I have a question.

[VFTR55]

I personally know of two recent eng grads (May 08), one an ME from Louisiana Tech and the second a ChemE from Penn State.  Both are working (and training) as field engineers in natural gas production for Halliburton in Rock Springs.

That sounds cool. Personally, though, Halliburton in addition to any other public or government entity is off the table from the start. It's a personal philosophy thing, not a come-lately political thing.

[Big Ugly]

For what it's worth!
Should anyone be interested in starting somekind of FSW-peopled enterprise....

I hold a Master's in Geology, about 35 years experience in AutoCad, am computer literate (used to be better), experience in environmental, mapping, uranium (papered as Logging Supervisor and have training time in as PFN operator), limited experience on rigs & drilling, carry whenever possible and sometimes when not (part of the reason for quitting last 'job' was being lied to about the ability to carry on the job).
Right now, I run my own business as a consulting geo and CAD drafting/design for CBM water retention dams.

Also, built custom laminated longbows, and plan to get back into cedar strip canoes.

Plan to make it down to the Dec Buffalo Feast - see you there.

[VFTR55]

For what it's worth!
Should anyone be interested in starting somekind of FSW-peopled enterprise....

I hold a Master's in Geology, about 35 years experience in AutoCad, am computer literate (used to be better), experience in environmental, mapping, uranium (papered as Logging Supervisor and have training time in as PFN operator), limited experience on rigs & drilling, carry whenever possible and sometimes when not (part of the reason for quitting last 'job' was being lied to about the ability to carry on the job).
Right now, I run my own business as a consulting geo and CAD drafting/design for CBM water retention dams.

Also, built custom laminated longbows, and plan to get back into cedar strip canoes.

Plan to make it down to the Dec Buffalo Feast - see you there.

Hey Ugly  , I'd definitely be interested in talking to you about ideas, plans, etc. In addition to the handful of people on the forums who have at least alluded to entrepreneuring experiences, there's a couple of us Wyoming-bound in the somewhat-near-future who have inclinations to starting some independent ops from the ground-up.

I'm going to be flying into Gillette on the 11th at 2PM local time, and departing from there at 8AM on the 14th. If I can get Saturday (13th) freed up, I'll drive down and meet everyone. If not, and you will be anywhere near an intermediate point from Gillette to Laramie that's got some sights (industry, land, nat resources) worth driving to see, I'd like to meet up with you. I can't justify going out of my way for only a "Big Ugly" fella

[Brent610]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to add a thought I just had for those of you thinking about starting up businesses in the near future. From reading some of the more recent posts there seems to be a good sized influx of young workers with little experience but the desire to learn and especially to live free in WY. I should know as I am one of them.    Seems like in addition to you more experienced folk there are also us youngin's to fill in the ranks. Just an idea, it is very encouraging to see such growth and opportunity in my (hopefully) future state. Good luck with everything!

Brent

[VFTR55]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to add a thought I just had for those of you thinking about starting up businesses in the near future. From reading some of the more recent posts there seems to be a good sized influx of young workers with little experience but the desire to learn and especially to live free in WY. I should know as I am one of them.    Seems like in addition to you more experienced folk there are also us youngin's to fill in the ranks. Just an idea, it is very encouraging to see such growth and opportunity in my (hopefully) future state. Good luck with everything!

Brent

So long as somebody's got the money, brains, and patience accounted for, and all the young'uns know when to lead and especially when to follow, it could be fun! So long as nobody quits their day job 

[craigercj]

Since you used the words "engineering" and "mining" pretty close together...do you have any first-hand knowledge of what types of engineers are in demand in mining? I'm looking at mining or aerospace for now, certainly there'll be other industrial sectors to look at, but I wonder if the mining outfits up there are automated to a point where computer, electrical, and mechanical engineers are in considerable demand to even the watershed management, geotech/enviro/civil engineers, etc.

Right now the demand is mostly for dedicated Mining Engineers. Civil Engineers can fill the lack of Mining Eng grads with enough training. Mechanical engineers mostly deal with maintenance planning.

Cat is pioneering automated (or at least remote control) mining equipment for surface applications. Some mines already have the wi-fi and gps infrastructure for the equipment GPS units, and they are probably maintained by contractors. It will probably be at least a decade before we see wide-scale use of automation for large surface applications. For Ceng's, ME's, and EE's, the support industries (equipment manufacturers, dedicated mining software, etc) are probably more viable options. Ceng's would be resigned to technician work at the mine site. EE's may have opportunities for managing power systems, but I'm not aware of any.

[VFTR55]

Cat is pioneering automated (or at least remote control) mining equipment for surface applications. Some mines already have the wi-fi and gps infrastructure for the equipment GPS units, and they are probably maintained by contractors. It will probably be at least a decade before we see wide-scale use of automation for large surface applications. For Ceng's, ME's, and EE's, the support industries (equipment manufacturers, dedicated mining software, etc) are probably more viable options. Ceng's would be resigned to technician work at the mine site. EE's may have opportunities for managing power systems, but I'm not aware of any.

Very interesting. Electronic automation architecture/infrastructure is something I've been really reading into lately, but def no expert on yet. Mechatronics, being a sister study, is more what I did "formal" studies on.

Maintenance planning - I'm guessing there's a minimum 10 yrs or so experience in a related field required to apply for such a position. Even if so, and the position interests me, I'll just loiter around the big dogs shining shoes until I can prove I know what's going on.

How long have you been with your current company? Done much moving, or have you stayed in your current locale most or all the time employed there?

[kylben]

Since you used the words "engineering" and "mining" pretty close together...do you have any first-hand knowledge of what types of engineers are in demand in mining? I'm looking at mining or aerospace for now, certainly there'll be other industrial sectors to look at, but I wonder if the mining outfits up there are automated to a point where computer, electrical, and mechanical engineers are in considerable demand to even the watershed management, geotech/enviro/civil engineers, etc.

Right now the demand is mostly for dedicated Mining Engineers. Civil Engineers can fill the lack of Mining Eng grads with enough training. Mechanical engineers mostly deal with maintenance planning.

Cat is pioneering automated (or at least remote control) mining equipment for surface applications. Some mines already have the wi-fi and gps infrastructure for the equipment GPS units, and they are probably maintained by contractors. It will probably be at least a decade before we see wide-scale use of automation for large surface applications. For Ceng's, ME's, and EE's, the support industries (equipment manufacturers, dedicated mining software, etc) are probably more viable options. Ceng's would be resigned to technician work at the mine site. EE's may have opportunities for managing power systems, but I'm not aware of any.

We need a smiley with a lightbulb over its head, so just pretend I put one here...

You know, I hadn't put it together until just now, but the last time I was looking for a programming job, I'd occasionally see ads from the mines here.  I think I applied for one, but didn't get a response.  If there are software engineering jobs at the mines up there, it might change my calculus for moving.  Being unable to do without that level of income for a while yet is the biggest barrier to doing it.  I had assumed there wouldn't be any decent programming jobs in WY (and that is supported by a cursory look at the online help wanteds), but maybe that assumption is not correct.   

I have a year of GIS experience, though it is old and rusty and the tech has changed, but it might be worth looking at what skills I'd need to beef up to be able to move into that area.  GIS is a booming segment of the software world anyway - though I'm in financials/risk management right now, no lack of customers there these days . Do you know anything about what platforms and commercial systems they are using? Do they develop in-house? Can you tell me the names of some of the mining companies active in WY? I'll start looking into it myself, but if you have any basic info, I'd appreciate it.

[wyomiles]

Kylben, not sure if this will help but all of the big plants I have worked at had on site IT departments. Also in the plants we have control boards which are DCS ( distributed contol systems) Some are honeywell some are Delta V ,and others, so that always needs a person to tweek.  There are plants all over Wyoming. Sweetwater county in the SW corner has Trona mines, coal mines, power plants , oil and gas, and fertilizer.  Some of the places I have worked have promoted from within. So the maint planning jobs have been maintenence guys.

[VFTR55]

I'm firmly convinced that if we can get enough computer geeks into the Free State WY movement, you'll see exponential growth of prosperity. Hell, all a typical programmer needs to be happy is a supercharged PC with a USB-powered coffee cup warmer, a fresh install of that World of Warcraft game with Level 20 weapons (sumthin like that), and a platter of Bagel Bites.   

Seriously though, get all the Da Vinci's, Tesla's, Newton's, Einstein's together, add a dash of John Galt, and it's on like Donkey Kong.

[kylben]

I'm firmly convinced that if we can get enough computer geeks into the Free State WY movement, you'll see exponential growth of prosperity. Hell, all a typical programmer needs to be happy is a supercharged PC with a USB-powered coffee cup warmer, a fresh install of that World of Warcraft game with Level 20 weapons (sumthin like that), and a platter of Bagel Bites.   

Seriously though, get all the Da Vinci's, Tesla's, Newton's, Einstein's together, add a dash of John Galt, and it's on like Donkey Kong.

VFTR55, that's all so 2006...  What we need to be happy now is two quad-core (minimum) boxes running Linux, and a high-end Mac, all three running Windows in disposable sandboxed VMs, all networked together of course, at least two monitors per machine, 24" minimum on the primary dev box; a tablet and various wearables for mobility; all of it iTunes enabled to a central library  - along with Bose noise-canceling headphones; an iPhone with Twitter, Cowbell, and all the ballistics tables I need (there is a range next door, right?);  a commercial-grade web-enabled coffee machine; an office with a view of trees and a lake (that I'll never visit, but it's, like, totally realistic wallpaper), and blackout shades - those night and day cycles can be very distracting; an endless supply of low-carb M&M's, pizza, and Diet Coke (this is a fantasy, right?).  And for games, my taste runs to Tetris and 2nd Life, I never did get into WoW.

That's all I need, really.   Short of that, what you said will work too.  Hell, I could find a way to be happy writing code with Vim on a 386 in an old refrigerator box under and underpass somewhere if I had to... Well, maybe not Vim.   Once I get in the zone, I won't even notice the difference.

Your main point is right on, but it's not enough to get them all together, we have to get them all in a market - or at least an FSW skunk works.  Then, the sky is the limit, we'd have the Pentagon drooling over our defensive tech within a decade.

[VFTR55]

all three running Windows in disposable sandboxed VMs, all networked together of course, at least two monitors per machine, 24" minimum on the primary dev box; a tablet and various wearables for mobility; all of it iTunes enabled to a central library

Well, if you insist, we'll keep Windows partitioned off, and set it up on one face of the VM, Compiz, or XGL "cube" - until I can get a Solidworks-like app on Linux or Mac or at least port to WINE, I guess Windows is a necessary evil. Rats.

iTunes? How about a central install of Mythbuntu? You get central storage of audio, video, all that good stuff. But, if you want to keep the latest ES Posthumus album in your iPod, I guess there's another necessary evil, just nowhere the diabolic dominion of Steve Ballmer.

  - along with Bose noise-canceling headphones; an iPhone with Twitter, Cowbell, and all the ballistics tables I need (there is a range next door, right?);  a commercial-grade web-enabled coffee machine; an office with a view of trees and a lake (that I'll never visit, but it's, like, totally realistic wallpaper), and blackout shades - those night and day cycles can be very distracting; an endless supply of low-carb M&M's, pizza, and Diet Coke (this is a fantasy, right?).  And for games, my taste runs to Tetris and 2nd Life, I never did get into WoW.

I'll keep my Nokia N800 for now...yeah it's slightly more bulky than the iPhone, but it's got Linux-based OS and open-source expansion to spare. Get some Fring or Gizmo VoIP on that iPhone!

Speaking of controlling home comforts, check this guy out: www.bwired.nl ; I'll bet if his cat farts he gets a WiFi signal trans. Those trees, mountains, and lakes give you a playground to burn off the M&Ms and pizza 

Your main point is right on, but it's not enough to get them all together, we have to get them all in a market - or at least an FSW skunk works.  Then, the sky is the limit, we'd have the Pentagon drooling over our defensive tech within a decade.

Definitely - a "Techno Gulching Geek Resort," similar to what's going on at openfarmtech.org, but on electronic steroids. Throw in lots of open-source programming and automation controls, build and launch some CubeSATs or ground-based sovereign telecoms network, a couple EMP shields/hardeners, etc. and we'll have some REAL fun. The Big Boys will be trying to break into our network to learn the secrets of this "magic coffee machine" too. 

[kylben]

set it up on one face of the VM, Compiz, or XGL "cube" - until I can get a Solidworks-like app

OK, you win. Wish I could keep up with all that, I just haven't had time.  Hell, I'm only now getting around to Ruby. But seriously, I'll be moving my free-time focus to Linux, open source in general, and more varied languages, platforms, and hardware.  At the very least, it's a hedge against TSHTF, and is probably the better long term career path if TSDHTF.  The work I do now (financials/risk management, some of our clients have been in the news lately) is C++, and not very platform-specific anyway, except for the GUI stuff and some legacy COM still in the system.

Don't have to work off the M&Ms and pizza, they're low-carb, remember.   I'm going to get engrossed in those two links you posted, I just know it. Another evening blown futzing around....

When his cat farts, he gets an IM saying "I haz a steenk". 

Think Boston will fund the skunk works?

[VFTR55]

OK, you win. Wish I could keep up with all that, I just haven't had time.  Hell, I'm only now getting around to Ruby.

Ehh, all you need is time; with your obvious knowledge of programming, you can pick up on any of that in a snap. Just need 20 minutes and a bag of M&Ms 

The work I do now (financials/risk management, some of our clients have been in the news lately) is C++, and not very platform-specific anyway, except for the GUI stuff and some legacy COM still in the system.

That GUI programming, SQL, data mining, etc is bound to be useful no matter how much SHTF, so long as infrastructure is still standing. I do a lot of surfing around at sourceforge.net ; TONS of open-source projects there. Trying to get an open-source ERP up and running at my current place of business before I leave there next April. Just like you, all I need is time.

Another evening blown futzing around....

All that futzing adds up in a hurry, doesn't it? Hard to stick to a rigid hunt for coding architecture, apps, and hardware for a skunk works project when there's so much cool stuff out there.

When his cat farts, he gets an IM saying "I haz a steenk".

   

Think Boston will fund the skunk works?

Dunno, depends on how much gold he's got stashed in 'dem mountains.

I bet we could get a small group together, define the goals, design architecture, component sources and ball-park price estimates, and shop it around within the "free state realm." If we get our logistics/procurement margins down, and you're willing to live up to your word on that prospect of working out of a refrigerator box for M&Ms and pizza, and we might get 'er off the ground. 

[kylben]

you're willing to live up to your word on that prospect of working out of a refrigerator box for M&Ms and pizza

If that's all I'm getting paid, we'll shortly need a bigger box.  They haven't actually invented the low-carb versions yet, not edible ones, at least.  That should be the first project.