You Spent Money on What?

     Did you see "Men Who Stare at Goats" starring George Clooney?  I thought it was pretty funny.  It became less funny when I found out it was more or less true.  Our tax dollars paid for experiments which involved the paranormal, specifically, killing a goat by staring at it.  Some idiot actually thought humans could develop such powers as mind reading, walking through walls, and killing stares.  This same idiot convinced other idiots to fund research into the impossible.
     The Clooney movie was based on a documentary made by Jon Ronson called "Crazy Rulers of the World."  http://www.jonronson.com/crazy_rulers.html  Ronson told the story of Lt. Colonel Jim Channon, a Viet Nam veteran, who went on a two year walk-about (at government expense), during which he immersed himself in the human potential movement.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Potential_Movement  Once he was fully enlightened, Channon wrote up his findings and presented them to our military leaders.  Joe McMoneagle, a retired U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command employee, says Channon's report made the military think out of the box.  I'm all for thinking out of the box, but when the powers-that-be start spending my money, I want them to remember what every three year old knows.  Slamming into a wall will leave you crying for your mama because walls are solid.
     Mike just told me the F.B.I. spent a lot of time and money back in 1963 trying to decide if the Kingsmen song, "Louie, Louie," was obscene.  http://living.msn.com/life-inspired/the-daily-dose-blog-post?post=1a9c75ec-0e2c-4f0e-87ae-437db548fcb2  You decide -

                                                Louie Louie, oh baby, I gotta go.

Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi
Louie Louie, oh baby, I gotta go.

A fine girl, who waited for me.
I catch a ship across the sea.
I sailed the ship all alone.
I wondered when I'm gonna make it home.

Louie Louie, oh baby, I gotta go.
Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi
Louie Louie, oh baby, I gotta go.

Three nights and days I sailed the sea.
I think of the girl constantly.
On the ship, I dream she there.
I smell the rose that's in her hair.

Louie Louie, oh baby, I gotta go.
Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi
Louie Louie, oh baby, I gotta go.

I see Jamaican moon above.
See the girl I'm thinking of.
I take her in my arms and then
Say I'll never leave again.

Louie Louie, oh baby, I gotta go.
Yi-yi-yi-yi-yi
Louie Louie, oh baby, I gotta go.

Oh, I gotta go now.
Uh-huh I gotta go.

  

     I thought examples of crazy government waste were deep, dark secrets that slipped out from time to time.  Not these days.  The Republican senator from Oklahoma, Tom Coburn, publishes an annual list of frivolous government expenditures.   The 2012 list included grants for Moroccan pottery classes, a campaign to increase caviar consumption, and a promotion of beauty products for cats and dogs.  http://www.coburn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?a=Files.Serve&File_id=b7b23f66-2d60-4d5a-8bc5-8522c7e1a40e
     Senator Coburn is now in a ticklish position.  There will be a lot of money going to Oklahoma after the recent tornadoes.  I hope he uses his watchful eye to make sure that money is used properly.  And if some of it is used to throw a Wreck-It Ralph theme party when the schools reopen, look the other way.