rlucas.net: The Next Generation » bureaucracy http://blog.rlucas.net ...fighting entropy one financing round at a time Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:03:54 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Massachusetts Doesn’t Add Up http://blog.rlucas.net/tech_and_market_reflections/massachusetts_doesnt_add_up/ http://blog.rlucas.net/tech_and_market_reflections/massachusetts_doesnt_add_up/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:00:00 +0000 rlucas http://www.rlucas.net/wp/uncategorized/massachusetts_doesnt_add_up/ One nice thing about having a (practically infinitely) divisble currency unit is that you can use arithmetic to sum your accounts and settle them on a “net” basis.

Sometimes, such as in CDS clearing situations, this gets a bit hinky: lots of counterparties, etc. Sometimes, with lots of debits and credits on both sides, you really need to double-check to make sure you’ve got it all added up right.

But if I owe you A and B, I really ought to be able to pay you a sum C = A + B.

Not in Massachusetts.

Somehow this would seem less objectionable if it weren’t for the fact that I was trying to dissolve an inactive corporation so as not to have to keep shelling out tribute. You can (send one) check out any time you like, but you can never leave…

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