Wrapping Your Head Around A Trillion!"
The US government is going to buy 1 trillion dollars worth of bad bank debt… the so-called toxic assets… just think about it, one TRILLION dollars!
What does that amount of money look like?
I mean, these various numbers are tossed around like so many doggie treats, so I thought I’d try to get a sense of what exactly a trillion dollars looks like.
We’ll start with a 100 dollar bill. Currently its the largest U.S. denomination in general circulation.
Most everyone has seen them; slightly fewer have owned them. Guaranteed to make friends wherever they go.
A packet of one hundred $100.00 bills is less than 1/2” thick and contains $10,000.
Fits in your pocket easily and is more than enough for week or two of shamefully decadent fun.
Believe it or not, this next little pile is 1 million dollars (100 packets of $10,000).
You could stuff that into a grocery bag and walk around with it.
While a measly $1 million looked a little unimpressive, $100 million is a little more respectable. It fits neatly on a standard pallet.
(Where’s the forklift when you need it!)
And 1 BILLION dollars! Now we’re really getting somewhere.
(Figuring each pallet is 4 feet x 4 feet, you could fit this in a rental truck.)
Next we’ll look at ONE TRILLION dollars.
This is that number we’ve been hearing so much about.
What is a trillion dollars?
Well, it’s a million millions. It’s a thousand billions.
OK everyone ….. here it is!
I give you 1 trillion dollars: (Click photo to enlarge!)
Did you notice those pallets are DOUBLE STACKED…
So, the next time you hear someone toss around the phrase “a trillion dollars”… that’s what they’re talking about!!!
