Today I learned about something gives me more hope for the future of mankind than I've had in a very long time.

Having lived for many years in Louisiana, I was very affected by the this year's Gulf oil spill disaster. My obsession with news about the spill led to the discovery of a lot of disturbing revelations about the oil industry, which quite frankly disgusted and depressed me on a very deep level.  

Considering the tragedy of the spill, and now the explosion of another offshore rig in the Gulf today, I've been frustrated by a lack of clean energy alternatives available to average consumers. I know that if the option to purchase cleaner and safer energy were avaiable, millions of people like me would choose it. 

We're closing in on a million loans and that's something we think is worth celebrating.

It's such a big deal to us that we're going to recognize the millionth closed loan by paying off one lucky client's loan. That's right. We're going to pick a Quicken Loans client who closes between now and December 31, 2010 and we're going to pay off their loan. They close a loan with us and then we pay it off.

Wow! I want that deal. Wait, I can't. I work here. I don't qualify.

But you do! All you have to do is refinance or buy a home and we might pay off your loan.

So how did we get to one million loans? It all started back in 1985 when Dan Gilbert and few of his friends founded Rock Financial. One thing lead to another and Rock Financial became Quicken Loans.

Things went well over the years and today the company that Gilbert and his friends started 25 years ago is now the nation's largest retail online lender and among the top five overall retail lenders. Last year we closed about $25 billion in loans and we're on track to top that this year.

I’m a huge Dancing with the Stars fan. So when I heard that “The Hoff” was making his debut on the show, I suddenly got the urge to drunkenly eat a cheeseburger off my bathroom floor!

The Hoff is really an American icon. He’s a symbol of how our lives can become a complete train wreck in a few short years. I really do hope he stays healthy and makes it far into the tournament. Because if he doesn’t, I’ll have to root for The Situation. Gym, tan, laundry baby!

I recently have had the pleasure to meet one of Cleveland's entrepreneurs Carolyn Grossi of Little Flower Products LLC! She has always thought of ways to teach her children the importance of saving, spending wisely and sharing.  About a year ago Carolyn developed The Princess Money Manager™ -- a tool that inspires and teaches children to become young money managers.  

Her first piece of advice to parents: start early and use tools that will excite and engage children. Carolyn is fortunate to have her very own focus group, her children. She found out that what she has created seems to excite her children to save, share and spend wisely.

The Princess Money Manager can be purchased at www.aprincesslovestosave.com for $40.00 plus shipping. There is also option for young boys called the Superstar Money Manager. Ten percent of profits from the bank will be donated to three organizations: St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Food for the Poor and Providence House, a crisis nursery in Cleveland, Ohio.

UNIQLO, a really cool  (and very affordable) Japanese clothing store that I love shopping at when I've over there, does something to make me like them even more.

They run a program called UNIQLO Recycles. Simply put, you can take your old UNIQLO clothing into any store and they will distribute them to needy people around the world. Very cool.

I probably have 20 UNIQLO t-shirts. The other day Quicken Loans President Jay Farner said to me "Clayton, you have a lot of t-shirts. I've never seen you wear the same one twice." Now you know my secret (though I admit I do wear them all more than once).

Here's one of my least favorites in the pic above, but I still like it (or I wouldn't be wearing it).

UNIQLOhas one U.S. store in New York City (on Broadway in SoHo), so American's can get their UNIQLO on while hanging out in the Big Apple.