OT

Once, my father worked at an Air Force Base in Wyoming. One of the projects ongoing at the base was the habit of acquiring two young beavers for placement in a certain location on the base for water management. Whoever got handed this responsibility had to deal with the accompanying paperwork which was often more trouble than it was worth. The budget declared that funds must be spent quarterly. Therefore when the $50/quarter had not been spent, the funds were always threatened. Therefore for first quarter, a letter had to be written explaining that one-half a beaver was useless and out of season. The second quarter, the letter had to explain that while one beaver was useful, it was still out of season, and pointless without its mate. The third letter had to request the funds for two entire beavers, requiring an advance on the budgeted amount, and of course one and a half beavers aren't quite as useful. Every year.

So now whenever my family discusses some particularly inane thing the government has done, we just comment, "well that's half a beaver, right there!"  ¶ 12:31 AM