To my environmentalist friends...

Where I live, in the Southwest, the wind blows. Today we are under a huge wind warning and the wind is screaming around our house. Such raw power! How many kilowatts are there for the capture?

I love the wind generators. they are big, clean and, in my opinion, rather graceful looking. Sadly, as an energy source, they are a long way from fulfilling their promise. That is why I can scan the wide open landscape and see not a single wind generator.

A friend of mine in another state also loves the generators. so much so that he decided to erect one on his property. Then he learned that the going price is about one million dollars! Wow! What are the chances of recovering that kind of investment? Pretty slim.

Much the same can be said about a nuclear generating plant. Big, big investment. Questionable rate of return.

This is why some two-thirds of America's energy comes from burning coal. I know you hate those "pollutant belching" coal powered generators, as one of my liberal friends described them. But think of the good we all achieve from electricity. Without electricity, we would be hard pressed to continue to live in our home. I don't like air pollution, either. but, I can live with it. I cannot live without electricity.

So, today, in wake of the tragic loss of life in a West Virginia coal mine, I am especially thankful for coal, and for the many men and women who secure it for us. Talk about unsung heroes! How long could America last if their efforts ceased?

Thank you - and bless you, coal miners!