This Adds Up

By Melissa August, Val Castronovo, Rachel Dry, Daren Fonda, Michael Jackson, Ben Nugent, Michele Orecklin, Julie Rawe, John Rosenblatt, Josh Tyrangiel, Alexandra Wolfe

SQUEAL FACTOR Perhaps the budget surplus is to blame for all the pet projects that were tacked on to the $288 billion defense bill after its Senate approval. Smart Trucks may well be worth $3.5 million. But, as protesters John McCain and Phil Gramm pointed out, some others smell a bit porky:

--$4 million to track California desert tortoise population

--$8.5 million for the Ernest Gallo alcohol research center

--$2.8 million to spruce up the office furniture at the Defense Language Institute

--$15 million to protect Revolutionary War boats at the bottom of Lake Champlain from invading zebra mussels

--$3.5 million on that most pressing of national security issues, artificial-hip research