All joking aside folks, it’s becoming increasing difficult for folks to find more positive reinforcement of principles and values that we all have instilled in us.  You know those things that have taken ordinary folks and enabled then to do extraordinary things.  You remember the old saying of the philosopher Plato, ”Necessity is the mother of invention.”  If that is truly the case, could Poverty bethe mother of necessity?  Then could it be further assumed that invention may have been planted in necessity’s belly by inspiration.  Food for thought! 

Yeah I know, so many questions, so few answers.  But what I do know is that there is a winner or at least winning traits in each of us!  Unfortunately most of us never really utilize or perform to our full potential.  But if you examine successful people you will find that each possess similar traits.  In fact, I recently re-read an article from 2002 by Jeffery J. Mayer on the traits of successful people. 

I thought that I would hopefully help inspire you today by sharing those 13 characteristics of successful people!  Mayer spent years researching and studying successful folks.  The reason for posting these is for us to re-examine ourselves and realize that we possess many of these characteristics yourself.  Sure…some of these talents and skills are more dominant than other but the ones we find the easiest to excel at are considered our “strengths.”   

When you find you need a skill or talent you don’t have, just go out and look for a person or group of people with the skills, talents, and training you need.  These are the skills and talents that would complement your own. These people will become your teammates, colleagues, co-workers, professional advisors, and friends. With these combined skills and talents you, and even the organization or company you work for will exponentially grow, prosper, and become successful. 

These are the five things you’ll find every successful person has in common:

1. They have a dream.

2. They have a plan.

3. They have specific knowledge or training.

4. They’re willing to work hard.

5. They don’t take no for an answer.

Remember: Success begins with a state of mind. You must believe you’ll be successful in order to become a success.

The following is a list of the skills, talents, and characteristics you’ll find in successful people:

1. Successful People Have a Dream.

They have a well-defined purpose. They have a definite goal. They know what they want. They aren’t easily influenced by the thoughts and opinions of others. They have willpower. They have ideas. Their strong desire brings strong results. They go out and do things that others say can’t be done.

Remember:

It only takes one sound idea to achieve success.

Remember:

People who excel in life are those who produce results, not excuses. Anybody can come up with excuses and explanations for why he hasn’t made it. Those who want to succeed badly enough don’t make excuses.

2. Successful People Have Ambition.

They want to accomplish something. They have enthusiasm, commitment, and pride. They have self-discipline. They’re willing to work hard and to go the extra mile. They have a burning desire to succeed. They’re willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Remember:

With hard work come results. The joy in life comes with working for and achieving something.

3. Successful People Are Strongly Motivated Toward Achievement.

They take great satisfaction in accomplishing a task.

4. Successful People Are Focused.

They concentrate on their main goals and objectives. They don’t get sidetracked. They don’t procrastinate. They work on the projects that are important, and don’t allow those projects to sit until the last minute. They’re productive, not just busy.

5. Successful People Learn How to Get Things Done.

They use their skills, talents, energies, and knowledge to the fullest extent possible. They do the things that need to be done, not just the things they like to do. They are willing to work hard and to commit themselves to getting the job done.

Remember:

Happiness is found in doing and accomplishing, not in owning and possessing.

6. Successful People Take Responsibility for Their Actions.

They don’t make excuses. They don’t blame others. They don’t whine and complain.

7. Successful People Look for Solutions to Problems.

They’re opportunity minded. When they see opportunities they take advantage of them.

8. Successful People Make Decisions.

They think about the issues and relevant facts, give them adequate deliberation and consideration, and make a decision. Decisions aren’t put off or delayed, they’re made now!

SuccessTip:

Spend more time thinking and planning before you make your decision, and you’ll make better decisions.

SuccessTip:

When you don’t get the expected results from the decision you’ve made, change your course of action. Decisions should never be carved in stone.

9. Successful People Have the Courage to Admit They’ve Made a Mistake.

When you make a mistake, admit it, fix it, and move on. Don’t waste a lot of time, energy, money, and/or other resources trying to defend a mistake or a bad decision.

Remember:

When people are wrong, they may admit it to themselves. If they are handled gently and tactfully, they may admit it to others and even take pride in their frankness and broad-mindedness. But people become very defensive and angry when others try to cram their mistakes down their throats.

10. Successful People Are Self-Reliant.

They have the skills, talents, and training that are needed in order to be successful.

11. Successful People Have Specific Knowledge, Training, and/or Skills and Talents.

They know the things they need to know to be successful. And when they need information,

knowledge, or skills and talents that they don’t possess, they find someone who does possess them.

12. Successful People Work with and Cooperate with Other People.

They have positive, outgoing personalities. They surround themselves with people who offer them help, support, and encouragement. They are leaders.

13. Successful People Are Enthusiastic.

They’re excited by what they’re doing, and that excitement is contagious. They draw people to them because these people want to work with them, do business with them, and be with them.

Get re-focused, re-energized and go after the life and things that you want to achieve with a renewed vigor.  See you at the top…Success will be there waiting on you! 

However, as you probably know many properties are not valued at what they were last year!  Needless to say, I’m sure I’d be beating a dead horse if I rehashed the reasons your property may not be worth what it was last year.  So I’ll save us both the agony.  What I will disclose to you is that according to the current appeals process if you think that the value of your home differs from the Assessors “Notice of Value”  You can file a written appeal of that notice of value.  

Folks….you better do it quick, the deadline is Thursday, June 17, 2010! 

For more information on the appeal process go to:

http://www.fayettecountyga.gov/assessors_office/appeals.htm

Contact Information:

Tax Assessors’ Office
Stonewall Administrative Complex
140 Stonewall Avenue West
Suite 108
Fayetteville, Georgia 30214
770.305.5402

Chief Appraiser / Director
Joel T. Benton - jbenton@fayettecountyga.gov

Commercial / Industrial Property
Sonya Kennedy – skennedy@fayettecountyga.gov

Personal Property / Mobile Homes
Kathleen Maddox - kmaddox@fayettecountyga.gov

Residential Property
Walter Ponder - wponder@fayettecountyga.gov

So what has all this to do with homes, mortgages, and the economy?  Absolutely nothing!  However, I wanted to take a minute and give some recognition to our son who through hard work, courage, tenacity, and just sheer athletic ability has managed in 4 years to make a huge mark on the track and field community.  

All bragging aside, Elliott is the poster guy for a true Academic All-American!  This year he has won both the SEC Indoor and Outdoor Championship.  Did I mention that he keep a 3.5 grade point average?  Last week he just posed another win by taking Regionals.  His event….Pole Vaulting.  Yeah, maybe this event is not as popular as the 100 meter sprints but you try running down the track with a pole and jumping 18 feet over a bar.  But you have to really know Elliott to understand this kids heart and what he is actually made of.  Not only does he have the heart of a champion, he has a strong sense of family….which by the way is pretty big and diverse.     

Recently, Elliott was recognized by ESPN the Magazine for making 1st Team Academic All District.  I have attached that article. 

Elliott Haynie Repeats As ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-District Senior pole vaulter earns honor for third consecutive season

COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina senior track member Elliott Hayniehas been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III First Team, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Friday. The bid marks the third consecutive season that Haynie earned first team honors by the organization.

To be eligible for Academic All-District honors, student-athletes must hold at least a 3.3 grade point average and be a sophomore in academic and athletic standing. Haynie is now eligible to become an Academic All-American, an honor he has earned each of the past two seasons.

Haynie established himself as the SEC’s premier pole vaulter this season in winning the SEC Indoor and Outdoor titles. He is the first double-crown winner in Gamecock history and currently holds the South Carolina outdoor record at 17′10 ½ (5.45m). He posted the top qualifying mark at last week’s NCAA East Preliminary Round and will look to medal at the finals next week. During the indoor season, Haynie earned his first All-America citation in a Gamecock uniform after placing ninth at the NCAA Indoor Championships. A transfer from Gardner-Webb, Haynie was a four-time Atlantic Sun champion in his two years in Boiling Springs.

South Carolina travels to Eugene, Ore., next week to compete at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The final meet of the 2010 season will be held June 9-12 at Heyward Stadium on the campus of the University of Oregon.

Hey Georgians…..the other purpose for writing this post was to acknowledge all the other student athletes that are making their contibutions to sports.  These athletes and standouts rightfully deserve the opportunity and the continued support of family and friends.  Folks, its’ mandatory that we keep our kids engaged and support music, sports, and other extra-curricular activities that assist with the development of our kids so that can reach their full potential.  Our governments and boards are slowly eliminating the resources for these activities due to budget cuts and dwindling tax revenues. 

Elliott started out as a small town kid from Fairburn, Georgia with big dreams and aspirations.  Another kid from Elliott’s high school (Creekside) saw his dream become a reality recently as he was drafted by the NFL in the first round by the Kansas City Chiefs.  Congrats to you too, Eric Berry and your family.  Eric played football in high school with one of my other son.  In fact, Eric’s siblings were named after Elliott and his twin Evan.   Evan & Elliott Berry are fast become local and national sport celebrities in both football and track and field. 

It all started with the desire and a dream…….Who’s Next!!!!  Could it be your kid? 

Congrats Elliott and Good Luck at Nationals!

Hey Peachtree City…..as you know I have been pretty vocal in communicating with our elected officials here in Georgia about issues related to fiscal responsibility, financial reform, and housing recovery.  As a result, I have received personal correspondences from our Senators and well as now receiving emails blasts related to their actions and activities related on these same issues. 

Recently, I received an email that contained the latest press release from Senator Johnny Isackson expounding on the Senate’s passage of his amendment to the financial reform bill which was co-sponsored by Senator Mary Landrieu, a Democrat from Louisiana.  Flashback to April 22, 2009, the Senate passed an amendment by Isakson to the senate version of the financial fraud bill to create the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission.  President Obama signed the Bill into law shortly after on May 29, 2009.  

Just so you know, the Senate passed the Financial Reform Bill legislation on Thursday, May 20, 2010 by a vote of 59 - 39.  Sen. Isakson voted  a resounding NO!  Now, I would also be remiss if I did not state that I am a Realtor and not a politician.  Folks, I’m not taking sides with any elected official or political party on this issue.  This post is simply to give you a factual accounting of the actions of our electorate.  Whatever your opinion is on the actions of each of our elected official is a representation of your beliefs and convictions which can and should be voiced directly to them either or both personally and by the power of your vote. 

I have attached Senator Isacson’s press release for you to review.  By the way he voted NO to the Bill because he felt that it significantly left out the concerns of main street as well as the two major protagonist to the financial crisis saga….Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac. 

What will be the impact of this new fiscal reform legislation?  What impact and implications will it have on you and our economy?  Stay tuned and stay engaged America!  The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission report is also due out December 15, 2010. 

This doc is suppose to cover what happened as well as present recommendations to prevent another crisis of this proportion from ever happening again.  The Financial Reform Bill is to be reconciled with the House version that passed in December and will more than likely be signed on or by July 4th of this year by Mr. Obama. 

Dear Mr. Saunders:

           As someone who has contacted me in the past about housing issues, I would like to share the following press release with you. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 13, 2010

 Isakson Praises Unanimous Passage of His Amendment to Strengthen Sound Mortgage Lending

WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today praised the Senate’s unanimous passage of his amendment to the financial reform bill that would require regulators to establish a category of well-underwritten loans and to exempt banks from retaining risk in those loans that regulators determine are safely securitized.

“Risk retention is not the cure-all to good lending. Underwritingis,” said Isakson, who spent more than three decades in the real estate industry. “We’re not going back to making zero down, interest-only, reverse amortization loans anymore. But we are going back to the good old days where there is a down payment, where there’s skin in the game, where there’s an income-to-debt ratio and where the borrower is qualified to borrow the money that they’re borrowing. The only risk retention that will be required is when somebody is making a bad loan, which means people will stop making bad loans.” 

The current bill did not ensure an exemption for mortgages that are safely securitized. Without an explicit exemption for such well-underwritten mortgages, Isakson believes the bill’s one-size-fits-all requirements would have reduced consumer choice, increase the cost of credit and cost our economy jobs. 

His amendment, which he offered with Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., would require regulators to establish a category of well-underwritten loans called “Qualified Residential Mortgages” that would be exempt from the risk retention requirements in the bill. To define a “Qualified Residential Mortgage,” regulators would use back-to-basics underwriting and product features proven to reduce consumer defaults, such as requiring documentation of income, setting reasonable payment-to-income ratios and prohibiting the use of features such as negative amortization.

By creating a regulatory “gold standard” for well-underwritten mortgages, Isakson believes the qualified mortgage safe harbor strengthens sound lending behavior within the primary market for qualified mortgages while discouraging excessive risk taking in the non-qualified sector through risk retention.

The amendment was endorsed by the American Bankers Association, Community Mortgage Banking Project, Community Mortgage Lenders of America, Housing Policy Council, Independent Community Bankers of America, Mortgage Bankers Association, Mortgage Insurance Companies of America, National Association of Homebuilders and Real Estate Services Providers Council, Inc. 
 

Sincerely,
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator

I guess it really depends on who you ask!  Most Realtors and Brokers I speak with are basically “cautiously optimistic.”  Folks, it was estimated that over 4 million Buyers will eventually be able to take advantage of the tax credit.  That number also include approximately 1 million “induced” buyers.  So what does that mean you say?  I presume that would mean that the other 3 million may have bought a home regardless of the tax credit.  I even saw a news report recently that focused on home buyers who did not care about the tax credit because they feel that with the glut of homes on the market Sellers are reducing their prices and the savings are now more profound. 

Okay, before you throw this initiative under the bus, let’s examine the data.  Many homeowners were experiencing mass fluctuation in home prices to the tune of trillions of dollars in lost equity through 2009.  Of course those plummeting home prices was the pin to puncture the bubble.  However, there were indications that home values not only took a dive but were “over-correcting.”  Experts have surmised that had it not been for the tax credit we may have seen another 10% to 15% drop in home values.  So can it be assumed that the tax credit actually help stabilize home values?

Hmmm…..I guess we will have to wait for the results as folks eligible for the program will be closing those deals through June 30th.   However, one thing I can agree on is that it at least boost confidence in a recovery.  That “perception” may prove to be a big part of the stimulus to our economy. 

I won’t be naive however and believe that we are out of the trenches yet.  In April there was a record 92,432 bank repos up 45% from 2009 and up 1% from March.  There were an additional 333,837 Foreclosure filings including default and auction notices.  That correlates to 1 out of every 387 US households. 

Hey, did you know that Fannie Mae has requested an $8.4 billion dollar bailout after losing $13.1 billion in the 1st quarter of 2010.  If you are keeping tabs that’s approximately $85 billion to date.  Just 4 days earlier Fannie’s twin Freddie asked for another $10.6 billion after posting $8 billion dollars in first quarter losses.  By the way folks, your Congress this past December lifted the limits on the twins so you probably won’t have to worry about them running out of funding.  Additionally, the next time you see your Senator maybe you can ask him why they are contemplating a financial reform bill that addresses bailouts but there is no mention of Fannie or Freddie.  Yes America…we have some work to do. 

I don’t have the answers but here are some critical ingredients to the recipe.  To start we need corporate investors to step in and replace the Federal Reserve buying mortgage backed securities.  We need a trend of stabilization of home values and a reduction in the of number of foreclosures flooding the market.  You might as well add in some sweetener like holding down interest rate.  But I suspect the catalyst that will get our economy to rise again will be getting folks back to work.  In Georgia the unemployment rate is 10.6%.  That more than the national average which is now 9.7%.     

In the grand scheme of things I don’t think you have to be a genius or Economist to know that the recovery of our economy is tied to the housing market.  Eyes wide shut America…..Wake Up!!!

However, what you may not have know is that there were different guidelines for member of the military and certain other federal employees:

• Members of the military and certain other federal employees serving outside the U.S. have an extra year to buy a principal residence in the U.S. and qualify for the credit. Thus, an eligible taxpayer must buy, or enter into a binding contract to buy, a principal residence on or before April 30, 2011. If a binding contract is entered into by that date, the taxpayer has until June 30, 2011, to close on the purchase. Members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service and employees of the intelligence community are eligible for this special rule. It applies to any individual (and, if married, the individual’s spouse) who serves on qualified official extended duty service outside of the United States for at least 90 days during the period beginning after Dec. 31, 2008, and ending before May 1, 2010.

• In many cases, the credit repayment (recapture) requirement is waived for members of the uniformed services, members of the Foreign Service and employees of the intelligence community. This relief applies where a home is sold or stops being the taxpayer’s principal residence after Dec. 31, 2008, in connection with government orders received by the individual (or the individual’s spouse) for qualified official extended duty service. The credit is still allowable even if this happens during the year of purchase. Qualified official extended duty is any period of extended duty while serving at a place of duty at least 50 miles away from the taxpayer’s principal residence (whether inside or outside the U.S.) or while residing under government orders in government quarters. Extended duty is defined as any period of duty pursuant to a call or order to such duty for a period in excess of 90 days or for an indefinite period.

For more information:

http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=215594,00.html

Okay, I’ve heard all the excuses why folks have not sent their in yet.  If you have a legitimate one, I’d like to add it to the list and make your voice heard.  However, just so you know….this information is mandated by law.  Additionally, the law required that all census data be returned by April 1st.  By the way, that why they have that question there about how many people will reside at your particular address as of April 1st. 

Just for the record, I’m not the one to come down on anyone about doing their civic duty and by no means are you alone. The fact is that between 48% and 50% of people have yet to send in their 10 question form.  So what does that mean you say?  Well…for sure you can expect one of thousands of census people hired to come knocking on your door.  If security is an issue with you please be advised that Title 13 of the US Code protects your information with criminal prosecution (up to 5 years in jail) and penalties of up to $250,000 or both.      

All jesting aside folks, approximately $450 billion dollars in federal taxpayer dollars are on the line.  The census will help determine how that federal money will be spent.  Of course, representation is another matter based on census data.  However, that is a whole different matter that we may discuss in more detail during another post. 

For more information: http://www.census.gov/

But like they say….”We can’t move forward until you mail it back!” 

As of January 1 of every year, it is the responsibility of the Fayette County Board of Assessors to fairly and uniformly establish a value of “real” and “personal” property throughout the entire County, at what is known as “fair market value” — the value one would be able to sell the property for. This appraisal process ensures that all property owners pay only their proportionate share of tax. In May of each year, the Office of the Assessors mails a “Notice of Value” to all taxpayers whose value has increased from the previous year. This document is commonly known as an “Assessment Notice”. If the notice a taxpayer receives declares a value for property that is higher than the taxpayer believes is valid, the taxpayer can file a written appeal of that value within 45 days of the date of the Assessment notice from the County. Georgia law sets out a specific process that occurs whenever a taxpayer files an appeal.

Additionally, and as a prerequisite to filing an appeal, there is a period of time each year, from January 1 through April 1, when a taxpayer can file a “Return of Value” with the Tax Commissioner’s Office. This is an opportunity for a taxpayer to inform the County that he/she has a different opinion of the value of a property than the value the County established for that property in the previous year. This process can be used whenever a taxpayer has made changes to his/her property or if he/she simply disagrees with the value the County has declared. Filing a Return of Value entitles the taxpayer to a review of the value(s) established by the Assessors’ Office and results in an Assessment notice being sent to the taxpayer after the review process is completed.

You may download a copy of the “Return of Value Form at:

https://etax.dor.ga.gov/ptd/adm/forms/pt50r/LGS_TAXPAYERS_RETURN_OF_REAL_PROPERTY_PT50R.pdf

If the review process still results in a disagreement between the taxpayer and the Assessors’ Office, the Assessment Notice is a required part of the process if the taxpayer wishes to further pursue an adjustment in the value a written appeal must be filed within 45 days of the date of the Assessment Notice.

The process for filing an appeal in a property tax matter is complex. Each year requires specific action by the County and by each taxpayer. It is wise to carefully review any document received from the Office of the or the Office of the Tax Commissioner. If you believe an error has occurred, it is important to immediately contact the appropriate office to learn how to have your tax information reviewed. State law establishes rigid deadlines that local tax officials do not have the authority to change.

For more information about the property taxes in Fayette County, visit the Tax Commissioners site at www.fayettecountytaxcomm.com .

Hey Peachtree City…..facing a projected shortfall of $757,128 for fiscal year 2010-2011 and a projected $621,674 shortfall in the current year’s budget…..Peachtree City Council is looking at making some tough decisions.  Officials are not only contemplating using reserve funds but also projecting tax increases.  City staffers are projecting a .269 mill property tax hike for fiscal year 2010-2011 which begins on October 1st.  This increase would be equivalent to a $26.90 property tax increase for homes with a fair market value of $250,000.

There will be multiple opportunities for public discussion on these matters as Council and City officials work on budget recommendation set to be presented in June.   Staffers project an increase in the city budget from the projected revised figure for this year of $26.541 million to a tune of $29.881 million in Fiscal year 2014.

As the City addresses the anticipated shortfalls in the current year’s budget, all directors have been instructed to look for 2.5% cuts in their budgets.   The city will undoubtedly use reserve funds but it should be noted that even doing Peachtree City’s reserve coffers will still be relatively in good shape.  The city’s reserve fund should ideally be at 20 percent of the annual uses of funds for the city.

The worst shortfall this year for city revenues comes from recreation program fees, which are down $200,000 from projections. The city has also taken hits in electric franchise tax ($139,000); interest earnings ($148,513); city court fines ($128,500) and building permits ($113,052).

The economic downturn has not only impacted home values but also the City’s ability to attract and retain commercial business, corporations, and retailers.  

Studies show that for retail, Peachtree City’s vacancy rate so far in 2010 is 11 percent of available retail space, down from 13 percent for 2009 and up from a rate of 7 percent in 2008.  There are currently 1.91 million square feet of available retail space inside Peachtree City, of that 218,054 square feet are currently vacant.

The two oldest village shopping centers Glenloch & Aberdeen Villages are suffering the most from the economic downturn.  Glenloch Village has a 48 percent vacancy rate. Aberdeen Village hosts a vacancy rate of 22 percent.

The City’s industrial park is not doing much better.  Peachtree City has more that 1.4 million square feet in the industrial park.  Approximately 47 percent of space available is currently unoccupied.  Approximately 318,000 square feet of that space is represented by the ghost of the PhotoCircuits Company which was once one of the county’s largest employers. 

My wife was a former employee of PhotoCircuits and estimated that the business has been closed down since about 2003 or so.  The city also still has 473.23 acres of empty industrially zoned land available, same as last year, the study shows.

As Albert Einstein once stated, “In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. ”  There is plenty opportunity for many of us to contribute for which that much has been given.

Hey Peachtree City…..did you watch 60 Minutes?  Well maybe you aren’t an Andy Rooney loyalist but just in case you missed it, there was an interesting interview by Leslie Stahl on a fuel cell start up company called “Bloom Energy.”  In fact the San Jose-based company is having a launch party on Wednesday.  There has been quite a bit of stealth around this company but for some reason they decided to unveil and reveal its secret on 60 Minutes.

So what’s all the fuss about?  How about maybe the next biggest breakthrough for clean energy?  What we did find out was that the Bloom Energy company had created the “Bloom Box” proposed to replace our current grids.  The box is a refrigerator-sized fuel cell that can produce energy from almost any fuel source including biofuels, natural gas, and fossil fuel by mixing them with oxygen to create a chemical reaction.  Bloom Boxes would eventually replace our power plants because they can literally produce electricity right on site. 

Additionally, during the 60 Minutes piece there were interviews with Bloom’s CEO K.R. Sirdhar who is an actual aerospace engineer!  His concept was developed initially to create oxygen on Mars.  Sirdhar stated that he felt confident that in the next 5 to 10 years every home would have a Bloom Box.  An astonished Stahl asked what seemed to be the next logical question.  “What would be the cost?  Sirdhar smiled and replied,”…less than $3,000 per home.”

Okay….they got my full attention now!  But who in the heck is the capital behind this behemoth potential life changing, Nobel Prize winning project?  Well, it seems that it is the same guys that saw the potential in a small promising company back in 1999.  KPC&B was part of the investment capital team that sunk $25 million into a company called….GOOGLE!  This Silicon Valley venture capital firm known as Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is a major investor in the company and Bloom Energy is the company’s first cleantech investment. 

What kind of investment was required for this project?  Bloom’s CEO K.R. Sridhar confirmed on 60 minutes that rumors about the company raising $400 million were “in the ballpark.”  John Doerr of KPC&B barely flinched when Stahl asked about the size of his company’s investment in Bloom.  Oh, did I forget to mention that Colin Powell now sits on the Board of Director.  Can you say….cha-ching!

But wait…..there’s more!!  The Bloom Boxes are actually being tested by some pretty large companies.  GOOGLE has been testing the boxes for 18 months.  EBAY has had the boxes for 9 months and claims to have saved $100,000 in energy costs!  The list of Bloom Box recipients trying out these fuel cells includes Wal-Mart, Staples, and FEDx.  Just in case you didn’t notice…all these are California-based companies that can also take advantage of tax credits.  So with that being said, the cost of these boxes ($700,000 to $800,000) have been cut almost in half. 

So what about the byproduct(s) of this invention like greenhouse gases?  I don’t know and there has been little said but it would seem like there are more efficiencies than what we have right now.  It also should be noted that I’m not really sure if the box out in our yards will read Bloom energy.  I’m thinking more like GE!!!