This past spring I followed through on a promise to my daughter to take the family to the Kentucky Derby. We did not get into Millionaire's Row (more like Pauper's Row), but we did get in and we did see the race. We spent some time in the infield and I was amazed at how fast those horses run when you are up close to them. Standing near the third turn, we watched as they approached and then flew by.
This year, 2005, is kind of like the Kentucky Derby. We started out with cautious optimism about business and world affairs, hoping that it would be markedly better than the previous year. Most of our industry friends were less than thrilled with 2004. Gradually, we have seen some signs of life on the U.S. economy and also more opportunity for U.S. business to reach into foreign markets.