Permanent Drought?

 The Beer:  It is so hot that any cold beverage will do.  Welcome to Texas in June.

The Bicycle:  It breaks my heart, but I am selling my pre-Raleigh Univega Modovincere.  We saw a lot of miles together.  I still have my trust Trek and if my foot ever gets fixed, I will be back on the road.  Promise.

The VRWC:  The west is in a severe drought.  Make no mistake about it.  But let's look at rainfall vs. average for Western States:

Colorado 2020: 18.25", Average: 15.5

Nevada 2020: 13.15" Average: 9.5"

California 2020: 25.95" Average 22.2"

Arizona 2020: 13.64"  Average:  13.6"

Utah 2020: 16.2"  Average 12.2"

So what gives?  Severe drought with above average rainfall?  It appears 5-year rainfalls have been mostly above average as well.  Why is there a drought?  I don't know, but I can make some pretty good guesses.  

1)  Rainfall runoff is diverted for "environmental reasons".  We know the Sacremento River was diverted from the Central Valley to the ocean to save some baitfish that likely would have been fine anyway.  We also know that a minimum flow rate has been required for the Colorado downstream of Hoover and Glen Canyon Dams.  The claim is that it restores the eco-system.  Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't, but the practice has resulted in a lowering level in Lakes Mead and Lake Powell for decades now.

2) Population.  Especially the growth in Arizona is taxing the water systems.  Southern California is also a water hog.

I believe much of this drought is man-made and especially government made.

Reparations in Evanston, IL

The Beer:  Michalob Ultra.  I know I could lose my man card, but it's a risk I will take.

The Bicycle:  It was a very cool May and June is starting off the same.  Wish I was healthy enough to ride.

The VRWC:  From "Bloomberg Equality + Newsweek", Evanston, Illinois, one of the most left wing cities in the US and maybe the world has promised reparations to Blacks in the city.  I expect a healthy influx from Chicago.

Apparently, the bar has moved.  These reparations are not for slavery (no doubt because the slavery argument was absurd on its face), but for "other" affronts.  "Jim Crow", "Redlining" and others definitely happened.  But here's the deal:  I didn't do it and consequently, I shouldn't be penalized.  Further, there is a court system for these kinds of things.  For a city to unilaterally decide reparations is a good idea is a *bad* idea.  But we have allowed this kind of behavior from City Government for a long time.  I don't see anything in the article about a referendum or city-wide discussions regarding reparations.  To only accept input from one group on such a matter is taxation without representation.  

But the devil is in the details.  Where will this money come from?  Obviously, higher taxes.  But will only whites be taxed for these funds?  Will there be a "Reparations Tax" applicable to only whites?  And who gets reparations and who doesn't?  If this program reflects others of the same variety, friends will get rich and "not friends" will get nothing.  But rich, old-money white liberals in Evanston don't care about any of this.  They only care that they feel better.