TRILLION: Darn right it's a lot

I thought Mr. Ray Goddard’s letter on the national debt was interesting — but very alarming. A number of years ago, I found a perspective on just how much a trillian is, and have kept it posted on my wall.

In seconds, a trillion equals 31,688 years.

In inches of string, 633 times around Earth.

In paperclips, filling 800,000 Honda Civics.

At the time when I read these figures, the national debt was $14 trillion. I have always been impressed with just how much a trillion is — an unfathomable scary number for sure.

DAVE MINICH

Rathdrum