And now, great moments in unintended consequences. Part 1. Window Wealth The year? 1696. The problem? Britain needs money. The solution. Tax Windows. Windows increase with relative wealth and are easily observed and verified from afar. A perfect revenue generator is porn. Sounds like a great idea. With the best of intentions, what could possibly go wrong? To avoid higher taxes, houses were built with fewer windows and existing windows were bricked up. Tenements were charged as single dwellings, putting them in a higher tax bracket, which led to rising rents or windowless apartments. The lack of ventilation and sunlight led to greater disease, stunted growth, and one rather irate Charles Dickens. It took more than 150 years for politicians to see the error of their ways, perhaps because their view was blocked by bricks. 2. Looney Ladies The year 1992. The problem? New dancing is degrading to women and ruining the moral fabric of Alberta, Canada. The solution. Establish a 1 meter buffer zone between patrons and dancers. Sounds like a total buzzkill, with pure technical intentions, what could possibly go wrong. It turns out that dancers earn most of their money in the form of tips. Dollar bills don't fly through the air very well. Thus the measure designed to protect dancers from degrading treatment resulted in the looney toss. A creepy ritual where naked women are pelted with Canadian dollar coins. Way to make the ladies feel special. Part 3. Gallant Grocers The year 2021. The problem? Local bureaucrats need to look like they care. The solution. Mandate grocery stores provide hero pay to their workers. Sounds like a great idea. With the best of intentions, what could possibly go wrong. Never mind that these ordinances may preempt federal labor and equal protection laws, but 28% pay raise for employees can be catastrophic to grocery stores that traditionally operate on-raise-it-in margins. As a result many underperforming stores were closed, resulting in a hero pay of sudden employment. Don't spend it all in one place, heroes. Great moments in unintended consequences. Good intentions, bad results.