Overclocking debt

The famous National Debt Clock in New York has reached its own mini-Millennium Bug moment.  When the US national public debt figure reached $10 trillion last month, the clock was unable to show the full amount, because it only had 13 digits.  The clock's owners are adding two more zeroes, although when they need to use two more zeroes there may not be enough money around to pay for the electricity to illuminate the sign...

 

Perhaps we should take Matthew's advice and get clued up on how things ended up so shaky?

- Source: BBC News, 9 October 2008