Inspiring visions rarely (I'm tempted to say never) include numbers.

'In Search of Excellence' - even the title - is a reminder that business isn't dry, dreary, boring, or by the numbers. Life at work can be cool - and work that's cool isn't confined to Tiger Woods, Yo-Yo Ma, or Tom Hanks. It's available to all of us and any of us.

Rarely do you see a pistol.

Our respective governments have very different visions for the hemisphere.

I don't know if the Red Oak numbers include their annexation to Interstate 45 or not. The annexation is currently being challenged in court so that number could change.

So far, our numbers look to be about the same as last year, if you subtract the 300 or so kids from Hurricane Katrina. We won't have our true count until early October.