Project 2: Structured Data

Object Name: Stimulus Bill Spending
Title: "Find out how your tax dollars are being spent through the stimulus bill"
Creator: Melanie Calhoun (Rogue Enderfield)
Date: 3/6/09




Summary: The scene represents the division of spending through the stimulus bill that President Barack Obama signed into law on February 17th. Each object in the scene represents a different area of spending.

News Sources: http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/18/stimulus.web.site/index.html?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCText

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/02/18/stimulus.web.site/index.html?iref=mpstoryview#cnnSTCOther1

Video Link:




Interaction: When the user clicks on an object in the scene, the object will say to the user how much money went to the area that the object represents. The amount of money will also appear in the text over the object. Clicking on the dollar sign at the top of the scene will give the user a link to this blog.

Motivation: I chose to make a model representing the stimulus bill because it is extremely relevent to all American citizens. The stimulus package totals $787 billion, and for such a large sum of money, it is important for the taxpayers to know where their tax dollars are being spent. The model I've created provides a visual to help people understand where the stimulus money is going.

Description: The background of the scene is a pie chart showing the actual division of the money being spent by the stimulus package. In front of each piece of the pie chart is a corresponding object representing the area of spending that that piece of the pie depicts. The size of each pie piece as well as the size of each object itself represents the size of the spending in that area. The areas where more money is being spent are represented by larger objects. Below is a list of the objects and the area of spending that each object represents.

House - Housing, urban development, and transportation - $57.07 billion
Columns - Federal and state government - $45.472 billion
Beaker - Science, commerce, and justice - $17.842 billion
Homeland Security Seal - Defense and security - $16.448 billion
Pitchfork - Agriculture and rural development - $15.986 billion
Light bulb - Energy and environment - $98.234 billion
Book - Education, labor, and health - $66.15 billion