Guest View
Taking Stock - $1 billion? No big deal, here it is now
Published on Thu, Feb 18, 2010 by Tim RaetzloffRead More Guest View
I recently reported in “Taking Stock” that Microsoft was the most profitable company in the world, earning $6.7 billion in the quarter ending Dec. 31.
Several people let me know that a billion dollars is an unimaginable number. But really it isn’t; you see it often and don’t realize it.
Most of those commenting were Edmonds residents. Many Edmonds residents are also walkers.
Let’s use the routes walked by Edmonds residents to show what $1 billion looks like. But let’s start smaller – say, $100 million.
The $100 Million Walk
Start at 9th Avenue and Puget. Walk east to Olympic Avenue (not Olympic View Drive).
Turn left (north) at Olympic Avenue. Walk north on Olympic Avenue to Olympic View Drive and continue walking north on Olympic View Drive to Cherry Street.
At Cherry Street turn left (west). Walk west on Cherry Street to 9th Avenue. Turn left (south) at 9th Avenue and walk back to the beginning at Puget.
The completed walk is just over 1 mile and travels around the circumference of about 40 acres – 40 acres of houses; an average of 4 houses per acre; an average value per house of $600,000.
Total – just about $100 million inside the area walked.
The Billion-Dollar Walk
Start at 9th and Main. Walk (east) up the hill to 88th. There is no street at 88th, but there is a pedestrian walkway.
Turn left (north) on 88th and walk ¾ mile to Puget (also called 196th at 88th). Turn left (west) on Puget and walk down the hill past Maplewood Park. Be careful, you are walking toward the traffic, but the space is narrow until you reach 12th Avenue.
Continue west to 9th Avenue. Turn left (south) and continue back to the start at Main Street.
The completed walk is just about three miles, has a nice elevation gain for cardio, and circumference surrounds just about 350 acres – 350 acres of houses; 3 houses per acre; an average value of over $1 million per house.
Total – $1 billion and change.
There is a school, a church, and three parks in the area, but the total will still be over $1 billion.
• • •
(Tim Raetzloff, who operates Abarim Business Computers at Five Corners in Edmonds, evaluates Puget Sound business activity in his regular column in the Beacon. In the interests of full disclosure he says, “Neither I nor Abarim have any interest or conflict with any company mentioned in this column.”)
Several people let me know that a billion dollars is an unimaginable number. But really it isn’t; you see it often and don’t realize it.
Most of those commenting were Edmonds residents. Many Edmonds residents are also walkers.
Let’s use the routes walked by Edmonds residents to show what $1 billion looks like. But let’s start smaller – say, $100 million.
The $100 Million Walk
Start at 9th Avenue and Puget. Walk east to Olympic Avenue (not Olympic View Drive).
Turn left (north) at Olympic Avenue. Walk north on Olympic Avenue to Olympic View Drive and continue walking north on Olympic View Drive to Cherry Street.
At Cherry Street turn left (west). Walk west on Cherry Street to 9th Avenue. Turn left (south) at 9th Avenue and walk back to the beginning at Puget.
The completed walk is just over 1 mile and travels around the circumference of about 40 acres – 40 acres of houses; an average of 4 houses per acre; an average value per house of $600,000.
Total – just about $100 million inside the area walked.
The Billion-Dollar Walk
Start at 9th and Main. Walk (east) up the hill to 88th. There is no street at 88th, but there is a pedestrian walkway.
Turn left (north) on 88th and walk ¾ mile to Puget (also called 196th at 88th). Turn left (west) on Puget and walk down the hill past Maplewood Park. Be careful, you are walking toward the traffic, but the space is narrow until you reach 12th Avenue.
Continue west to 9th Avenue. Turn left (south) and continue back to the start at Main Street.
The completed walk is just about three miles, has a nice elevation gain for cardio, and circumference surrounds just about 350 acres – 350 acres of houses; 3 houses per acre; an average value of over $1 million per house.
Total – $1 billion and change.
There is a school, a church, and three parks in the area, but the total will still be over $1 billion.
• • •
(Tim Raetzloff, who operates Abarim Business Computers at Five Corners in Edmonds, evaluates Puget Sound business activity in his regular column in the Beacon. In the interests of full disclosure he says, “Neither I nor Abarim have any interest or conflict with any company mentioned in this column.”)