In the past, I’ve written columns about problems pertaining to Huron County, Michigan and states along the East Coast including Florida. Often, I refer to events in a manner that implies they only occur in those areas.
As I view current events in the states I’m most familiar with, I often wonder how the same situations affect our country’s West Coast. An example is water levels; a topic of continuous debate in our area the past few years.
Pat and I have just spent the past couple of weeks in Arizona visiting our daughter’s family in Phoenix. During our stay, we drove through the countryside to Las Vegas and Laughlin for some additional fun and relaxation. The daily newspaper in Phoenix had noted the same problems regarding low water that our area was experiencing. The news talked about anticipating possible drought conditions. When I discussed the topic with locals asking their opinions about water shortage predictions they all felt a lack of water was imminent.
In the past, our kids had told us about the “haboos” — strong wind and dust storms. As we continued our visit, we saw our own mini-haboo as dust totally obscured the view of the surrounding mountains.
The drive to Vegas was beautiful with lots of color blooming in the desert and a bright, blue sky. Vegas was loud and full of young people who seemed to have unlimited funds and little regard for civility. They call it fun city. But as I see It, fun has various definitions. We had fun at the Rain Forest Café watching all the little kids’ amusement as the animals talked to them.
When we arrived in Laughlin, I had a difficult time relating what I was seeing to what I had been told about the water levels. The Colorado River was running faster than I had ever seen it. (I have visited the area many times in the past dozen or so years.) Locals said the speed of the river was the result of snow pack run-off and once that subsided, the flow would slow to an almost indiscernible trickle. Our kids told us the river was higher than they had ever seen it.
Laughlin is like Vegas only in slow motion.
As we headed back to Phoenix we heard the newsbreak describing the Boston Marathon explosions. My thoughts were, “What a sick world we are living in.” As I listened to the president’s address to the press and a reporter saying he was advised not to use the word “terrorist” I thought, why not? It surely was terror, whether from foreign or domestic actions.
As coverage continued after we arrived back in Phoenix, it was not surprising to learn the bombs were made with pressure cookers.
Not only can full instructions be found on the internet to make the type of bombs used, an enterprising person has a book you can purchase to follow all the directives.
My heartfelt sympathies go out to the families affected by this latest atrocity.