"Jacobson accomplished all of this, including travel expenses to Portland and Seattle, with a $1,275 grant from the office of the Stanford Vice-Provost of Undergraduate Education. But he spent only $987. That's pretty cost-effective, especially when you consider that Oakland city officials paid $300,000 for a streetcar feasibility study in 2005 and applied for an additional $330,000 in feasibility funds this year. "I could have done it cheaper, but I decided to treat myself to a couple of $12 meals," said Jacobson, almost apologetically." - David Vasileff