Am back in Venezuela this week for consulting on some process problems at a manufacturing facility.  I was expecting to be done at about 4 PM, but in actuality couldn't get back to the hotel until 9 PM.  Good thing since in my absence the hotel security people apprehended an armed suspect who was apparently just kicking back in my room . . . possibly waiting for "someone" to return. 

Had I come back on time . . .

It seems the guy was discovered by security people reviewing the CCTV cameras in the halls, so I might be a little more receptive to all the endless videotaping and security apparatus around us these days. 

The bad news?  Although the guy didn't get out of my room with anything, he had put a portable DVD player, some DVD's, headphones, and an iPod in his "sack" so the police impounded all the stuff as "evidence."  Since I leave on Sunday, it seems I am very unlikely to get anything back.  Summing up the items, it was nearly $1000 in all. 

Am feeling just mad enough to write about this in order to blow off some steam.