12-26-2012, 06:30 AM
Where I live, I see several different types of companies. Some are US based, others are Canadian, and we have some European folks out here including Statoil of Norway. I assure you that every significant company out here, that isn't poorly run by a bunch of drunken/druggy idiots, does quite well.
You'll probably recognize some of the names: Haliburton; Baker Hughes; Schlumberger; Prairie (Sask. company); Sanjel; Target Logistics; Tervita (Canadian I think); Amarada-Hess; Conocco-Phillips; Chevron-Texaco (to a lesser extent, Texaco was early drilling out here); Atco; Flying J; Weatherford; Exxon-Mobil; NABORS; etc..
The approaches to community involving vary with each company. Target Logistics does quite a bit of free catering work for various community functions. Schlumberger helped finance new equipment for law enforcement. It just depends on which company, and who runs it.
I must disagree to a certain extent Marxism. I am by no means wealthy, but I do more than the average US per capita income. That is because I took it upon myself to gain specialized knowledge, and despite several missteps on my part, have attained a fairly decent position. Maybe I could have done better but for my missteps, who knows.
For many of those events, the fault lies entirely with me. I will not, however, accept the blame for those at interview sessions who would not even shake my hand because they were afraid of my psoriasis. Given the reaction, I probably didn't want to work there anyway.
My point being is this: that there is no real incentive to improve in a Marxist society, at least none that I can see.
As far as houses and cars go, not 100% sure I agree with your statements. At my current income, I could afford pretty much any vehicle I'd be interested in.
Can I afford a Ferrari? No. Am I interested in a Ferarri? No. Do I want a Ferarri? No. Even if I were to have the net worth of Bill Gates would I own a Ferrari? No. The same goes for virtually all "exotic" cars, having seen people of my general body plan try to get into and out of them
Could I afford an MB G-Class, S-Class, Maybach, or similar automobile? No. Do I want any of those? No. Why not? Well, seeing as how it's just me, myself, and I, why bother with something like that? The only one of those vehicles that holds some interest is the G-Class simply because of where I live. But, it doesn't do anything better than what a Jeep Wrangler, a Toyota FJ-Cruiser even a Land Cruiser, an assortment of Audi's, or a host of other rugged true-4 wheel drive vehicles is capable of. Heck, I could buy a Subaru Tribeca or H-6 Outback, and get much of the functionality, get better fuel economy, and invest the remaining money.
When I first moved out here, I needed a new vehicle as the old one was having issues. I didn't do what some of my classmates had done, and rush out to buy some high-end model. Instead, I chose a base model 4 cylinder Toyota Camry (only one on the lot) with only three pieces of optional equipment: remote entry (wouldn't have gotten but for frozen locks potential), automatic transmission, and an engine block heater installed up here. Got really low interest financing, and invested the money saved over buying a higher-end model. Only regret is not getting the V-6, but eh it still gets me where I want to go, even places that SUV get stuck in winter
As far as houses go, just how much house am I supposed to need/want? The house I grew up in is ~3,000 sq. feet. And, let me tell you, there's no way I'd want something that big. In most other equivalent sized markets to what I live in, I could purchase a house of that size if I wanted to. Could probably purchase a house here too. However, given the price of housing out here, I simply refuse to pay that kind of money.
Don't lump all "state" folks in together. I work for municipal government out here in North Dakota. Having lived in other states, I have to say ND does a pretty good job with its government. We are massively understaffed and having difficulty finding people to come out here, so some things get triaged. For some reason, people seem to think of ND as vast nothingness.
Never understood what the attraction to eating out is. I have had a high-end, at least for out here, steak dinner. I have had a steak dinner that I've made myself either by broiling (winter) or grilling. Apart from variations in seasoning (steakhouse used a vinegar based marinade), I really can't tell the difference. I can order, purchase, or grow the same herbs they use. I can order or purchase balsamic vinegar if I want to. I can purchase T-bone, ribeye, NY strip, or any other cut either from a grocer or "fresh off the steer" so-to-speak from a local packer. I can purchase, or grow, most any variety of potato. Etc., etc.. So, the question is: why spend $50 for a steak dinner, when you can make one for far less at home *and* enjoy the smells while it cooks?
Just about the only time I eat out anymore is for business/social gatherings. Why spend the extra money when you can do it yourself?
I see the problem as being less with capitalism than with folks trying to get as much as possible in the next 30 seconds, or less, without any thought to the long-term implications. Things like the execs who lay people off by the tens-of-thousands, and suddenly find themselves even less competitive than they were before.
There is no socio-economic-political system that is ideal. All have their benefits and problems. Regardless of the problems with them, one has to admit that when a decision is made by a military dictator, stuff happens. And things like the republican form of government and "democracy" suffer from the tyranny of the majority.
You'll probably recognize some of the names: Haliburton; Baker Hughes; Schlumberger; Prairie (Sask. company); Sanjel; Target Logistics; Tervita (Canadian I think); Amarada-Hess; Conocco-Phillips; Chevron-Texaco (to a lesser extent, Texaco was early drilling out here); Atco; Flying J; Weatherford; Exxon-Mobil; NABORS; etc..
The approaches to community involving vary with each company. Target Logistics does quite a bit of free catering work for various community functions. Schlumberger helped finance new equipment for law enforcement. It just depends on which company, and who runs it.
I must disagree to a certain extent Marxism. I am by no means wealthy, but I do more than the average US per capita income. That is because I took it upon myself to gain specialized knowledge, and despite several missteps on my part, have attained a fairly decent position. Maybe I could have done better but for my missteps, who knows.
For many of those events, the fault lies entirely with me. I will not, however, accept the blame for those at interview sessions who would not even shake my hand because they were afraid of my psoriasis. Given the reaction, I probably didn't want to work there anyway.
My point being is this: that there is no real incentive to improve in a Marxist society, at least none that I can see.
As far as houses and cars go, not 100% sure I agree with your statements. At my current income, I could afford pretty much any vehicle I'd be interested in.
Can I afford a Ferrari? No. Am I interested in a Ferarri? No. Do I want a Ferarri? No. Even if I were to have the net worth of Bill Gates would I own a Ferrari? No. The same goes for virtually all "exotic" cars, having seen people of my general body plan try to get into and out of them
Could I afford an MB G-Class, S-Class, Maybach, or similar automobile? No. Do I want any of those? No. Why not? Well, seeing as how it's just me, myself, and I, why bother with something like that? The only one of those vehicles that holds some interest is the G-Class simply because of where I live. But, it doesn't do anything better than what a Jeep Wrangler, a Toyota FJ-Cruiser even a Land Cruiser, an assortment of Audi's, or a host of other rugged true-4 wheel drive vehicles is capable of. Heck, I could buy a Subaru Tribeca or H-6 Outback, and get much of the functionality, get better fuel economy, and invest the remaining money.
When I first moved out here, I needed a new vehicle as the old one was having issues. I didn't do what some of my classmates had done, and rush out to buy some high-end model. Instead, I chose a base model 4 cylinder Toyota Camry (only one on the lot) with only three pieces of optional equipment: remote entry (wouldn't have gotten but for frozen locks potential), automatic transmission, and an engine block heater installed up here. Got really low interest financing, and invested the money saved over buying a higher-end model. Only regret is not getting the V-6, but eh it still gets me where I want to go, even places that SUV get stuck in winter
As far as houses go, just how much house am I supposed to need/want? The house I grew up in is ~3,000 sq. feet. And, let me tell you, there's no way I'd want something that big. In most other equivalent sized markets to what I live in, I could purchase a house of that size if I wanted to. Could probably purchase a house here too. However, given the price of housing out here, I simply refuse to pay that kind of money.
Don't lump all "state" folks in together. I work for municipal government out here in North Dakota. Having lived in other states, I have to say ND does a pretty good job with its government. We are massively understaffed and having difficulty finding people to come out here, so some things get triaged. For some reason, people seem to think of ND as vast nothingness.
Never understood what the attraction to eating out is. I have had a high-end, at least for out here, steak dinner. I have had a steak dinner that I've made myself either by broiling (winter) or grilling. Apart from variations in seasoning (steakhouse used a vinegar based marinade), I really can't tell the difference. I can order, purchase, or grow the same herbs they use. I can order or purchase balsamic vinegar if I want to. I can purchase T-bone, ribeye, NY strip, or any other cut either from a grocer or "fresh off the steer" so-to-speak from a local packer. I can purchase, or grow, most any variety of potato. Etc., etc.. So, the question is: why spend $50 for a steak dinner, when you can make one for far less at home *and* enjoy the smells while it cooks?
Just about the only time I eat out anymore is for business/social gatherings. Why spend the extra money when you can do it yourself?
I see the problem as being less with capitalism than with folks trying to get as much as possible in the next 30 seconds, or less, without any thought to the long-term implications. Things like the execs who lay people off by the tens-of-thousands, and suddenly find themselves even less competitive than they were before.
There is no socio-economic-political system that is ideal. All have their benefits and problems. Regardless of the problems with them, one has to admit that when a decision is made by a military dictator, stuff happens. And things like the republican form of government and "democracy" suffer from the tyranny of the majority.