Yorkshire Yankee - your post reminds me of what I considered about the greatest waste of taxpayer money.
Former VP Al Gore had an award called the Hammer Award given out to those individuals and agencies who made an impact on easing the public burden through tax savings, efficiency upgrades etc.

The award was a standard store bought hammer (which they probably payed $200.00 for) mounted slanted against a blue velvet mat in a gold frame (which I would estimate to have cost approx. $70.00 apiece)
What good is it giving me a hammer that I can't use?