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Shucks, I carry even more than that in my backpack, for emergencies. It's a regular part of my gear list. Doesn't even register on my scale

Edited by Coldspring on 02/27/2010 06:25:27 MST.

In a guide book for the Andes, there's a description of the situation in Bolivia during hyperinflation (1980s):
The local people were all carrying neat bundles wrapped in newspaper -- it was money. Groceries for a day would cost a sizeable bundle of paper money.

I once gave my son a million soles (Peruvian currency of 1980s); it was worth about $3 when I got to Peru and maybe $1.50 when I left 3 weeks later.

Since this is Chaff...

Take a good look at that massive trillion-dollar pile -- add another bunch more to it -- and you get a picture of just how much we've wasted invading/occupying Iraq -- just so we could shape it more to our liking -- even while we knew next to nothing about it -- and had little idea what to do with it after we occupied it.

Next project - pile up 5,000 bodies and see what that looks like! :(

People talk about how one person can bring a nation to its knees. Mugabe of Zimbabwe comes to mind. While Bush isn't quite Mugabe -- one person's arrogance and ignorance in foreign policy has wrecked our country's prestige and moral standing (to say the least). What credibility do we now have as a "defender" of human rights or the rule of law?

And we haven't even begun to talk about the Iraqi dead -- much of it brought about because Bush destroyed the Iraqi regime -- and ignorantly left a near-vacuum in its place!

Edited by ben2world on 02/27/2010 09:54:56 MST.

The real sad thing is that all this money, war, politicking.....has nothing to do with 99% of the population. That's not to say it doesn't effect us, however. There's just so much going on behind the scenes that we'll NEVER know about, and its all part of some real-life game of Risk being played by the ultra-elite.

Tom, I thought that was photo-shopped at first. Sad.

Actually, it has a lot to do with us. Two further points:

1. A full 70% of Americans supported the war -- even though they knew next to nothing about Iraq and cared even less. All Bush did was pushed our "fear" button. Can you say sheep?

2. Our national debt is now $12 trillion -- the pile you illustrated multiplied 12 times!

While upstarts like China are now building their infrastructure -- investments for the future -- we struggle mightily just to keep our infrastructure -- and our education system -- from decaying even more!

We laughed when the Soviets got itself bogged down in Afghanistan. Then we did the same on an even grander scale in Iraq. Can you say 'stupid'? :(

"There's just so much going on behind the scenes that we'll NEVER know about, and its all part of some real-life game of Risk being played by the ultra-elite."

+1...trillion

I'm not a doomsdayer or conspiracy theorist, but I just don't have much faith left in what is fed to the general public as "reality" when it comes to this kind of thing.

Honestly one of the reasons I love the outdoors and backpacking. Keeps me away from "them" just a bit more.

Edited by T.L. on 02/27/2010 10:11:57 MST.

On a lighter note -- take just a teeny tiny fraction from that pile -- a mere .0035% -- meaning just 35/1000th of a percent -- and you can buy THIS !!

Edited by ben2world on 02/27/2010 10:11:56 MST.

I like this quote from that article:

''It has the potential to produce one of the world's most important polished gems,'' Petra chief executive Johan Dippenaar said."

Because the world needs "important polished stones."

I've got a polished 'stone' for ya.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rax27_ZIVM

Wow, who would have thought?

One thing about dung. Some Indians, Mongolians, Nepalis, Tibetans, etc. burn cow dung inside their homes for cooking and heating. I used to think those homes must have smelled pretty bad. But you know what? Visiting some of the homes in Mongolia and Tibet last year, I found the smell actually 'pleasant'! They explained to me that's because their yaks ate only grass.

mmmmm, grass fed yak burgers.....

my cousin once bought coffee beans that were supposedly eaten and then pooped out by yacks. It was supposed to be really awesome cofffee. I never got to try it...

Edited by T.L. on 02/27/2010 10:28:46 MST.

"my cousin once bought coffee beans that were supposedly eaten and then pooped out by yacks. It was supposed to be really awesome cofffee. I never got to try it..."

You might be thinking of Kopi Luwak Coffee. I had a link to an interesting article, but this inane profanity filter wouldn't let me post the word pooped without the 'ed' which was part of the link. I'll bet I can call it a dumbass filter and that will get through. Let's see....

Ah, ya gotta love Chaff.

Douglass, the dumbass filter let itself be called a dumbass filter.

What I find so sad about this is the fact that while billions and trillions are out there floating around, getting squandered, and shifting accounts, a simple $50 dollar LOAN can revolutionize the life of a rural farmer or craftsman. I've followed Muhammed Yunus' work for a while now. In some cases, loans of $7 (!!!) were able to lift people out of poverty...a few chickens, perhaps a cow or your own weaving loom and you're in business- feeding your family.

Truly surreal when compared to a trillion.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/13/AR2006101300211.html

"Douglass"

A misspelling or commentary..... ;-) I'm sure there are some who would say the latter.

Whoops!! Sorry Douglas!

I agree, one of the best ways to help people in developing countries. I'm a huge supporter!

"Whoops!! Sorry Douglas!"

No worries! I've also had my name spelled "Dough." Now I'm quite white and a bit paunchy, but still..........