Suppose you have business in Albany and then have to get to New York City. How do you do it? Probably you drive. It's only about three hours with no traffic and you can motor door to door.

Maybe you'd get someone to drive you to the Amtrak station. That's pretty good deal. Enjoy the scenery along the Hudson River and pull into Penn Station. What's that take, maybe two-and-a-half hours.

But let's say you're in a big hurry. A direct flight from Albany Airport is less than an hour, if you can get one. Of course, that doesn't count arriving at the airport an hour early for security, hoping the plane is on time, landing at one of the three metro airports and then getting a lift to your destination.

You'd surely never think of flying from Albany to Washington, then waiting around for the next flight back up to New York City. Imagine the time and expense.

You wouldn't think of doing that. But state Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver not only thinks about it, he does it all the time, on the taxpayers' dime.

Check out this account in Bill Hammond's column in the New York Daily News.

You can't make this stuff up.