Stimulus contracts are easy money for many firms 

Of the federal stimulus funds spent so far, most of the $12 billion channeled to private firms has been awarded with little or no competition for the contracts. One-fifth of the dollars spent involved no competition at all, the Wall Street Journal reported this weekend, while nearly all had four bidders or fewer. 

Philadelphia public library threatens to close on Oct 2

The Free Library of Philadelphia has put the city on notice of what's at stake if the state fails to pass budget legislation soon: it will shut down all services. "All Free Library of Philadelphia Branch, Regional and Central Libraries Closed Effective Close of Business October 2, 2009" read the breathless headline of the announcement on the library's website, which is of course intended to stir legislators and citizens to action. Pennsylvania legislators are still stuck in a budget funding impasse, making it the only state in the nation operating without a budget agreement for the fiscal year that began on July 1.     

Diebold votes "No" on its voting machine business

Ohio-based Diebold Inc., which rose to national prominence over allegations that its touchscreen voting machines could be fraudulently manipulated, has decided to sell the division that manufactured the machines at a steep loss. The mounting criticisms over the reliability and security of the voting machines finally led Diebold to pull the plug on subsidiary Premier Election Solutions, for an estimated $50 million loss. Good riddance too, as the machines clearly performed miserably in rigging the 2008 elections... 

Krispy Kreme sues county government over sewer system

If you've ever wondered what eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts does to your insides, then you definitely don't want to know the details of the current legal tussle between the company and two Virginia counties. Because the battle is over a broken sewer system. Fairfax County claims that, as the D.C. Examiner put it, "years of the company dumping yeast, grease and other doughnut byproducts clogged and eventually destroyed the pipes." The doughnut maker disagrees, and counter-sued Fairfax and Prince William counties for faulty sewer design and operation. All I know is that if the municipal sewer can't handle Krispy Kremes, my G.I. tract certainly ain't up to the job.