Edmonton fans are fantastic - very loyal. Fans like this help make the NHL what it is.

We will be working with professors to generate proposals. We won't simply look at what's out there and give them money, but will look for proposals that have specific automotive and, in Boeing's case, aerospace applications. We are really looking for proposals that will be relevant to both of us.

Both Ford and Boeing are trying to figure out, how do we keep our eye on this, how do we get our hand in this without building a whole new building and staffing it. The universities are really the primary place where technical research is done in this country -- some is done at national labs -- but the universities are really generally the first point where the basic research gets done.

Another benefit is we hope that the alliance with draw Ford and Boeing together even more so. We've learned a lot of valuable things from Boeing and they have from us over the years. This alliance will be a great way for us to start working together at universities.

It's a very important decision for him. He's been a member of the county legislature and Assembly most of his adult life. He has to look at this long and hard to see what his possibilities are of winning that seat.

In my view, Tom is the most worthy, not because he's a friend of mine but because he has the experience and he's a professional legislator. That's what the Assembly is, a legislative job.