Chattanooga water

Atlanta is desperate for water. So desperate, they're talking about adjusting the Georgia/Tennessee state line so they can tap into the Tennessee River. Reminiscent of the tennis balls sent by the French to Henry V, the mayor of Chattanooga sent a truckload of bottled water to Atlanta and issued a proclamation:

WHEREAS, it has come to pass that the heavens are shut up and a drought of Biblical proportions has been visited upon the Southern United States, and

WHEREAS, the parched and dry conditions have weighed heavily upon the State of Georgia and sorely afflicted those who inhabit the Great City of Atlanta, and

WHEREAS, the leaders of Georgia have assembled like the Children of Israel in the desert, grumbled among themselves and have begun to cast longing eyes toward the north, coveting their neighbor’s assets, and

WHEREAS, the lack of water has led some misguided souls to seek more potent refreshment or for other reasons has resulted in irrational and outrageous actions seeking to move a long established and peaceful boundary, and

WHEREAS, it is deemed better to light a candle than curse the darkness, and better to offer a cool, wet kiss of friendship rather than face a hot and angry legislator gone mad from thirst, and

Whereas, it is feared that if today they come for our river, tomorrow they might come for our Jack Daniels or George Dickel,

NOW THEREFORE, In the interest of brotherly love, peace, friendship, mutual prosperity, citywide self promotion, political grandstanding and all that

I Ron Littlefield, Mayor of the City of Chattanooga, Tennessee,

Do hereby Proclaim that Wednesday, February 27, 2008 shall be known as

“Give Our Georgia Friends a Drink Day”

I hope nobody in the Town of Waukesha sees this.

Here comes the flood

If you pray hard enough, you can make water run uphill. How hard? Why, hard enough to make water run uphill, of course!
- Robert Heinlein

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue prayed for rain at the State Capitol yesterday.

"We've come together here simply for one reason and one reason only: To very reverently and respectfully pray up a storm," Perdue said after a choir provided a hymn.

Georgia and its neighboring states are caught in a drought that threatens public water supplies. Perdue has ordered water restrictions, launched a legal battle against the release of water from federal reservoirs and appealed to President Bush.

"It's time to appeal to him who can and will make a difference," Perdue told the crowd.

A church choir belted out "What a Mighty God We Serve" and "Amazing Grace" as a keyboardist swayed to the rhythm. While preachers spoke, worshippers chanted "amen," and some stood with eyes closed and arms outstretched.

"God, we need you," Perdue said. "We need rain."

The hourlong event was billed as an interfaith ceremony but only three Protestant ministers joined Perdue, who is a Baptist, and Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle.

We wish the governor well in his prayers, and we'll remember Georgia in our prayers as well. And to the governor's critics, it could be worse. He could be sacrificing virgins.