Hey, Brother, Could You Spare Some Rainfall?
From where I'm sitting right now on the steps of a building at a venerable institution of higher learning in North Carolina, USA, I see browned-out grass, parched shrubbery, and a fountain that he been turned off and covered over. Inside, you'll notice that bathroom fixtures have all been refitted to use less water, and in the dining hall, where I just purchased a smoothie, there are signs stating that the use of trays for carrying around your institutional supper has been discontinued because there's not the water to wash them.
If you're not in the southeastern United States right now, you might not know that we are experiencing the worst drought since 1894. In the Atlanta area, my parents are watching their precious landscaping work die away, as the primary water source, Lake Lanier, is predicted to hold only 90 more days' worth of drinking water. In their neighborhood, snitching on water-use violators is the norm, and I savor the idea of the douchebag neighbor down the street getting fined for washing his car.
But more than just affecting the day to day lives of people in the South, the historic drought is really drastically affecting the world we live in. Throughout North Carolina, farmers are giving up on their crops and selling their livestock because there isn't enough water to sustain them. The economy down here is losing billions of dollars.
"And its going to get worse before it gets better."
And because the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is doing its duty to protect endangered species which rely upon our water to survive, the government of Georgia is attempting to suspend the Endangered Species Act in order to cover the asses of everybody who's cheated on the water restrictions this summer. And local, ahem, treasure Neal Boortz proposes that we should set the Georgia National Guard to seize control of the means to release water from Lake Lanier, screw the endangered critters. Oh, boy.
So I write to you from a parched wasteland, which prior to this drought was just a regular sort of wasteland, bless it.
Serves us right for trying to secede, huh?
Well, we won't be the only people taking a hit if this continues.
Drought conditions can be felt all over the country and locally as well. The drought is also impacting Tennessee, with no signs of letting up and its hitting businesses right where they make their living.
Jack Daniels water supply is running low and putting the century-plus whiskey business in jeopardy.
...
To the people who make Jack Daniels, all water is not created equal. It takes a special kind to make this whiskey and they say its only here in this cave. For that reason they have started conserving as much as they can. Using the water only for the whiskey and nothing else and even finding ways to cut back on the amount used in the process.
WBKO- Bowling Green
I don't know about y'all, but I need a drink.
Flux is certain that her beloved (and beloathed) Dixie will weather this weather, but she sure wishes it would rain.
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Comments
Heathen_Dave
Birmingham, AL
July 2005
OCT 24, 2007 04:20 AM
Uemantra
Okemos, MI
July 2005
OCT 24, 2007 04:30 AM
SmokyGough
Australia
July 2006
OCT 24, 2007 04:47 AM
Colinism
Atlanta, GA
July 2005
OCT 24, 2007 05:03 AM
RudieCantFail
I'm lost
January 2006
OCT 24, 2007 05:05 AM
Allegro
Flushing, NY
February 2007
OCT 24, 2007 05:09 AM
CherryCoke
Derry, NH
May 2007
OCT 24, 2007 05:19 AM
ki1
Ireland
September 2007
OCT 24, 2007 05:33 AM
Johnny_Flapjacks
Williamsport, PA
September 2006
OCT 24, 2007 05:40 AM
Scapino
Greensboro, NC
September 2007
OCT 24, 2007 05:54 AM
Flux
SUICIDEGIRL
Georgia, USA
OCT 24, 2007 05:56 AM
ki1
Ireland
September 2007
OCT 24, 2007 06:01 AM
Flux
SUICIDEGIRL
Georgia, USA
OCT 24, 2007 06:05 AM
defaultx
I'm lost
February 2006
OCT 24, 2007 06:15 AM
Burnt_Halo
HOPEFUL
I'm lost
OCT 24, 2007 06:23 AM
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