Wednesday, November 27, 2013

What, in your opinion, is the most stupid way the government spends our money?

best gadgets for kids 2011
 on ... Have Kids, Will Travel: Top Ten Travel Gadgets for Kids | Mamatoga
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Mary





Answer
The federal government spent billions of dollars in 2011 on some unusual projects.
Here are some that seem utterly outrageous to me...

1. $764,825 for a study on how college students use cell phones and social media

The National Science Foundation awarded the University of Notre Dame this grant to study the mobile and social media habits of college freshmen. I can tell you exactly how college freshmen use mobile phones and social media: for 3 a.m. texts and phone calls to that guy in American History. I could have saved the government a lot of money.

2. $136,555 for teachers to retrace Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales in England
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This grant, awarded to teachers from Kent State and Eastern Illinois Universities, allowed Middle English lit fanatics to take the trip outlined in Canterbury Tales. I'm betting £10 that the tour guides just make up half of the landmarks.

3. $55,660 on butter packaging

Kriemhild Dairy Farms received this chunk of change to package their grass-fed cow butter. The funding isn’t the only thing that’s too big: The butter itself is 85 percent fat.

4. $606,000 for a study about online dating

Columbia University researchers received over a half-million dollars to study online dating. Maybe the Ivy League nerds who conducted this study should put down the lab coats and go to a bar — or at least the library.

5. $484,000 for a pizza restaurant

Arlington, Texas has one more beer and pizza joint, thanks to this grant to a private developer. The groovy Mellow Mushroom, a national chain, is known for its hippie theme.

6. $48,700 towards the Second Annual Hawaii Chocolate Festival

These funds were awarded to promote Hawaii’s chocolate industry. The Aloha State is already full of sandy beaches, clear blue water, and sun. Why do they get all the good stuff... (That’s the mayor of Hershey, Pennsylvania on Line 1.)

7. $147,138 to build a magic museum

Maybe the wizards at the American Museum of Magic in Marshall, Mich., can make the federal deficit disappear. The grant was awarded to promote the “history of magic entertainment.”

8. $96,000 on iPads for kindergarteners

One school district in Maine was awarded this grant to buy every kindergarten student the latest Apple gadget. These kids can’t add yet, but thanks to Uncle Sam they’ll never need to.

9. $175,587 for a study on the link between cocaine and the mating habits of quail

The funding for this super-important scientific study is down from its 2010 level of $181,406. But I think the amount is ridiculous for research that proves what the film “Blow” already did: that cocaine is linked to high-risk sexual activity.

Parents: What do you think was the best invention between 2000 and 2011?




Emily


Just wondering :)


Answer
I would have to say jump drives. Those little gadgets are genious!

OR, smart boards at public schools. If your kids' school has one and you've actually seen or used it, then you'd know how useful of a learning tool they really can be. They're just awesome:)




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