Mind-boggling numbers made easy...

Still "blur" about the US fiscal cliff? CC sent this helpful Idiots' Guide:

Lesson # 1:

* U.S. Tax revenue:    $2,170,000,000,000
* Fed budget:              $3,820,000,000,000
* New debt:                $ 1,650,000,000,000
* National debt:        $14,271,000,000,000
* Recent budget cuts:    $ 38,500,000,000

Let's now remove 8 zeros and pretend it's a household budget:

* Annual family income:                                      $21,700
* Money the family spent:                                  $38,200
* New debt on the credit card:                          $16,500
* Outstanding balance on the credit card:  $142,710
* Total budget cuts so far: $38.50

Got It ??..... OK now,



Lesson # 2:

Here's another way to look at the US Debt Ceiling:

Let's say, You come home from work and find there has been a sewer backup in your neighbourhood ...
and your home has sewage all the way up to your ceiling.

What do you think you should do ...
Raise the ceiling or remove the shit?

 

QED

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Since we are on numbers, it seems there's a "Japanese method" to doing multiplication sums:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?gl=SG&v=e-P5RGdjICo&hl=en-GB

But, hey, don't tell your Primary 5 kids. They are still working on remembering what those 24 words mean!