In the news

What was the top story on the front page of my morning newspaper? Clinton and Obama splitting the Nevada delegates? How about native son, McCain beating Huckabee in S. Carolina? Nope. The Arizona Republic has a fascination with expensive houses. Even in this time of falling real estate prices they can find more and more multi-million dollar houses to drool over (... No not the new Masqdom or my place!) How about an 18,000 square foot house? Piffle and pshaw! Teeny! The big one in the picture on the front page is 31,000 sq ft. With a pool bigger in square feet than my house and Masq's old SF condo together! With a concrete creek to feed the pool running across the property. With waterfalls on the creek. In the desert. Parking? How about an 18 car garage? Honestly, I suspect this one is, in fact, a private resort for the richest clients of a big shot investment mogul which they are calling a house to keep the taxes down. But still, doncha think the guy is a bit overpaid, if he can afford that kind of kickbacks?

Buried deeper in the paper - a story about the private water company that provides for the area of ultra fancy homes which includes the one above. It had a don't-drink-the-water order because its wells are contaminated and the treatment plant had a failure. The problem contaminant is trichloroethylene, which used to be used to clean grease and oil off metal among other things. Sicky sweet smelling, but poisonous. In its purer forms, over time just smelling it can give you a headache. Make your own judgements about whether it's poetic justice, cause it isn't just rich folks over there who have that water company.