It’s always useful to put failure in perspective.  While Citigroup is likely to announce a $20 billion writedown tomorrow, that’s difficult for most of us to relate to.

However, I bet most people that have traveled in the US have had the privilege of having their bags misplaced on a trip through Denver International Airport. 

The original amazing DIA baggage system cost $300m.  It never worked.  The city eventually turned it over to United Airlines (the dominant carrier at DIA.)  United Airlines stopped using it in 2005.  It’ll now cost $9m to dismantle it and get rid of the scrap metal.

Oops.