Eric Wilder's Blog, page 17
June 18, 2012
UFO Sighting
UFO against blue skyI was lying on my back in the pool, just before dark tonight. Looking up, I spotted a distant object shaped somewhat like a distended drop of oil. It wasn't moving away from me, or getting closer, but it did appear to move slowly up and down. Very slowly. I confess, I didn't have my glasses on so I didn't get a clear view of the object. It could possibly have been a weather balloon. Anyway, it was a UFO to me since it was flying and I couldn't identify it. I drew a picture but I'm not an artist and this is just a feeble attempt to show what it looked like.Eric'sWeb
June 9, 2012
More Urban Ducks
More pics of the migratory birds that return to Edmond every spring. The two offspring are almost grown.
Eric'sWeb
June 6, 2012
June 3, 2012
Urban Ducks
An early morning thunderstorm added to the humidity already rampant in central Oklahoma. As I took my afternoon walk, it made the day’s ninety-degree temperature feel like a hundred. Many creeks dissect hilly Edmond. A pair of wild ducks lives in a small pond formed by one of the creeks. Though Marilyn disagrees, I say they are the same two ducks that have been returning to the neighborhood every year for the past seven years.The ducks found this pond last year. Now, they have a pair of ducklings they hatched and are raising. A year ago, the pond was tiny, affected like the rest of Oklahoma by persistent drought. No drought in 2012. Tonight, as I took a dip in my pool and played with my pups, I stared up at the full moon, peaking through hazy cloud cover. The humidity makes me happy. I bet my two favorite ducks also love it, and despite what Marilyn thinks, I’ll see them at the pond again next year.
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May 23, 2012
Okies
I was out on a well today. It’s only May but the temperature had already reached into the nineties. Like clockwork, the completion rig was broken down when I reached the location. Ricky, the rig operator had an excuse.“My baby daughter has asthma. When she went into convulsions this morning, the wife and I took her to Children’s.”
“Oh my God!” I said. “Is she okay?”
“She has pneumonia in the lower lobe of her left lung. She needs to go to the hospital, now, the doctor told us. We couldn’t afford to put her in and asked if there was anything else we could do. They gave her two big shots of antibiotics in the rear and a prescription. If she goes into convulsions again, they said, take her straight to the hospital.”There are no trees on a drilling location. Wind was blowing at least thirty miles an hour. My eyes were red from blinking.
“She’ll grow out of it,” he said.
“Yes,” I said, not knowing what else to say.Ricky and Josh, both young enough to be my grandsons, began swabbing the well as Oklahoma sun did its best to cook our brains. I’d been there before, but both those boys seemed older than me. Maybe they were. We sucked up hot, unspent acid from the well and flowed it into an earthen pit. The pit roiled, acting like a demon, intent upon gobbling up a fresh carcass.
“Did you hear about the shooting in Bricktown last night?” Ricky asked when we took a break.He didn’t change expressions when I said, “A sports writer from Minnesota said it’s all you can expect from a bunch of Okie’s.”
Ricky and Josh were still working when I drove away from the location, thanking God there are still Okie’s in this world.Eric'sWeb
“Oh my God!” I said. “Is she okay?”
“She has pneumonia in the lower lobe of her left lung. She needs to go to the hospital, now, the doctor told us. We couldn’t afford to put her in and asked if there was anything else we could do. They gave her two big shots of antibiotics in the rear and a prescription. If she goes into convulsions again, they said, take her straight to the hospital.”There are no trees on a drilling location. Wind was blowing at least thirty miles an hour. My eyes were red from blinking.
“She’ll grow out of it,” he said.
“Yes,” I said, not knowing what else to say.Ricky and Josh, both young enough to be my grandsons, began swabbing the well as Oklahoma sun did its best to cook our brains. I’d been there before, but both those boys seemed older than me. Maybe they were. We sucked up hot, unspent acid from the well and flowed it into an earthen pit. The pit roiled, acting like a demon, intent upon gobbling up a fresh carcass.
“Did you hear about the shooting in Bricktown last night?” Ricky asked when we took a break.He didn’t change expressions when I said, “A sports writer from Minnesota said it’s all you can expect from a bunch of Okie’s.”
Ricky and Josh were still working when I drove away from the location, thanking God there are still Okie’s in this world.Eric'sWeb
May 19, 2012
Former Death Investigator Comments on the Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office
My name is G. Terry Felts. I was born (1949) and raised in Oklahoma City. During both undergraduate and graduate studies at UCO, I served internships at the State Medical Examiner’s Office.Upon graduation with a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Management and Administration, then Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Fred Jordan, appointed me death investigator for Pottawatomie, Logan, Lincoln and Payne counties. Over the subsequent 8 years I investigated just short of 1,000 deaths.
During my tenure I participated in both the OK Bomb and May 3, 1999 tornado investigations. In 1999, I opened Private Autopsy Service, LLC which I continue to operate to date. I maintain a good professional relationship with OCME and think the talent and professionalism they demonstrate daily is second to none.
When the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) dropped the OCME’s accreditation they acknowledged the staff, both professional and technical, were doing a great job but that continuous underfunding by our legislature had taken a toll on facility, equipment and too few Doctors. Obliviously, this is the fault of our elected representatives not OCME. Our legislature feels if you want to change the office, let it fail. After failing you can rebuild it the way you want it. The charges filed against Rowland, firing of Dr. Trant and accusations’ against Slater all turned to dust, however the public now believed the lie framed by their elected representatives.
My investigation reveals this political agenda first appeared during the legislative tenure of Fred Morgan and subsequently, Glenn Coffee both of whom are attorneys, representing banker, insurance and finance clients and focused on TORT REFORM. The OCME has the sole responsibility in the State of Oklahoma for investigating sudden, violent, unexpected and suspicious deaths. Information gleaned from these medico legal investigations is frequently required in the form of evidence and expert testimony in CIVIL and criminal litigation.
When a death occurs on the job or appears work related, the result of the medico legal investigation is of direct benefit to the family in order that insurance claims may be appropriately settled. These investigations also help identify defective or unsafe consumer products, undiagnosed illness and injury among other things. Through intentional underfunding fewer investigations take place and focus is placed on criminal rather than civil cases.
EDMOND OUTLOOK published an article 6-4-10, “Chamber Top Priorities Passed by Oklahoma Legislature.”
“Moving the Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s office to Edmond and revision to workers compensation were the two top legislative priories for the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce for this legislative session. Both measures passed both the Senate and House and now await the Governor’s signature.
Revisions to worker compensation are estimated to save Oklahoma employers 60 million dollars. “These savings benefit Edmond small businesses helping to reduce expenses during a tight economy”, said Ken Moore, President and CEO of the Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce.
“Moving the Medical Examiner’s office to Edmond helps to expand a core business in our community” said Moore.
‘We are grateful to Mayor Patrice Douglas and members of the Oklahoma Legislature for their leadership in making this import priority for Edmond a reality pending the governor signature.”
“We know this was a difficult session for the legislature. We salute senators Lamb and Jolly and Representatives Miller, Moore, McDaniel, Cooksey and Murphy for their leadership” concluded Moore.”
Originally, moving OCME to Edmond was to merge it with OSBI, hence the appointment of retired agent Tom Jordan to the position of administrator. Jordan functioned as Coffey’s lackey until the news of charges being filed against lawmakers regarding Leftwich’s bribery case emerged. At some point, UCO realized the opportunity to construct a 40+ million dollar structure on their campus, obtain financing and the taxpayers would pay for it. The lawmakers have constructed a scenario where they can attempt to convince the citizens they are attempting to “fix” the problems with a new building.
In considering the potential relocation of the State Medical Examiner’s office from its current location on the OU Medical campus in Oklahoma City, to Edmond OK, I can’t help but remember the aftermath of the OK Bomb. The medical campus was the perfect location for the onslaught of professional medical, dental and law enforcement assistance that was required during that terrible time in our state’s history. The dead were stored in refrigerated trailers next to the building as the tedious job of identification and evidence collection moved slowly forward.
As some of us are aware, our government does not believe this was a once in a life time event. We have constantly prepared for the reality that similar events will occur in our not too distant future. One only has to pass the OU Emergency Room entrance at NW 13th and Lincoln Blvd. to observe the newly erected decontamination building out front. You will also notice it has multiple doors to accommodate a large volume of traffic. The presents of the building, in front of our state’s only Level-One trauma facility is indicative of the potential future events being either biological or radiological in nature.
Unfortunately, targets of such events are usually the more populated areas. Why would you want to transport contaminated remains and evidence to another city during such a crisis? It is critical that isolation become the watch word in this situation. The authoritative publication, “Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward” warns us that merging the Medical Examiner’s function with law enforcement is the path backward. Even the Oklahoma Sheriffs & Peace Officers Association has voted unanimously to oppose a merger of this type.
Moving this office to Edmond is the first step to the ultimate goal of the merger. However, whether a merger were to take place or not, the move is ludicrous at best. If you were to interview Dr. Eric Pfeifer today, he would tell you he needs equipment and additional Doctors NOW! He would tell you the building can wait. The Oklahoma Medical Examiner’s system was legislated into existence in 1961; however it was never funded until 1967 and has been habitually underfunded ever since.
The office has functioned well over the years in spite of funding until the population hence rising death rate, age of equipment and facility began to synergistically decay. If the legislature intended to correct the problem they would provide additional funding today but the legislature wants the focus on the building. Only an idiot would believe a 40million dollar building, on the UCO campus, in Edmond OK is going to solve the problems faced by OCME without additional funding.
The Oklahoma voters have to be made aware of the folly of this agenda. By standing moot we have joined in the debacle that is about to take place and are as responsible as the perpetrators. Please assist me in educating the public and stand in history as the opposing minority to this sham on the taxpayer’s pocketbook.
Eric'sWeb
May 11, 2012
May 3, 2012
April 26, 2012
A Hot Day in April
As I started my walk this evening, dark clouds floated overhead, humidity making it feel like a summer day. Late April, the temperature reached 95 degrees yesterday and almost as hot today. It didn’t matter because my mind and body were basking in the feeling of accomplishment.My New Orleans thriller, City of Spirits went live last night on Amazon, leaving me happy and sad; happy the book is finally completed but sad to leave the fictional world and characters behind. ‘Writer’s depression’ has yet to set in as I pen these paragraphs. Doesn’t matter because I know it will. This time I’m ready for it.
As I walked this evening, I mentally outlined the first chapters of a new book. Will it ultimately end up as I envision it? Probably not. Stories have a life of their own, usually becoming something you least expect. Like 95 degrees in April.
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Amazon/Eric's Page
April 13, 2012
A Cold, Misty Rain
Misty rain fell as I walked through the neighborhood tonight. It reminded me of a similar rainy night that I spent during basic training at Fort Polk in Louisiana.I spent years trying to forget my tour of duty in the Army. Now that I’m older, I sometimes have trouble remembering exact details of things that happened in the past. No problem! I’m a fiction writer. If I can’t remember the exact details of an event - Well, you get the picture.
This event took place during the last week of basic training. Despite an aging brain and attempts to forget this period of my life, it remains branded in my memory with blazing detail. There were four of us, Tommy, Robert, Bob and me.
We spent the last week of basic training camping out and undergoing exercises designed to test our resolve. The four of us were a team in a game called “elude and evade,” or at least something to that effect. A truck dropped the four of us off on a Louisiana road deep in the forest.
We had no light, food, water, or compass. Our mission was to make it back to the base camp, a mile or two away, without capture. If the enemy captured us, they would torture and abuse us, the drill sergeants told us. It was raining, a mild drizzle, but still wet.
“No one’s catching me,” Tommy said. “I been huntin’ since I was five and I can get around in the woods like a fox.”
Uh huh! It was dark within the hour, the four of us completely and totally lost, the trees so tall we couldn’t see the stars or the hazy moon. Since we had no watches, we didn’t know the time. We only knew how tired we were and how desperate we felt.
“Shit, my feet hurt!” Robert said. “Maybe we should just give up.”
Tommy shook his head. “You see or hear anyone out there? Who you gonna give up too?”
“Then what are we going to do?” Bob from Wisconsin asked.
“They are patrolling the dirt road. Let’s catch a few hours of sleep. When the sun comes up, we’ll go out to the road and follow it back to the base station. If we hear a truck, we’ll just hide in the trees until it passes.”
With no better plan, my three companions accepted my suggestion. The ground was hard but I was asleep soon after I closed my eyes. It was morning when I opened them again.
“Which way is the road?” Bob asked.
“That’s east because I can see the reflection of the sun,” Tommy said. “Follow me.”
We eventually came out on the dirt road, turned right and followed it. We soon heard an approaching truck and dived back into the forest. Once it passed, we got back on the road, walking for almost an hour until we reached the base camp. No one seemed to notice, or to care as we straggled into camp, going directly to the food line and not caring that a cold misty rain was falling on our aching backs.
No one ever told us, but we were the only team that made it back to base camp intact and not captured. I’m not sure what the moral of this story is, but I guess it’s just that when you have a problem that seems unsolvable, sometimes the best thing you can do is sleep on it.
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