For the fifth consecutive year, North Dakota topped all other states in employee perceptions of job creation at their workplaces in 2013, as measured by the Gallup Job Creation Index. North Dakota's +40 index score easily surpasses the District of Columbia's and South Dakota's second-place +30 scores. Rhode Island workers saw the least job creation, with a +12 score.Job Creation Index, 2013 (Gallup via Hot Air)
71 comments:
A Tale Of Two Bubbles:
North Dakota is finding and bringing real gas to market while DC is finding and bringing artificial gas to market.
Elemental
Dc throws parties w lobbyists and big d donor corporations while we wither. Time for tax hikes
It's nice when you can produce something.
So....if we kick out the States where job creation is mostly fueled by Government, either directly as in DC or indirectly, the picture really changed.
Government doesn't "create" jobs or enhance the economy. The funding for government jobs is taken FROM the economy. Government is outside of the reality of supply and demand. No one ...NO ONE...is demanding that the State or County tax us more to hire more bureaucrats so that they can demand more paperwork from us and make us jump through hoops in order to impede us from just going about our business.
The JOBS, that pump money into the economy from private business, are occurring in areas far far away. The Dakotas, Montana, Minnesota, Texas.
When Government gets out of the way and sticks to their minimal duties, the economy booms, people are happy and free.
LOL Chick
Remember those warnings from the NY Times girls!
Don't be going out there to party with the cowboys!
Because...
Sexism!
ST: Because .... if Julia hitches her wagon to a guy with a good job, she might not need Obama to pay for her birth control. Gasp!
Julia, is gonna find out that the government never returns her calls, has no sense of humor, and is not a good listener. Kind of like being a trophy wife, kept on the cheap.
It would be cool if the oil rush was all jobs women wanted, and there was a shortage of men companions up there. It would be a great vacation spot for men.
ST wrote: Remember those warnings from the NY Times girls!
Don't be going out there to party with the cowboys!
At the time that story broke, I recall writing that it would make a fantastic screenplay -- sort of a "Horse Whisperer" where the urban feminist actually moves west and finds out a little sumpin' sumpin' about what she's been taught to despise.
I still think it would be a great idea. I can't think of a good name though.
I still think it would be a great idea. I can't think of a good name though.
Horse Dick Mountain?
Of course the hit movie would never reach the target audience. They will continue to believe until their last menstrual cycle that North Dakota is just the Matthew Sheppard story writ larger, just as they once believed that the entire South was Mississippi Burning.
Horse Dick Mountain?
Of course that would be the porn version. But I'm looking for something more PG -- something for the rest of us.
DC number two. Yes, it's good to be inside the buttercup.
Bago:
"Julia, is gonna find out that the government never returns her calls, has no sense of humor, and is not a good listener. Kind of like being a trophy wife, kept on the cheap."
Maybe they'll start a union.
"When Julia met Jack"
deborah said...
When Julia met Jack
Thank you! I can write in a scene where Julia and Jack are sitting in a diner and Jack relates the time he struck a "gusher." :)
Garage called. He wants to know why Wisconsin is in the wrong column.
"... just as they once believed that the entire South was Mississippi Burning."
Once believed?
Julia sat in the diner sipping her tea and looking at the plate of eggs that the harried waitress had set before her. They looked greasy and hurried. Much like the rest of the patrons of the diner.
Why had she agreed to come to his horrible place to research an article for “The Huffington Post?” She had to leave her comfortable studio apartment that she paid five thousand a month in Williamsburg Brooklyn to come to this cold winter landscape of North Dakota. She had to leave behind so much. Her books. Her supportive friends. Her organic food market. Her cat. Oh God her cat. She missed her so much.
The little bell at the top of the door jiggled and a man walked into the diner. He was tall and lean. Wearing jeans and a Down parka with a yellow hard hat. He must be an oil worker. The type of person she was supposed to talk to in order to get a good article. He walked up to the counter and sat down. He put his hat and gloves on the counter and opened his coat.
“Hi Jack” said the waitress as she set a cup in front of him and filled it with steaming hot coffee from a battered glass pot. “Any luck last night?”
“Yeah Flo I was pretty lucky. But you know me. When I drill I always strike a gusher. I push and push and push my tool down the shaft until I make something happen. That’s what I do.” “Ha you’re a kidder” laughed Flo as she flushed red. “The usual?” “Sure.”
Julia’s ears perked up. This is something she should investigate. Drilling. Gushing. Somehow she felt strange. Ezra never talked about things like that. He just wanted to sit on her couch in his flannel pajamas and drink cocoa and talk about how great Obama was and how lucky we are to have his as President.
Maybe she would learn something.
The name of the diner is "Guyzers"
Thanks, Troop!
Jack sipped his coffee and looked at the mirror above the cut out of the kitchen. He noticed a young woman all dressed in black pushing some eggs around her plate. She had mousy brown hair and no makeup. But at least she had a vagina. Or at least he hoped she did. Vaginas were in short supply these days.
Flo brought over his plate. A blood rare breakfast steak. A couple of eggs over easy. Mounds of greasy home fries. Breakfast fit for a man. A working man. Someone who had to go out into the freezing cold and get the raw materials that let the weenies sit in their soft offices sending emails to each other about how bekighted Jesusland was.
It looked like the girl was trying to get her gumption up. That is if she had any gumption. Jack’s experience with these types was that they lacked in the gumption department. They made up for it with loads and loads of bitchiness. Who needed that? But there still was the vagina thing. It was at least worth a look. You never knew if a hole was good unless you drilled it. So to speak.
*applause*
You're on a Caesar roll, Troop!
I gotta leave for a few hours. I'll check back for any updates.
Troopers favorite roll is cinnamon.
Well I does like me a jelly roll.
Just sayn'
“Excuse me waitress but could I have some more tea” the woman said in a typical New York snotty accent. She sounded just like that ugly girl with all the tats on that HBO show. He hated to admit he watched it but hey a naked woman was a naked woman. Beaters can’t be choosers.
“Her name is Flo ma’am” said Jack. “Sometimes if helps if you know people’s names. Or say please. That’s how we do here in North Dakota missy.” He said it with a smile that took the sting out of it. Jack had a smile that had got him in plenty of panties back in Texas. Maybe it work the same with this New York girl.
Julia felt a little crestfallen. She was a polite girl. She had learned that back in Connecticut before she had her consciousness raised and her expectations lowered. Plus most of all she had to fit with the natives. She could be polite. But she wasn’t going to go to shoot a gun. Or go to church. You had to draw the line somewhere.
“I’m sorry Flo what was I thinking? Can I please have another cup of tea? Thank you.” She turned to the oil line cowboy. “I was a little preoccupied. I have a lot on my mind. My name is Julia by the way.” “Hi Julia my name is Jack. But most folks call me Rod. Hot Rod to be exact. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Julia smiled in a demure way that devastated the geeks at the wine bar. “I wonder if I can interview for my article. I am a journalist and I want to learn about the boom times you are having here in North Dakota.”
“Well I am originally from Texas ma’am and we think the only thing worse than a journalist is a lawyer. So I am not interested in talking to a journalist. But I will be happy to talk to you as a man talking to a woman.”
“I could work with that” Julia said. How hard would it be to outwit this bumpkin. He is from Texas after all. She just hoped he didn't have a black man dragging from the back of his pickup truck. But she could work with that. After all she had interviewed a Republican. Once. It took a long to feel clean afterward. Anything for the truth.
Don't forget, Troop...
I want my cut when Horse Dick Mountain becomes an international sensation.
Can you work Lucy Thai and Vanessa Del Rio into the cast somehow?
You know, tough old broads who work for Kitty down at the Long Branch Saloon?
Lucy and Vanessa work upstairs, if you know what I mean.
You know, until this very moment, I'd never considered that "Long Branch" might be a double entendre.
Anybody care to see a pic of my Long Branch?
Rhode Island might be lowest at 12, but New Mexico is keeping company at 13.
I've got one kid so far that moved to North Dakota. Another graduates from high school this spring, and I may well send her up there, too.
I was thinking about including a character based on you Shouting. His name would be Stubby.
Hope that works for you.
On the plus side he owns the
combination Filipino massage parlor/guitar store.
I was thinking more along the lines of The Big Fella after Al Capone.
Jesus, I really am gonna have to start putting up some pics. Everybody, even Inga, is obsessed with the size of my junk!
And, I would run a much much more swank whorehouse than that.
Nice parlor, big enough for the Old Dawgz to crank it up.
My establishment would, however, gladly offer a special discount to patrons who enjoy Sloppy Seconds.
Want me to send you a coupon?
Hey in a place like that you are lucky to get sloppy seconds. More like slippery seventeens.
Not that I know anything about that kind of thing. I rely on Lem's reports of such shenanigans. Just sayn'
LOL Troop, you're killing me.
Only with kindness Little Debbie.
This makes me laff!
A short balding man came into the diner. He was dressed like an oil worker but he carried a dented, dirty guitar case. He didn’t wear a hat which was unusual in this cold climate. He resembled nothing so much as a demented Walter Brennan with a list to the right as he limped up to the counter.
“Let’s go Hot Rod. We have to practice before work. We got us a couple of minutes before the starting whistle. Our gig down at the Long Branch tonight and I want to practice our licks before then.” “Sure Stubby.” Hot Rod got up and started buttoning his jacket. “This here’s my compadre Stubby. He plays in my band. The Stray Dawg’s. Stubby this is Julia. She visiting. She is one of those jo-no-lists so watch what you say. She might report you to the government or something.”
“Nice to meet you Miss.” “Yes nice to meet you as well. Please call me Julia. So what is this Long Branch you are talking about?” “Why it’s the bar where the band has a standing gig every Friday night. They named it after the one in “Gunsmoke” Stubby replied. “We go on tonight at eight o’clock” said the balding gnome with an animated delivery that bellied his corpse like pallor. “That sounds like fun. What do you play Jack” she enquired with a smile. “I’m a drummer as a matter of fact.” “Yes he is” laughed Stubby. “Like the song goes he likes to bang on the drum all night. Ha, ha, ha” he chortled. Jack shook his head. There was no controlling Stubby when he went off on tirade. He hoped he didn’t start in on white women. They could be here all day. Who had time for that?
“Well it’s still a free country. At least out here” said Jack. “Why don’t I come down to hear you play. Maybe we can talk a little between sets. I’ll buy you a drink” said Julia. “That’s nice but I always make ita practice to pay for a lady” replied Jack as he put on his yellow hard hat and prepared to go out into the cold. Julia shook her head. Here we go. Sexism rears its ugly head. “We can argue about it later cowboy. But just so you know I don’t surrender to Patriarchy. Ever!” “Not to worry Mizz Julia. I hate those cheaters up in Boston. I am a Cowboys Fan” said Jack. He winked at her and strode confidently out the door without a backward glance. His little friend too.
Was he serious or was he pulling her leg. The thought of him pulling at her legs gave her pause. She felt a little flushed. It had been a while since she felt like this. She adjusted the cowl neck of her sweater. Maybe North Dakota would be interesting after all.
Comedic genius, Troop.
Please continue.
As long as I get my cut of the residuals, Troop, we're pals.
Troop, can I have exclusive rights for the voice characterization and audio book version of this masturpiece?
The funny thing about touting mineral extraction as a way to create jobs is that it's already in the places that have it. No actual thought or policies have to be implemented. Unless your policy is to buy plains oil, put it under your own state's ground, and then pay local workers to extract it back again.
Human capital is dead! Long live human capital!
When Government gets out of the way and sticks to their minimal duties, the economy booms, people are happy and free.
And all natural business cycles come to an end! Slumps turn into booms and economies never go into recession again! And we never have to educate our youth or encourage human capital, ever!
/conservatopia.
I'm getting the idea that the time is ripe for revising Marx such that every reference he made to "worker" is replaced by "owner". But the same sense of wished-for utopia remains intact. With the right-wing social engineering Gingrich told us about, we can have an owner's paradise!
Labor (work) is dead! Long live ownership!
Owners of the world, unite!
Is there some kind of a Mad Libs thing going on?
My mind is working too slowly today to keep up with what's going on in Trooper's Regaling Tales.
Chickie wanted a story where a liberal woman from the east meets a cowboy in North Dakota and has her expectations challenged.
It is as simple as that.
You might recognize some of the characters if you close your eyes and imagine.
We were snowed in today and the wife is making me watch the Olympics so I am bored to tears.
Sorry if this is too much.
I'm considering making the story into an animated cartoon series.
But, that Stubby thing!
You want some pics?
Troop, could you write a Ritmo-style character into the story? He'd be like the Jimmy Stewart character in "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence."
"Ritsom Stoddard"
I was thinking of adding a Ritmo character but I don't know that many words.
Maybe he can be one of Julia's
ex-boyfriends.
Of course Julia would swoon over Ritsom Stoddard but it wouldn't be he who pulled her trigger if you know what I mean.
Make her a Brazilian with a British accent and I bet he'd bite.
You are the artist. I offer you complete creative control.
Although the 10:24 suggestion was sort of hot.
Now it makes sense… The 9:51 explanation.
It's been done a lot but that's probably what would actually make it a successful plot. Which should satisfy Mr. Chickie.
Flo came over with another cup of tea and a piece of apple pie. “Here you go sweetie. You are gonna need your strength if you are gonna hook up with Hot Rod.” “Who said anything about hooking up?” Julia was nonplussed. They knew about hooking up in North Dakota?
Flo could read her thoughts. “We know all about hooking up here in the sticks dearie. We call it being a slut bag.” She was fiercely protective of her boys who deserved better than a dried up stick of New York dog shit. “But you know best I am sure. Enjoy your pie.”
Julia hated apple pie. Also hot dogs and Chevrolet. After all she was a liberal. She had an Audi and only ate veggie burgers. And tofu cheesecake. But there wasn’t any tofu in North Dakota. When she asked for it at the hotel dining room they thought she was talking about toe cheese.
She sat there lost in thought. How was she going to get a purchase on these simple minds? The cowboy might be an interesting diversion. She knew how to handle difficult men. After all she was pushing forty even though she looked much younger. She had enough experience to know better.
She thought back through the years. Her college boyfriend when they were both at Vasser. They had discovered so much together. Tennessee Williams. Marx and Engels. Che. Balzac. His ball sack. Cunnilingus. It was a time of discovery for the both of them.
Julia laughed a little to herself. Ratso Stoddard was a very smart guy. Never let a word serve when he could use fifty five of them. He would argue about anything. Any time. With anybody. The only way she knew how to shut him up was to stick her tit in his mouth. Good times.
But like most men he was a big disappointment. She should have known when he took Ratso Rizzo as his professed role model. He only answered to the nickname Ratso. Of course you could understand that when you knew his real name was Mort. He left her for a Brazilian stripper with size 44 D’s and a suspiciously large scar where her Adam’s apple should be. She shouldn’t judge. She was a liberal after all. Non-judgmental. Superior in all regards.
The only thing that gave her pause was that she was all alone. Again. Her eggs were getting as unappealing and congealed as the cold glob sitting forlorn on her breakfast plate.
Enough introspection! Time to go back to the hotel and blog. She had a spot on Blogging Heads to prepare for today. She hoped it was with Bob Wright. She felt like slapping around a girlie man.
Love triangles are old as the hills and they keep selling too.
"When the legend becomes fact, blog the legend."
The Broadway version could be "retooled" and retitled "The Man Who's Hot: Liberty Valance"
Bravo. ;-)
But the last bit sounds suspicious. Are you trying to work a certain, er, someone we know into this yarn?
Naughty boy!
Who me?
Resemblance to any person living or dead is purely coincidental.
That's my story I am sticking to it!
@Ritmo: It's just Troop's amazing powers of suggestion. Other parts of Julia remind me of Maureen Dowd.
But let's talk about Julia's hair! I want it to be dark and a pixie hair cut!
I want a character with a pixie cut (hopefully with red or colored spikes in it) but it seems like it would be for someone more fun than this one. Or maybe that's just my own wishful thinking.
Troop is good. I wanted to link to that clip in Analyze This where De Niro says as much.
I was thinking more along the likes of that Goldberg chick.
You know the one. The quintessential feminist twat.
Not only is Troop a comical genius, he's also a mind reader.
Use of the word "purchase" is a classic. Those of us who know, know.
Ratso is brilliant, too, except that I never pictured our local version being as tall as Dustin Hoffman.
Man, CL is on a roll, too.
As for Julia's hair - it has been mentioned. I would have guess it was bleached blonde to cover the now white hair on the old broad's head.
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