Your Tax Dollars In Action

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Uncle Sam takes millions of satellite pictures of things like hurricanes and wildfires. The photographs help show emergency teams where to go... and even farmers, where to plant. So far, so good.

But what about Unky Sam spending time to figure out which of the millions of pictures are the prettiest, and deserve to go on display? Well,  hope you like the idea: you're already paying for it. The Associated Press reports "Scientists at the U.S. Geological Survey's EROS Data Center north of Sioux Falls have selected 40 standouts for its latest 'Earth As Art' exhibit. Prints of the images are in Washington for a one-year stint at the Library of Congress."  --Where they will be admired by an audience of dozens, I'm sure.

How much did this satellite-based wallpaper cost us? I have this image of a bunch of lab coats, sitting around on the floor with piles of pictures all around, arguing whether "Rocky Mountain Trench" is prettier than "Ice Waves."  I'd ask how they arrived at the "worthiness quotient," but I'm afraid that would result in a commission being convened to investigate. Meanwhile, the day job -- you know, looking to see which direction the wildfire is moving next --  is left untended.

Not a lot of money, in the big scheme of the Federal Budget, you say? How do you think the Federal Budget got to be such a big scheme in the first place? If you'd like to pay my share,  I won't protest your kindness.