hi you were talking about kung this earn you a black belt in investing well susan fuji investor and editor in chief of kung fu finance is here to make the case that it is let's get to today's capital account. the united states treasury department this week announced the u.s. national debt has surpassed sixteen trillion dollars but how exactly are we supposed to wrap our heads around this millions billions even trillions are bandied about as though they were pocket change but can we really conceptualize what those numbers amount to well our guess is going to help us she put it into seconds and here's how they clock in a million seconds was twelve days ago a billion seconds was thirty two years ago and a trillion seconds well hey that's it you're just short of thirty two thousand years ago thirty two thousand so sixteen of those i can't even imagine which is why some can't imagine how the u.s. will tackle this level of debt in any credible sustainable or even possible way and the questions are unanswered as to what happens when interest rates rise and the government has to pay more towards i