holy shit

the new york times puts the cost of the iraq war in perspective. for $1.2 trillion we could, for example, significantly beef up our health care and cancer research systems, provide global immunization for children, rebuild new orleans, make our country safer against terrorism and still have some change left over to go properly kick the taliban's ass in afghanistan.

or, the war in iraq.

those other things are less important apparently. because we're fighting for....i mean against....i mean because of, or due to, or to prevent, or to deter, or what exactly?

$300 million a day. it is unfathomable, outrageous.

but, salon asks, where's the outrage? where is the antiwar movement? in the absense of a draft, this war is too impersonal; the middle class doesn't feel affected by this unreal war of the rich being fought by the poor. so let's bring it to your front doorstep: $300 million a day. get mad!

on a much less horrifying -- somewhat calming actually -- numbers-related topic, scientific american discusses the history of zero and early expressions of the concept of nothingness.