A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand times the memory.

Don’t forget the St. Patrick’s Day Parade presented by the Olde Towne Slidell Association rolls today. The procession begins at 1 p.m. at Slidell City Hall.

Have a great ride/walk, y’all. Shortly after the parade, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., The Topcats will kick off the City of Slidell’s Spring 2010 Bayou Jam concert series in Heritage Park. Admission is free.

For 26 years, the 2005 Louisiana Music Hall of Fame inductees have served up an unpretentious, good-time mix of music that spans five decades worth of popular music trends, from ‘50s rock ‘n’ roll to psychedelic to new wave and alternative rock. Crowd favorites include “Brick House,” “Brown Eyed Girl,” and “Play That Funky Music.” In 2009, The Topcats were chosen Best Local Band in a New Orleans Magazine reader poll.

Plan to arrive a little early, actually at 5 p.m., when a special hometown presentation of the National League of Cities’ Gold Award for Municipal Excellence will take place. The City of Slidell received the first place award at the 86th Annual NLC Congress of Cities & Exposition for its cultural programming and cultural economy development.

In the event of inclement weather, check the news alert on the city’s website, www.slidell.la.us , or call 643-4375 for a recorded message with the latest information. Cancellation decisions will be made by 1 p.m. today.

In 1955, president Dwight D. Eisenhower suffered a heart attack. He was recuperating when Vice President Richard M. Nixon came to visit. “Mr. President,” Nixon said, “I am so sorry this happened. Is there anything I can do to help? Anything at all?”

Ike looked at him wanly and said, “You could get your foot off my oxygen tube.”

Terry Maddox is the publisher of St. Tammany News.