We did such a great job of creating the interstate highway system in Oklahoma City that we don't have traffic congestion. You can actually get a speeding ticket during rush hour in the city. That's how great our traffic flows.

We had a branding problem. We have allowed ourselves to be branded by our tragedies. If you said 'Oklahoma City,' chances are the next word out of your mouth was 'bombing.'

People look for their leadership to lead.

People in Oklahoma don't wake up every morning wondering what the government is going to do for them.

The bottom line is that we have entered an age when local communities need to invest in themselves. Federal and state dollars are becoming more and more scarce for American cities. Political and civic leaders in local communities need to make a compelling case for this investment.

If your city's being populated by highly educated twentysomething s with choices, you're probably going to succeed.

It is not OK for anyone to be obese. There needs to be a cultural shift.