How big is a Trillion?

How big is a Trillion?

Well, 1 million seconds is just over 11 ½ days.

And 1 billion seconds is just under 32 years.

And 1 trillion seconds is 31,710 years.

Geez, where does the time go?!

Another way to look at it is this.

Let's just say the cost of the bail-out was just $2 trillion. We know it is a lot more than that, or it will be a lot more. But let's just start with a $2 trillion price tag.

And let's say someone could spend money every day since the beginning of the Western calendar until today ... that's 2,009 years, or roughly 733,375 days.

To spend the entire $2 trillion, that person would have to spend $2.7 million ($2,727,450) per day every single day for all 2,009 years.

So, if the bail-out cost really ends up being $4 trillion, the daily spending rate would have to be $5.5 million ($5,455,000) each and every day for 2,009 years.

And if the cost runs up to $8 trillion, the daily spending rate would have to be $10.9 million ($10,910,000).

Is your mouth hanging open in utter surprise and disbelief? Mine was as I was running through the calculations to confirm their accuracy.

Do the calculations yourself to make sure there are no errors. Or to prove to yourself they are accurate.

I created a spreadsheet to make sure the calculations were correct. Let me know if you want it.

I ‘googled' the phrase "How big is a trillion" and found any number of blogs and miscellaneous websites with the same numbers I calculated.

If you know someone at CNN or MSNBC or Fox News, send this to them. It seems to me to be worth airing on national TV.

So, How big is a trillion? Now, for some more realistic numbers, click here to check out prices for Finn Hill real estate in the Kirkland/Bothell/Kenmore area