Skip to main content

Random Data

How big is the national debt?  You know; it’s about USD 20 trillion.  And how big is that?  We could stack dollars upon one another to reach the moon and back – in fact, three round trips!!  Yeah! So what?  

More tellingly, with the $20T bucks you could buy every single stock included in the S&P 500 - meaning you can own outright every company so listed.  For example, you would completely own the top fourteen, Apple Inc, Microsoft, Alphabet (Google), Exxon Mobil, Johnson & Johnson, Amazon.com, Berkshire Hathaway, General Electric, JPMorgan Chase, Facebook, Wells Fargo, AT&T, Nestlé, and hundreds more.  
It is estimated that over all of human history 5,820,203,717 ounces of gold have been mined.  At the current price of about $1200/oz, this values today at $6,984,244,460,400, or about 1/3 of the total US debt. 

Or you can win the (average) Powerball Jackpot about 322,000 times. That average is just over $62,000,000.  Or you could give every US citizen $57,000 cash.

--------------

What's a big health problem in Saudi Arabia? It is reported that lack of exposure to sun had led to vitamin D deficiency among 80 percent of Saudi women.  In this case, it’s not what you eat but what you wear.  
https://www.facebook.com/SaudiGazette/posts/534865549935633

-------------


The answer to the question, "Can People Really be That Stupid?" is always "Yes."
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Please Comment.

Popular posts from this blog

UNCERTAINTY IS CERTAIN

  Uncertainty is Certain G. Donald Allen 12/12/2024 1.       Introduction . This short essay is about uncertainty in people from both secular and nonsecular viewpoints. One point that will emerge is that randomly based uncertainty can be a driver for religious structure. Many groups facing uncertainty about their future are deeply religious or rely on faith as a source of comfort, resilience, and guidance. The intersection of uncertainty and religiosity often stems from the human need to find meaning, hope, and stability in the face of unpredictable or challenging circumstances. We first take up the connections of uncertainty to religion for the first real profession, farming, noting that hunting has many similar uncertainties. Below are groups that commonly lean on religious beliefs amidst uncertainty.   This short essay is a follow-up to a previous piece on certainty (https://used-ideas.blogspot.com/2024/12/certainty-is-also-emotion.html). U...
Post a Comment
Read more

CERTAINTY IS ALSO AN EMOTION

  Certainty is also a Feeling Certainty is often viewed as a mental state tied to knowledge and confidence, but it also functions as a feeling with distinct emotional and physiological components. While it arises from cognitive processes, certainty also has a subjective and emotional quality that makes it more than just a rational judgment. It provides a sense of assurance and security that shapes human experience in profound ways. Emotional Dimension . At its core, certainty evokes emotions that influence how we perceive and interact with the world. When someone feels certain, they often experience relief, comfort, or empowerment. These emotions are particularly strong when uncertainty or doubt is resolved, offering a sense of closure. For example, solving a complex problem or having a belief validated by evidence brings not just intellectual satisfaction but also emotional reassurance. Subjectivity. Certainty is inherently personal and subjective. It depends on individual...
Post a Comment
Read more

Lies, Deceit, and the National Agenda

The world you grew up in is no more.  The world of reasonable honesty and reasonable lies has been replaced by abject dishonesty and blatant lies. Lies.  Yes. People have always told them.  You have told them; so have I.   We need lies; they are a foundational structure of social living.  They both deceive and protect.  Children tell them to their parents to avoid consequences, like punishment.  Adults tell them to their bosses, to enhance their position and/or avoid consequences of poor performance.  Our bosses tell them to their boards to suggest business is good, the project is on target, or the detractors are wrong.  The boards tell them to shareholders to protect their own credibility and most importantly, stock values.   Our politicians tell lies to their constituents, though sometimes innocently with them not actually knowing much more than they've been told.  They enhance their positio...
2 comments
Read more