The Other Shoe: Social Commentary California Drought

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Let it Rain, Let it Rain, Let it RAIN!

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Danny Rolling Hills Estates[/caption]

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. I know that you, My Dear Readers, cannot see it… and you may well doubt it… but as I write this article I am SMILING! I am smiling because, after more than sixteen months, it is raining here in Southern California! That’s right starting late Thursday night, early Friday morning; the rain began to fall here in Orange County. This low-pressure system originated in Oregon late last week, and began its march down the California coast, Monday.
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As readers here at The Other Shoe I have kept you, My Dearest Readers, fully informed of the California drought. As well, I wrote and published an article, earlier this year, about the stationary high-pressure system that parked itself off the Southern California coast for the past 14 to 18 months. Since January I have written and published five articles on the subject of the California drought. They are; The Great Californian Exodus, California Drought Update 2-16-14, The California Drought – The Desalination Solution, California Gets Relief From Drought and California, Up In FLAMES!.

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Anyone could easily see that I was pretty darned concerned about the growing drought problem, here in California (mainly Southern California). The culprit, in this drought condition in Southern California, (as explained in several of the articles listed above) was a persistent stationary high-pressure system that had parked itself just off the Southern California coast for FOURTEEN(+) MONTHS! This intransigent & persistent dome of high-pressure had befuddled meteorologists and scientists at The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They had never seen a high-pressure system park itself off the west coast of America for this long, like ever!

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My Dear Readers, I make no effort to hide the fact that I was born and raised in the great state of Texas. Why I mention this is that the intransigent dome of high-pressure (parked off the Southern California coast) has, also, one of the major culprits of the ongoing drought in my home state of Texas. 2014 was supposed to be an El Nino year. That means that there should have been twelve months of rolling low-pressure systems starting in Southern California and rolling all the way into Texas. o- However, the persistent (and unexplained and freakish) dome of high-pressure forced all that low-pressure and precipitation North! Denying and depriving Southern California and Texas of, more than, a year’s worth of El Nino rain.

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Now, My Dear Readers, with two days of (often pounding) rain has given much needed relief to Southern California. Further I think that it is safe to assume that this freakish dome of high-pressure’s grip, on Southern California, has been broken! That is not to say that our drought conditions are over, far from it, but that we here in Southern California (and my friends, family, and loved ones in Texas) can look forward to a very wet (remainder) of the holiday season & a reasonably wet New Year (2015). I love RAIN! Growing up in Southeast Texas from late 50’s into the early 80’s, I grew up with frequent and persistent rainstorms.

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I was reading information, at the NOAA web site, that explained that Texas experienced “higher than average” rainfall amounts and more frequent than normal El Nino conditions during the exact time I grew up in Texas. These conditions predisposed me to, not only, enjoying rainy weather, but also making it such that without rainy weather… well, I just don’t feel normal. I would even guess that all that rainy weather, cloudy days for days and days at a time, might have some bearing on my being a gloomy kind of guy… and always including rainy weather in my stories.

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Well, My Dearest Readers, I have to tell you that (since the rain started on Thursday night) I have; slept better, napped more often, found my (lost) appetite, and relaxed more than anytime since my cancer diagnosis. I hope that this rainy weather continues throughout the rest of the holiday season and well into the New Year. For my; friends, family, and loved ones in Texas I do hope that all the rainy weather that starts here (in Southern California) finds its way all the way into Texas.

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That brings us to the end of this article for Saturday December 13^th, 2014. I am working on an article about Alexander and his improved health for tomorrow. YES! I have ‘Good News’ about my fury buddy and he may soon return to ‘Sunday Funnies’ right here at The Other Shoe very soon! I hope that everyone has a great weekend. That you get lots of rest and relaxation and that you spend your time with the people that make you smile and show you love and affection. Unfortunately I have my THIRD chemotherapy this week. I am not looking forward to the chemotherapy… or the bleak and dismal upcoming Christmas.

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I won’t belabor the point… but My Dear Readers I find myself facing another holiday without the means for any kind of ‘Holiday Meal’. I really do not want to be Captain Bringdown… but… I was really hoping and praying that somehow… someway…. I was going to find or work a way to pull off a Christmas Miracle. I apologize. It is just so difficult to face the cancer and chemotherapy… during the Holiday Season without any Christmas cheer.

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Thanks for dropping by, My Dear Readers. I hope that everyone has enjoyed this rainy article. I look forward to publishing more articles in the upcoming week and weekend. I am trying my best to get back into the swing of writing and publishing on a regular basis. Again, I wish a very Merry Christmas to all of you, My Dearest Readers!
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Adieu!

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Thank you!

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Danny Does Chemo - Day One #1[/caption]

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PLEASE Shop at The OTher Shoe eBay Store for the Holidays![/caption]

Monday, February 17, 2014

The California Drought - The Desalination Solution

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Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Well, it is now about four hours since I was here last time. I managed to rest for about three and a half to four of those hours, I did not sleep. Unfortunately for me I have come down with an upper respiratory infection. I have a raspy cough that burns like lava in my lungs. When I do expectorate, it tastes of blood. JOY!

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Regardless, I saw something on a news feed I follow that pertains to the drought here in California. I am going to try and rest, the rest of the day, but felt compelled to share this information with you, MY Dear Readers, prior to spending the rest of the morning, afternoon… day coughing. My frigging ears hurt! I touch them, and they hurt. [I know don’t touch them… lol]

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As the title of this article indicates the state of California is in the process of turning hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars into a desalination plant. This is proven science, and they have been doing this in Saudi Arabia for (I think) a couple of decades, or more). However, it is very costly. .

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On top of the One Billion dollar price tag, the plant uses tremendous amounts of electricity for the process.

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“The process, however, is energy intensive and thus expensive, making it practical only in places where energy is cheap, such as the oil-rich Middle East.”[1]

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Now, this is the second desalination plant currently under construction in California. The first is in San Diego county and construction of that plant started in the late 90’s.

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“In the early 1990s, fears that a drought-induced limit to imported water could leave San Diego County with just a trickle from its scarce local supply prompted the regional water agency to include desalination as part of its long-term strategy, according to Bob Yamada, a planning manager with the San Diego County Water Authority. Today, the county's Carlsbad Desalination Project under construction is the largest seawater desalter in the Western Hemisphere.”[2]

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Get this, My Dear Readers, the plant’s final construction cost will run over One Billion dollars. Yet, it will provide only 7% of the county’s water requirements! That is really pricey for something that will only cover less than 10% of your fresh water needs. Now, do I need to tell you just who that water will get diverted too? Yes, the wealthy will be the only ones that can afford this pricey desalinated water. As evidenced by this Iquote:

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“The water authority is locked into a 30-year deal with the plant's developer, Poseidon Water, to purchase desalted water for about $2,000 an acre foot in 2012 dollars. That's nearly twice as expensive as the current rate for imported water and will add $5 to $7 per month to ratepayers' bills, which is about a 10 percent hike.”[3]

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This makes the desalinated water substantially more expensive that the water San Diego County has been importing, for decades, on top of the billion-dollar price tag for the plant. Then, there is the Other Shoe:

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“The Charles Meyer Desalination Facility in Santa Barbara, Calif. is something of a time capsule from the early 1990s when it was completed at a cost of $34 million. It only operated for a few months and has remained dormant for over twenty years.”[4]

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“Although the plant was permitted and constructed in just two years, it was never brought online. The rains returned and filled area reservoirs just as the desalter was completed. "It was really a challenge to continue and run and operate the facility given the much cheaper surface water,"[5]

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That sound you hear? That is the sound of The Other Shoe… dropping.

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In my humble opinion, the state of California will forever be plagued with droughts. The archeological record shows that California has spent the majority of antiquity cycling through 200 + year droughts. It is hubris (and a uninformed or ill-informed scientific mind) that would dismiss the geologic and archeological records out of hand. Whereas, the northern part of this insanely persistent dome of high pressure has relented in Northern California? There are no indications that the same will hold true, anytime soon, here in Southern California.

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: [caption id="attachment_2396" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Desalination Plant in Northern California[/caption]

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Well, I am running a 101 degree temp, my throat is sore, I am coughing… a raspy deathlike cough and I am really ill. It comes as no surprise to me. Combine; the financial pressures of the past six months, the insane writing and publishing schedule (even with my Speech to text program), and the running evening temperature spikes of the past six months and you get one sick Danny.

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Jeepers, how I wish I lived close to someone that gave a hoot and a holler. I could really use some hot chicken soup! ROFLOL…

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I am going to endeavor to rest, My Dear Readers. I have done my absolute best to write and publish… keep you informed and even entertained.

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank YOU!

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The Other Shoe eBay Store[/caption]

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