We need to learn quickly to keep up with the massive change around us so we don't get run over. We need to outrun change.
Keith Graves is awaiting trial in North Dakota on 10 federal counts which includes 7 allegations of human trafficking. He is a main player in The Overnighters documentary. I have discussed his situation on my blog several times.
His trial was scheduled to start July 13. Continue reading “Keith Graves’ trial postponed to October 19, 2015”
This continues my pondering about the Overnighters program after watching the director’s cut of a documentary by the same name.
Your worldview controls how you view everything in the world
Your worldview filters everything you see and think. It drives how you interpret everything around you.
You take your worldview with you into every conversation.
Mr. Jesse Moss, who created, filmed, and directed the documentary, has stated several times in articles I have read that he is not a Christian. If I understood his comments correctly he is not a follower of any faith tradition. I do not state that to be critical in any way; I merely wish to identify his worldview.
In case it was not previously obvious, I will share with you that I am a Christian. In particular I worship in a denomination that is a part of the Protestant community. I do not hesitate to say that my worldview filters everything I see and how interpret everything around me.
Back to the documentary.
What was the pastor’s motivation?
Continue reading “Thoughts about the Director’s Cut from The Overnighters documentary – part 2”
I recently watched the director’s cut of The Overnighters. Many things come into focus after listening to the interview.
This will be the first in a series of posts reflecting on the director’s cut. I would like to get these posted before the middle of July, which is the scheduled start of a federal trial of one of the participants in the documentary.
My previous discussions of the documentary can be found here.
The limit of my vision is not the limit of the world
That is a perceptive comment I came across a few years ago that helps me understand many things. There is far more going on in the world that I can see or perceive or understand or even have a clue that exists.
Assuming that nothing exists beyond what you or I know about is a serious danger.
Continue reading “Thoughts about the Director’s Cut from The Overnighters documentary – part 1”
Amazing article by Mark Perry at Carpe Diem. Brings to mind lots of ideas, such as the amazing attitude of people working in the oil patch and yet another reminder that Peak Oil is a failed concept. Here is the first of my reactions to his post.
American Spirit on display in Bakken field
6/23 – Carpe Diem at American Enterprise Institute – Bakken updates: 1) Williston as ground zero for the American spirit and 2) Here comes Shale 2.0! – Article quotes a correspondent amazed at the people working in Williston. Everyone is there to earn a living. Not looking for handouts. Wanting to work.
Two sentences from the person: Continue reading “Individual drive of workers in Bakken”
So many articles are pointing toward the idea that shale will be a major player for a long time.
What do you suppose would happen to new and used car dealers if automobile prices dropped by 50% in the next 6 months with no indication when (or even if) the prices will recover? What would happen to retail bookstores if prices of books dropped by half?
How many new car lots, used car dealers, or bookstores would be open after 6 months?
A few articles on shale in general and Williston in particular:
Prof. Mark Perry provides his first report on the few days he was able to spend in Williston at the end of May. From Carpe Diem on June 16: Top ten things I learned on my summer trip to the Bakken oil fields, Part I
I was there for a few days last month also. I however, did not get a two-day personal tour of Continental’s drilling sites. What a blessing for him!
If you need a primer on Bakken, I heartily recommend his post.
Here are the first five of his points with my comments:
Continue reading “Great things to learn about Bakken – part 1”
Great summary of news in the last week, “big trigger” oil tax reduction won’t get pulled, and lots of new housing in Williston available in ’15.
If you want a brief, superb summary of news last week on energy, Bakken, North Dakota, and cooking temperature numbers, you gotta’ check out:
6/6 – Million Dollar Way – Weekend update, Part I – June 6, 2015 – Mr. Oksol calls OPEC ‘dead.’ What we refer to as OPEC is now essentially a venue for Saudi Arabia. Continue reading “More good stuff on Bakken – 6/8”
(All photos by James Ulvog, shot in May 2015.)
My wife and I took a short vacation to Williston last week, which was mid May. Got out of town before the temperature dropped below freezing after all day rain with snow following.
It seemed there may have been some slowdown in the number of vehicles and general activity as we moved around town. But that could just be confirmation bias? Maybe I saw what I wanted to see.
Two things I know I saw.
First there is a tremendous number of apartments, duplexes, and houses close to done or just recently occupied on the west side of town around 26th Street and 32nd Avenue. We are talking several complexes of several hundred units each. There are a half-dozen streets a few blocks long of duplexes.
Second thing I noticed was a number of signs on apartments advertising units available.
Here is just one such sign: Continue reading “Observation on third trip to Williston”
Rapid drop in drilling activity is backing off the economy in the Bakken oil patch from crazy out of control growth to merely the level of economic boom most places in the country would love to have seen anytime in the last 5 years.
4/18 – Star Tribune – In wake of oil slump, watchful North Dakotans adjust expectations – Title could have been Williston backs down from crazy out of control growth to merely as wild as four years ago.
The state jobs service in Williston has twice as many openings as applicants. Continue reading “Dropping oil prices slow down North Dakota economy from previous breakneck speed”
I watched the director’s cut last night. Want to add some more data points to the timeline. Eventually I will integrate all these comments into one large post. In the meantime, I am building the story one post at a time.
8/12/13 – director’s cut – This is the date on the letter from the zoning and planning commission directing the church to close the program within 30 days.
At issue is violations of city code.
The ironic thing is Jay Reinke states in the director’s cut that the Fire Chief did a walk-through of the facility a year earlier knowing what the program involved and said it would be okay to continue the program. A year after the walkthrough? Time to shut it down.
9/12/13 – director’s cut – This would be 30 days after the city’s letter and therefore approximately the day the program closed. Continue reading “More info on the timeline in documentary “The Overnighters””
A few articles on what’s going on the Bakken oil patch. Williston keeps growing. Rig count falling. Neither a surprise.
3/16 – BakkenShale.com – Population Grows 20% in Williston – Researcher Nancy Hodur of NDSU has done a tally of the total number of people in Williston and Williams County. She started with the census numbers and added hotels, man camps, and RV parks. Her estimate:
4/3 – Reuters Media at Dickinson Press – Clock keeps ticking toward North Dakota oil tax break – Continue reading “More good stuff on Bakken – 4/14”
Updates: Multiple updates through conviction and sentencing.
Update 5/19/16: Convicted human trafficker Keith Graves has been moved to a federal penitentiary. Mr. Graves is confined in Victorville Medium II Federal Correctional Institution.
We can drop the word alleged from our discussions of Mr. Graves’ actions while he was living in North Dakota.
Update: Welcome to those arriving on this page via internet search after watching the documentary on PBS. There are many posts I’ve written about The Overnighters. Enjoy!
If you watch the superb documentary “The Overnighters”, you will find that one of the central players is a man by the name of Keith A. Graves. Since the documentary was released he has gotten a lot more public attention and will be in the news even more over the next few months.
I am going to extend my discussion of the documentary beyond what I’ve mentioned before. I’ve been wanting to talk about more things for a long time. My new posts will not be in chronological or logical sequence, instead I will build my coverage one piece at a time.
Because Mr. Graves is such a major part of the story covered in the documentary, I think it is worth following his story. This will reflect back into the documentary as well.
Update: Second superseding indictment adds additional count for another alleged trafficking victim.
Update: Third superseding indictment adds 11th count for the eighth alleged trafficking victim. Also adds a forfeiture claim.
Update 10/1 : Keith Graves trial still set for October 19
Update 10/16: Looks like Keith Graves’ trial is a go for this Monday, 10/19
Full disclosure
Here’s a few quick notes on interesting news from the northern side of Cowboyistan:
3/19 – Reuters Media at Dickinson Press – Some come late to the oil party: Companies more selective after low prices slows boom – Article tells story of a guy and gal who drove to Williston.
Arrived with no skills, no money, no housing, and no job.
Continue reading “More good stuff on the Bakken – two perspectives on the local economy – 3/24”
Petroleum Industry’s Economic Contribution to North Dakota in 2013 is the current update to a bi-annual analysis of how much the oil and gas industry contributes to the state’s economy. You can find the report at the previous link or here. The research was conducted by Dean A. Bangsund and Nancy M. Hodur, profs at North Dakota State University.
The executive summary provides a great overview of the petroleum industry and the economic activity in the state. Worth reading for the overall background, a general intro to the energy industry, and what’s going on in Bakken.
I read most of the report. In addition to historical information on average cost to drill and complete a well which is summarized in the graph above, here are some of the highlights that caught my eye:
(Photo by James Ulvog.)
A variety of articles suggest that even with the drop in crude prices and rigs being stacked, the economic opportunities are better in North Dakota than elsewhere. Also, drug busts as an indication why residents are justifiably concerned about the growth in recent years.
3-13 – Wall Street Journal –
Crude-Oil Price Collapse Takes Toll on Williston /
North Dakota town was a magnet for job seekers, but now work is scarce
Headline covered the e n t i r e w i d t h of page B1 above the fold.
Oh, woe is me! The economy in Williston has utterly collapsed! The bust is here and Williston is a ghost town!
Or, maybe not. Your conclusion depends on whether you read the headline or the article.