success!?!

An recent incident involving the closed circuit television security system in Britain provides an example of how more complexity won't necessarily lead to safer streets or even tighter control by the authorities.  The law of diminishing returns is in effect here as are more and greater problems facing people trying to work with more complex systems. 

The operator [of a British security camera] directed the officer, who was on foot patrol, as he followed the "suspect" on camera last month, telling his colleague on the ground that he was "hot on his heels"... But he failed to realise that it was actually the plain-clothed officer he was watching on the screen.

In other words the camera operator had the officer on the ground chasing himself.  more.

Breaking news: Rick Santorum wins in 3 states GOP primary contests last night, trouncing Romney!  Of course it's all just more media hype because,

Officially, a total of zero delegates will be awarded after Tuesday's contests. The Minnesota caucuses are the first step in a long process to assign delegates; the same is true in Colorado. Missouri's primary has been described as simply a "beauty contest," since the state's delegates will only be awarded after the March 17 caucuses.

A man was discovered in his home fours years after killing himself.  His house had been foreclosed upon. 

"David Carter reportedly used a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun to shoot himself in the head some four years ago, shortly after quitting his job and telling neighbors that he was moving to New Mexico. That was in 2007."  more.

The article says his neighbors had taken to mowing his lawn.  One item in the article that caught my attention was the fact that his body wasn't discovered until a local government real estate worker was checking on the property because the county was taking ownership in light of unpaid taxes. 

I know my county is dealing with the issue of owning more properties because of similar circumstances, minus the 4 year old dead body.  My county doesn't want the added tax-payer expense of maintaining these properties.  Here's a problem that could be an excellent opportunity for someone or some group that could figure out a constructive way to address the issue of unwanted properties like these. 

Lastly an article about natural gas availability in Europe.  Many parts of the continent are dealing with extremely cold weather.  Russian gas supplier Gazprom has reduced NG exports because as Russian Prime Minister Vladimír Putin explains, "it is more important for the company to first supply the Russian market."  more

We saw plenty of this when food prices spiked in 2008, countries limiting or banning the export of resources, in that case food in this case natural gas.  My guess is we'll see more of this as resource constraints tighten in the future.