[1]The term arose from a 1935 New York Times report that more than $3 million had been spent on recreational activities for the jobless as part of the New Deal.

[1]The term arose from a 1935 New York Times report that more than $3 million had been spent on recreational activities for the jobless as part of the New Deal. Among these activities were crafts classes, where the production of "boon doggles[2]," [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boondoggle_(project) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boondoggle_(project) [2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoubidou http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scoubidou