On Nov 10, 5:25?am, John H. wrote:
On Fri, 09 Nov 2007 22:07:15 -0800, Chuck Gould





wrote:
Drought cancels Christmas boat parade
AP
Posted: 2007-11-08 09:18:21
GAINESVILLE, Ga. (AP) - The drought gripping the Southeast has claimed
another victim -- the Christmas boat parade at Lake Lanier.

Buddy Meeks is co-chairman of the event, a 12-year tradition at the
lake. He says treetops on the lake bottom are getting too close to the
surface and might pose safety hazards.

This year's boat parade had been scheduled for December 1st.

The lighted boat parade began in 1995 as an event for members of the
University Yacht Club and was opened to the public in 2005.

Last year's parade included 40 boats decorated with items from
inflated Santas to angels.

On Tuesday, Lake Lanier was more than 15 feet below full, its lowest
level since October 24th, 1986, when Georgia was experiencing another
historic drought.

Meeks says his group hopes rains will replenish the lake and the
parade can be held next year.

Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,http://www.ajc.com

Just think, if they'd called it a 'Holiday Parade' instead, this whole
thing might not have happened.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Out this way, we call normally call them exactly what they a a
lighted boat parade. That way everybody from any faith or of no faith
can participate, and since a thorough perusal of the the Bible doesn't
indicate that burning colored lightbulbs in December is a Christian
sacrament, or even one of the Ten Commandments, everybody is free to
take away from the experience or display exactly what they want.
That's got to be a good thing, doesn't it?

Let me be the very first, and far too early, to wish you a Merry
Christmas. :-)

Our first major lighted boat parade this year will be December 2.
That's the Seafair Holiday Cruise, when we host the developmentally
disadvantaged in a special and very festive parade of their own. There
are usually 250-300 boats participating in Seattle, and smaller
editions of the same event in some of the outlying communities. We
light up the rails, the signal masts, and make quite a show just as it
begins to get dark on a Sunday afternoon. The route goes out to Lake
Washington, parallels the 520 bridge, and makes a turn around a
sailboat with "Santa" on the bow. You haven't experienced holiday joy
until you've seen a half dozen 25-40 year old "kids" genuinely excited
to see Santa Claus standing on a boat. They all rush to the port side
cabin windows, and we heel over quite a bit making that turn. :-)
Last I looked, Santa wasn't really part of the biblical tradition,
either- but it would be hard to say the legend didn't make a lot of
people happy around the holidays.