Wednesday night was the most riveting reality TV I’ve seen in years. Talk about genuine breaking news. I watched the Weather Channel’s coverage of the Tuscaloosa tornado and the 163 others like it that raked 13 states in the South. The weathercasters were visibly shaken by the radar images. They knew it was a deadly outbreak and they said several times they hoped they were saving lives. I’m sure they did.

The storms were fed, as they usually are in the South and South Central portions of the country at this time of year, by streaming heat and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.  I say dam the Eastern edge of the Gulf, drain it and turn it into oil wells and racetracks. The shrimpers and fishermen will have to give up their livelihood, but the oil men will find work for them working the rigs and there’s plenty of work to do at the track. It’s minimum wage work, but work nonetheless.

We can bury the Mississippi River in an underground conduit like Hartford did with the Park River downtown, and route it to the Florida Keys.

This is just one of many plans I have for the planet if it wants to conform to our modern human needs.

Stop by the Mark Twain House and Museum to see my exhibit of original editorial cartoon art. “Drawing Fire: Bob Englehart’s 30 years at The Courant.” It’s free and will be up through May. For more information, call the Mark Twain House and Museum at 860-247-0998. As long as you’re there, take a tour!

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