The Colonel's Forum

Here's what you need to know about Delhi: skip it. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that's true for most major cities in India. After spending 3 days there, I can't see any reason to visit unless you're there on business (like I was) or you're a diplomat (which I guess means you'd be there on business anyway). Delhi is bigger and "nicer" than Bangalore. By that I mean less trash in the streets, fewer stray dogs and cows, better roads, a metro/subway system, a spectacular airport. These things are all nice, but they don't make for anything particularly impressive in the sight-seeing department. I was able to go see "India Gate" which is apparently a major tourist attraction. It celebrates India's independence. It looks like the Arc du Triomphe in Paris, but it's smaller, less ornate, and surrounded by beggars and a SWAT team who expects a terrorist attack at any moment. They spend so much time posing for photos with tou...

After spending 3 days there, I decided it's time for some reflection. Bangalore is a city of contrasts. I'm told that's quite common in India, but it's new to me. The airport is 40km from the city center, so it's a haul just to get into town. There's one road, and it's awful, even by Indian standards. I say that as a former resident of New Orleans, mind you. This road had so many "diversions" (detours) around pockets of construction that our route was probably twice as long due to all the zig zagging. I suppose the construction is a positive sign, but let's talk about that for a moment. Construction is everywhere in Bangalore. Every block, every street, downtown, the suburbs. There seems to be 6,394 buildings going up, all of this are 20% complete. I'm no structural engineer, but it appears to me that none of them are being worked on. At all. It's like they lay a foundation and stack some cinder blocks for walls, then leave. Same is ...

Vincent Vega told us in pulp fiction that "they have the same stuff in Europe that they have in the US, it's just the little differences." There are a few things about European airports that I love. #1, they're quiet. No CNN blasting at you from every gate. No PA announcements on the shuttle bus. They're literally quiet. It's lovely. #2) Proper toilets. For whatever reason, in America we've come to accept bathroom stalls that offer slightly less privacy than standing in the middle of Grand Central Station. Partitions neither reach the floor or the ceiling; doors and corners have gaps wide enough to pass someone a roll of toilet paper. It is in this environment that Americans answer nature's call. Even the worst airports in Europe have stalls with 4 real walls and a proper door. After 8 hours on a plane, one appreciates this difference. Also, the Air France club lounge was spectacular. It was huge, modern, calm, and the food and drink were amazing. Bo...

Trying this one again. First post failed when I tried to attach the champagne pic.

At the Air France lounge. 8 wines on draft, fresh croissants, and mushroom and onion omelettes. These guys don't mess around.

This is my favorite feature at the Detroit airport; a water feature that resembles a 3d airline flight map. Behind it is a 747. The picture doesn't do justice to its scale. I'm flying a KLM 747 home from Delhi to Amsterdam.

As in, 1 of 9.

On my way to India!

We continue to deal with the topic of gun "control" here in the US, and I think it's a national embarrassment. It's certainly a complicated issue, but at the same time there is a real lack of logic in the arguments offered up on both sides of the issue. The key driver behind the lack of reasoned debate on the topic is an anachronistic interpretation of the 2nd amendment. This amendment was part of our bill of rights, the first 10 amendments to the constitution, in September of 1789. At the time, the weapon of choice was a smooth-bore flint-lock musket, with a rate of fire of 3 rounds per minute (if you were a skilled shooter). Its effective range is 75-100 meters, again, only if you're a good shot. Just 6 years earlier (1783) we defeated a tyrannical British government to claim our own independence. So there were legitimate concerns about a need for the people to be able to defend themselves from a tyrannical government. In the 224 years that have passed, ...