Anthony Fellow

As I move into a new house, I quickly make a disappointing discovery. Either my new neighbors, whose sprinklers were on full blast, have little confidence in the credibility of the government or they haven't heard that there's now officially a drought in California. The governor said so on Wednesday of last week. The reaction, if not action itself, was swift.

"Santa Clara Valley Water District (Valley Water)," the press release said, "expects Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's declaration of a state-wide drought to bring much needed attention to the water challenges facing California."