Topic: Budget Costs

Federal employees on furlough, including Department of Defense police and system administrators, are reportedly unable to update government websites during the shutdown. A report from KSBW in Salinas claims the shutdown costs the U.S. government $12.5 million per hour or $300 million per day. The hosts analyze the math behind a reported $16 billion weekly loss, questioning how laying off staff increases government expenses.

The project to replace the presidential helicopter fleet has seen its budget balloon from $6 billion to over $11 billion for just 28 aircraft. The hosts question how the cost per unit can reach such extremes, suggesting the funds may be covering secret development costs or general government waste.

The show concludes with a discussion on the economics of podcasting versus traditional broadcast television. Adam Curry explains CPM (cost per mille) rates and compares them to the "dollar a head" budget model used in network TV. The hosts sign off after a 70-minute episode, mentioning the high cost of aviation fuel and ammunition as metaphors for their production efforts.