran, healthcare and immigration. Jobs probably wouldn't be high on the list.

This link will take you to the story. Incredible, isn't it?

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Speaking of jobs, which the administration is not, here's an interesting story about a boom in Bakersfield, California. Regular readers probably already knew this:

The state's economic recovery has largely been concentrated on the coast, leaving behind much of the hard-hit San Joaquin Valley. But Bakersfield, perhaps best known for oil, agriculture and country music, has reclaimed an old title: boomtown.

Bakersfield has been adding population and jobs at a brisk pace and is a few thousand jobs from matching its peak employment level of five years ago. A price-fueled energy bonanza, low corporate operating costs and an advantageous location are contributing to the area's good fortune.

Employment has grown across many sectors, including manufacturing. Even construction, which suffered mightily statewide during the housing bust, has strengthened. And unlike many struggling municipalities, in Kern County officials have recommended a budget increase that would allow hiring of more than 150 people.

Here we go!
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Random data points flash across my mind:

• 1917 to 1991: a country's potential was set back more than a century, and is still struggling
• 2008 to 2016: another revolution in the making, albeit peaceful, and be elected leadership

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A reader sent me this story. It supplements an earlier EOG story: very important. In the latter link, Papa says there are only four plays worth discussing (the rest are all irrelevant): the Bakken, the Eagle Ford, the Permian, and the Barnett.

In this newest link, Papa has revised his opinion: there are only TWO plays that are important: the Bakken and the Eagle Ford. This is an incredible story -- everyone needs to read.

EOG Resource’s top executive Mark Papa raised a few eyebrows Sept. 4 when he told attendees of Barclays energy conference that only two horizontal liquids plays in the U.S. matter — the Eagle Ford and the Bakken. 

The rest are “insignificant” in terms of future U.S. production, Papa says, including those his company is invested in, such as the Wolfcamp, Permian and Barnett plays.  

In fact, in 2013, it is “likely” the Houston-based company will be “stealing some capital from the Permian and … Barnett combos” for company operations in the Eagle Ford and Bakken, Papa said.

This will be re-posted as a stand-alone post. It was sent to me by a reader: a huge "thank you." This story, by the way, is at odds of so much that has been published about the Permian lately (one example). It appears Papa, like Wayne and Steve, is skating to where the puck will be. Again.