Retail sales were soft, energy prices were high and the disasters affected people in the Southeast.

He will be well received by furniture leaders as they get to know him and the energy and enthusiasm he will bring to the job.

Young people have more energy for those sorts of things. It's really lovely that we're all doing this reading because we don't do that many of them.

I learned as a politician that perception is reality for someone until they learn different, and we just need to continue to work hard to be sure we get the message out about our changes.

Las Vegas had an influence on this decision, but we have been studying a one-market pass since the authority was created (in February 2001). Our top priorities have been addressing transportation and hospitality issues, and now that we've made some headway in those areas, it was time to move ahead with a universal market pass.

You take it, you understand it, you learn from it and you pay attention to your own show.