Get Paid to Look at Porn

The Washington Times is reporting that employees viewing porn while working for the National Science Foundation (NSF) are costing the U.S. taxpayers a pretty penny. While it's none of my business whether anyone looks at online porn, it is my business when it's being done with my money. Believe me. While I've never gone online to see it, there have been times (mostly in my younger years) I've been the one to rent the video in anticipation of a fun night.

The NSF is a federal agency that gives out billions of tax dollars every year for scientific research grants. The problem of surfing the Internet for porn increased six-fold last year and has forced the inspector general who oversees wasteful spending within the agency to switch gears. The IG has had to cut back drastically on fraud and wasteful spending investigations in order to address the problem. Recovery of wasted tax dollars has also taken a back burner.

A recent request for more staff has been made by the IG to Congress. The request also asks for more funding to properly address the problem.

The number of cases and investigations wasn't revealed, but The Times obtained some information as to just how pervasive of a problem this is at the federal agency through a Freedom of Information Act filing. Wait until you see how our tax dollars are being spent, folks.

One senior executive spent at least 331 days looking at porn and chatting with nude or partially-nude women. He went completely undetected. That's almost a whole frickin' year! My guess is that the other 34 days in the year were probably spent on vacation with his family away from his work computer. Wait...it gets better.

When this sleazeball was finally caught, he retired. His reason for doing all of this on our dime? He did it for these poor overseas women in order for them to make a living. What a humanitarian! Give that man the Nobel Peace Prize! Unbelievable.

Oh...and the cost to you and I for his online strokefests? Between $13,800 and $58,000 according to investigators.

The NSF is wholly funded by the U.S. taxpayers to the tune of approximately $6 billion as of 2008. The foundation gives grants to various groups and universities for scientific research. Some of the projects that have been funded through the NSF include genome mapping of the potato and space exploration with powerful new telescopes. The agency has about 1,200 career employees.

The foundation's inspector general provided documents to The Times that show that 10 investigations were closed last year, up from three in 2006. Seven cases were reported in 2007. Of the 10 last year, seven involved online porn. And that doesn't count the pending cases.

Leslie Paige, a spokeswoman for the nonpartisan watchdog Citizens Against Government Waste, called the situation "inexcusable."

"What kind of oversight is there when they have to shift people from looking at grant fraud to watch for people looking at pornography?" she said.

Foundation spokeswoman Dana Topousis said officials have enacted more rigorous computer training and tightened controls to filter out inappropriate Internet addresses from the sites employees can access from their work computers. Why wasn't this done from the start? Guess it makes too much sense.

The foundation's inspector general uncovers scientific misconduct that can force the return of misused grant money to the government but told Congress it was diverted from that mission by the porn cases.

The office was unable to immediately provide an estimate of how much money the projected decline in investigative recoveries will cost taxpayers. According to congressional reports, overall investigative recoveries by the watchdog agency totaled more than $2 million for the year ending March 31.

The porn problem at the NSF came to light in short summaries by the inspector general during a semiannual report submitted to Congress. The report caught the attention of Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee. Grassley immediately launched an inquiry that brought some unwanted media attention. Not enough if you ask me.

More than 120 investigative documents submitted to The Times do not include internal investigations conducted without the help of the inspector general's office. In other words, it's been going on a hell of a lot more than anyone knows.

"The employees who were investigated were disciplined in one way or another," Ms. Topousis said, adding that she could not comment on individual disciplinary actions.

Last year, one employee paid an undisclosed sum after investigators found that in June of 2008, hundreds of pornographic sites had been visited. The employee got a 10-day suspension. Wow! That's harsh!

Another employee in a different case was caught with hundreds of pictures, videos and even PowerPoint slide shows containing pornography. Asked by an investigator whether he had completed any government work on a day when a significant amount of pornography was downloaded, the employee responded, "Um, I can't remember," according to records. Ah...the Hillary Clinton Whitewater defense.

The employee also said that friends sent him the pornographic files, that he never planned on viewing them and that he never got around to deleting the files, a claim one official later called "simply not believable." Finally! Someone without blinders on!

Suspended for 10 days, the employee unsuccessfully appealed the decision after arguing that it was too harsh. Other employees were terminated.

Another employee who stored nude images of herself on her computer told investigators she mistakenly had downloaded the pictures. She received counseling and was told to adhere to the foundation's policies on computer use. Translation: Don't do that again, young lady. Boy, I'd be shaking in my boots!

The foundation is hardly the only government agency to be embarrassed by disclosures about employees looking at pornography at work.

The inspector general for the Securities and Exchange Commission noted in a report last fall that it had recently conducted three investigations into employees who misused government computers to view pornography.

At the time of the report, one employee had been fired and another suspended, while disciplinary action against a third was pending.

Time to stop all the sticky government keyboards, folks!

House Defense Pork

Here's the latest analysis from Citizens Against Government Waste. John "I Love Pork" Murtha was one of the big recipients.

Pork Alert: House Defense

(Washington, D.C.) - Citizens Against Government Waste today released its preliminary analysis of the fiscal year 2010 Department of Defense Appropriations Act. In this year’s version, there are 1,098 projects worth $3.3 billion. Some of the biggest porkers were House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Bill Young (R-Fla.) with 36 projects worth $101,600,000 and Subcommittee Chairman John Murtha (D-Pa.) with 23 projects worth $90,000,000.

Here are a few examples:

• $560,000,000 (anonymously) for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) alternate engine program. Even though President Obama said he would veto any legislation containing such funding and the Pentagon has refused to request money for it, the earmark still found its way into the bill. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), funding the unwanted, unnecessary alternate engine for the JSF would cost at least $7.2 billion, equal to the cost of 53 planes. The money was added despite two votes in the Senate on the fiscal year 2010 Defense Authorization Act on July 23, 2009 to eliminate funding for the alternate engine.
  
• $26,200,000 divided among 19 members for 10 counter-drug projects, including military support to drug law enforcement and training programs. A March 1, 2004 GAO report said, “Over 50 federal agencies are involved in carrying out the National Drug Control Strategy at an annual cost of about $12 billion. Despite this investment, the demand for and supply of illegal drugs have persisted at very high levels.”
  
• $7,400,000 by Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) for the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate. According to Fox News, “More than one out of every five dollars of the $126 million Massachusetts is receiving in earmarks from a $410 billion federal spending package is going to help preserve the legacy of the Kennedys.” This project already received $12,602,000 from the fiscal 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, and should not be part of the defense bill.
  
• $2,200,000 by House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Murtha (D-Pa.) for KDH Defense Systems, Inc. for Body Armor Improved Ballistic Protection, Research and Development. On July 7, 2009, Roll Call reported that, “KDH was ‘teamed with’ two other Pennsylvania companies with close connections to Murtha, Kuchera Defense Systems and Coherent Systems International.” Kuchera and Coherent have both received millions in earmarks from Rep. Murtha, and Kuchera was raided on January 22, 2009 by the FBI as part of a fraud investigation.

The corruption needs to end!!!

Someone pass me a Xanax. I can't deal with this!

The Fattening of the Piggies

Citizens Against Government Waste released their preliminary report on the Senate version of the fiscal year 2010 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. It never ceases to amaze me just what these bureaucrats will do with our money.

Pork Alert: Senate Agriculture Appropriations

(Washington, D.C.) - Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released its preliminary analysis of the Senate version of the fiscal year 2010 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. In total, there are 296 projects worth $220.7 million. Subcommittee leaders claimed more than their fair share of the $220.7 million in earmarks, with Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) taking $12.3 million for 11 projects and Subcommittee Ranking Member Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) receiving $11.5 million for 12 projects. Their combined total accounts for 10.8 percent of the total amount in the bill.

The following are examples of some of the pork that was added to the bill:

• $4,841,000 for wood utilization research in 10 states by 13 senators. This research has cost taxpayers $95.3 million since 1985. One would think that at this point, all the uses of one of the world’s most basic construction materials would have been discovered.
  
• $1,037,000 by Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee member Susan Collins (R-Maine), Senate appropriator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) for potato research at Oregon State University, the University of Idaho, Washington State University, and the University of Maine. According to foodreference.com, the average American consumes more than 16 pounds of french fries each year.
  
• $1,000,000 by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) for Mormon crickets in Nevada. On February 27, 2009 Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) mocked this earmark on his Twitter page, writing, “$1 million for Mormon cricket control - is that the species of cricket or a game played by the brits?”
  
• $300,000 by Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) for shrimp aquaculture at the University of Southern Mississippi.
  
• $120,000 by Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) for conservation internships through the Wisconsin Land and Water Conservation Association. The Wisconsin Ag Connection, a website that is dedicated to helping the agriculture industries in Wisconsin, stated that these funds “support an internship program to give college students embarking on natural resource careers real world experience.” Unpaid interns everywhere are outraged over this funding.

In a time when we are continuing to tighten our belts, this stinks to high Heaven. It's bad enough to do it in good economic times, but to do it now is political suicide.

I'm traveling down that "No Incumbents" road REAL fast!

The Pork Never Ends

Citizens Against Government Waste has just released a report on pork stuffed into the Senate version of the fiscal year 2010 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. 308 projects are costing us $199.1 million. Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) has $58 million for 30 projects and Subcommittee Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) added $3 million for 11 projects, for a combined total of $61 million. That is 30.6 percent of the $199.1 million in the bill.

Here's some of what we're getting for our money:

1. $11,190,000 by 20 senators for 25 projects under the Historic Preservation Fund, including: $250,000 by Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) for restoration of the Blount Mansion in Knoxville and $200,000 by Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee member Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) for the State Theatre in Sioux Falls.
2. $4,000,000 by Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (Alcatraz Island). According to her website, the project is a “valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will provide the public with an opportunity to visit this historic building in a refurbished state, which contributes to the national priority of preserving historic buildings.” Earmarking $4 million during an economic crisis on building preservation is not a national priority.
3. $1,820,000 by Senate appropriator Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) to acquire more land for the Appalachian National Scenic Trail. The earmark will be used to purchase 1,000 acres of fragmented land contiguous to the trail from owners who expressed interest in developing their land. Instead, the federal government will buy the land and leave it undeveloped.
4. $1,200,000 by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) for rat eradication at the Palmyra Atoll Natural Wildlife Refuge. That money can buy 600,000 rat traps.
5. $1,000,000 by Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee member Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) and Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) for the Chesapeake Bay Gateways. The Chesapeake Bay Gateways receive 10 million visitors annually. This earmark could be covered by charging each visitor 10 cents, which would take the burden off taxpayers.
6. $1,000,000 by Senate appropriator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) for the Sewall-Belmont House in Washington, D.C., which holds private events, offers catering, and is visited by tourists who are encouraged to leave donations.

These people REALLY, REALLY, REALLY need to go!!! They need to get the message loud and clear that we have had it up to our eyeballs with all of the wasteful spending that goes on in BOTH parties. The economy is in bad enough shape, and Obama wants to add to it with his socialized healthcare, and yet these people keep spending money like a drunken sailor on shore leave.

As for me, I plan on keeping track of what each of these greedy government wonks wastes our money on. Remember these posterior orifices at re-election time!!

Aren't You Glad We Can Afford This?

Well, here comes more appropriations from another committee of the House just stuffed to the gills with pork. It's disgusting. What is it going to take for Congress to realize that THIS ISN'T THEIR MONEY!!! Spoiler Alert: Chappaquiddick Fats's Institute gets over $12 million of your money!!!

From CAGW:

Pork Alert: House Labor/HHS/Education

(Washington, D.C.) Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today released its preliminary analysis of the House version of the fiscal year 2010 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor/HHS/Education) Appropriations Act. There are 1,130 projects worth $357.4 million. This represents a 17 percent decrease in number of projects, and a 42 percent decrease in dollar amounts from the fiscal year 2009 version, which had 1,370 projects totaling $618.8 million. House Appropriations and Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman David Obey (D-Wis.) earmarked $4.4 million for nine projects and House Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) took $4 million for 10 projects.

Some of the egregious earmarks in the bill include:

$12,602,000 by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) for the University of Massachusetts Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate. The institute, created by Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), raises funds to build a replica of the United States Senate chamber on the campus of the University of Massachusetts. This pet project has already received millions of dollars from the healthcare industry and organized labor. Taxpayers should not be responsible for helping the project reach its $50 million fundraising goal.

$400,000 by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) for music education programs at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Rep. Nadler earmarked $381,000 for this project in fiscal year 2009. At the end of 2006, Jazz at Lincoln Center had a fund balance of $198 million.

$335,000 by Reps. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.) and Adam Smith (D-Wash.) for the Aviation High School in Burien, Washington, a public school that specializes in aviation and aerospace education.

$300,000 by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) for music education programs at Carnegie Hall in New York City. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice (earmarking).

$250,000 by Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.) for the New York Junior Tennis League in Woodside. The tennis league receives private donations and has its own fundraising programs. Taxpayers are receiving no love from this earmark.

THEY ALL NEED TO GO!!!