First of all, let's give Emily Green a Pulitzer for bringing a great writing style to a very complex subject.

California's thirst will go unabated and its political power is no match for that of Nevada's. Therefore it is time to take a leadership position, something Pat Mulroy will not find difficulty in acheiving.

There is no point sitting at the poker table with no chips. Soon water will be traded on exchanges and we will see the resultant upward change to pricing for water as has happened to crude oil. Therefore, in order to trade water with California, Nevada simply has to build a water desalinization plant on the ocean in California near Los Angeles.

It does not matter whether, then, California refuses to trade a portion of its allotment or simply buys it from our plant, we will have a chip and we can then enter the negotiations with a strong hand. The cost of the supposed pipeline at $10 billion without the surety of success is just a feint at the table, the real 'hand' will be to have excess potable water available in California.

As a former Investment Banker I am sure we can raise the money and build the plant. The Gulf States would not exist without this technology. Let's take the 'Upper Hand'.