The Colonel's Forum

Ella and I are sitting in Hernando's Hideaway (the gazebo on our deck) this evening, listening to the 2 hours of New Orleans music that plays on Sirius channel 70 every Saturday night. We decided that we could come up with a pretty good list of things that one ought to do if one were seeking a slice of Americana. Here it is: Spend a Mardi Gras weekend in New Orleans, to include: Thursday night at the Rock-n-Bowl and Kermit Ruffins at Vaughan's , Friday plantation tour and an airboat ride on the bayou, Saturday parades and an evening at the Tropical Isle . Spend a Spring Saturday at Keeneland - ideally Bluegrass stakes weekend. Start the day with a tour of Woodford Reserve distillery, one of the better producers of "America's Native Spirit." Spend a Friday night on Broadway in Nashville. Spend a Saturday night in Chicago at Buddy Guy's and the Redhead Piano Bar Visit Phillip's harborplace crab house in Baltimore with some friends. Order stea...

It's quite possible that the most beautiful country song ever recorded was Willie Nelson's version of "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain." It's a tune that Fred Rose wrote in 1945, but no one had ever heard of it until Willie recorded it in 1975. Sometimes good songwriting skills just aren't enough - it takes a certain voice to deliver the message. Ask John Sumners or his wife Lisa - they know. This is part of the reason I absolutely despise American Idol. A good 90% of that show is a combination of awful songs performed by awful singers who have no sense of the true meaning of the lyrics. It certainly appeals to 15 year old girls and a frightening number of women my age, but it's just not a talent competition. It's a popularity contest which confirms to the world that Americans have no taste, as if there was room for doubt. On the latest season, they featured Niel Diamond as a guest artist. I know this because my wife will record all the episode...

Well, I have to say it was a successful memorial day weekend in Indianapolis. I took a first timer this year and I have to say I was very excited to see the crowds getting bigger rather than smaller at the speedway. Hopefully the new drivers and the merger of IRL and Champ Car will continue to improve the popularity of the sport. Plus it makes Saturday night on Georgetown road all that much more interesting. Three women started the race, but only one finished though, and it wasn't the one everyone wanted (Danica Patrick). Jim Nabors was back to sing "Back Home in Indiana" and I have to say I shed a tear. There is something to be said for tradition. There were over 400 military on hand too, which was great to see, and we certainly showed our appreciation. Today I'm off to NYC to begin wrapping up this latest project. I'm doing it as a one day trip, which means trusting that Delta won't leave me stranded in NY tonight. I'm also sporting a brand new D...

The disappointing, yet predictable outcome from the primary season (which is over, Hillary), is that these now infamous "working-class white voters" are racist. Of the Democrats surveyed leaving the polls in Kentucky yesterday who said that race was a factor in their decision (1 in 5), 90% of them voted for Hillary. Way to go Kentucky! Congratulations on confirming to the rest of the World that a great number of our citizens have not yet joined the 21st century! Way to vote for a sneaky, phony white woman, funded by special interests who's lived in Washington for 16 years now over an honest, intelligent black man who's a Washington outsider, who won't accept special interest money and might bring legitimate change to America. Let me summarize Hillary's strategy with these working-class white voters - "Lie." Tell unionized labor that you're going to save their jobs. Tell them you're going to cancel NAFTA because it's shipping American...

It stands for get out the vote. I learned that last week when I volunteered a day of my time to work for Barack Obama, the man I believe is the best choice for President. Spending a day working for a campaign was interesting. I made some phone calls and did some data entry for them, but what was more interesting was watching the real campaign workers in action. These were certainly some passionate volunteers who really believe that they have the ability to affect Senator Obama's showing in the Kentucky Democratic Primary today. I hope they are right. What really gets me is how many media outlets are comparing Kentucky with West Virginia. Yes, we both have coal mines, Appalachian poverty and, statistically, poor dental hygiene . Take a look at the Daily Show excerpt from West Virginia's primary day. Now, they can probably find some people like that in Kentucky, but those people moved here from West Virginia. Sadly, I think the march of Robo-Hillary will continue. I wond...

Attended an Indian engagement ceremony between my brother-in-law and his soon to be bride. Way cool. Ella got to wear a Sari - even cooler. Got to stay at the 4 seasons hotel in Atlanta while attending #1 above - highly civilized I'm still in between projects at work, which also means I'm bored out of my mind Hillary Clinton's KY Derby pick (the only filly in the field) broke both ankles and had to be put down after the race. By the end of this year, it appears I'll be working for Hewlett-Packard . My mom again secured Indy500 race tickets. I think this will be the 14th year that Joe and I have attended together. We had an outstanding crawfish boil thanks largely to the work of our chefs - Dennis and Diana Charles. In addition to the crawfish (80 lbs.) we had BBQ shrimp, alligator, and a gi-normous pot of jambalaya. We also killed a keg of Abita Amber. Life is good.