Palin made a big deal a few days back about how under McCain the government would increase special needs spending. She also said this:

Where does a lot of that earmark money end up anyway? You’ve heard about some of these pet projects they really don’t make a whole lot of sense and sometimes these dollars go to projects that have little or nothing to do with the public good. Things like fruit fly research in Paris, France. I kid you not.
Actually that Fruit Fly research is in Chapel Hill, at the UNC Medical Center.

And the goal behind that research?

UNC protein discovery could boost autism research - http://localtechwire.com/business/lo...story/1809660/

You couldn't make this stuff up. She's exactly what you'd expect of a bible-thumping former beauty pageant contestant.