The Rising Influence of Rising Affluence

[oldberkeley]

OT:

I like all the talk about the Bakken. I think this will be big for numerous companies

I'm sure that you mean nationally and globally, but just as an aside:

My oldest friend is from Minot, North Dakota, and I've been there many times since the 60's. Like pretty-much all North Dakota towns, except for the huge air base, Minot was on the sleepy side (and North Dakota towns can really put the capital S in sleepy.)

We used to half-joke that the best use for North Dakota would be to simply move all the people and all the structures somewhere else, then let giant, robotized combines move in precise lines back-and-forth across the state.

Bakken oil has made a huge impact on Minot and the smaller surrounding towns: schools, housing, heath care, police and fire, parks & rec, all the new people and families, you name it. Some locals bemoan the loss of the good old days, but most like the money!