US budget explained in simple to understand terms

Now, it does not take a rocket scientist to see that something does not add up here. Honestly, would you run your household budget like that?

Earth population reaches 7 billion

According to the United Nations the Earth population has reached 7 billion and counting. Based on the latest projections this number is expected to hit 8 billion by 2025 and a whooping 9.3 billion by 2050.

[USA Today]

How much money does it take to be in the top 1%?

Haves and Have-Nots: statistics confirm growing disparity between the working classes

As the Occupy Wall Street movement embarks on its "Millionaire's March" to protest New York state's 2% millionaire tax set to expire at the end of 2011 here are a few enlightening facts about the wealthiest 1% of Americans:

- top 1% owns 40% of the national wealth (25 years ago they owned 33%)
- bottom 80% owns only 7% of national wealth
- top 1% takes home 24% of national income (in 1976 they took home only 9%)
- top 1% own half of all US stocks, bonds and mutual funds
- bottom 50% only own 0.5% of US stocks, bonds and mutual funds
- top 1% only have 5% of the national personal debt
- bottom 90% have a whooping 73% of the national debt
- top 1% take home a greater portion of national income than they ever have since 1920s

Now take a wild guess who does all the hard work for the 1% and who is underpaid and overworked?

[Yahoo Finance]