Mahathir is deeply worried that obsessive religious practices, and adherence to rituals at any cost, will so preoccupy his fellow Malay Muslims that the nation's bid to achieve industrialized status within the next 20 years will fail.

CNN: Mahathir's Worldly Concerns

Not to fear, Post says: You won't be breaking any etiquette rules by splitting the cost of a high-dollar gift with a fellow guest.

CNN: Here comes the bride, there goes your wallet?

Randal O'Toole, a senior fellow with the CATO Institute, said it is far more cost-effective to save energy by encouraging people to drive more fuel-efficient cars than to build and operate high-speed rail.

CNN: Is the U.S. turning a corner on high-speed rail?

David Hart, a research fellow at Imperial College, London studying hydrogen energy, questioned the cost involved and how energy efficient it would be.

BBC: Hydrogen refuel station unveiled

Addressing the cost rises is "daunting", says Paul Van de Water, a senior fellow at the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities.

BBC: US election: Five challenges facing the president

Though she had no initial interest in going to Southeast Asia, many fellow travellers encouraged her to visit for both the experience and the comparatively lower cost.

BBC: How I quit my job to travel: The Washington DC lawyer

If you are interested in learning more about what different government activities will cost you over your lifetime, the Independent Institute (for whom I serve as a Research Fellow) has assembled a handy website, MyGovCost.com, that will allow you to estimate how much you will pay for different government activities.

FORBES: Bombs Over Big Bird?