Billions and Billions (updated)
Billion Dollars - How much is a Billion? (see updates from Snopes.com)
The next time you hear a politician use the word “Billion” in a casual manner, think about this: A Billion (1,000,000,000) is a difficult number to comprehend, but here is some perspective for you:
1. A Billion seconds ago it was 1959.
2. A Billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
3. A Billion hours ago our ancestors were doing absolutely nothing!
4. A Billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
5. A Billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it! - YUP, that’s right - our government is hard at work spending your hard-earned tax dollars at the tune of $2.88 BILLION PER DAY!
When checking with www.snopes.com specifically http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/trivia/billions.asp
The actual numbers are a little different – in some cases worse – but in all cases still impressive. Check it out.
1. A Billion seconds ago it was 1959. / Actually 31.7 years or 1977.
2. A Billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. / Actually 1,901 years AGO or 107 AD.
3. A Billion hours ago our ancestors were doing absolutely nothing!/ Actually 114,000 years ago or the ‘Old Stone Age’.
4. A Billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet. / 2.74 million years ago, about when the genus Homo appeared in Africa.
5. A Billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes / Actually worse … it is double that amount. When these calculations were first made the annual budget was $1 trillion; it now exceeds $2 trillion. So 4 hours and 10 minutes to spend a Billion Dollars.
While this thought is still fresh in our brains, let’s take a look at New Orleans. It’s amazing what you can learn with some simple long division. Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?
A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you each get $516,528.
B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.
According to Snopes.com these calculations are pretty accurate – just a little difference.
Washington, D.C. HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??
What can I do?
I have been writing my US congressmen/women and US Senators; also my State and local Representatives. Of interest is that it is really hard to find an email address for them and then sometimes they do not work!
My goal has been to request that they not implement any more new sources of revenue, no new appropriations, and no new legislation that must be funded. STOP SPENDING More THAN they HAVE.
If they do vote for new legislation, then I request that it be to LOWER our TAXES.
Good Addresses to find our representatives:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
Isn’t the Internet a powerful tool for grass roots Tax Reform?
The next time you hear a politician use the word “Billion” in a casual manner, think about this: A Billion (1,000,000,000) is a difficult number to comprehend, but here is some perspective for you:
1. A Billion seconds ago it was 1959.
2. A Billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
3. A Billion hours ago our ancestors were doing absolutely nothing!
4. A Billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
5. A Billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it! - YUP, that’s right - our government is hard at work spending your hard-earned tax dollars at the tune of $2.88 BILLION PER DAY!
When checking with www.snopes.com specifically http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/trivia/billions.asp
The actual numbers are a little different – in some cases worse – but in all cases still impressive. Check it out.
1. A Billion seconds ago it was 1959. / Actually 31.7 years or 1977.
2. A Billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. / Actually 1,901 years AGO or 107 AD.
3. A Billion hours ago our ancestors were doing absolutely nothing!/ Actually 114,000 years ago or the ‘Old Stone Age’.
4. A Billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet. / 2.74 million years ago, about when the genus Homo appeared in Africa.
5. A Billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes / Actually worse … it is double that amount. When these calculations were first made the annual budget was $1 trillion; it now exceeds $2 trillion. So 4 hours and 10 minutes to spend a Billion Dollars.
While this thought is still fresh in our brains, let’s take a look at New Orleans. It’s amazing what you can learn with some simple long division. Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D), is presently asking the Congress for $250 BILLION to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean?
A. Well, if you are one of 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, child), you each get $516,528.
B. Or, if you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans , your home gets $1,329,787.
C. Or, if you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012.
According to Snopes.com these calculations are pretty accurate – just a little difference.
Washington, D.C. HELLO!!! ... Are all your calculators broken??
What can I do?
I have been writing my US congressmen/women and US Senators; also my State and local Representatives. Of interest is that it is really hard to find an email address for them and then sometimes they do not work!
My goal has been to request that they not implement any more new sources of revenue, no new appropriations, and no new legislation that must be funded. STOP SPENDING More THAN they HAVE.
If they do vote for new legislation, then I request that it be to LOWER our TAXES.
Good Addresses to find our representatives:
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
http://www.house.gov/house/MemberWWW_by_State.shtml
Isn’t the Internet a powerful tool for grass roots Tax Reform?
Labels: Maggie Valley real estate, real estate agent, Waynesville MLS
posted by Bennett - Maggie Valley, NC at
11:44 PM
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