WHO HAS THE POWER?

Have you ever tried to understand your Power Companies billing rate?!

Check out some of the rates/costs and how they are calculated, below: This is from my local power dealer. Let me inform you that each of these links open pages with more and more links.  Each of those links open “Laws” and “Regulations” that the power company must live by. I did as much reading as I could, thinking I might be able to write one condensed version of the "whats" and "whys" we are paying. Not a chance!

Conclusion: The government energy “Regulators,” who for the most part are made up of former Power Company cronies, has stacked the deck in favor of the Power Dealers. This is not surprising because most of those cronies make their money on investment/stocks their former company has given them. By the way, those same people have a fixed 15% tax rate (*See Mitt Romney, etc….)! Sorry, I digress. The real conclusion is…. These “rate regulations” have given Power Dealers a “Get out of Jail Free” card that allows them to fix rates based on confusing, real, and imagined numbers that always guarantee they will cover their costs and line their pocket books with guaranteed profits!  

What’s a person to do?

Be placated with the supposed concern the Power Dealers shows us by recommending ways to lower our energy bills! Hmmmm sounds reasonable.

Relax and just pay the bill. It’s just to hard to figure ‘em out so let us quietly be lead to slaughter.

Fight back! Hmmm, sounds like the American way. Although, the “American Way” now a days means we have to rely on our politicians. Heck, they’re the ones that got us here. No help there!

Find different ways to power our homes? Yup! What about solar? With solar power, panel manufacturers’ fighting to get cost down to $1 per watt from today’s’ average of $2.60 per watt and as retailers, and installers start dropping their prices due to the increase in sales, and taking in consideration that many States offer up to 50% in tax write offs for installing solar, it’s time for the American people to make the change!

Here is my personal estimated costs and return on investment: My home has a gas heater so my electric bill is low and I use all types of energy saving gadgets, in comparison to others.

I use apx, 400 kilowatt-hours a month: (remember that one 1 Kilowatt-Hour equals 1000 watts - For example, let's say you leave a 100-watt bulb running continuously (730 hours a month), and you're paying .15¢/kWh.  Your cost to run the bulb all month is 100 x 730hr ÷ 1000 x 15¢ = $10.95. (P.S. my projection of cost per kWh $.15 includes all the fees the power company adds into my bill.)

Building the most up-to-date solar panel system for my needs, on my roof, I’ll spend apx $18,000.

If power prices continue to stay at $.15 per kWh (which you can bet they won’t) the system pays for itself in 7.25 years.

Now let’s include the tax rebates and incentives offered by the government and power company:

50%! I found 3 ways to receive deductions that will total almost $9,000! Now my cost is only $9,000!

That means it will take 3.63 years to break even! Then, as they say, "I'm off the grid!"

That’s for an “Off the Grid” system. Meaning it’s only powering my home not a system that feeds into “Consumers Power” which has them paying me for excess energy that I add into their system! I get $.65 per kilowatt hour I send back to them! (of course there is lots of red-tape and this and that exclusions etc…. but, I figure that by the time I pay for a new Meter and the add-ons that they rip me off for, I’ll still get apx $.35 per kWh from them.) I won’t be sending them to much power, it will all depend on my monthly energy use and season of the year.  I will not get rich off selling them power, but I do get to "stick-it to ‘em!"

So check your energy bill, if your home or business is using more than 400 kWh a month, then you need to go solar!

Electric Rate Book 

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Residential Rates

General Service Rates - Secondary

General Service Rates - Primary

Customer Choice - Retail Open Access - Alternate Supplier Program

Surcharges, PSCR and Securitization

Extension Policy

Cogeneration

Streetlighting

Standard Customer Forms Index

Gas Rate Book 

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Gas Rate Book - Table of Contents

Residential Rates

General Service Rates

Transportation Rates

Customer Choice - Alternate Supplier Program

Gas Cost Recovery

Extension Policy - Customer Attachment Program

Standard Customer Forms Index

If you live in Canada, check out my friends at ethosolar.com

If you’re a fellow American, check out how you can calculate your energy saving by going solar at: http://www.find-solar.org/?page=solar-calculator (use the Price Installed $ amount at $6.00 per Watt DC, this is the nation’s average price of solar panels and installation per kWh needed)

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Social media is a way to reliably disperse your message

Social media is a way to reliably disperse your message to a group of people who want to hear what you have to say. When you have something good to say - you TELL them through your selected channels. At minimum, companies are becoming aware that they need to have conversations with their customers somehow.

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 If you’re looking to re-energize your Staff, inspire your Marketing Department or to encourage your Board to think “Out of the Box”, “The Stephen James Comedy Troupe Corporate Team Building” will work together with you in delivering the message you want to give! Team Building will always be a top priority for today's organizations. Building effective teamwork through interactive "Improv games" is one of “The Stephen James Comedy Troupe” (Corporate Team Training) greatest capabilities! And we make it so much FUN! CONTACT US AT:Email: stephenjamescomedy@gmail.com

Finding Your Life Passion!

Make a list of the things you do for fun, or that you really enjoy. Include in the list the parts of your job that you really like, the things you volunteer for. Example: Mentoring children (Working with your church or a community organization), type of sports, the arts (Music, painting, poetry, theater, ect.), organizing things (At work or home), reading, writing, meeting people, eating.

How do you choose to spend your free time?

This list is of your passions; the things that you love to do, or would do simply for the pleasure they bring you.

Now, write down the names of people that you admire, and why you admire them. For example, you might admire Patch Adams for choosing to step out of the traditional role of medicine and creating new ways of healing and connecting with his patients while also having fun. You might admire Oprah Winfrey for choosing to reveal her truth, at a time when concealing is the norm.

Name as many as you can think of. When you're done, look at the list and know that what you appreciate about others is also in you. You are attracted to these qualities, because they speak to you, and they speak to you, because they are a part of your path. This is your Attraction list.

Now, make a list of the things you do naturally without even thinking about it. (You may want to ask others for feedback, as it's common for them to see talents in us that we don't see ourselves) Such natural talents may be: an eye for detail, a great sense of humor, a nurturing side, the ability to focus intently, or being playful. (Consider also, the things you've done that have gotten you into trouble--oftentimes if you turn them around and look at the positive aspects of it, you'll find a gem of a natural talent that you previously hadn't appreciated)

These are your genius. Genius comes easily and profoundly, without needing to expend a lot of energy. Some people are geniuses at math or music; but there are lots of other types of genius as well. There are genius mothers, genius teachers, genius listeners, and genius independent thinkers.

We are meant to use our genius in service of our Life Purpose. 

Now, imagine you're a billionaire with no worries about money. What would you do? Add those things to the list, even if you don't do them now. This is your No Worries list.

Now look over your list of  Passions, Attraction, Genius and No Worries lists,

Let them all melt together.

You are now on your way to finding your Life Passion! Enjoy the ride!

If you’re looking to re-energize your Staff, inspire your Marketing Department or to encourage your Board to think “Out of the Box”, “The Stephen James Comedy Troupe Corporate Team Building” will work together with you in delivering the message you want to give! Team Building will always be a top priority for today's organizations. Building effective teamwork through interactive  "Improv games" is one of “The Stephen James Comedy Troupe” (Corporate Team Training) greatest capabilities! And we make it so much FUN! 

CONTACT US AT:Email: stephenjamescomedy@gmail.com 

Delegating work loads and how a lobster dinner taught me a lesson!

Delegating is one of the most important skills a person can have. Anytime there is a multiple of goals to be accomplished, a good business owner or manager needs to be able to delegate the work load, otherwise they will find themselves caught up in a tizzy with too much to do and not being able to focus on the tasks that require their specific skills.

Remember this scene from “When Harry met Sally”

Sally looks at Harry seductively, and begins to illustrate, in the middle of the busy restaurant, how easily women can convincingly fake an orgasm. With a loud and long display of pants, groans, gasps, hair ruffling, caresses, table poundings, and ecstatic releases, she yells: "Yes, Yes, YES! YES! YES!" The entire restaurant is quieted down and attentive to her realistic act. This is followed by the film's funniest punch line, delivered by another customer who tells the waitress, "I'll have what she's having"

Well, somehow in my mind I was able to connect this scene to leadership. Here’s the connection: when you go to the restaurant you are delegating the food peroration to someone better trained and experienced in cooking than you are. You profit by not having to spend the time preparing the food, setting up, cleaning up and you get a great meal to boot!

It’s the same thing with your business or organization. You have to delegate the work load: you’ve have orders to full, vendors calling, business lunches, clients to smooch, marketing meeting, advertising decisions, quality control problem, problems, problems, and problems!

Oh and don’t forget the EMPLOYEES:

Drug testing, background checks, employment verification, salary surveys, Social Security verification, employee payroll, new hire reporting, garnishment transfer and management, hiring, training, disciple, drafting of handbooks and policies, dispute resolution and more and more stuff!

I know you skipped reading all that stuff about employee management and so would I. It’s just too much to think about let alone actually manage. Sure you might have a HR department but wouldn’t be great to just wish it all away!

Find yourself a good experience staffing Vendor!

Delegate your staffing needs and benefit from others' experience, wisdom, thoughts and perspectives.

That’s why using an outside service for your Human Resources Department Training like those offered by The Stephen James Comedy Troupe" Improv Comedy: Staff and Corporate Training can let you rest assured that not only is your staff having some fun but their learning too. 

Why aren't you delegating?

You'll have more time and energy for the most important things.

You'll be supported by experienced people working together with you.

You'll get tasks done rather than adding them to your to-do list.

You'll achieve your goals in less time.

You’ll MAKE LIFE EASIER!

Plus, with the time and money you saved you can have yourself a beautiful lobster dinner!

If you’re looking to re-energize your Staff, inspire your Marketing Department or to encourage your Board to think “Out of the Box”, “The Stephen James Comedy Troupe Corporate Team Building” will work together with you in delivering the message you want to give! Team Building will always be a top priority for today's organizations. Building effective teamwork through interactive "Improv games" is one of “The Stephen James Comedy Troupe” (Corporate Team Training) greatest capabilities! And we make it so much FUN! CONTACT US AT:Email: stephenjamescomedy@gmail.com

Can Making Fun of Yourself, be Good for Business?

Our society does find self-deprecating humor endearing. We enjoy when others reveal their life failures. Especially if it’s relatable to our own. Yet, can making fun of your business have benefits?

We’re thinking that to a limited extent it can. Sure, you don’t want to make fun of your employees, product or services. But then again, you just might want to!

Try this one out, for a restaurant: We have the slowest service in town!! WITH THE TAG LINE: that’s because we make each order individually with loving care! (This shows that you care about the food you serve and teaches that excellent food takes time. Course, it could also be used to cover-up your poor service management! LOL)

Or

How about this one for a Rock Band: Don’t come out to hear us tonight, WITH THE TAG LINE: Cause we turn the volume up way to LOUD! (This might really discourage some attendees, but will energies others. Most likely, those that will make a special effort to come out, enjoy your show, and give you the best reviews!)

Now, what would it be like if a City used self-deprecating humor about itself? Let’s say a City like the one I live in, Flint, Michigan. Most all of you have heard of my city of Flint; Murder capital of the country, but we are hoping to get world ranking soon! The most dangerous city in the country, flax vests await you at our border! When we say, built Flint Tough, we’re not talking about the cars! All our sports teams are named the “Flames,” cause they really are on FIRE! Come to Flint, if you’re looking for a job! Everyone else is too!

Okay, okay, I could go on and on, and although this kind of humor does point a negative spotlight on my city, could it also be used to promote the City?

Could negative promotion create positive results? This might be a dangerous idea in promoting a city, especial, one that has been working so hard to destroy its negative image.

Let’s think about it. Could promoting our bad boy image to the country be used as cover while we actually improve our city?!  Could someday, the very people that laughed at our city actually begin to see that it is becoming a safe, honorable place to live?

Could exploiting our negative image allow us to laugh all the way to the bank? Could marketing our City’s “toughness”, be made profitable? Sad to say, I believe it could. Sad, because our country thrives on the bad boy image, the western shot’em up mentality, gansta want-a-be’s, and we could use that craze to make a profit!

I already regret writing this! Some of you will believe I’ve hit on a brilliant idea and actually go about implementing it. This is not what I want my City’s image to be. Not even for a PROFIT! NOT even if it cured our un-employment, not even if it put public services back on our streets.

Sometime the right way of doing things is the toughest way. We are FLINT, WE ARE TOUGH. 


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We Have to Change Our Ways!

As Tom Sumner (Flint resident and radio host) so pointedly explains in his story “Would I have the blues?” that there are two kinds of people. Those that think the glass is half full (Positive thinkers) and those that think the glass is half empty (Negative thinkers). He submits that there’s a third group of people, those that say, “Hey can we get some more water in this glass over here?!”

The Positive Thinkers, or the doers, are always doing their best with what they have and the “Negtivos”, are those that complain about what they do have, both have one thing in common, limited resources.

Aren’t “resources” the number one need of any business? Be it tangible resources like products to sell or intangible resources like ideas for a new product to sell. Business is about “resource availability”.

Crap, even a genius like Einstein had limited resources. He might have understood the math but could he host a radio show like Tom Sumner does, or create an advertising campaign like The Spencer Agency can? Could Einstein make a delicious sandwich like Tracy Whipley of the Lunch Studio can make? I don’t think so. (Okay, so maybe Einstein could make a great sandwich, but resource data is limited on the subject!)

That’s why growing a business or keeping a business open is about gathering resources.

What resource is your company missing?

Maybe you need a spoke person for your business, maybe a new advertising campaign to boost sales, maybe new recipes for the menu, maybe someone to do your employee hiring and training.

STOP!

Here is some help!

If you’re looking to re-energize your Staff, inspire your Marketing Department or to encourage your Board to think “Out of the Box”, “The Stephen James Comedy Troupe Corporate Team Building” will work together with you in delivering the message you want to give! Team Building will always be a top priority for today's organizations. Building effective teamwork through interactive "Improv games" is one of “The Stephen James Comedy Troupe” (Corporate Team Training) greatest capabilities! And we make it so much FUN! CONTACT US AT:Email: stephenjamescomedy@gmail.com

100% Funny Business Friday

What makes life 100%? 

Ever wonder about those people who say they are giving more than 100%?

We have all been to those meetings where someone wants more than 100%.

How about achieving 103%?

Here's a little math that might prove helpful.

If:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

is represented as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

then:

H A R D W O R K
8 1 18 4 23 15 18 11 = 98%

K N O W L E D G E
11 14 15 23 12 5 4 7 5 = 96%

but:

A T T I T U D E
1 20 20 9 20 21 4 5 = 100%

and:
B U L L S H I T
2 21 12 12 19 8 9 20 = 103%

So, it stands to reason that hard work and knowledge will get you close,
attitude will get you there, but bullshit will put you over the top.

And look how far this will take you...

A S S K I S S I N G
1 19 19 11 9 19 19 9 14 7 = 118%

Think about it... and have a nice day at work... :) 

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