Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
How long can a people maintain a high standard of living but without ever having to work for it?
Let me fix that for you - How long can the rich fat cats that rely on everyone under them to work for peanuts and lower wages every year (factoring in inflation) maintain their standard of living when workers have finally had enough and unite? It's all about control for them and pigeonholing people. That's why companies back in the old days set up houses for their workers because they wanted their workers to feel trapped and feel like they couldn't leave the company.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,935,179 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by I_Love_LI_but
Bright spot of employment news for women in Williston, ND: Well, I've been reading up on it and there is a tremendous shortage of women! So, if you're a stripper or a prostitute, there's $$$ to be made! (I hope that's "illegal alieny" enough for certain bootstrappers on this thread! LOL!)
I went to a local bar in Bowman ND with a lady friend that ran a local motel where lots of workers did extended stays. It was 30 to 1 male to women.
Of course, she said they had lots of problems with drug use (lightbulbs gone a missing, residue) in the rooms too. Not the best of crop. Lots were married and their for work for awhile and then would cycle back home.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,935,179 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderlust76
That's why companies back in the old days set up houses for their workers because they wanted their workers to feel trapped and feel like they couldn't leave the company.
It's pretty interesting that company towns like that haven't sprung up in ND (or have they?) to make money off of cheap housing and overpriced food.
It's pretty interesting that company towns like that haven't sprung up in ND (or have they?) to make money off of cheap housing and overpriced food.
I was up there (Williston) three years ago and Williams County is being hard-nosed (read:foolish) about new construction going on up there. The locals are afraid that they'll end up with a bunch of vacant homes and buildings when the "boom" ends. While I can see their point, having thousands of people living in vehicles and RVs isn't making things any better.
Many companies would like to install "man camps" up there so they don't have to pay their workers per diem and their labor costs from high turnover (many people leave when they can't find housing) will go down. So far, what friends who live up there and who are still working up there tell me, the county hasn't budged from its position about not allowing more man camps to be constructed.
Frankly, unless outsiders start voting in the local elections or unless federal government steps in, I don't foresee there being much that can be done about the housing situation. The locals alread have homes , so they don't care about the oil field workers. And the majority of the oil field workers will be gone in a few years , so they just want to make money and leave, so there is no one who really is going to press for a housing solution.
I remain skeptical, because you haven't been there either. You are just choosing to emphasize the negative stories to suit your own view of the world, as other choose to emphasize the positive ones. The truth lies in between, as it always does.
The reason people bring up ND is not because it is the promised land of lasting career employment, it is because there is opportunity there, opportunity in an otherwise tough job market. With opportunities come challenges, as I've said before. Not everyone is cut out for it.
But many people look at it as a stop gap and not as lasting. This is either because they don't want to work in the oil fields for X long, the company hires temp or general burnout. The only lasting jobs are any that STEM related.
The biggest reason is because there's nowhere to live.
Buy a camper and live in, find a room mate to share a place with until you make enough to buy it or until the new housing is available. If establishing the west of this country was up to most posters on here it would never happen. If you want a job, a good paying job here it is figure out a way to make it work if you want it ....if you prefer to make excuses so be it.
But many people look at it as a stop gap and not as lasting. This is either because they don't want to work in the oil fields for X long, the company hires temp or general burnout. The only lasting jobs are any that STEM related.
Life doesn't last either.
A six month gig making you some money is better than sitting around complaining that your permanent, perfect, forever job hasn't turned up yet.
Most people never find that perfect job. Most people make do as best they can doing whatever seems to be best for them at the time. If they are really, really lucky, they have few regrets by the time they hit 45.
A six month gig making you some money is better than sitting around complaining that your permanent, perfect, forever job hasn't turned up yet.
Most people never find that perfect job. Most people make do as best they can doing whatever seems to be best for them at the time. If they are really, really lucky, they have few regrets by the time they hit 45.
Exactly. There is no such thing as a permanent job. Employers have made that very clear with mass layoffs, consolidations, outsourcing, offshoring, etc. You take what you can get, when you can get it. If I didn't have a job, and someone told me about a great opportunity, I would certainly investigate. So what if it sounds too good to be true... Most things are advertised as such. In this case, most people aren't willing to uproot and work in the middle of ND. With supply and demand in mind, it seems reasonable that the pay would be more attractive than flipping burgers.
I love the ND story, an inhospitable far-away land, shrouded in mystery, offering the promise of "jobs for all" like the glimpse of a distant american renaissance. How inspiring
Bright spot of employment news for women in Williston, ND: Well, I've been reading up on it and there is a tremendous shortage of women if you're a stripper or a prostitute, there's $$$ to be made! (I hope that's "illegal alieny" enough for certain bootstrappers on this thread! LOL!)
On the other hand, if you're a woman husband hunting ... I bet the men aren't so choosy as they would be in another area with a more normal ratio ... so if you AREN'T a gorgeous supermodel, heiress, and top earning brain surgeon with NO KIDS all rolled into one package (aka the typical bare minimum standard most bald fat men with beer bellies and unremarkable careers think they deserve) ... get out there and find yer man! LOL!
Same as it's always been. For some there is nothing better than a boom town when things are bad. They can go, make good money, at least until something else comes up. They aren't for the timid and frightened or those who are very set in their ways. Just like the mining towns in the Old West, some came and got their money, most people didn't leave their hometowns.
For some Alaska would also be an option, but N Dakota is closer to relatives and "home". They want to build up savings, even make sure their social security checks aren't the tiniest. And they want money now so they can travel, pay off debts.
Of course there are many who will prefer to go on disability once their unemployment checks end. They may be satisfied enough living on SSI or smaller social security checks when they are retirement age.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
