"The system allows us to connect the dots by instantly tapping into the details of crime records, 911 calls, license plate readers, videotape footage and more, " NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly said at the news conference, held inside the department's Lower Manhattan Security Initiative headquarters.

WSJ: New Tracking Tool for NYPD

And, tapping his auto parts experience, he introduced the just-in-time inventory-control system and lean manufacturing, which emphasizes reducing wasteful processes in order to make better products and respond quickly to customers.

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At the new Intercontinental Hotels resort at Bora Bora, air conditioning for its 80 villas on a pristine lagoon comes from a system of pipes extending 1.5 miles offshore and 3, 000 feet deep, tapping the cooling power of 41-degree seawater.

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