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~ LIGHT & LOVE ~ with Dr Daragh

~ WISDOM, WIT & INSIGHT TO ENLIGHTEN & INSPIRE ~

~ A VERY Interesting read ... ~


   


 

 

How many zeros in a billion?

 

 

This is too true to be funny.

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.



A.

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 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.

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.


Washington, D.
C

 

< HELLO! >

Are all your calculators broken??


Accounts Receivable Tax
Building
Permit Tax
CDL License Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
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 Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

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!'

And I still have to

press '1'

for English.

I hope this goes around
the

USA

at least 100 times

What the hell happened??




A friend sent this to me and I felt it was worth sharing with you!

Have a great weekend :)

Light & Love,
Dr Daragh                            1 800 ASK-KEEN  ext 0696856


Published Friday, July 11, 2008 11:07 AM by Light and Love
Filed Under:

Comments

# re: ~ A VERY Interesting read ... ~ @ Friday, July 11, 2008 12:03 PM

When someone else posted this, I had to respond.  So I will respond here, too.

How many zeros in a trillion?  Because the US GDP is $13.3 TRILLION  (1000 times a single little million!)  I'm not even sure people COMPREHEND this amount.  And the number of clams filed against the government for damages...in the quadrillions...which is a 1000 TRILLION!!!  

Asking $250 billion dollars to *rebuild* an entire metropolitan area is not really much when you consider the cost of disaster in terms of lost income and earnings and assets.  Consider there are now a million residents (86% of pre-Katrina population) in the metro area, a significant number of whom depend on the the city for their livelihood.  And we ARE talking about rebuilding the entire metro area here, not just the city.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Navy_flooded_New_Orleans_20050901_trim.jpg

The list of taxes above is comprised mainly of state and local taxes, not Federal "DC" taxes that would pay for rebuilding New Orleans.  And the so called "tax on top of tax" is NOT tax...it is a PENALTY for NOT paying taxes.  

How does b*tching about tax issues and rebuilding New Orleans even correlate?!!   Taxes pay for shared resources.  I suppose we should balk at the idea of having roads and schools and social programs, too?  I'm not a fan of paying taxes, but I mean...who is.  I just recognize everything costs something, though some things cost A LOT.  Are we now supposed to view NEW ORLEANS as just another social program?!!!  Like, seriously?  

New Orleans will remain our nation's own personal Atlantis UNTIL the rebuild is complete.  How dare anyone tell someone who lived through such a trial that it costs too much to put them BACK into life as they know it.

Nice.

(Sorry DrDaragh, I'm not barking at you.  I've seen this particular piece of...uhm... stuff...all over the internet and it makes me furious.  People buy $8 coffee all the time and don't want to pay to rebuild one of our nation's few great cities?!  Oye.  and they deliver this platitude under the guise of humor?!!  That hurts my American PRIDE.  I love love love New Orleans!!!)  

 

The Mathematician

# re: ~ A VERY Interesting read ... ~ @ Friday, July 11, 2008 12:49 PM

Dear TM,

This was not meant to be against rebuilding New Orleans at all when I posted it. It was more about realizing just how much a billion is. I too love New Orleans and I have donated to those victims. Please understand, I would never "bark" about money being given to rebuild lives anywhere! I understand your point TM, and I agree that "too much" should not be an issue when it comes to rebuilding lives. I did not see this posted when someone else posted it. I received it via email and found it to be interesting. Never had the intention to down play the needs of New Orleans...sorry if that is what you got from this post. I really don't know a lot about government spending and checks & balances, so recognizing what a billion is was my position.
No worries TM, I know that your response is not directed at me personally...and your response is always welcome. Once again you add information and insight :)

Light & Love
Dr Daragh

Light and Love

# re: ~ A VERY Interesting read ... ~ @ Friday, July 11, 2008 5:12 PM

Opps... and I meant a trillion is 1000 times a BILLION!!

Thank you, DrDaragh.  LOL.  I get heated about politics and how so many people like to point a finger.  I point one, too...guess which one ;-)  NOT AT YOU, of course.  I adore you!  

I know you did not post this to slight those in N.O. who need to rebuild their lives.  And I know the author was more poking at government spending, but without really putting it into a relative context.  

OK.  I'll go stand in the corner for being mouthy  (The Mouth?)  Let me know when my timeout is over!!!

The Mathematician

# re: ~ A VERY Interesting read ... ~ @ Friday, July 11, 2008 6:32 PM

TM

Honey your time out is over :)
You crack me up!
I for one have a hard time grasping such large numbers and what it all means...this is why I put this post up. When I received it via email, the time examples really helped me to wrap my mind around the concept of a billion.
You have every right to speak or type your peace and I say thank you because you add knowledge and  I for one can use that in my own life.
This is why blogs exist...to exchange, grow and learn. So comment away :)

So often things seem a world away until we can somehow bring it into our own life, make a connection and relate.

Light & Love

Light and Love

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