Louisiana Purchase Completed (1803) – American settlers in the western territories depended on the Mississippi River’s port of New Orleans for commerce. When Spain retroceded New Orleans to France in 1800, Americans feared their access to the river would be blocked, so President Thomas Jefferson sent negotiators to broker a deal for the port city. Ultimately, Napoleon sold the entire Louisiana territory, including New Orleans, to the US for only 3 cents per acre. Smokin deal! Could you imagine what would have happened if France reneged on the deal? No Masta P – No Southern Bounce…?! Thanks Napoleon.

RE: ice storm

“Oklahoma utilities said a half-million customers were blacked out as power lines snapped under the weight of ice and falling tree branches, the biggest power outage in state history.”

The power went out Sunday around 9 PM and has yet to be restored. CNN reported: “This is a big one. We’ve got a massive situation here and it’s probably going to be a week to 10 days before we get power on to everybody,” said Ed Bettinger, a spokesman for Public Service Company. “It looks like a war zone.” I took the rest of these photos on Monday and Tuesday: