21.   A prolonged drought is a little like hard economic times, if only because it makes bad decisions and wasted opportunities so noticeable.

22.   After nine years without a new amusement park opening in Southern California, the drought is over.

23.   All of this makes it abundantly clear that drought is a standard feature of climate, not an exception to the rule.

24.   But in an average year drought is responsible for about as much economic damage as floods and hurricanes combined.

25.   But the drought is only one factor behind the current hunger.

26.   But the Yankees are monitoring Pettitte closely, hoping that his prolonged drought is a memory and that he can be a stellar contributor in the postseason.

27.   But there is another drought as well.

28.   But this drought is among the worst, and in some counties, particularly in the northern plains, it is the most devastating in more than a century.

29.   Citing federal research, Clinton said the drought is the worst ever for farmers in Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and Rhode Island.

30.   Drought is a common visitor to that country neighborhood.