You've invented a machine that desalinates seawater. It could make the deserts bloom, save millions of lives. But you can't get funding. So you go to the mad science funding board.
You attach a puppy shredder to the side of the thing to get in the door. But then they have some questions about the puppy shredder. So you start doing research.
The puppy shredder is more believable now, at your second presentation, but they have concerns about its efficency. You start increasing its power, adding more infrastructure. All the bones and fur have to go somewhere!
Third round of mad reviews. They say the puppy shredder doesn't have wide enough intake port! By God, you'll show them! You TRIPLE the size of the puppy scoop, add robot arms and a big vacuum cleaner to suck the little sons of bitches up! You need more power! It's time to switch to nuclear batteries! But where will you get the plutonium?! It's so damned expensive! The bank in the middle of Silver City just received a delivery of gold bars, direct from Fort Knox! But first there's those accursed poltroons in the Righteous Brigade to be dealt with! And then you'll show those pea brains at the mad science funding council! YOU'LL SHOW THEM ALL!!!
And somewhere in the middle of all this is a desalination miracle machine that could change the world. It just needs that damned funding...