A Billion....

[Launch Mini]

On the way to work this morning, the radio station was talking about the US National Debt, now at 9 TRILLION dollars. To put that in perspective, they went over the following stats on one MILLION. Then read the last one I added about US Spending.

Trivia
The facts below give a sense of how large one thousand million (taken as 109) is in the context of passage of time.

About a billion seconds ago, the parents of middle school children were themselves in elementary school. (One billion seconds is roughly 31.7 years.)
About a billion minutes ago, the Roman Empire was flourishing. (One billion minutes is roughly 1,900 years.)
About a billion hours ago, modern human beings and their ancestors were living in the Stone Age (more precisely, the Middle Paleolithic). (One billion hours is roughly 114,000 years.)
About a billion days ago, Australopithecus, an ape-like creature related to an ancestor of modern humans, roamed the African savannas. (One billion days is roughly 2.7 million years.)
About a billion months ago, dinosaurs walked the earth during the late Cretaceous. (One billion months is roughly 82 million years.)
About a billion years ago, the first multicellular organisms appeared on Earth. (The universe is now thought to be about 13.7 billion years old.)
In terms of distance:

A billion centimeters is about the distance from Chicago, Illinois, USA to Tokyo, Japan.
A billion inches is 15,783 miles, more than halfway around the world and sufficient to reach any point on the globe from any other point.
A billion meters is almost three times the distance from the Earth to the Moon.

Then they said.
ONE BILLION DOLLARS was spent by the US Govt in the last 8 hours 23 minutes.

[padi56]

Cut down on these that should save them a few bob,I know its a drop in the ocean but every little helps.
Car leases by Congress members by the numbers
Knight Ridder Newspapers

Car leases by Congress members by the numbers:

Most Expensive Cars:

Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark: Ford Expedition, $1,248.31

Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif.: Acura, $1,231.51

Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif.: Chevrolet truck, $1,227.17

Rep. John Sullivan, R-Okla.: Chevrolet, $1,180.99

Rep. Bob Ney, R-Ohio: Lincoln, $1,078.21

Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif.: Toyota Highlander, $1,073.73

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.: Lexus, $1,062.85

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.: Cadillac DeVille, $998.48

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C.: Ford Escape, $922.55

Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo.: Chevrolet Tahoe, $903.80

Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., Lincoln Town Car, $901.22

---

Cheapest Cars:

Rep. John Carter, R-Texas: $210.65

Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C.: Honda Accord, $214.79

Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y.: Chevrolet Impala, $219

Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.: Nissan Altima, $256.74

Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill.: Mercury, $266.55

---

Drive American? Several lawmakers chose to lease foreign cars at taxpayers' expense. Among them:

Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif.: Acura, $1,231.51

Rep. John Doolittle, R-Calif.: Toyota Highlander, $1,073.73

Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y.: Lexus: $1,062.85

Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla.: Nissan Pathfinder: $843.16

Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla.: Infiniti M45: $799.77

Rep. John Linder, R-Ga.: Lexus, $508.41

Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.: BMW 530i, $499.93

Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif.: Acura, $429.25

Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.: Nissan Altima, $256.74

Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C.: Honda Accord: $214.79

---

Double-dippers: The following members of Congress lease two cars monthly at taxpayer cost:

Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo.

Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y.

Rep. Randy Neugebauer, R-Texas

Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn.

Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.

---

Triple Dippers: The following members lease three cars monthly at taxpayer expense:

Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C.

Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark.

---

What you pay for when a member of Congress leases a car:

1. The monthly cost of the lease

2. Insurance

3. Excess mileage charges

4. Incidental operating expenses (gas, oil, general maintenance, etc.)

5. Registration fees

6. Property tax during the term of the lease

---

Who's driving what:

-Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., knows his cars: He once worked as a toll collector on the New York State Thruway. He leases a BMW 530i for $499.93 a month and a Nissan Altima for $256.74 a month.

-Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., was a federal judge before he was impeached and removed from office. Taxpayers now pay $799.77 a month for his Infiniti M45, a luxury sedan that he drives through a district in which nearly 22 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.

---

Below is a complete list of House members who lease cars with public funds:

Name/ Total 2005 lease cost/ Political affiliation, state/ Number of SUVs/ Type

-Rodney Alexander, $10,338.84, R-La., 1, GMC Yukon

-Joe Baca, $8,456.80, D-Calif., vehicles not identified

-Bob Beauprez, $5,856.96, R-Colo., 1, GMC Envoy

-Howard Berman, $7,144.65, D-Calif., 1, Ford Escape

-Marion Berry, $5,279.54, D-Ark., 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Michael Bilirakis, $5,774.41, R-Fla., Ford 500

-Roy Blunt, $10,845.60, R-Mo., 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Sherwood Boehlert, $7,513.40, R-N.Y., 1, Jeep

-Jo Bonner, $8,265.36, R-Ala., 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Mary Bono, $8,775.96, R-Calif., 1, Ford Expedition

-John Boozman, $7,791.36, R-Ark., Buick LaCrosse

-Leonard Boswell, $6,298.56, D-Iowa, Chrysler Town & Country

-Kevin Brady, $7,293.33, R-Texas, 1, GMC Yukon

-Dan Burton, $14,175.33, R-Ind., Dodge

-Dave Camp, $7,772.07, R-Mich., 1, GMC Envoy

-Chris Cannon, $3,734.74, R-Utah, Dodge Intrepid

-Dennis Cardoza, $13,498.87, D-Calif., Chevy Truck

-Julia Carson, $4,608.54, D-Ind., Chrysler 300

-John Carter, $2,527.80, R-Texas, 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Donna Christensen, $3,767.52, D-Virgin Islands

-William Lacy Clay, $5,453.62, D-Mo., Mercury Montego

-James Clyburn, $6,122.52, D-S.C., Lincoln

-Michael Conaway, $4,693.12, R-Texas, 1, Ford Expedition

-Christopher Cox, $4,496.09, R-Calif., Chrysler Sebring

-Robert "Bud" Cramer, $8,778.68, D-Ala., 1, Ford Explorer

-Joseph Crowley, $5,580.00, D-N.Y., vehicles not identified

-Henry Cuellar, $3,297.12, D-Texas, vehicles not identified

-John Culberson, $6,735.60, R-Texas, Chrysler Sebring

-Randy "Duke" Cunningham, $7,652.40, R-Calif., 1, Ford SUV

-Artur Davis, $7,684.53, D-Ala., Ford 500

-Danny Davis, $3,534.63, D-Ill., Mercury Grand

-Diana DeGette, $5,113.16, D-Colo., 1, Ford Freestyle

-Bill Delahunt, $6,018.76, D-Mass., Ford 500

-Lincoln Diaz-Balart, $10,394.52, R-Fla., Chrysler

-Mario Diaz-Balart, $10,184.88, R-Fla., Chrysler 300

-John Doolittle, $3,221.19, R-Calif., 1, Toyota Highlander

-David Dreier, $7,158.11, R-Calif., Chrysler 300

-Anna Eshoo, $5,151.00, D-Calif., Acura

-Lane Evans, $7,662.48, D-Ill., 1, Chevy Trailblazer

-Chaka Fattah, $8,513.50, D-Pa., 1, GMC Envoy

-Tom Feeney, $10,117.92, R-Fla., 1, Nissan Pathfinder

-Michael Fitzpatrick, $4,349.61, R-Pa., Ford 500

-Mark Foley, $4,088.70, R-Fla., 1, GMC Yukon

-Harold Ford, $8,049.84, D-Tenn., 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Jeff Fortenberry, $3,393.49, R-Neb., Buick

-Vito Fossella, $7,733.04, R-N.Y., 1, Jeep Grand Cherokee

-Phil Gingrey, $7,389.10, R-Ga., 1, GMC Yukon

-Sam Graves, $14,950.00, R-Mo., Buick LeSabre; Chevy

-Gene Green, $7,626.36, D-Texas, Impala

-Al Green, $8,877.48, D-Texas, 1, GMC Yukon

-Raul Grijalva, $3,946.20, D-Ariz., Chevy Impala

-Alcee Hastings, $10,147.06, D-Fla., Infiniti M45

-Wally Herger, $8,400.00, R-Calif., 1, Ford

-Brian Higgins, $3,406.84, D-N.Y., 1, Chevy Trailblazer

-Maurice Hinchey, $9,080.04, D-N.Y., BMW 530i; Nissan Altima

-David Hobson, $5,582.40, R-Ohio, Pontiac

-Peter Hoekstra, $7,164.63, R-Mich., 1, Ford Escape

-Sheila Jackson-Lee, $9,081.26, D-Texas, 1, Lincoln Navigator

-William Jefferson, $9,524.28, D-La., Lincoln Town Car

-Bobby Jindal, $6,979.48, R-La., vehicles not identified

-Sam Johnson, $7,076.04, R-Texas, 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Stephanie Tubbs Jones, $5,923.20, D-Ohio, Chrysler 300

-Paul Kanjorski, $11,289.88, D-Pa., 1, GMC Yukon

-Ric Keller, $6,944.52, R-Fla., 1, Mercury Mountaineer

-Sue Kelly, $8,735.70, R-N.Y., 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Mark Kennedy, $6,946.44, R-Minn., 1, Ford Explorer

-Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, $9,792.00, D-Mich., Cadillac

-Steve LaTourette, $8,178.84, R-Ohio, Lincoln LS

-Barbara Lee, $7,250.88, D-Calif., Chrysler

-Jerry Lewis, $6,831.11, R-Calif., vehicles not identified

-John Lewis, $8,618.35, D-Ga., Pontiac Bonneville

-John Linder, $6,609.33, R-Ga., Lexus

-Connie Mack, $3,031.38, R-Fla., Ford 500

-Donald Manzullo, $5,548.68, R-Ill., 1, Mercury Mountaineer

-Mike McIntyre, $13,130.40, D-N.C.,1, Chevy Trailblazer; Pontiac Grand Prix ; Pontiac Bonneville

-Howard "Buck" McKeon, $14,778.12, R-Calif., Acura

-Cynthia McKinney, $4,353.44, D-Ga., 1, Ford Expedition

-Mike McNulty, $9,925.44, D-N.Y., 1, Buick Rainier

-Kendrick Meek, $9,209.16, D-Fla., vehicles not identified

-Gregory Meeks, $12,754.20, D-N.Y., Lexus

-Charlie Melancon, $6,804.63, D-La., 1, Ford Expedition

-Mike Michaud, $1,276.95, D-Maine, Toyota Camry

-Juanita Millender-McDonald, $8,888.28, D-Calif., Ford

-Gary Miller, $8,660.88, R-Calif., 1, Ford Expedition

-Sue Myrick, $2,577.48, R-N.C., Honda Accord

-Randy Neugebauer, $17,262.59, R-Texas, 2, Chevy Tahoes

-Bob Ney, $12,988.52, R-Ohio, Lincoln

-Solomon Ortiz, $8,491.56, D-Texas, 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Major Owens, $8,880.00, D-N.Y., Chevy Impala

-Ed Pastor, $6,272.16, D-Ariz., Chrysler 300

-Mike Pence, $4,226.28, R-Ind., Chevy Venture

-Collin Peterson, $9,402.52, D-Minn., 1, Chevy Equinox; Dodge

-John Peterson, $10,393.94, R-Pa., 1, GMC Yukon

-Richard Pombo, $7,086.36, R-Calif., Lincoln

-Nick Rahall, $11,724.00, D-W.Va., vehicles not identified

-Charlie Rangel, $11,981.76, D-N.Y., Cadillac DeVille

-Ralph Regula, $6,864.00, R-Ohio, vehicles not identified

-Dennis Rehberg, $8,437.00, R-Mont., 1, Chevy Tahoe

-Rick Renzi, $8,919.24, R-Ariz., Dodge

-Silvestre Reyes, $6,419.28, D-Texas, 1, GMC Yukon

-Tom Reynolds, $6,291.90, R-N.Y., 1, Mercury Mountaineer

-Harold Rogers, $5,927.16, R-K.Y., vehicles not identified

-Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, $7,199.88, R-Fla., Chrysler Sebring

-Mike Ross, $36,343.44, D-Ark., 1, Ford 500; Ford Crown Victoria; Ford Expedition

-Ed Royce, $6,373.20, R-Calif., Ford 500

-Bobby Rush, $7,900.20, D-Ill., vehicles not identified

-Paul Ryan, $3,150.00, R-Wis., Chevy

-Jim Ryun, $7,348.20, R-Kan., 1, Chevy Trailblazer

-Linda Sanchez, $4,890.05, D-Calif., Chevy Impala

-Jim Saxton, $3,730.08, R-N.J., 1, Chevy Trailblazer

-Adam Schiff, $6,774.68, D-Calif., Chrysler 300

-Jose Serrano, $3,901.02, D-N.Y., Buick Lacrosse

-Don Sherwood, $6,332.16, R-Pa., Chevy Impala

-Bill Shuster, $7,489.68, R-Pa., Chrysler Town and Country

-Mike Simpson, $8,421.46, R-Idaho, 2, GMC Envoys

-Louise Slaughter, $7,575.66, D-N.Y., Pontiac Bonneville

-Vic Snyder, $5,747.16, D-Ark., Buick LeSabre

-Mark Souder, $5,760.00, R-Ind., Dodge van

-Cliff Stearns, $7,762.69, R-Fla., Chrysler Town and Country

-John Sullivan, $15,596.91, R-Okla., Chevy

-Tom Tancredo, $14,201.04, R-Colo., Chevy; other vehicle not identified

-John Tanner, $5,493.60, D-Tenn., Ford Freestar

-Edolphus Towns, $11,321.04, D-N.Y., vehicles not identified

-Nydia Velazquez, $2,308.85, D-N.Y., vehicles not identified

-Peter Visclosky, $7,383.36, D-Ind., Buick

-James T. Walsh, $3,526.47, R-N.Y., 1, Jeep

-Maxine Waters, $10,814.64, D-Calif., Lincoln Town Car

-Diane Watson, $10,093.32 , D-Calif., vehicles not identified

-Melvin Watt, $9,567.00, D-N.C., vehicles not identified

-Anthony Weiner, $2,628.00, D-N.Y., Chevy Impala

-Curt Weldon, $8,551.12, R-Pa., 1, Ford Expedition

-Roger Wicker, $7,965.72, R-Miss., 1, Buick Rainier

-Joe Wilson, $11,070.60, R-S.C., 1, Ford Escape

-Lynn Woolsey, $5,623.08, D-Calif., Ford Taurus

-Don Young, $9,413.14, R-Alaska, Chrysler 300

Total: $1,052,886.97 per month

[JJ Irani]

I wonder how old I am in billions of seconds?

[Goodwatch]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

I wonder how old I am in billions of seconds?

Don't go there JJ Don't open the door to Yoda jokes

[Launch Mini]

Eyesight again JJ, eyesight,
Item number one, 1 billion seconds = approx 31.7 years.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

Eyesight again JJ, eyesight,
Item number one, 1 billion seconds = approx 31.7 years.

Come on, John....give me some credit....of course, I saw that....just having a bit of fun with you guys on a gorgeously stunning Saturday morning here in Auckland!!

Man, this thread is certainly one in a billion.

[Launch Mini]

Saturday, rub it in, Friday morning at the office for me. No sun. not even a hit of sun....

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

Saturday, rub it in, Friday morning at the office for me. No sun. not even a hit of sun....

Yes, but when I get up on a Monday morning, you guys are still in Sunday afternoon!!

[Rockrolex]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

Saturday, rub it in, Friday morning at the office for me. No sun. not even a hit of sun....

Sorry to hear that, John. We had a beautiful sunny 80F day here in So. Florida today. Took in a spring training baseball game between the Orioles and Washington Nationals.

[C.J.]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

Eyesight again JJ, eyesight,
Item number one, 1 billion seconds = approx 31.7 years.

How bout that, JJ. You're eight billion seconds old

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by C.J.

How bout that, JJ. You're eight billion seconds old

Would a Rolex tick away for eight billion seconds?

[C.J.]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Would a Rolex tick away for eight billion seconds?

No, but a Patek sure would

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by C.J.

No, but a Patek sure would

With the amount of tossing I'd have accomplished in that period of time.....I'd have to go through at least a dozen Pateks!!

[Launch Mini]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

With the amount of tossing I'd have accomplished in that period of time.....I'd have to go through at least a dozen Pateks!!

[padi56]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

Would a Rolex tick away for eight billion seconds?

Well JJ have two that have been ticking for over 2 and half Billion seconds.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well JJ have two that have been ticking for over 2 and half Billion seconds.

Hmmm...not bad....and that would be how much in years? Come on, help me out here....it's a Sunday morning for me!

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by padi56

Well JJ have two that have been ticking for over 2 and half Billion seconds.

Hey, no fair....first you say million then you do a slick edit to billion!! So much is it in years, Padi?

[padi56]

One from 1922 the other from 1926.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by padi56

One from 1922 the other from 1926.

WOW! Is one of them the Unicorn?

[Launch Mini]

Good point Padi, There is no way JJ will ever keep a Rolex for even close to a billion seconds.
I think my math is right, but a Rolex beating at 28,800 per hour , would hit the billion in just shy of 4 years.
HOLY CRAP that a lot of movement in there.

[padi56]

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

WOW! Is one of them the Unicorn?

Yes and the other same case and movement,but different hands,and stamped Rolex on dial.

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

Good point Padi, There is no way JJ will ever keep a Rolex for even close to a billion seconds.
I think my math is right, but a Rolex beating at 28,800 per hour , would hit the billion in just shy of 4 years.
HOLY CRAP that a lot of movement in there.

I'm not exactly sure what you are trying to calculate? Is it a billion seconds, or a billion beats?

As your first post states, a billion seconds is 31.7 years.....

Keep in mind that 28,800 refers to oscillations or "beats" so that is 8 beats per second (4 Hz). A beat is the movement of the balance in one direction only, so to complete 1 cycle (Hz) the balance has to swing back and forth.

I'm kinda glad I do my own taxes.....

[Launch Mini]

Those numbers work just fine. at 8 per second, that would mean 31.7 years divided by 8 = just shy of 4 years.
Sheesh, glad I don't do your taxes..

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

Those numbers work just fine. at 8 per second, that would mean 31.7 years divided by 8 = just shy of 4 years.
Sheesh, glad I don't do your taxes..

Like I said - depends on what you were calculating.......

So we agree that were both glad you don't do my taxes. Glad we worked that out.....

[Launch Mini]

See 2 plus 2 does = 5
Plus I don't have time to take on new clients. Especially ones that go through the return line by line by line."what is this for, what is that for?"

[Launch Mini]

Atomic, I was re reading my post, I see where you got confused.
First sentence is independant of the second. I should have started a new paragraph.
the billion beats, oscillations, was on obersvation of how much is going is going on inside that 40 mm capsule on my wrist.
One ( or a billion or so) more reasons to love mechanical watches.

[dman]

Originally Posted by Launch Mini

Atomic, I was re reading my post, I see where you got confused.
First sentence is independant of the second. I should have started a new paragraph.
the billion beats, oscillations, was on obersvation of how much is going is going on inside that 40 mm capsule on my wrist.
One ( or a billion or so) more reasons to love mechanical watches.

Huh?

[TARDIS]

Anyone help me with what a $ BILLION and a $ TRILLION is?

I still think of light years and parsecs, but that is astronomy.

How much is a Trillion Dollars expressed as a numerical sum??

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by TARDIS

Anyone help me with what a $ BILLION and a $ TRILLION is?

I still think of light years and parsecs, but that is astronomy.

How much is a Trillion Dollars expressed as a numerical sum??

A trillion is the amount of words JJ can get in when he has a conversation with a guy who can merely get in a dozen or so!!

Seriously though, a billion is a thousand million written thus: 1,000,000,000.
A trillion is a thousand billion written thus: 1,000,000,000,000.
And I think the next one up would be a Zillion which is a thousand trillion and written thus: 1,000,000,000,000,000.

So to summarise: a Billion is one and 9 zeros; a trillion is one and 12 zeros; a zillion is one and 15 zeros.

Cheers - JJ