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Sunday, April 23
More Eureka Springs, Arkansas
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 23 Apr 2006 11:08 AM CDT
Friday, April 21
A Long Way to Nowhere
by
justeastofeden
on Fri 21 Apr 2006 03:17 PM CDT
 A gas well lease road leading into a wheat field in Noble County, Oklahoma. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com http://ericwilder.blogspot.com
Tuesday, April 18
An East Texas Legend
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 18 Apr 2006 03:39 PM CDT
During the summer of 1969, having just graduated from Northeast Louisiana State College with a degree in geology, I got a job as a mudlogger with Core Lab. I had already been on deep wells in Laurel, Mississippi and Westlaco, Texas. August found me near Mt. Pleasant, Texas, in a horse pasture, on my third wildcat of the summer. I lived in a little one-room apartment in Lone Star, a Texas steel mill town, and worked from 7 at night until 7 in the morning, 7 days a week, until the 13,500’ Smackover test reached total depth. During this time, I witnessed a shoot-out, a stabbing and numerous fights on the rig. It was my welcome to the East Texas oil patch. What I learned from this experience was that East Texas roughnecks were a hard-working, hard-drinking bunch. Every night, when drilling was going smoothly, they would invade my air-conditioned logging trailer to play poker and tell stories. One of the stories they told me was about Dad Joiner and the discovery of the East Texas Field. True or false, it varies somewhat from official accounts. As memory serves me, here is the story told by those wild East Texas roughnecks more than 36 years ago. Already 66 years old, Dad Joiner was a broken-down wildcatter when he moved from Dallas to East Texas in 1926. An educated man, he’d practiced law in Alabama and served in the legislature there. It wasn’t enough for him. Like many others, he was drawn by the lure of Oklahoma black gold and the whispered promise of riches beyond his wildest dreams. Answering the siren call, he made and lost two fortunes during his 28 years in the Sooner State. Joiner was an oil promoter, a breed spawned by “oil fever,” a disease for which, even today, there is no known cure. Having seen the blow-outs in Cushing and heard of the 25,000 BOPD uncontained flows in Oklahoma City, investors, greedy for instant wealth, fairly threw their money at often unscrupulous oil promoters, rife with promises of easy money. Many of the early Oklahoma oil discoveries were funded by these investors, even though most never realized a penny from their investments. Some of the reports of Dad Joiner portray him as a principled visionary, a man with divine knowledge of the infinite riches located in the subsurface of East Texas and determined to find them. The truth is quite different. Joiner went to East Texas because of one thing — cheap leases. 17 dry holes had already reached total depth in the area and most legitimate oil companies had long since abandoned East Texas for more promising regions. Taking advantage of unsubstantiated, earlier-generated reports of possible oil in the Woodbine Sandstone, Joiner used this sparse information to raise enough money to lease a large block of acreage from Daisy Bradford. With these leases, he parlayed the drilling of a wildcat well on the block. Oil rigs were primitive affairs in the late twenties. They shut down drilling at dark, sometimes after penetrating only a few feet during the day. At night, Dad Joiner would hold court at a saloon, drinking whiskey and playing poker with the locals. He also used this time to raise money for his ongoing venture. After drilling two dry holes, Joiner’s money was beginning to “dry up.” In the manner of all good oil promoters, both before and after him, he devised a way to raise enough money to drill a third well, and help fund his high-rolling lifestyle. What he did is now called checkerboarding. Simply put, he subdivided his block of leases like the squares on a checkerboard. He kept the red blocks and sold the black ones. When money got tight, he would subdivide the blocks even further. Through his continued promotion, he raised enough money to drill a third well by May, 1929. In October, 1930, the Daisy Bradford Number 1 struck oil and became the discovery well for the largest oil field in the world. Dad, also in the manner of many oil promoters, had over-sold the well. What does this mean? It means that he sold the interests in the well two or three times. Lawsuits against him began soon after oil was discovered in the Woodbine Sandstone at the Daisy Bradford Number 1. Supposedly, he had sold the offset leases to oilman H.L. Hunt shortly before the Daisy Bradford discovery. The roughnecks that played poker nightly in my logging trailer told a different story. Hunt was also an oil promoter and poker player – one that would be a card playing legend, even in today's high stakes Texas hold-em era. He won Joiner’s offset leases in a poker game - at least according to my roughneck friends - and the rest is history. Don’t mourn Dad Joiner. Even though he died a pauper, he lived one of the most interesting lives. And despite his lack of altruism, he inadvertently discovered a legitimate super-giant oil field, one that may ultimately produce 8 billion barrels of oil. History is the foundation of what we know today, and it’s important to understand what happened in the past. Sometimes, however, words on the printed page are but a shadow of reality. A month in a steamy, East Texas horse pasture taught me that. http://www.ericwilder.com http://ericwilder.blogspot.com Sunday, April 16
A Visit to Tulsa Oklahoma
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 16 Apr 2006 10:08 PM CDT
When I was a student at the Not all of
Purple Clematises
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 16 Apr 2006 04:37 PM CDT
Tuesday, April 11
Vivian's Black Bayou
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 11 Apr 2006 09:04 PM CDT
Here is a topo map, courtesy of the U.S.G.S., showing the proximity of Black Bayou to Vivian, Louisiana. While growing up in Vivian, I spent many days on the Bayou, a body of water as swampy as any place in south Louisiana. Yes, there are even alligators there. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com Monday, April 10
Old Ponca City Race Course
by
justeastofeden
on Mon 10 Apr 2006 02:38 PM CDT
The old Ponca City Race Course near Ponca City, Oklahoma, is a prominent location in the story Chicken Fries featured on http://www.ericwilder.com . The course hosted SCCA racing events from the 60’s until the 90’s. City streets, still present, formed the race course that abutted scenic Lake Ponca. http://energyissues.blogharbor.com
Earthquakes in Oklahoma
by
justeastofeden
on Mon 10 Apr 2006 01:24 PM CDT
The Daily Oklahoman recently reported an earthquake in Carter County, Oklahoma. While not as prevalent as in places like The publication further reports that in 1952 an earthquake centered near the town of El Reno was felt in Des Moines, Iowa to the north and Austin, Texas to the south - an area of 140,000 square miles. Like many other states, Saturday, April 8
Braydon Bohl
by
justeastofeden
on Sat 08 Apr 2006 10:32 PM CDT
 Here’s a picture of Marilyn’s grandson Braydon. Born premature, he is now a healthy one-year old. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com
Thursday, April 6
Backyard Edmond, Oklahoma
by
justeastofeden
on Thu 06 Apr 2006 11:16 PM CDT
Wednesday, April 5
Horsefly
by
justeastofeden
on Wed 05 Apr 2006 10:07 PM CDT
Monday, April 3
Side View of St. Louis Cathedral
by
justeastofeden
on Mon 03 Apr 2006 11:02 PM CDT
Here is a stylized picture of St. Louis Cathedral.
 http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com http://ghostofachance.blogspot.com
Saturday, April 1
Crossett Lights
by
justeastofeden
on Sat 01 Apr 2006 12:56 PM CST
There is a scene in the novel Ghost of a Chance where Buck Mcdivit sees a light coming from the water’s edge. Having recently witnessed what he thinks is a ghost, he investigates to find Wiley Johnson, fishing off the marina’s dock by the light of a flickering lantern. Wiley offers Buck a beer, listens to his ghost story then tells him one of his own. “Sounds like a paranormal occurrence, at the very least.” Wiley explains that he once checked out the local legend of a ghost that supposedly haunts the railroad track near Crossett, Arkansas — the ghost of a train conductor that literally lost his head during a railroad accident. As every writer knows, there is a little truth in all fiction. This is true of the story about the headless conductor — a ghost I saw with my own eyes. While attending college in Monroe, Louisiana, I worked at a bowling alley. Much in the manner of all fine Louisiana establishments, the bowling alley had a lounge. After closing at midnight, I, along with Trellis, the mechanic, Chuck, my roommate who also worked at the bowling alley, and Joe, the manager had a few drinks in the lounge. The discussion led to ghosts, the headless conductor of Crossett in particular, and we were in the right frame of mind to check it out for ourselves. Crossett is a little town in Southern Arkansas, not far from the Louisiana border. We stopped at a convenience store along the way to make sure we had enough beer for the trip. After passing through Crossett, we crossed the railroad track and parked beside the road. A jillion stars lit the clear Autumn sky — a good thing as we hadn’t thought to bring a flashlight. Joe waited in the car while Trellis, Chuck and I walked down the dark track in search of the headless ghost. Even in our advanced state of inebriation, we never really expected to see it, but see it we did. Darkness and surrounding trees and vegetation made it hard to judge distances, but we almost immediately saw something on the track in front of us — a hundred yards, perhaps a thousand yards away. It was a dim, incandescent blob of light that danced just above the tracks. When we moved toward it, it moved away. When we walked away from it, it chased us. We stayed on the tracks for what must have been an hour, the dancing blob of light present the entire time. We all saw it, even Joe, the bowling alley manager that had driven us to Crossett. Joe didn’t drink alcohol. We saw something. Granted, it may have been swamp gas, or some other unexplained phenomena. What it seemed like to me was an entity, a real being that sensed our presence, meant us no harm but had fun “playing” with us. Don’t believe me? Then take a trip to Crossett, Arkansas and check it out for yourself. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com Thursday, March 30
Murder Etouffee
by
justeastofeden
on Thu 30 Mar 2006 10:06 PM CST
When visiting New Orleans years ago, I searched for a book that would give me a quick feel for the City – a collection of information and ideas about culture and suisine, along with a historical overview. Sadly, no such document existed. I wrote Murder Etouffee to correct this vacancy and to provide both old and new visitors to the Big Easy with a wealth of ideas and information to help them enjoy their stay in the city. Murder Etouffee is a collection of stories about Louisiana and New Orleans in partcular. It also contains regional recipes and cooking tips that embody Creole and Cajun cuisine – stories and recipes giving readers an authentic “feel” for New Orleans. Lagniappe is a French word meaning a gift or something extra, and Murder Etouffee gives its readers a “little something extra,” taking them on a whimsical and historical tour of one of the most unique regions in the United States – a region recently subjected to the worst natural disaster in the history of this country. I hope you will give it a read. ISBN 1569396599. Available in April. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com
Wednesday, March 29
Soyuz Rocket Launch 2006
by
justeastofeden
on Wed 29 Mar 2006 09:15 PM CST
I remember as a youngster in 1957, standing outside our house after dark with my brother, parents, grandparents and staring at the October sky for a glimpse of Sputnik, the newly launched Russian satellite. We watched as its dim yet visible light crossed the sky in what seemed a slow-moving arc. It was near the beginning of the Cold War and I had a feeling of both awe and fear as I watched it disappear from view. Tonight, courtesy of NASA and MSNBC, I watched the launch of a Soyuz rocket from the comfort of my home via my own personal computer. Three astronauts. bound for the International Space Station, rocketed from the Baikonur Comodrome located in Kazakstan. Only one of the astronauts was Russian, the other two American and Brazilian. The launch went off without a hitch, the vehicle traveling at more than 15,000 mph after only ten minutes, or so. As I watched tonight’s launch, I felt no less awe than I did as an impressionable eleven-year old. Gone, however, was the fear I vividly remember feeling, replaced now by pride and hope for an even better future. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com Tuesday, March 28
What's Up With Oklahoma Basketball Coaches?
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 28 Mar 2006 10:13 PM CST
Since I’m on the subject of men’s college baskeball, what’s up with Eddie Sutton and Kelvin Samson? Hey, congrats to Sherri Coale and the entire OU women’s basketball team. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com
A Few Words About March Madness
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 28 Mar 2006 10:06 PM CST
I’m not a huge sports fan, but I do like college basketball. And like every college basketball fan, I love March Madness. What I think is funny are the so-called experts on ESPN and CBS, etc. Until a few days ago, the prediction was that there would be four #1 seeds in the Final 4. Ahem! Even after George Mason trounced Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and University of Connecticut (yes, I said trounced) they are still considered the underdog against Florida by our experts at ESPN and CBS. And speaking of Florida – The SEC supposedly was having a down year. Well, they have 2 teams in the NCAA Final Four and 1 (South Carolina) in the final of the NIT tourney (at least that’s the way it looks with a 14 point advantage and only 4 minutes to go) Hello!! Is there anybody in there? And who picked UCLA? I have a suggestion. Maybe ESPN and CBS should fire Dick, Digger and Seth and hire me. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com Saturday, March 25
New Orleans Pictures
by
justeastofeden
on Sat 25 Mar 2006 09:17 PM CST
 More pictures from February trip to New Orleans. http://www.ericwilder.com http://ericwilder.blogspot.com
Tuesday, March 21
Myrtis Mill Pond
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 21 Mar 2006 09:51 PM CST
Yesterday, I took my parents to north Louisiana after a prolonged visit to Oklahoma. On the way home, I stopped at the Myrtis Mill pond for a few pictures. The pond is an integral part of my short story, Southern Fried Murder. Here are a few pics of the pond.
   http://www.ericwilder.com http://ghostofachance.blogspot.com
Sunday, March 19
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 19 Mar 2006 11:02 PM CST
    November pictures from Eureka Springs, Arkansas. http://www.ericwilder.com http://ghostofachance.blogspot.com
Old Wooden Derrick, Trees City Field
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 19 Mar 2006 06:03 PM CST
 Old wooden oil derrick, Trees City, Louisiana, circa 1918. http://www.ericwilder.com
Tornado Alley
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 19 Mar 2006 04:04 PM CST
Oklahoma is known as “tornado alley,” and for good reason. Since 1950, the State has recorded almost 3,000 tornadoes, a yearly average of almost 55. http://www.ericwilder.com
Rain in Oklahoma
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 19 Mar 2006 02:05 PM CST
Rain covered much of Oklahoma yesterday, and today, doing much to break the stranglehold of the drought. Oklahoma City got 1.31 inches of rain yesterday, almost twice as much as it has recieved for the entire year until now. http://www.ericwilder.com
Thursday, March 16
On Poetry
by
justeastofeden
on Thu 16 Mar 2006 11:59 PM CST
A poet’s art transcends death. If it speaks to someone with meaning, then it lends the poet immortality. But the poem must first be felt by the poet. Stringing together empty words does not a poem make. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com http://ghostofachance.blogspot.com http://ericwilder.blogspot.com
Wednesday, March 15
Painted Veil
by
justeastofeden
on Wed 15 Mar 2006 09:04 PM CST
There is much we don’t understand. Truth is hidden behind a painted veil – an allusion to what we believe is reality, but is not. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com http://ghostofachance.blogspot.com http://ericwilder.blogspot.com
Tuesday, March 14
Uncle Sam Diamond
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 14 Mar 2006 11:18 PM CST
Here is a picture of the Uncle Sam diamond I found on the web.
 http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com http://ghostofachance.blogspot.com http://ericwilder.blogspot.com
Large Diamond Found at Crater of Diamonds State Park
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 14 Mar 2006 10:23 PM CST
Today’s newspaper reports a lucky Oklahoma man recently found a 4.21–carat yellow diamond at the Crater of Diamonds State Park located near Murfressboro, Arkansas. Yes, it’s a real diamond. Diamonds are found at this location because it is the site of a Cretaceous kimberlite plug. A line of Cretaceous plugs exist along the south side of the Ouachita Mountains in Arkansas, likely the result of ancient plate tectonic activity. The latest reported diamond find at the mine is not the largest ever found. That record goes to the Uncle Sam, 40.23–carats of the largest diamond discovered on American soil. Marvin Culver of Nowata, Oklahoma dubbed his newly-found monster diamond the Okie Dokie. What’s a good time to visit the Crater of Diamonds? Before it gets too hot. Even though I have never personally found a diamond there, a friend of mine has – a white beauty more than a carat in size. Check it out. I highly recommend the experience, even if you don’t find your own 4.21–carat monster. Oh, by the way, I think there is a yet undiscovered diamond plug just waiting to be found, somewhere in the thickly overgrown forests of southwest Arkansas. http://www.ericwilder.com http://justeastofeden.blogharbor.com http://ghostofachance.blogspot.com Monday, March 13
Edmond Storm Clouds
by
justeastofeden
on Mon 13 Mar 2006 11:01 PM CST
 Edmond storm clouds. http://www.ericwilder.com
Monday, March 6
Eric's Garden Alligator
by
justeastofeden
on Mon 06 Mar 2006 10:45 PM CST
Chicken Fries - Continued
by
justeastofeden
on Mon 06 Mar 2006 10:03 PM CST
The month was July, the temperature hot. There were no trees at the drilling location for shade. It was the height of the 80s-drilling boom, everyman on the drilling rig a weevil (translation – a person having no earthly idea what they are doing). Anne, Ray, and I were not worried. We had our chicken fries to look forward to three times a day. Returning to the rig after breakfast on the second day of drilling, a State trooper, directing traffic and pulling selected cars to the side of the road, halted us. “Where you folks headed? He asked. “We’re drilling a well about a mile from here. What’s going on, Officer?” “Someone cut up a cow out there last night,” he said, pointing to the adjacent field. “Cut its udder smack-dab off. Not a drop of blood anywhere.” Anne glanced at me, and I looked at Ray. “What’s going on?” I asked. “A coven,” he said. “Last night was a full moon.” – to be continued – Friday, March 3
Chicken Fries
by
justeastofeden
on Fri 03 Mar 2006 10:56 PM CST
Years ago, I worked up a geologic prospect in Grant County, Oklahoma and sold it to a company that bought it under the condition that I would personally sit the well. This means I would stay near the location while the well was drilling and personally look at the drilling samples as they came to the surface. This occurred before Anne and I were married, but not before we were living together. Deciding to make an adventure of it, we rented a 33’ recreational vehicle - country and western singer Wanda Jackson’s RV, according to the man we rented it from - and headed north. We took along a good friend, Ray DeRieux. The well was in the middle of a wheat field, without a tree in sight. The drilling rig did not have enough power to generate electricity for the RV, so we had to run the generator full time. It was hot that summer, 100 to 105 degrees every day. The weather was hot, the wheat field dusty and the drilling rig noisy. We did have a daily respite, three actually. There was a café in Pond Creek called the Curb Café. The County sheriff owned the café, and the specialty of the house was chicken-fried steak. Soon, Anne, Ray and I were eating chicken-fried steak and eggs for breakfast, the chicken-fried steak luncheon special, and the dinner that included a fully-loaded, baked potato. We soon learned that Sheriff Archie’s chicken-fries were not his only claim to fame. He was also the state expert on witchcraft, crop circles and cattle mutilations – of which there were many. STAY TUNED, THERE’S MORE http://www.ericwilder.com http://ericwilder.blogspot.com Thursday, March 2
Rouge in a Jungle of Aloe
by
justeastofeden
on Thu 02 Mar 2006 12:19 PM CST
Rouge, my Maine Coon cat prowling in a jungle of aloe. Tuesday, February 28
Ghost of a Chance
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 28 Feb 2006 05:12 PM CST
 A flyer for the novel Ghost of a Chance. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com
Monday, February 27
Another View, Saint Louis Cathedral
by
justeastofeden
on Mon 27 Feb 2006 09:14 PM CST
 Here is yet another view of the Saint Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com
Mardi Gras in the French Quarter
by
justeastofeden
on Mon 27 Feb 2006 08:05 PM CST
The remaining hours left in the 150th Mardi Gras are clicking down and tomorrow, Fat Tuesday, is the last day. I urge you to check out the BourboCam at http://www.nola.com. You won’t believe your eyes. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com
Sunday, February 26
150th Mardi Gras, New Orleans
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 26 Feb 2006 10:04 PM CST
Check out the BourboCam on http://www.nola.com. Mardi Gras is rocking the French Quarter. It’s not quite as wild as last year, but at least it is happening. Thank goodness. http://www.ericwilder.com
Oklahoma Burning, An Update
by
justeastofeden
on Sun 26 Feb 2006 08:49 PM CST
Even after writing about bobcats, wolves and black panthers in east Texas, I wasn't prepared for what I saw in my own front yard at 8 this very night. I was writing at my computer when the din of barking dogs (my own) caused me to go to the front door to see what they why they were causing so much commotion. I had fed the dogs, and my cats, just after darkness had fallen. Only one of the cats, Duke, had shown up for dinner and he hadn't eaten much. What I saw when I went to the front door, scarfing up the left-overs, was a red fox - a full grown red fox. Needless to say, I was quite surprised. What must have caused this shy animal to venture forth at an hour so early that he might possibly be seen? I think it is the drought that presently has Oklahoma by the throat. The State has seen no appreciable rain since last Halloween night, some 118 days ago. We are presently suffering from the worst drought in Oklahoma history - yes, and that includes the Dustbowl Era. Mr. Fox was probably hungry, moreover thirsty, and didn't want to wait until the opossums, skunks and raccoons had eaten the food left for the cats later on when It would be safer to venture forth. We had an ice storm last week - a small amount of precipitation we are all very thankful for. When I walked outside my house the morning after the storm, I saw what I thought were deer tracks. I'm not a hunter, so I can't say for sure, but that's what they looked like to me. Hey, I live in the city limits of a fairly large town. Anyway, what next? Maybe we have bobcats among us and I just haven’t seen them yet. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com Friday, February 24
Saint Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
by
justeastofeden
on Fri 24 Feb 2006 09:46 PM CST
 The Saint Louis Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in North America. The cathedral lies in the heart of the French Quarter, adjacent to Jackson Square and close to Pirate’s Alley. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com
Wednesday, February 22
Leaving New Orleans, Continued
by
justeastofeden
on Wed 22 Feb 2006 09:45 PM CST
Not only did Hurricane Katrina strike a near-lethal blow to New Orleans, it also flattened many coastal towns and cities in Mississippi and Alabama. Katrina was followed closely by Hurricane Rita, and this storm also compromised the levees in New Orleans. Rita left a swath of destruction in its path that stretched all the way to Houston, Texas. Global warming is a scientific fact, and the world’s climate is changing rapidly. The worst hurricane season on record is only one example of recent natural disasters that includes the Indonesian tsunami and mud slides in Mexico. What are we do about it? Maybe we should look at the Netherlands as an example. In 1953, record flooding in that country resulted in extensive property damage and almost 2,000 deaths. They spent three billion dollars to revamp its system of outdated dikes. Today, the Netherlands' system of dikes is a state-of-the-art masterpiece of thought and engineering. Are the Dutch resting on their laurels? Anything but! A rise in sea level - the likely scenario as the glaciers melt - will make their dikes obsolete. They are already thinking of ways to improve their system in order to impede the future encroachment of the sea. The destruction in New Orleans captured the attention of the nation and the world. Still, the wonderful old city is but a small portion of the Gulf Coast. It will take far more than simply raising the existing levees in New Orleans three feet, or so, to cure its flooding problems. That would be like putting a band aid on a serious gash. Let’s don’t simply treat the symptoms, let’s address the stone cold fact that the problem is endemic to the entire Gulf Coastal Region. There is already an engineering plan on the table that will go a long way to save our barrier islands and marshlands, and mitigate the effects of future storms and hurricanes. This plan is already approved. Then what’s the problem? The answer is funding. No one wants to fund this plan. Like the Dutch, we need to suck it up and spend the money to cure the problem. If we don’t, someday soon the citizens of the United States - and I mean everyone of us - will lose far more than the culture and cuisine of New Orleans. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com Tuesday, February 21
Leaving New Orleans
by
justeastofeden
on Tue 21 Feb 2006 10:47 AM CST
We left New Orleans the following day, driving east on I-10 toward Baton Rouge. For many miles, the turnpike rises high above low-lying wetlands. This is part of an area known as the Bonnet Carre Spillway, the emergency run-off for flood waters. Needless to say, the water was higher than normal. As we spanned the miles of uninhabited marsh, the traffic thinned and I had a chance to think about what I had seen during our trip to New Orleans. The City had received a lethal strike from the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States. Months after Katrina and Rita, the citizens were still reeling from their effects. Reeling, but alive. Many of my friends in Oklahoma had said, "Don’t rebuild New Orleans. It’s a waste of taxpayer money." To this I say, "Ridiculous!" Not just New Orleans, but the entire Gulf Coastal Region was affected by the worst hurricane season on record.. This region, extending from Florida to Texas, is the home of most of the nation’s refining capacity. Knock it out and the entire country grinds quickly to a halt. The Gulf of Mexico supplies 25 % of the nation’s oil and one third of its natural gas. Knock out this region and you may as well turn off the lights in the rest of the country. Houston and New Orleans are two of the largest seaports in the United States. Most of the nation’s coffee, for instance, enters the country through New Orleans. Shut down the Gulf Coastal Region and America won’t even have a cup of java to sip while it ponders its lack of electricity. http://www.ericwilder.com http://energyissues.blogharbor.com |
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