Tuesday 7 October 2008

Saving Private Fat Cats


“How much is 700 billion? The mind registers the number with such imprecision as to make it meaningless.”


Really: Just how much is US$700 billion?
Worth the paper printed on?

This is the figure bandied by the US government to stem the country’s steep descent into god knows where its headed economic turmoil.

In numerical terms, 700 billion is not much really: just eleven zeros behind the seven. Even converting to Ringgit at a crude USD1 = Ringgit 3, we’d get eleven zeros behind 21.

But then, it would be 2.1 trillion. In Ringgit.

US$700 billion is also 6,713,000 billion in Indonesian Rupiah at USD1 = Rp9,590.

700 billion in Zimbabwean Dollar will however only get you about 1½ kilos of mince meat – if you can find the item in the first place.

US$700 billion is also the Pentagon’s budget with at least US$100 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan.

In Iraq, conservative estimate puts war casualties at around 700,000 in 2007 – four years after the country was invaded on the pretext of being liberated.

700,000. Approximately US$1,000 per head if you compare the figures bandied where WAR is concerned.

They didn’t need to bail the fat cats with taxpayers’ money after all.

All that money...


All that money...

2 comments:

Unknown said...

bro, i cant agree with you more (ur comment in rocky bru's) the world is in turmoil and yet we so oblivious, and we are still playing politic.

cannot imagine, our country's PM is chosen by only few, (if you know what i mean) and look at the candidates for the No 2, are they qualified, i have my reservation.

i like your thoughts, we are malaysian

azlishukri said...

zaman tolong menolong sudah berakhir...