From the Annals of Central Planning comes this tale of your government at work, starring the agency that runs the mass-transit system in DC:

At Metro’s headquarters in downtown Washington, the lights pop on at 5:30 every weekday morning. Hours before the masses arrive for work, the building glows like a silent, hulking eight-story spaceship.
Every evening, most employees go home at 5, but the lights stay on for three more hours, bright enough that passersby can see the artwork in individual offices. No “Starry Night,” apparently.
The electric bill was $1,775,194.96 last year: nearly $1,400 per employee.
Workers worried about global warming — or Metro’s budget deficit — might be inclined to turn the lights off when they’re not needed, but they can’t. Metro offices have no individual switches.