Who says government isn't any good at wasting money any more? The North Carolina government is going to spend half a MILLION dollars to build ONE single department's web site.

In the free market, this kind of site design might go for a couple hundred dollars. I know, because I've seen the site, and I know what I would bid to "revamp" the site. But no, it's not open for bidding.

They're also paying ANOTHER $500,000 to add a database to the site to list "vacant land and buildings." Apparently the state is not aware that there are already literally HUNDREDS of sites that already list those -- they're called Realtors.

But the Democrat-controlled legislature, in this "cash-strapped" economy, where they have "cut everything to the bone," managed to find $1,750,000.00 to give to friends of friends in the Department of Commerce to "improve the state's image."

It's crap like this that really makes you want to go over to the dark side. I mean, seriously, I could redesign that site in a few hours. I could add the database and make it incredibly impressive in a week or two. And I'd get $1,000,000.00 in taxpayer cash to do it.

But I'd have to sell my soul to the government and be buddies with the slime legislators in Raleigh.