US sinks further in debt.

Times Online article puts the US national debt in perspective. America’s national debt limit was increased yesterday to $9 trillion. That’s $9,000,000,000,000. Japan is the biggest creditor, at $668 billion. China, the second-biggest, recently increased its stake by $40 billion to $263 billion.

• Enough to buy Buckingham Palace 9,000 times.
• Is roughly four times Britain’s GDP.
• Equates to $1,500 for every man, woman and child in the world.
• Would buy all the tea in China. In fact it would buy all the tea in the world for the next 2,000 years.
• Is enough to solve the Palestinian crisis by rehousing every Israeli and Palestinian family in a £1.5m detached house in Henley-on-Thames.
• Would build 28 Eiffel Towers — constructed out of gold.

Link to article:
US spends its way to 28 Eiffel towers: made out of pure gold by Tim Reid.