Let me just say one word: WATER, AGUA, L'EAU, WASSER, VAND, ACQUA, WODA, H2O

In the movie The Graduate, one of the party guests says to Dustin Hoffman that he just wants to say one word to him and that word is plastics. Well, my dad and I have a pet saying and that is "it's going to be all about the water." (After gasoline and food naturally.) We mean the distribution of water as the population grows, particularly in the drier climates in the western United States. We, of course, are referring to our "one word."

Then there's the whole topic of water pollution. In today's Tennessean newspaper, I read about Franklin citizens who are thinking of suing the Egyptian Lacquer Mfg. Co. for contamination of groundwater. Our own little Love Canal. I've lived here for 17 yrs. now and never heard of Egyptian Lacquer, a Franklin company who is evidently helping to pollute the Harpeth River. Cleaning up the Harpeth and other rivers in the area is something we do unfortunately hear about from time to time.

Meanwhile, in New York City, that city full of Yankees that redneck Southerners love to compare to evil incarnate, they have opened for business a $15.5 million public art project, "The Waterfalls", which Mayor Bloomberg expects to generate $55 million in economic activity. I know I sure would like to take a long weekend trip to the city and take one of the cruises past the 4 man-made "waters that fall". One is taller than the Statue of Liberty! For all the interesting information about this project, such as how the waterfalls work, visit http://www.nycwaterfalls.org/

"Water is very ephemeral," Mr. Eliasson said as his own falls made their debut. "It is full of dreams." Wish that Mayor Dean and the powers that be would dream that big about the Cumberland River and what the development of our riverfront could be for tourist dollars.