We Know What We Are Talking About

The revelation that U.S. consumer debt is nearly a record $13.0 trillion made for fevered commentary, but Matt Drudge's blaring headline prompted a chuckle:

If you see the absurdity of showing the ".00", then you, dear reader, have a feeling for significant digits.

Here's an accounting joke that reflects the same concept:

An accountant visited the Natural History museum. While standing near the dinosaur, he said to his friend, “This dinosaur is 2 billion years and 10 months old.” “Where did you get this exact information?” the friend asked. “I was here 10 months ago, and the guide told me that the dinosaur is 2 billion years old.”

We give out precise information because people then think that we know what we are talking about.