And now, great moments and unintended consequences. Part 1. Black liquor bananza. The year 2005, the problem? Fossil fuel consumption is too high, and biodiesel consumption is too low. The solution. Create a generous tax credit for companies who blend fossil fuel with environmentally friendly biofuel. Sounds like a great idea, with the best of intentions, what could possibly go wrong. Turns out, paper companies were already using a pure biofuel known as black liquor, which is extracted from wood during the paper-making process. It's a super-convenient energy source to run paper plants and mills, but only blended fuels were eligible for the tax credit. So paper companies bought fossil fuel they didn't need, added it to the biofuel they were already using, and instantly qualified for very generous blended alternative fuel credits. Exactly the opposite of the tax credit's intent, but sometimes it all boils down to paper. Part 2. Billboard Bans. The year 1968, the problem? Billboard's cluttering the scenic vistas of Vermont. The solution? Band Billboard's. Sounds like a great idea, with the best of intentions, what could possibly go wrong. As the Billboard's came down, something new popped up. A 12-foot gorilla holding up a Volkswagen, a giant squirrel in a striped bathing suit, a 19-foot genie holding a carpet, a veritable zoo of gargantuan concrete sculptures, all in the name of public art. It might seem cute until a development dispute with a local bureaucracy results in a 700-pound middle finger on a 16-foot pole. Enjoy the view, Vermont. Part 3. Equal pay in Colorado. The year 2019, the problem? The gender pay gap. The solution? The Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, a bevy of new regulations on employers, including a requirement that all forms of compensation be disclosed as part of every job listing, and a ban on asking job candidates about their salary history. Sounds like a great idea, with the best of intentions, what could possibly go wrong? Not only does the law open up companies to new legal liabilities and administrative burdens, it also hinders employer flexibility when it comes to hiring. As a result, some companies like Samsung, Century 21, SIGNA, IBM, Nike, even PETA, have simply excluded Colorado from their remote job listings. Can't have a pay gap if you don't have a paycheck. Mission accomplished, Colorado. Great moments in unintended consequences. Good intentions, bad results.