It certainly helps to raise the profile (of the issue) when someone from within (speaks out). Until now, it has just been us on the sidelines, doing our ankle-biting.

We're going to see more and more pressure to drill in people's backyards, and more sophisticated campaigns to challenge the drilling. That will create political pressure for the companies to implement creative technologies and be more cooperative in local communities. Ultimately, we need the right environment at the state level to allow local authority to regulate the surface impacts.

It needs to be taken a step further and written into law.

Once they have actually left office, we seem to grow fonder of our ex-presidents - and they of each other. That's why so many sighed in approval at Michelle Obama's public display of affection with George W. Bush at last month's dedication of the National Museum of African-American History and Culture.

My parents always pushed creativity on us, but they made it seem like the fun thing to do.

It gets tiresome after a while.