Plan for Florida's Jobless: Let Them Wear Capes

File under "questionable ways to tackle the topic of unemployment": A Florida group wants to fight crushing unemployment with a "Cape-A-Bility Challenge" that would bestow 6,000 red superhero capes on the area's jobless. Unfortunately, would-be recipients aren't thrilled with the idea of Workforce Central Florida spending $14,200 on the capes and another $2,300 on foam cutouts of "Dr. Evil Unemployment." And they aren't alone.

State labor officials have asked their inspector general to look into the operation's spending; one called the campaign "insensitive and wasteful." Workforce's executive director said he would cooperate with investigators, but clarified that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." The Orlando Sentinel notes that the agency is a federally funded, nonprofit organization governed by more than 40 of the area's business leaders. It pulled in nearly $24 million in public money in 2010, and says that it helped 210,000 people during its last fiscal year, placing nearly 59,000 in jobs. (More unemployment stories.)