How many zeros in a billion? | |
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TheBonne
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Irdooooomed
User ID: 1229554 Australia 01/16/2011 02:50 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money. A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases. Quoting: OmenA. A billion seconds ago it was 1959. B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age. D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet. E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it. While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans. It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division. Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean? A. Well, if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528. B. If you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home gets $1,329,787. C. If you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012. Washington, D. C HELLO! Are all your calculators broken?? Building Permit Tax, CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Federal Income Tax (Fed), Federal Unemployment Tax (FU TA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax), IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service charge taxes, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax (Truckers), Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Tax, Vehicle License Registration T ax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax (And to think, we left British Rule to avoid so many taxes) STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt. We had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!' That's too much money for just one city. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1180396 United States 01/16/2011 03:05 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | 9 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 516996According to my Merriam Websters dictionary, a billion has 9 zeros in the American system (same as the French system). In the British system (same as the German system) the number having 9 zeros is known as a "milliard" and a British biillion has 12 zeros. The dictionary is from 1963, though, so I suppose it's possible that the British and German numbering systems may have been scrapped in favor of the American and French numbering systems. But if not, there is the possibility of confusion or even scams when dealing with large numbers on an international basis. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 905800 Mexico 01/16/2011 03:12 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1180396 United States 01/16/2011 03:30 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | 9 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1180396According to my Merriam Websters dictionary, a billion has 9 zeros in the American system (same as the French system). In the British system (same as the German system) the number having 9 zeros is known as a "milliard" and a British biillion has 12 zeros. The dictionary is from 1963, though, so I suppose it's possible that the British and German numbering systems may have been scrapped in favor of the American and French numbering systems. But if not, there is the possibility of confusion or even scams when dealing with large numbers on an international basis. Did a Google search, and came up with this Wikipedia page on "short scale" and "long scale" numbering systems.: [link to en.wikipedia.org] In some countries a billion has 9 zeros. In some countries a billion has 12 zeros. |
Gloomy
User ID: 1222777 United States 01/16/2011 03:35 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about whether you want the 'politicians' spending YOUR tax money. A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective in one of its releases. Quoting: OmenA. A billion seconds ago it was 1959. B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age. D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet. E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government is spending it. While this thought is still fresh in our brain, let's take a look at New Orleans. It's amazing what you can learn with some simple division. Louisiana Senator, Mary Landrieu (D) is presently asking Congress for 250 BILLION DOLLARS to rebuild New Orleans. Interesting number, what does it mean? A. Well, if you are one of the 484,674 residents of New Orleans (every man, woman, and child) you each get $516,528. B. If you have one of the 188,251 homes in New Orleans, your home gets $1,329,787. C. If you are a family of four, your family gets $2,066,012. Washington, D. C HELLO! Are all your calculators broken?? Building Permit Tax, CDL License Tax, Cigarette Tax, Corporate Income Tax, Dog License Tax, Federal Income Tax (Fed), Federal Unemployment Tax (FU TA), Fishing License Tax, Food License Tax, Fuel Permit Tax, Gasoline Tax, Hunting License Tax, Inheritance Tax, Inventory Tax, IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax), IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax), Liquor Tax, Luxury Tax, Marriage License Tax, Medicare Tax, Property Tax, Real Estate Tax, Service charge taxes, Social Security Tax, Road Usage Tax (Truckers), Sales Taxes, Recreational Vehicle Tax, School Tax, State Income Tax, State Unemployment Tax (SUTA), Telephone Federal Excise Tax, Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax, Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax, Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax, Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax, Telephone State and Local Tax, Telephone Usage Charge Tax, Utility Tax, Vehicle License Registration T ax, Vehicle Sales Tax, Watercraft Registration Tax, Well Permit Tax, Workers Compensation Tax (And to think, we left British Rule to avoid so many taxes) STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt. We had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids. What happened? Can you spell 'politicians!' What happened? Infrastructure got larger, the population has gone off the charts, and job growth hasn't kept up with population. This all leads to one massive recipe for disaster, and combined with greedy politicians and bloated government, you have yourself an epic shitstorm even god might have trouble solving. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 919411 United States 01/16/2011 03:35 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1180396 United States 01/16/2011 03:36 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Here's a link to the number table in the online version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary: [link to www.merriam-webster.com] It's the same as the number table in the 1963 paper edition of that dictionary. So the distinction between the two systems may still be current. |
jahbulon
User ID: 1225167 United States 01/16/2011 03:53 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | what about a googleplex [link to en.wikipedia.org] "Didn't anyone ever tell ya lad..questions are a burden to others, and a danger to yourself.." Mr. Krabs... |
Joshua Flynn User ID: 1231949 United Kingdom 01/16/2011 08:15 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Say I had a trillion. There is no way I could buy ANYTHING in a SINGLE purchase that would even go over a billion. In-fact, there is no way, within 8 hours and 20 minutes (less than half a day) I could find something to buy for a billion or trillion. I would literally have to give portions of the money away to every person I met with the explicit request they buy something expensive with it. How on earth a government can go through a billion or a trillion in 8hrs/20mtns I do not know. The county council in my region, they took their government money, and INVESTED it. And guess what? Because of that, they made a huge amount of money, and now all the other councils have to do cuts, our one doesn't have to do because they invested their money wisely. If I was government, I'd tell that council to implement policies for and control the other failing councils. The capable should be in power. |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1231977 United Kingdom 01/16/2011 08:24 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Currahee
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Anonymous Coward User ID: 1150826 China 01/16/2011 08:34 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | so 1 billion seconds is 51 years? 1959 - 2011? 1,000,000,000 / 60 = 16,666,666.67 minutes 16,666,666.67 / 60 = 277,777.78 hours 277,777.78 / 24 = 11,574.07 days 11,574.07 / 365 = 31.71 years 2011 - 32 years = 1979 Old ad you were working with... Just saying... It's still a lot though! 1 billion dollars is scary... |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1150826 China 01/16/2011 08:40 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 1231864 Australia 01/16/2011 08:44 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Say I had a trillion. Quoting: Joshua Flynn 1231949There is no way I could buy ANYTHING in a SINGLE purchase that would even go over a billion. In-fact, there is no way, within 8 hours and 20 minutes (less than half a day) I could find something to buy for a billion or trillion. I would literally have to give portions of the money away to every person I met with the explicit request they buy something expensive with it. How on earth a government can go through a billion or a trillion in 8hrs/20mtns I do not know. The county council in my region, they took their government money, and INVESTED it. And guess what? Because of that, they made a huge amount of money, and now all the other councils have to do cuts, our one doesn't have to do because they invested their money wisely. If I was government, I'd tell that council to implement policies for and control the other failing councils. The capable should be in power. look at it this way The Lane Cove Tunnel in syd nsw cost AU$1.1 billion (1100 million) for only a 3.6 km twin tunnel/road |
Does it really matter? User ID: 32334812 Australia 01/16/2013 01:26 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Why does a government impose taxes? Because we ask them to - it is their job, having been elected BY US, to provide us with all the services we want:- education - of children, of doctors, of nurses, of mechanics, of butchers, even of the people who become politicians; health services - hospitals, xray machines, research facilities; roads and railways; defence forces, police forces, emergency services; the legal system - passing the laws to protect us from the things we fear, then having the judiciary oversee it, providing courthouses and gaols. Without a government collecting taxes and spending them onour behalf, what would happen? You might have to build the bit of road that runs outside your house - but will your neighbour build his section to a satisfactory standard? And who will build the intersections? Will your bit of railway line match up with the next section? And how much is your bit anyway? Do you have the skill to educate your children, or even to organise with your neighbours to provide a community school? Who will organise the troops during an invasion? Or police the streets? Or fight the fires? Can you do all this for yourself? You think that 45 kph is a safe driving speed, but the next guy believes that 100kph is just fine and dandy, so those homemade roads will be chaotic. Just remember, the next time you criticise a government for "unnecessary" taxes, they have to raise the money (at least a billion - $1,000,000,000,000) to pay for all the things you ask for - when was the last time you said, "Somebody should..." or "Why doesn't the government..."? |
Anonymous Coward User ID: 31439478 United States 01/16/2013 10:05 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
Halcyon Dayz, FCD
User ID: 31033756 Netherlands 01/16/2013 10:30 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | 9 Quoting: Anonymous Coward 516996According to my Merriam Websters dictionary, a billion has 9 zeros in the American system (same as the French system). In the British system (same as the German system) the number having 9 zeros is known as a "milliard" and a British billion has 12 zeros. On the BBC they say "thousand million" to avoid confusion. The dictionary is from 1963, though, so I suppose it's possible that the British and German numbering systems may have been scrapped in favor of the American and French numbering systems. But if not, there is the possibility of confusion or even scams when dealing with large numbers on an international basis. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 1180396 Contracts always mention the number in numericals. Last Edited by Halcyon Dayz, FCD on 01/16/2013 10:32 AM Reaching for the sky makes you taller. Hi! My name is Halcyon Dayz and I'm addicted to morans. |