Credit that electromagnetic disturbance to the military and commercial energy emanating from downtown Shreveport.

If last month's cyber warfare conference was essentially an introductory 101 course for municipalities and economic developers, this week's three-day symposium clearly is an upper-level course that spans business, science, information technology and military studies.

The community welcomes the 1,650 representatives from academia, business and the military converging on Shreveport's Convention Center to figure out how best to mesh with the U.S. Air Force's provisional Cyber Command at Barksdale Air Force Base.

No, northwest Louisiana residents aren't all up to speed on the nuances of waging war across the electromagnetic spectrum, but we understand computer glitches. And the frustration we feel with stalled computers at our work desks or when our name gets leaked to retail mailing lists, gives us an inkling of the difficulty in defending U.S. lives and economies from terrorists, foreign governments and thrill-seeking hackers. Of course it also has to do with energy pulses and any other means of sending companies, cities or nations back to the technological stone age.

Cyber Command and the heat generated at the Fly and Fight in Cyberspace symposium are important for:

National security. There is undiluted pride that Barksdale maintains its place as a key player in defending the nation and world. Just like GM building trucks is an easy industrial model to understand, 40-year-old B-52s dropping bombs or launching missiles defines much of what we know about the military. Cyber Command is a clear indication that warfare is changing and we think the Air Force couldn't have picked a better platform than BAFB.

Regional economics. Cyber Command is the opportunity to propel efforts to create a knowledge-based economy. Related businesses not only attract but require creative, technologically savvy minds whose earning power and entrepreneurial skills mean a more sustainable prosperity that can adapt to change.

Cultural growth. The infusion of this innovative work force will spill over into our culture, bringing new ideas ranging from civic engagement to the arts.

Our guests for these three days should know that the community has been putting both sweat equity and dollars into creating a fertile environment for research and development.

Bossier City and Bossier Parish have kicked in a combined $50 million for development of a Cyber Innovation Center right outside BAFB. The 64-acre site, that may very well grow, will provide state-of-the art security and facilities to house the biggest of players in the defense industry as well as niche startups. Adjacent Bossier Parish Community College has given up interim space for the effort until the center can be constructed. Craig Spohn, who is directing Innovation Center development, reports several big players such as Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics already are committing to the available space.

The state also has kicked in $50 million for needs such as an Interstate 20 off-ramp into the base that can provide easier, though controlled, access between contractors and the military.

Even before Cyber Command popped up on the horizon, the state had bankrolled a high-speed Internet line into Shreveport-Bossier City that loops east toward Ruston and Louisiana Tech University. The Louisiana Optical Network Initiative will provide access to the National Lambda Rail linking the nation's fastest computers.

The state also has invested millions into cyber technology research, forging partnerships with Louisiana Tech and LSU-Baton Rouge. And as recently as Monday, the state announced a third consecutive $9 million National Science Foundation grant for state researchers "to develop new cyber tools." The state Board of Regents and participating universities are kicking in additional dollars for a $15.2 million fund to underwrite research ranging from catastrophic environmental events to detecting bioterrorism.

Also locally, Caddo Parish has invested work-force development dollars in academic-related programs at Southern University and LSU Shreveport, and the city of Shreveport seeks to bolster opportunities for LSUS to participate in cyber research and development.

The information exchange that continues today and Thursday in downtown Shreveport is another key building block in this crucial military and promising economic mission. We take it as a positive sign that after a cold, wet weekend, the conference opened to sunny skies and crisp temperatures. But then, with the resources of our assembled visitors and the vision of key military and civilian players already on the ground here, converting the Red River basin to a cyber valley looks to be clear sailing.