New Mexico expanding (buy, yard, best)

[GregW]

The Pennsylvanian time limestone cap rocks on the top of the Sandia’s are matched by rock at the bottom of the grabben (rift valley) over 5 miles down. The Rio Grande flows south through a series of connected depressions formed by the stretching of the rift.

[Merlander]

Great link Devin, thanks. With all the negativity in the press, I was surprised to see so many states "in the green."

[mortimer]

GregW continuing the thread:

> ... limestone cap rocks on the top ... at the bottom ... 5 miles down. ...

Also, the Sandias, according to more than one of my books on the subject, used to be over 20,000 ft high.

[jsc23]

Originally Posted by Devin Bent

New Mexico and all four of its metro areas still avoiding recession

How's the economy in your hometown? - USATODAY.com

For a small business owner, the only thing as bad as an economic bust is an economic boom...
Having lived in several cities that "boomed", we chose Las Vegas theorizing-
1. If the place didn't boom, then it can't bust
2. Given its particulars, the place was underserved, and
3. LV seems contrary enough to thrive during a general downturn

Current nemployment rate in LV is lowest in more than 40 years (rate was over 11% in 1998, height of the boom, now it's around 3.8%). Property values continue to grow in spite of zero population growth. Area retailers said this past Christmas was best for sales in many years.... of course, when your near bottom, there's nowhere to go but up...
still, the stress is less when you know it's unlikely your fixed expenses will increase 2000% in five years or less...

[Devin Bent]

New Mexico Economy at a Glance

gives the latest unemployment data for NM and the four metro areas.

[Six Foot Three]

New Mexico County Unemployment rates:

County...................%............Main Town/City
Lea ......................2.0...........Hobbs
Union....................2.0...........Clayton
Roosevelt...............2.3...........Portales
Eddie.....................2.5...........Carlsbad
Curry.....................2.6...........Clovis
Los Alamos.............2.6...........Los Alamos
Socorro.................2.7...........Socorro
Harding..................2.7...........Roy
Santa Fe MSA.........2.8...........Santa Fe
Farmington MSA......2.9............Farmington
Lincoln...................3.1............Ruidoso
De Baca.................3.1............Ft. Sumner
ABQ MSA...............3.2............Albuquerque
Chaves..................3.2............Roswell
Otero....................3.3............Alamogordo
Colfax ..................3.3............Raton
Grants...................3.5............Silver City
Las Cruces MSA .....3.6............Las Cruces
Hildago..................3.7............Lordsburg
Cibola...................3.8............Grants
San Miguel.............3.8............Las Vegas
Torrance................3.8...........Moriarity
Sierra....................3.8...........T or C
Quay.....................4.1...........Tucumcari
McKinley................4.2............Gallup
Sandoval ...............4.3............Rio Rancho
Taos.....................4.3............Taos
Rio Arriba...............4.9............Espanola
Guadalupe..............5.1............Santa Rosa
Catron...................5.2............Reserve
Mora.....................8.2.............Mora
Luna.....................12.7............Deming


Source: NM Dept of Labor

[tecpatl]

Devin, thanks for the informative links.
By the way....have you started Blood and Thunder?

[jsc23]

Originally Posted by GregW

The Pennsylvanian time limestone cap rocks on the top of the Sandia’s are matched by rock at the bottom of the grabben (rift valley) over 5 miles down. The Rio Grande flows south through a series of connected depressions formed by the stretching of the rift.

Drove to Taos via Santa Fe this past weekend. The drive, starting in LV, was a great refresher on this natural history. Part of what make NM great... not only is the history of our human culture deep and continuous, the land also provides stark reminders of its antiquity.

[Devin Bent]

Originally Posted by tecpatl

Devin, thanks for the informative links.
By the way....have you started Blood and Thunder?

No -- have had trouble finding time to get get to the library. That is a definite weakness of the Pojoaque Valley -- only one very small library. A decent library requires a visit to Los Alamos or Santa Fe.

[mortimer]

Blood and Thunder: The Epic Story of Kit Carson and the Conquest of the American West (http://tinyurl.com/684qw4 - broken link)

cheapskate