A question for my Data Management class. How could such an obvious error get out?

http://www.goerie.com/news/20171225/erie-woman-receives-284-billion-electric-bill

Erie woman receives $284 billion electric bill

… Her online statement was quickly fixed to the correct amount: $284.46.

Mark Durbin, a spokesman for Penelec’s parent company First Energy, said he doesn’t know how the error occurred but obviously a decimal point was accidentally moved.

Should cities be forbidden by law from denying me an alternative route?

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/24/nyregion/traffic-apps-gps-neighborhoods.html

Navigation Apps Are Turning Quiet Neighborhoods Into Traffic Nightmares

… With services like Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps suggesting shortcuts for commuters through the narrow, hilly streets of Leonia, N.J., the borough has decided to fight back against congestion that its leaders say has reached crisis proportions.

In mid-January, the borough’s police force will close 60 streets to all drivers aside from residents and people employed in the borough during the morning and afternoon rush periods, effectively taking most of the town out of circulation for the popular traffic apps — and for everyone else, for that matter.

The truth emerges at last!

How Does He Know If You've Been Bad or Good?

You'd better watch out,
You'd better not cry,
You'd better not pout;
I'm telling you why.
Santa Claus is tapping
Your phone.

He's bugging your room,
He's reading your mail,
He's keeping a file
And running a tail.
Santa Claus is tapping
Your phone.

He hears you in the bedroom,
Surveills you out of doors,
And if that doesn't get the goods,
Then he'll use provocateurs.

So–you mustn't assume
That you are secure.
On Christmas Eve
He'll kick in your door.
Santa Claus is tapping
Your phone.

You learn something new every day. And I grew up only a couple of miles upstream from Washington Crossing NJ.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/12/24/how-a-painting-of-george-washington-crossing-the-delaware-on-christmas-went-19th-century-viral/?utm_term=.17de360a9781

How a painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware on Christmas went 19th-century viral

… After its German tour, the first version of “Washington Crossing the Delaware” ended up in the Bremen art museum. In an odd twist of fate, it was destroyed by Allied bombing during World War II.