Free school meals outrage.

After Marcus Rashford campaigned long and hard for the government to provide free school meals for needy kids in the holidays, and to also extend this whilst the schools are shut due to the pandemic,  the government eventually agreed.

Firstly parents who needed help were given vouchers worth £15 pw to buy food to supply their child with a proper lunchtime meal. Vouchers have now been changed to prepared lunch boxes suitable to feed a child a substantial lunch 5 days a week.

Companies are being paid by the government to make up boxes costing on average £15 pw., this is one of the boxes provided.
Companies are filling their own coffers  instead of providing hungry kids with food.
Shameful.




https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9137379/Marcus-Rashford-blasts-unacceptable-food-parcel-supposed-feed-family-three-days.html

Its disgraceful, I'm not even sure what you'd make with that. Beans on toast, keep half for beans and chips, are they bananas or plantain? if so banana sandwiches, pasta with a thin on the ground sauce, cheese sandwiches hardly balanced or hearty. I forget who said it but 'if for some reason middle class kids had to have these meals provided it would be very different'. Why do people think anything is ok for poorer people. One mother reckoned she could get that for fiver, the companies mentioned something about logistics and over heads, to the tune of £10:00? Give them back the voucher, its not like it can be spent on anything else.

Mix in capitalism with production, and you get an inferior product with greater profit for the capitalist.

Of the four elements of production, the capitalist is the least necessary, and the most greedy.

Original Quill wrote:Mix in capitalism with production, and you get an inferior product with greater profit for the capitalist.

Of the four elements of production, the capitalist is the least necessary, and the most greedy.

Food in socialist societies is like humor.

Not everyone gets it.

Vintage wrote:Its disgraceful, I'm not even sure what you'd make with that. Beans on toast, keep half for beans and chips, are they bananas or plantain? if so banana sandwiches, pasta with a thin on the ground sauce, cheese sandwiches hardly balanced or hearty. I forget who said it but 'if for some reason middle class kids had to have these meals provided it would be very different'. Why do people think anything is ok for poorer people. One mother reckoned she could get that for  fiver, the companies mentioned something about logistics and over heads, to the tune of £10:00? Give them back the voucher, its not like it can be spent on anything else.

Dead right, it's an insult. 
The companies that are supplying this should be heavily fined.


"Chartwells, the education catering specialist of £24.8billion-earning Compass Group UK & Ireland, had been savaged for 24 hours after an image from a Twitter user showed the paltry supplies. "

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:Mix in capitalism with production, and you get an inferior product with greater profit for the capitalist.

Of the four elements of production, the capitalist is the least necessary, and the most greedy.

Food in socialist societies is like humor.

Not everyone gets it.

Apparently not here, either. The point is, capitalists make sure they get their share first.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Food in socialist societies is like humor.

Not everyone gets it.

Apparently not here, either.  The point is, capitalists make sure they get their share first.

This is a government program.

It sucks.

I'm not surprised.

One mum said she spent more on bus fare to get to where she had to pick up the food parcel than what was spent on the supplies.

Fifteen pounds worth of food could feed a child very well for a week, the contents in this box could be bought for well under £5 at most supermarkets.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Apparently not here, either.  The point is, capitalists make sure they get their share first.

This is a government program.

It sucks.

I'm not surprised.

It's not the governments fault though.
They first gave food vouchers, but the department for education apparently requested the food to be distributed locally in food parcels.
The government is supplying £15 per week for every child who is entitled to free school meals. 
Obviously someone is cheating this system, and it isn't the government or the needy families that's for sure.

Syl wrote:One mum said she spent more on bus fare to get to where she had to pick up the food parcel than what was spent on the supplies.

Fifteen pounds worth of food could feed a child very well for a week, the contents in this box could be bought for well under £5 at most supermarkets.

Apples are pretty expensive here for some reason. But they aren't brown either.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

This is a government program.

It sucks.

I'm not surprised.

It's not the governments fault though.
They first gave food vouchers, but the department for education apparently requested the food to be distributed locally in food parcels.
The government is supplying £15 per week for every child who is entitled to free school meals. 
Obviously someone is cheating this system, and it isn't the government or the needy families that's for sure.

Who designed and manages the system?

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:
It's not the governments fault though.
They first gave food vouchers, but the department for education apparently requested the food to be distributed locally in food parcels.
The government is supplying £15 per week for every child who is entitled to free school meals. 
Obviously someone is cheating this system, and it isn't the government or the needy families that's for sure.

Who designed and manages the system?  

The government did after a huge national campaign headed by MU footballer Marcus Rashford, who was himself a free school dinner kid.

In defence of the government, they supplied the money, maybe if they had not been caught up with Brexit and Covid they could have overseen it closer when vouchers were changed to food parcels, but as soon as the lack of nutritional food in the parcels  was brought up they have adressed it.

Vouchers will probably be brought back now it's known multi million pound companies have abused the system.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

This is a government program.

It sucks.

I'm not surprised.

It's not the governments fault though.
They first gave food vouchers, but the department for education apparently requested the food to be distributed locally in food parcels.
The government is supplying £15 per week for every child who is entitled to free school meals. 
Obviously someone is cheating this system, and it isn't the government or the needy families that's for sure.

Who designed and manages the system?  

What we have is cronyism. Typical of the Conservative party. If the government totally oversaw it, it might be better. What we have is them outsourcing to private firms who are then screwing a well intentioned system (a well intentioned system which Marcus Radford and the public had to drag the government into doing TWICE at that!).

How this government still has the support of many people is beyond me.

Eilzel wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Who designed and manages the system?  

What we have is cronyism. Typical of the Conservative party. If the government totally oversaw it, it might be better. What we have is them outsourcing to private firms who are then screwing a well intentioned system (a well intentioned system which Marcus Radford and the public had to drag the government into doing TWICE at that!).

How this government still has the support of many people is beyond me.

It might.

But I imagine it would be no better.

Ultimately the government is responsible for performance whether they are paying a private company or paying government employees.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Who designed and manages the system?  

The government did after a huge national campaign headed by MU footballer Marcus Rashford, who was himself a free school dinner kid.

In defence of the government, they supplied the money, maybe if they had not been caught up with Brexit and Covid they could have overseen it closer when vouchers were changed to food parcels, but as soon as the lack of nutritional food in the parcels  was brought up they have adressed it.

Vouchers will probably be brought back now it's known multi million pound companies have abused the system.

Vouchers are probably better. As long as they can only be used for food.

Maddog wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Who designed and manages the system?  

What we have is cronyism. Typical of the Conservative party. If the government totally oversaw it, it might be better. What we have is them outsourcing to private firms who are then screwing a well intentioned system (a well intentioned system which Marcus Radford and the public had to drag the government into doing TWICE at that!).

How this government still has the support of many people is beyond me.

It might.

But I imagine it would be no better.  

Ultimately the government is responsible for performance whether they are paying a private company or paying government employees.  

I agree. Sadly we currently have a reaaaaaaaaaaally incompetent government.

Eilzel wrote:

Maddog wrote:

It might.

But I imagine it would be no better.  

Ultimately the government is responsible for performance whether they are paying a private company or paying government employees.  

I agree. Sadly we currently have a reaaaaaaaaaaally incompetent government.

I half agree, have never voted Tory in my life and even though Labour are even worse than the Cons at present in my opinion, I never will.
They certainly had to be persuaded by the public headed by marvellous Rashford, (hopefully when his football career ends he will go into politics) but, unlike many politicians, Boris will admit he got it wrong, and he did rightly agree kids who are entitled should still be entitled to free meals during holidays and lockdowns.

If vouchers had to be swapped for food parcels, the main mistake was NOT giving local government chance to use local companies to oversee the food parcels for their own areas. Once more central government make decisions in areas they have no knowledge of.
Once these multi million ££ huge companies, who are probably hand in glove with someone higher up, get the contract (jobs for the boys??) profit is the only motivation.
Lining your pockets at the expense of seeing hungry kids go without food....how low can you get?

How low can you get? Many people who see a nice fat profit at someone else's expense can morally limbo under an average door.

I think it's a knocking bet that some companies and even individuals have made fortunes from this pandemic.

I truly hope when it's over they will be brought to account and made to pay.

Eilzel wrote:

Maddog wrote:

It might.

But I imagine it would be no better.  

Ultimately the government is responsible for performance whether they are paying a private company or paying government employees.  

I agree. Sadly we currently have a reaaaaaaaaaaally incompetent government.

Meh, leftists over here talk about how compassionate and effective it is.

The dynamics of government are that it operates as a monopoly with a guaranteed income stream.

That situation will never provide good results.

Maddog wrote:

Eilzel wrote:

Maddog wrote:

It might.

But I imagine it would be no better.  

Ultimately the government is responsible for performance whether they are paying a private company or paying government employees.  

I agree. Sadly we currently have a reaaaaaaaaaaally incompetent government.

Meh, leftists over here talk about how compassionate and effective it is.  

The dynamics of government are that it operates as a monopoly with a guaranteed income stream.  

That situation will never provide good results.  

How compassionate and effective Boris Johnson’s Tories are, or how effective the NHS/welfare system is?

Because while the latter have issues, they are a system that generally works well; while the former is nothing short of a laughable shambles.

Eilzel wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Meh, leftists over here talk about how compassionate and effective it is.  

The dynamics of government are that it operates as a monopoly with a guaranteed income stream.  

That situation will never provide good results.  

How compassionate and effective Boris Johnson’s Tories are, or how effective the NHS/welfare system is?

Because while the latter have issues, they are a system that generally works well; while the former is nothing short of a laughable shambles.

Most leftist over here couldn't name the PM of the UK. They just recite the same mantra of free stuff.

Syl wrote:I think it's a knocking bet that some companies and even individuals have made fortunes from this pandemic.

I truly hope when it's over they will be brought to account and made to pay.

Amazon sure ain't hurting.

I've probably made a little more money than in past years too. My middle child loans money on houses and she is raking it in.

But that's just taking advantage of there being a high demand for our services in the free market. Not a market created by government bureaucrats.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Apparently not here, either.  The point is, capitalists make sure they get their share first.

This is a government program.

It sucks.

I'm not surprised.

Run by capitalism...under the whiff of privatization.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

This is a government program.

It sucks.

I'm not surprised.

Run by capitalism...under the whiff of privatization.  

Who's writing the checks?

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Run by capitalism...under the whiff of privatization.  

Who's writing the checks?

More important, who's producing disappointing results?  Any well-meaning public project can be corrupted by involvement of capitalism...or privatization.

Capitalism is the fourth, unnecessary mouth to feed.  Significantly, it is also the hungriest mouth, and will consume all resources in the name of 'profits' and leave the mission an unfortunate step-child.

Here we have a private interloper, handing out rotten bananas for child lunches, while assuring profits for itself.  Very typical.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:I think it's a knocking bet that some companies and even individuals have made fortunes from this pandemic.

I truly hope when it's over they will be brought to account and made to pay.

Amazon sure ain't hurting.  

I've probably made a little more money than in past years too.  My middle child loans money on houses and she is raking it in.  

But that's just taking advantage of there being a high demand for our services in the free market. Not a market created by government bureaucrats.

Obviously if some peoples businesses have profited fairly and squarely in the pandemic that's different to the ones who have deliberately fiddled the system.
The none profit scheme of companies providing these paltry food boxes yet claiming 3 times the money spent for eg.
Billions have been taken by firms who falsely or fraudulently claimed furlough money they were not entitled to.

No doubt many more scams will come to light, and no doubt many people will get away with it, depending on how high up the food chain they are.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Who's writing the checks?

More important, who's producing disappointing results?  Any well-meaning public project can be corrupted by involvement of capitalism...or privatization.

Capitalism is the fourth, unnecessary mouth to feed.  Significantly, it is also the hungriest mouth, and will consume all resources in the name of 'profits' and leave the mission an unfortunate step-child.

Here we have a private interloper, handing out rotten bananas for child lunches, while assuring profits for itself.  Very typical.

If you write a check for shitty service while being in charge of being a good steward of someone else's money, it's on you.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Amazon sure ain't hurting.  

I've probably made a little more money than in past years too.  My middle child loans money on houses and she is raking it in.  

But that's just taking advantage of there being a high demand for our services in the free market. Not a market created by government bureaucrats.

Obviously if some peoples businesses have profited fairly and squarely in the pandemic that's different to the ones who have deliberately fiddled the system.
The none profit scheme of companies providing these paltry food boxes yet claiming 3 times the money spent for eg.
Billions have been taken by firms who falsely or fraudulently claimed furlough money they were not entitled to.

No doubt many more scams will come to light, and no doubt many people will get away with it, depending on how high up the food chain they are.

And what this proves is that government doesn't spend money like you or I.

We wouldn't tolerate this shit.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Amazon sure ain't hurting.  

I've probably made a little more money than in past years too.  My middle child loans money on houses and she is raking it in.  

But that's just taking advantage of there being a high demand for our services in the free market. Not a market created by government bureaucrats.

Obviously if some peoples businesses have profited fairly and squarely in the pandemic that's different to the ones who have deliberately fiddled the system.
The none profit scheme of companies providing these paltry food boxes yet claiming 3 times the money spent for eg.
Billions have been taken by firms who falsely or fraudulently claimed furlough money they were not entitled to.

No doubt many more scams will come to light, and no doubt many people will get away with it, depending on how high up the food chain they are.

And what this proves is that government doesn't spend money like you or I.

We wouldn't tolerate this shit.

Apart from being inadequate and absolutely no value for money who the heck decided to cut tomatoes and peppers in half, onions into a third and chop carrots into sticks. If we can't afford to give a child a whole carrot, pepper and an onion then heaven help us. Considering how much you can get a bag of carrots, a bag of onions and a pack of tomatoes in a supermarket, its daylight robbery as wholesalers obviously get them for much less. This situation beggars belief. My dogs eat better than this.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

More important, who's producing disappointing results?  Any well-meaning public project can be corrupted by involvement of capitalism...or privatization.

Capitalism is the fourth, unnecessary mouth to feed.  Significantly, it is also the hungriest mouth, and will consume all resources in the name of 'profits' and leave the mission an unfortunate step-child.

Here we have a private interloper, handing out rotten bananas for child lunches, while assuring profits for itself.  Very typical.

If you write a check for shitty service while being in charge of being a good steward of someone else's money, it's on you.

Agreed...the impetus for privatization is from the the Tories and Republicans of this world.  They are the knights-protectors of capitalism.

This is a classic letting out of the job to capitalists, and it is a classic pattern of what happens as a result.  It shows that Tories/Republicans will subvert any non-capitalist program, and welcome the flim-flam capitalist in to 'rip-off' the system.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

If you write a check for shitty service while being in charge of being a good steward of someone else's money, it's on you.

Agreed...the impetus for privatization is from the the Tories and Republicans of this world.  They are the knights-protectors of capitalism.

This is a classic letting out of the job to capitalists, and it is a classic pattern of what happens as a result.  It shows that Tories/Republicans will subvert any non-capitalist program, and welcome the flim-flam capitalist in to 'rip-off' the system.

Yeah, no other parties waste fucking money.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Agreed...the impetus for privatization is from the the Tories and Republicans of this world.  They are the knights-protectors of capitalism.

This is a classic letting out of the job to capitalists, and it is a classic pattern of what happens as a result.  It shows that Tories/Republicans will subvert any non-capitalist program, and welcome the flim-flam capitalist in to 'rip-off' the system.

Yeah, no other parties waste fucking money.

Only the Tories/Republicans have the extra mouth to feed. When profit enters the picture, it's no longer simple need to accomplishment. Greed enters the picture.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Yeah, no other parties waste fucking money.

Only the Tories/Republicans have the extra mouth to feed.  When profit enters the picture, it's no longer simple need to accomplishment.  Greed enters the picture.

Yeah. The Dems have government workers building roads.

In the Greater Manchester area, some establishments are preparing hot food for the parents of kids who are entitled to free school meals to pick up.

One local cafe owner said he will be preparing 50 hot meals today, curries, chillies, hot chicken sandwiches, bagging them up, setting a table outside his cafe, and anyone in need of a hot meal can pick one up.
He wont be asking any questions, he said if you need feeding, come and get a hot meal.

Some people are just so good.

Syl wrote:In the Greater Manchester area, some establishments are preparing hot food for the parents of kids who are entitled to free school meals to pick up.

One local cafe owner said he will be preparing 50 hot meals today, curries, chillies, hot chicken sandwiches,  bagging them up, setting a table outside his cafe, and anyone in need of a hot meal can pick one up.
He wont be asking any questions, he said if you need feeding, come and get a hot meal.

Some people are just so good.

He will probably get shut down for violating some silly regulation...

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:In the Greater Manchester area, some establishments are preparing hot food for the parents of kids who are entitled to free school meals to pick up.

One local cafe owner said he will be preparing 50 hot meals today, curries, chillies, hot chicken sandwiches,  bagging them up, setting a table outside his cafe, and anyone in need of a hot meal can pick one up.
He wont be asking any questions, he said if you need feeding, come and get a hot meal.

Some people are just so good.

He will probably get shut down for violating some silly regulation...

He was interviewed on local BBC radio this morning, it wouldn't surprise me if some miserable bastard didn't report him for serving street food without a licence or something ridiculous.

Maddog wrote:

Syl wrote:One mum said she spent more on bus fare to get to where she had to pick up the food parcel than what was spent on the supplies.

Fifteen pounds worth of food could feed a child very well for a week, the contents in this box could be bought for well under £5 at most supermarkets.

Apples are pretty expensive here for some reason. But they aren't brown either.

Apples are pretty cheap here, you can get a bag of apples for around £1, better looking pink or red apples are about £2 for 4 in the supermarkets.

Syl wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Apples are pretty expensive here for some reason. But they aren't brown either.

Apples are pretty cheap here, you can get a bag of apples for around £1, better looking pink or red apples are about £2 for 4 in the supermarkets.

Yeah, the bags are cheap. I like Granny Smith apples and seems like they are about a dollar a piece now.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Only the Tories/Republicans have the extra mouth to feed.  When profit enters the picture, it's no longer simple need to accomplishment.  Greed enters the picture.

Yeah. The Dems have government workers building roads.

Democrats are problem solvers, devoted to making the nation a better place for ALL people. Republicans are only devoted to selfishness, and themselves getting into that class that reaps the benefits of wealth and privilege.

The concern for equality is a Democratic concern, as Republican are dedicated to status and being elevated above others. Indeed, there is a sense in which you might say Republicans are anti-equality. They are dedicated to preserving that plateau above others, so that some day they might occupy it.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Yeah. The Dems have government workers building roads.

Democrats are problem solvers, devoted to making the nation a better place for ALL people.  Republicans are only devoted to selfishness, and themselves getting into that class that reaps the benefits of wealth and privilege.

The concern for equality is a Democratic concern, as Republican are dedicated to status and being elevated above others.  Indeed, there is a sense in which you might say Republicans are anti-equality.  They are dedicated to preserving that plateau above others, so that some day they might occupy it.

So they build roads with same folks Republicans do.

Same coin.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

Democrats are problem solvers, devoted to making the nation a better place for ALL people.  Republicans are only devoted to selfishness, and themselves getting into that class that reaps the benefits of wealth and privilege.

The concern for equality is a Democratic concern, as Republican are dedicated to status and being elevated above others.  Indeed, there is a sense in which you might say Republicans are anti-equality.  They are dedicated to preserving that plateau above others, so that some day they might occupy it.

So they build roads with same folks Republicans do.

Same coin.  

No...I think not. There are many different roads to build.  But, I would speculate that Republicans use builders who make them the most money: the cheapest goods and labor.  That's precisely what this thread is about, only here we are talking about Conservatives.

But it's the same: profit over product.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

So they build roads with same folks Republicans do.

Same coin.  

No...I think not.  There are many different roads to build.  But, I would speculate that Republicans use builders who make them the most money: the cheapest goods and labor.  That's precisely what this thread is about, only here we are talking about Conservatives.

But it's the same: profit over product.

Funny, every fucking project in California goes way over budget.

How's that high speed train going? Bwahahaha

I really don't think its as black and white as Labour/Democrats = good Conservatives/Republicans = bad.
I know Conservatives active party members and voters who are decent people who get things done in a good way. The was an instance with a friend's aunt who didn't have good health and lived in a Labour controlled council area, she was quite disabled by her various ailments but still had to make her own way to see a doctor, she moved to be closer to her daughter, to a Conservative council area and was almost immediately met by Social Service and Council reps to tell her she wasn't claiming enough benefits, her bungalow would be adapted to help her get around etc and it was arranged that the doctor and nurses came to her if she needed them, none of this had she received in the Labour area and because of this she hadn't even applied in her new area.
Throughout history its been capitalists, perhaps of a slightly different type (god fearing maybe) that have put up the money for various projects that have helped workers, the sick, homeless and the needy. Like the George Cadbury, Angela Burdett - Coutts, George Peabody, Andrew Carnegie as well known for their philanthropy as their businesses.
Andrew Carnegie

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

No...I think not.  There are many different roads to build.  But, I would speculate that Republicans use builders who make them the most money: the cheapest goods and labor.  That's precisely what this thread is about, only here we are talking about Conservatives.

But it's the same: profit over product.

Funny, every fucking project in California goes way over budget.

That's not a partisan issue.  Most projects go over budget, including your kitchen redux.  

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

Funny, every fucking project in California goes way over budget.

That's not a partisan issue.  Most projects go over budget, including your kitchen redux.  

It's a California issue. They are a fucking laughing stock.

Let's not forget yall can't even keep the power on like some 3rd world nation.

You do have some pretty scenery though.

Maddog wrote:

Original Quill wrote:

That's not a partisan issue.  Most projects go over budget, including your kitchen redux.  

It's a California issue.  They are a fucking laughing stock.

Let's not forget yall can't even keep the power on like some 3rd world nation.  

The whole power-outage thing is derivative of the lack of water.  Lack of water = drought, and drying foliage.  Power distribution requires transformers, which occasionally put out sparks, which in turn start fires in dried foliage.

If you were to look at a topographic map of the western US, you would note that all weather conditions place water on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains: storms build up on plains, and the Rocky Mountains prohibit clouds from driving west.  So, the water dumps into basins and run-off in rivers like the Platt River, which flows into the Missouri River, which carries water to the Mississippi River.  On the eastern side, water flows from the Allegheny Mountains to the Allegheny River and Monongahela River, which two rivers form the Ohio River, which flows into the Mississippi River.



Thus the Rocky Mountains and the Allegheny Mountains form a great eastern basin, called the Mississippi basin, which captures watershed and carries it down to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River.  New Orleans is the second-largest port in the world, after Amsterdam.

There's nothing like that on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains.  All there is the Colorado River, which carries waters only to the Sea of Cortez.  The San Joaquin Valley, which feeds 25% of America, has to be artificially watered through man-made aqueducts.  Other than the small rivers that flow off of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California is a coastal desert.

Hence, lack of water >> dry terrain >> regional fires >> shutting down power grids.  Hence, the power outages are a continental problem.  Climate change keeps bringing El Niño farther and farther north, exacerbating the problem.

Original Quill wrote:

Maddog wrote:

It's a California issue.  They are a fucking laughing stock.

Let's not forget yall can't even keep the power on like some 3rd world nation.  

The whole power-outage thing is derivative of the lack of water.  Lack of water = drought, and drying foliage.  Power distribution requires transformers, which occasionally put out sparks, which in turn start fires in dried foliage.

If you were to look at a topographic map of the western US, you would note that all weather conditions place water on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains: storms build up on plains, and the Rocky Mountains prohibit clouds from driving west.  So, the water dumps into basins and run-off in rivers like the Platt River, which flows into the Missouri River, which carries water to the Mississippi River.  On the eastern side, water flows from the Allegheny Mountains to the Allegheny River and Monongahela River, which two rivers form the Ohio River, which flows into the Mississippi River.



Thus the Rocky Mountains and the Allegheny Mountains form a great eastern basin, called the Mississippi basin, which captures watershed and carries it down to the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River.  New Orleans is the second-largest port in the world, after Amsterdam.

There's nothing like that on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains.  All there is the Colorado River, which carries waters only to the Sea of Cortez.  The San Joaquin Valley, which feeds 25% of America, has to be artificially watered through man-made aqueducts.  Other than the small rivers that flow off of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California is a coastal desert.

Hence, lack of water >> dry terrain >> regional fires >> shutting down power grids.  Hence, the power outages are a continental problem.  Climate change keeps bringing El Niño farther and farther north, exacerbating the problem.

Are you really trying to tell a Texan about dry conditions?

Yes.  In general, Texas is to the east of the Colorado plateau, which comes down roughly on the western side of the Rio Grande River.  While there a dry spots in Texas, it's more parochial, and not a part of the continental problem.