How dry I am

The above chart shows the degree of drought during the next year in the regions of the United states as forecast by the United States weather Service. Note the southwest corner as well as the Southeast. At this moment in Southern California wildfires are exploding and raging among the hills. At this moment almost one million people have been displaced from their burning homes!

The drought has made this annual trial for the affluent residents of the hills much worse than in most years. In another region on the southeast, Georgia has requested that President Bush declare a state of emergency because of drought effects. Georgia's Lake Lanier is less than three months from depletion. Actually, more than a quarter of the Southeast has been labeled an "exceptional" drought area (The National Weather Service worst drought category).

Inexplicably, the Great lakes are exhibiting a drop in depth which, if continued, can have a devastating effect on the water supply for several states and Canadian provinces. While these disturbing occurrences may be transitory for the present, they can give us an inkling of what is in store in the future.

There are already similar changes going on in Africa and some small nations. While the Southwest and Southeast of North America may have continuing effects, the harm to individual people is minimal compared with the poor of other more vulnerable states and territories.

Although President Bush has, at long last, acknowledged that the scientific consensus on Global Warming is real, he is still showing a bias toward holding to the status quo rather than taking action.

How about this latest gem: Yesterday Dr. Julie Gerberding addressed a Senate hearing on the impact of climate change on the health of Americans. On questioning from the Senators she mentioned specific diseases likely to affect our health because of Global Warming. After White House review of her presentation, her document was cut from the original 14 pages to only four!

We should look forward to White House statements on the California wildfires and the Georgia thirst.