We knew it had to eventually happen. Honda just yesterday announced the new FCX that runs off of a hydrogen fuel cell and an electric motor. You can read the story about the announcement for all the details.

It’s a great concept and couldn’t come at a better time (for marketing and consumer demand), but they’re unfortunately only going to produce about 200 units over the next three years, and then only in Japan and California. So for most of us it’ll be a little ways off until we can get our hands on one, but it’s about time that we can actually see the ball rolling in that direction.

1. With school this fall fast approaching, there are a lot of things that need to get done before then, not the least of which being the need to get our house rented out. I’ve been in touch with a property management company in the area, but the timing of moving ourselves out and someone else in will be interesting to say the least.

2. We’re going to be heading off to Dallas early next month to visit my brother who is now living there for the second leg of his rotation program at work. Since that’s where we grew up, it didn’t take a lot of convincing for me to decide to go visit. And while we’re down there, I’m really looking forward to eating at Pancho’s Mexican Buffet.

3. I’m planning an upcoming giveaway of another book, so you’ll want to check back soon to make sure that get an entry in. The contest will most likely be similar to the previous contest, so it shouldn’t be hard for anyone to win.

Chances are that you’ve already seen the new five dollar bill, but if you haven’t already, you should be on the look out for it. By visiting the above link you can check out some of the new security features and check out the new design.

The new bill has more of a European look to it than any previous bills. The most telling feature of the bill is the big purple number five on the back of the bill in the lower right hand corner. Many people seem to think that it’s a little odd, but I don’t really mind it. It’s supposed to help people differentiate it from other bills at a quick glance.

It isn’t anything that’s going to change the way you handle your finances, but I thought you should be aware of the change. So don’t be alarmed when you see the big purple five. You can save it just like any other bill.

Halo 3 debuts: After all the hype and promotion, Halo 3 finally hit stores at midnight last night. Microsoft is hoping this game will finally push its video game unit into profitability. Whether or not it does remains to be seen, but they’re going to sell a ton of these games. I’d also like to know what the sales are on the Halo 3 Mountain Dew.Starbucks together with iTunes: Trendy meets trendy as Starbucks and Apple announced a partnership. Free songs will be given away and “iProduct” users will be able to directly download songs that are playing in a Starbucks. And you thought coffee was expensive before…

Get paid to live in Alaska: Alaskan residents will soon receive a check for about $1,654. The only criteria is having lived there for a full calendar year. These payments come from the Alaska Permanent Fund which was established in 1976 after North Slope oil was found. I’m not sure what it has to do with residents, but if you’re looking to move, Alaska will pay you.

Burger King goes healthy: You’re probably unsure why this would make it in the random news. Burger King isn’t the only restaurant chain doing this, but it got me thinking. So many people blame these fast food chains for making Americans unhealthy when in reality the people are making themselves unhappy by eating fast food. When was the last time someone forced you to eat at MacDonald’s?

China Pledges Lead-free Toys: Is anyone else sick of hearing the same thing over and over. They’ve said it before and there are still reports of lead in the toys. Maybe we should just stop buying the toys altogether. Most kids just want to play with the box anyway, right?

Led Zeppelin will play again: Unfortunately it’ll be over in London, but it’s true. To all of you who over the years have said, “I’d do anything to see them live”, here’s your chance. I must also assume that it’ll be quite an expensive ticket which would be hard to justify for a Fiscal Musings reader.

Congratulations on reading the 200th post of Fiscal Musings. The most dramatic change in the last 100 posts is the new look of the blog. I ditched the dark background and went with something a little more pleasing to the eye (in my opinion at least).

Also during the last 100 posts, I went on a baseball tour to seven different stadiums in seven days. It was a great time and you can check out some other posts about it in the July archives.

I still see this blog as being in the beginning stages so you can expect much more to come. I’m looking forward to applying to graduate business schools now that I’ve taken the GMAT and I’ll keep you updated with all the latest on that front.

If there are topics you’d like to see covered in the future, questions you’d like answered, or just another opinion you’d like to hear on some subject, please don’t hesitate contact me. Also, make it easy on yourself to get the latest from this blog and…

A 59-year old is playing college football: Mike Flynt is returning to Sul Ross State to play college football. At 59 years old, he’s made the Division III roster and could be playing as early as September 1. It makes you realize it’s truly never too late and you really can do anything.

Rangers score 30 in one game: Being from the Dallas area, I keep an eye on the Texas Rangers, although not as much as I’d like (it’s tough with no cable TV). However, this is just too big to pass up. A 30-3 victory over the Orioles, something you definitely wouldn’t expect from a last place team.

Riding Harry Potter: Barnes & Noble sees its second quarter profit rise due in large part to the success of Harry Potter. Same store sales rose 1% without the latest book and 4.4% with sales of Harry Potter included. It’s amazing the power of one product. And remember, it all started with an idea.