Water worries and a crazy thought

Are water wars just around the corner?

The world is running out of clean, fresh water. Much of America is in a severe drought, yet little is being done.

Of course, drought isn't stopping politicians from pumping money into corn-based ethanol and its thirst for water, even as corn-based ethanol pollutes groundwater, lakes, streams, rivers and even the Gulf of Mexico.

On the other hand, the world's oceans are predicted to significantly rise through global warming.

Time for a world-wide desalination project?

Obviously, the world isn't going to desalinate enough ocean water to prevent the massive flooding of many coastal areas, but maybe it could help. More important, the world needs the fresh water. Is it time to bite the bullet and make a massive, world-wide investment in desalination projects?

Is fresh water, or the potential lack thereof, a ticking time bomb even more dangerous than the worst global warming scenario?