Top 10 Most Ridiculous Uses of Stimulus Funds (Updated) State, National, International, posted by Ruth, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2009 at 10:37 am
You've got to hand it to "Democrat Economics." Help me understand how any of these "stimulus" projects increase jobs and improve our economy. Total = 19.79 jobs for $65.7 million in federal spending, or roughly $3.3 million per job. How's that "hope and change" working for you?
Top 10 Most Ridiculous Uses of Stimulus Funds (Updated)>>> Web Link
Morgen on December 28, 2009
“Putting Americans to work doing the work that America needs done“…
10. A $427,824 research grant to design better video games for senior citizens based on their unique “game-play needs”.
9. Funding of a Dartmouth College study involving “sexual arousal in anesthetized female rats” ($9,870).
8. Funding of a $168,300 SBA loan to the Escape Massage parlor in Midlothian, VA.
7. Funding a $447,492 Univ. of North Carolina study on the development and use of “African American English” amongst 70 adolescents.
6. $10,346 for a heating and cooling company to provide “escort services” for other companies performing a laser scanning survey at a courthouse in Honolulu, Hawaii.
5. An academic study comparing outcomes of the concurrent and separate use of malt liquor and marijuana ($389,357).
4. A $225,000 study at Ohio State University on the relative and combined impacts of air pollution and a high fat diet on obesity development.
3. A $712,883 research grant to develop “machine-generated humor“. Project will design artificially intelligent “comedic performance agents”, and will “deploy them both on and off-line for the enjoyment and illumination of everyday citizens”.
2. A $54 million project to relocate one bridge for the Napa Valley Wine Train (!) in order to mitigate the possible impact of a “100 year storm event”.
And the number one most ridiculous use of stimulus funds…
1. $9.3 million (!) to fund the design and development of a “coordinated colony of robotic bees“!
Our tax dollars hard at work, saving or creating jobs for mad scientists and masseurs everywhere. And I’m sure I’ve only scratched the surface with these.
Update: Since a couple of commenters have inexplicably attempted to defend some of the items I highlighted on the basis that they have created jobs, let me add that a grand total of 19.79 jobs were reported to have been created as a result of this spending. That’s 19.79 jobs for $65.7 million in federal spending, or roughly $3.3 million per job. This calculation comes from the job totals reported to Recovery.gov by the recipients, although it does not include any possible jobs created from the SBA loan to the massage parlor (apparently SBA loan recipients aren’t required to report this). It also includes 2 jobs which were reported as having been created for the “escort” boondoggle to Hawaii, which were apparently generated by a grant of only $10K.
Also, if anyone heard about this post on the radio or TV I would appreciate you dropping a note in the comments and sharing where you heard about it. As the writer of a “hack blog no one reads” I like to keep track of this sort of thing.
Posted by Stacey, a resident of the Amberwood/Wood Meadows neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2009 at 10:56 am Stacey is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com
Posted by Janna, a resident of Dublin, on Dec 29, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Bush is the one who started the whole corporate welfare, economic stimulus crap during his last term. I love how the right conveniently forgets that. That was his last ditch effort to look like he gave a damn about the country before he left office or to completely bankrupt us depending how you look at it. He didn't care what destruction he left behind for others to deal with.
His wealthy friends are still doing great though! We should all be grateful!
Posted by Margaret, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2009 at 2:15 pm
Tell me 'genius' Janna, what has your savior Obama done to strengthen this economy, our national defense, the number of jobs, our energy independence, our taxes...etc.
Posted by Robin, a resident of the Highland Oaks neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2009 at 2:29 pm
HHR & Janna better brush up on your faulty propaganda. Bush's last term was owned, manipulated, & controlled by an all Dem PELOSI CONGRESS that was elected in 2006 ! ! ! They didn't allow Bush to do anything. They ran everything...he was a powerless lame duck on his way out. Accept a little responsibility..at least for the truth.
Jenna, you don't want to go there..the really richEST who are doing very well are mostly Dems Feinstein, Pelosi, Gore, etc are raking in in at our expense.
Posted by Terri, a resident of the Country Fair neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Wow, with the $ 12.5 million granted to P school district, we surely don't need to inplement a new parcel tax. $ 1.5 million for Pleasanton Transportation? Is that for having employees digging and planting signs all over town SAYING the signs are for spending $1.5 million....what an insult to our intelligence.
And our grandkids are going to have to pay for that....'cause we sure can't as more is piling on us.
PS So funny....Ms Pelosi is on the Gallop end-of-year political LOSER list for '98..! tsk tsk
Posted by OK, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Janna you said; "Bush is the one who started the whole corporate welfare, economic stimulus crap during his last term"
Are you saying that you now support the corporate welfare and economic stimulus crap because Obama is behind it? Obviously you were opposed when Bush was in the Oval Office.
Posted by Stacey, a resident of the Amberwood/Wood Meadows neighborhood, on Dec 29, 2009 at 3:41 pm Stacey is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com
Terri,
Roughly half of that is for Special Education and mostly because PUSD is the administrative/contact district of the Tri-Valley SELPA. I.e., they're pass-through expenses. It relieves the encroachment of Special Ed on the general funds.
Posted by Margaret, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Dec 30, 2009 at 11:05 am
Hey DublinMike...keep up your "insightful" posting. I am sure that you can copy and paste your posts to apply for some "stimulus" ACORN welfare funds since you're a bonafide koolaide-drinking Obama sheep.
Posted by SteveP, a resident of the Parkside neighborhood, on Dec 30, 2009 at 11:13 am SteveP is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com
HHR, Janna and cholo (and any other Obama drones): You and your vacuaus responses perform a disservice to your socilaist, leftist cause. You can't even respond coherently to the subject of the original topic, so in typical lib fashion, you deflect, name call and avoid all appearances of understanding (let alone providing a relevant response) the content of this topic.
Maybe on the playground your minds occupy, it's prudent to respond with, 'Oh yeah, well he did it first....", but for the rest of us adults on the forum, it doesn't stack up to an intellectual conversation. What's your Messiah doing to this country (that's positive)?
Posted by dublinmike, a resident of Dublin, on Dec 30, 2009 at 11:37 am
Margaret, just trying to keep up with you sharpies...
And, name calling like "you're a bonafide koolaide-drinking Obama sheep" should be beyond sharpies.
I do my on research and I am not a Bush/Cheny/conservative sheep like you. Copy & paste a few bits is not the same as copying nearly the entire article. Are you upset that I used only Red states and Lodi? I purposefully used those areas to make my point clearer: BOTH parties and the independents are caught up in this pork. Ruth had an ulterior motive and that is to bash ONLY one side
If you really read my posting, I am actually in agreement with Ruth. It's the mindless fixated opinions that I am concerned with.
You know what is funny, my liberal friends and family think I am a conservative. A thinking independent person can't get a break.
Posted by Janna, a resident of Dublin, on Dec 30, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Hell no! I have never supported any president giving welfare to corporations. I'm just pointing out that Obama didn't start us down this road. We were already on it.
Posted by Cholo, a resident of Livermore, on Dec 31, 2009 at 9:26 am
robin has been eating wwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaY too much birdseed...give her a little rope!(Comment removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff as innuendo, hearsay or specific accusatory information unsupported by facts.)
Posted by John, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Dec 31, 2009 at 1:22 pm
Janna,
A stereotype democrat is one who is constantly complaining about everything, has a sense of entitlement, whines about 'class envy', and has other less attractive characteristics. You fit this stereotype very well in my opinion. (Comment deemed inappropriate by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)
Your "reality" is not pretty...vs. the reality of "conservatives" who believe in the rights, freedoms and greatness of the "individual" (vs. the collective).
Happier New Year to you...(tho I predict next November will not be a fun one for you).
Posted by Janna, a resident of Dublin, on Jan 2, 2010 at 11:21 pm
John:
You said it: Conservatives are only out for themselves. They don't care about others like them until they end up in their own bad situation. Then suddenly some of them are enlightened, but unfortunately not enough. You lack compassion for others.
Posted by John, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jan 3, 2010 at 8:49 am
Janna: You and many other democrats equate "self-interest" to "selfishness". You use these terms synonymously. And you are very wrong in doing so. (Furthermore, "collectivism" which you are a proponent of has never worked in any society...it has resulted in mass human suffering, genocide and poverty.)
Google the difference if you don't want to take my word for it.
However everyone acting in their own "self-interest" thru capitalism is what magically makes capitalism work far beyond any other economic systems.
Below is an excerpt of a good article from Business Week...>>> Web Link
Conscious Capitalism: Doing Good Via Self-Interest:
The profit motive, not government or charity, will create the kind of socially responsible world we want our kids and grandkids to grow up in
By G. Michael Maddock and Raphael Louis Vitón
Maybe if members of the social responsibility movement were to spend less time hectoring companies about climate change, worker exploitation, and the like, and more time pointing out the greater profits these businesses could produce by implementing socially responsible ideas, they would be more effective.
If they recast the issue in terms of "and," as in "You can do X, which will increase earnings and by the way, contribute to the greater good," instead of "or," as in "You can do well or make money, but you can't do both," they would have to beat followers away with a stick. At its heart, social responsibility is an innovation challenge.
These are the thoughts we came back with after attending the recent Catalyzing Conscious Capitalism conference in Austin, Tex. (see highlights here).
Conscious capitalism is a new way of thinking about "social responsibility," the idea that an organization (government, nonprofit, business) has an obligation to act not only in its own best interests but also in those of all its stakeholders (customers, employees, suppliers, investors, society).
Posted by Janna, a resident of Dublin, on Jan 8, 2010 at 5:04 pm
John,
Sadly, I don't think capitalism can never have a conscious. The terms are like putting two positive magnetic sides together - repellent. The CEOs will never let that happen. "The profit motive, not government or charity, will create the kind of socially responsible world we want our kids and grandkids to grow up in." Highly unlikely. Profits are the result of greed, as are lay-offs and salary and benefits reductions. People have even been dumped recently (Aetna, I believe) by their insurance companies so they can improve their Wall Street numbers.
I don't see how the every man for himself mentality is a good thing so far. I may end up homeless soon and you'll never know because there is very little community in our towns. If there was truly a community you would know what others around you, not just in your neighborhood, are going through. In case you were wondering, we already have mass poverty and massive suffering. If anyone is committing genocide, it is the insurance companies. More people die every year for lack of access to health care than several 9/11s. Yet we spend billions on defense. How about a citizens' defense from corporations?
Posted by NO Janna, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jan 8, 2010 at 6:48 pm
Janna you state "Profits are the result of greed" and "yet we spend billions on defense" then make a statements regarding a "citizens defense from corporations". I just have one question for you, Where do you think people get their jobs from????? oh maybe you don't realize that when companies don't make profits is when they have layoffs, OR you don't know that the defense dept. employs many, many civilians with jobs. You are a sad case, you just love being the VICTIM.
Posted by John, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on Jan 8, 2010 at 7:27 pm
NoJanna said it best. You, Janna, are a sad case because you point fingers of blame in all the wrong directions...and you probably undervalue your potential. It is the conservative party who are truly in your court who want you to be wildly successful and who want to remove all the barriers that are holding you back. However Obama and other democrat politicians want to hold you down, to keep you dependent on them, for you to be enslaved to their control. They never want you to become independent and successful. The democrat party is diametrically opposed to anyone achieving the American dream.
I think you need professional help...and I would suggest a conservative therapist like Dr. Bridget Melson.
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