There has been some pretty eye opening stuff going on over at the Department of the Interior's Mineral Management Service (MMS). The Department of the Interior Inspector General released the results of three separate investigations into allegations of misconduct among dozens of employees and managers at the MMS. And the pretty shocking results would even make Lurita Doan blush (or maybe take out her pen and pad and take notes?). The IG report described the MMS as having a "culture of ethical failure" and details some ridiculously arrogant and decrepit behavior.

Great news reported today by Joe Davidson at the Washington Post (Joe has taken over the Federal Diary column from Stephen Barr, who retired earlier this year). Davidson reports that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has decided to discontinue contracting out the management of tax return files at seven regional IRS centers. More details from the Federal Diary column: For most of the past two years, that work has been done by IAP Worldwide Services.

Bill to promote alternative fuels would be offset by ending some tax breaks for oil and gas industry From CQ Politics:

Yesterday (Wed.), the Senate Appropriations Defense Subcommittee approved the $487.7 billion FY 2009 Defense Appropriations bill. The defense spending bill is passed every year, despite Congress's chronic inability to approve the other 11 individual annual spending bills, so it's no surprise to see this one advance. With less than three weeks remaining in the fiscal year, here's how close Congress is to passing the legislation necessary to keep the federal government operating past Sept. 30.