How Much is a Billion?

Gratefully received from my Dad!

The next time you hear a politician use the word 'billion' in a casual manner, think about how much that actually might be... A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, but one advertising agency did a good job of putting that figure into some perspective:

• A billion seconds ago it was 1959.
• A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive.
• A billion hours ago our ancestors were living in the Stone Age.
• A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet.
• A billion pounds ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, at the rate our government [or local council!] is spending it.

Also, a billion years is how long it is likely to take to pay off the country's national debt!