The Decline: Geography of a recession

[Grayling]

Sad


The Decline

[WVBORN56]

I think the link is now not working. That is too bad. This was a very interesting map when I checked it out last night. maybe some one can repair it.

I have to brag a bit about what it showed about where I live. There was only one county east of the Mississippi river that was in yellow (less than 2.9% unemployment) That includes over 30 states and hundreds of counties!

West Virginia always has had a stigma nationally about being a backward and poor state yet we are the one county in this half of the nation with virtually full employment.

We are virtually recession proof. Our small county has a major University, a major international pharmacuetical drug company, several large federal government agencies, 2 large hospitals, an international airplane parts mfg, several nationally ranked producing coal mines and 3 electricity producing power plants. We are also experiencing a construction boom currently as well.

The one thing that could hurt our area is Obama's cap and trade. That could kill coal mining and our power plants that make cheap electricity for the rest of the east cost.

I'm not trying to make the everyone else feel bad but for once my state is not in last place and I am experiencing a bit of Mountaineer pride.

[Grayling]

I think the link is now not working. That is too bad. This was a very interesting map when I checked it out last night. maybe some one can repair it.

I have to brag a bit about what it showed about where I live. There was only one county east of the Mississippi river that was in yellow (less than 2.9% unemployment) That includes over 30 states and hundreds of counties!

West Virginia always has had a stigma nationally about being a backward and poor state yet we are the one county in this half of the nation with virtually full employment.

We are virtually recession proof. Our small county has a major University, a major international pharmacuetical drug company, several large federal government agencies, 2 large hospitals, an international airplane parts mfg, several nationally ranked producing coal mines and 3 electricity producing power plants. We are also experiencing a construction boom currently as well.

The one thing that could hurt our area is Obama's cap and trade. That could kill coal mining and our power plants that make cheap electricity for the rest of the east cost.

I'm not trying to make the everyone else feel bad but for once my state is not in last place and I am experiencing a bit of Mountaineer pride.

You're right cap and tax will definitely kill coal mining, WV. I noticed that the midwest is still hanging on. Texas is now feeling the effects although not as severe as most states. I wouldn't be surprised to see the whole country in the black by next fall. We had a spot come open where I work and usually no one applies. Not this time, 65 people, for one spot. I really hate to see our country in such a state of disarray with inept leadership and no solutions.

[JWX2]

Just wait til we all move there...

[WVBORN56]

Just wait til we all move there...

[Caver]

Hold on brother....hold the fort
We're a coming, got Ol Betsy hooked up and a couple bags of oats loaded.
Dogs-n-cats whooping an a hollowring
No need to panic....we're bringing our own bedding.....

Giddy Up Betsy....lets go......

Thanks for the invite.....

[mswilso]

After watching this, I noticed that there appeared to be ONE county in the middle that was still white (i.e. 1.9% or less unemployment).

So I did a little checking, and it appears to be Slope County, North Dakota. Why Slope County, though? A cursory look of the demographics don't show anything spectacular, I mean, other than there are only 767 people living there (according to the website, it's the 14th least populated county in the US, and the 2nd least populated county seat in the US). Other than that, I didn't notice anything special.

Anyone live in Slope County want to share your secret and or experiences?

Mike