Meltdown is an excellent documentary that has been produced by the Al Jazeera news network. It is presented in four parts starting with "The men who crashed the world, A global financial tsunami, Paying the price, and ending with After the fall". The documentary is constructed in chronological order and it takes full advantage of being able to view the crisis through hindsight painting a stark uncomplicated picture that many times contradicts corporate media's spin on the events and our own congressional leader’s explanations. This is a good opportunity for anyone who would like to learn more about the financial crisis and why it is so important to receive this information in a familiar format that is very thorough and very ... More »

Every once in a while I come across a story where my first reaction is "you've got to be kidding me!" As they say truth is stranger than fiction, Kelly Carr and Brian Grow have written a wonderfully compelling article that in essence details a part of modern-day commerce that for the most part is unrecognized and unnoticed. With the state of the economy today and the tax burden being continually shifted onto the poor and middle class reading this article reminds me of a termite infestation that has progressed for so long unchecked that the damage they have done, even though not visible to the naked eye, could very easily collapse the whole structure. This is a great story about a topic that most people don't even know exists.

Frederick Kaufman delivers a well-constructed essay on the history of the commodities markets and how these markets have changed and been manipulated by the barons of Wall Street into weapons of mass disruption. Mr. Kaufman focuses mainly on the agricultural commodities market by focusing on grain futures and their economic effects both domestic and worldwide. He presents his case very clearly and in an easy-to-read and understand format that is useful, informative and enlightening while underscoring the importance of this issue. This is an excellent piece that should be read by anyone who wishes to gain a greater understanding of the economic issues we are facing today.

William Greider delivers a thought provoking opinion piece concerning Standard & Poor's move to cut the credit outlook for the United States to negative. Most of the stories concerning this topic have either made brief reference to the veracity of S&P's rating system or ignored it completely; Mr. Greider on the other hand makes a full frontal assault. It is a short well-written piece that reminds the reader of how we got into this mess in the first place.

In my opinion one of the most important factors separating good journalism from great journalism is a total commitment to a story. The Center for Public Integrity recently published a story "Koch's web of influence" detailing the lobbying efforts that this huge conglomerate was using to influence government policy. The story itself was powerful enough in its own content however their follow-up article is just as powerful and possibly more important. "Koch buys online advertising to attack report on its lobbying influence," published on the centers new "iwatch news site," is short, sweet, and just the right amount of information to start some great discussions. If you enjoyed the original this is a sequel you shouldn't miss.

Every once in a while I come across an article that captures the essence of an issue so clearly and so concisely that I feel the most important thing I can do is to share with as many people as possible. This is one of those articles. Mark Ames and Mike Elk have created a story around an election packet that was sent out to employees of Koch Industries who live in Washington State. The authors use only the information provided by the packet taking the reader step-by-step through its content while expressing their own thoughts and opinions on the document to create their story. Yes, it is biased commentary and selectively sourced but obviously we have entered uncharted territory with what can only be described as corporate ... More »

Caroline Baum takes a unique approach in her opinion column on Standard & Poor's assigning of a negative outlook to the United States AAA credit rating. Instead of focusing on the integrity of Standard & Poor's assessments she confronts the elephant in the pink tutu standing in the room which is the risk that our policy makers may not reach an agreement on how to confront this problem. Caroline presents her case in five acts that are arranged chronologically for the reader to evaluate. Ms. Baum doesn't assign blame she simply states facts, and admirable quality for an opinion piece, allowing the reader to choose a side to defend or possibly stand with her comfortable in the knowledge that the problem is not anyone – it's everyone.

What else is there to say except, yes this is journalism in the fact that it includes information on the topic promised in the lede, stocks have gone into the crapper for the day but it fails to deliver any reasons or responsible conjecture to bring the picture together. Financial reporting, especially that concerning the stock market, is frequently delivered with some sort of breathless bravado that leaves the reader feeling as if they're speaking with an Oracle. In a strange way this article captures the true nature and accuracy of most financial journalism today. It has the credibility of Charlie Sheen with the depth, insight, and understanding that Paris Hilton would possess.

"In Texas, a Brave, New Lethal Injection" is good journalism, why? It forces the reader to think and evaluate a system that many believe is ineffectual and broken beyond repair. The subject matter is emotionally charged to say the least but it is handled methodically. The author, Raymond Bonner, deliberately removes himself emotionally by simply stating facts and quoting sources without offering personal opinion. Mr. Bonner uses a recent report "Regulating Death in the Lone Star State: Texas Law Protects Lizards from Needless Suffering, But Not Human Beings" that was written by the ACLU of Texas and the Center for International Human Rights at Northwestern University School of Law as a starting point to an argument in which ... More »

“Koch’s web of influence “is everything a good story can be because it just "is". It's hard to imagine a story that is so expansive that it touches on the topics of ethanol, toxic waste, global warming and low carbon fuel standards, energy industry tax breaks, Bush tax cuts, terrorism and national security, and financial regulation all through the lobbying efforts of one corporation. I think the best way for me to describe this article is that it is an example of excellent forensic journalism. Step-by-step and layer by layer the lobbying efforts of Koch industries are exposed to the reader leaving nothing to the imagination and providing a greater understanding of what is really at stake. It is one of those rare stories ... More »

Reading "The Religious Right's Antiunion Crusade" is like stepping through the looking glass. The writers at Mother Jones like to use hyperlinks to support, verify, and clarify their subject matter and this article is an excellent example of that. This particular story is not for the casual reader it is for those who are willing to take the time to explore the provided background and make a commitment to understanding it. There is a lot to digest here and with quotes like "the bigger government gets, the smaller God gets" from Jim DeMint to a recent press release from Focus on the Family that states, "Over the past several election cycles, unions and their members contributed millions to fight against core American ... More »

If last week's article in the New York Times about GE's tax liabilities interested you or piqued your curiosity possibly stimulating and creating a newfound desire to understanding the "corporate tax game" ProPublica’s story "Five Ways GE Plays the Tax Game" is well worth your time. Although the article reaches no definitive conclusions, because there really aren't any, it provides enough information to leave the reader with an understanding, albeit somewhat superficial, of how corporate tax specialists are able to game the system. The authors respect two principles; one being that the tax code and laws are extremely difficult to understand and the second being that frequently our best intentions to create a fair system ... More »

"Saints and sinners" by Peter H Stone is a story for our times. It's an examination of the possible presidential candidacy of Newt Gingrich. Mr. Stone writes in a traditional investigative journalistic format stating his thesis upfront and supporting it through a narrative that is thoughtful, methodical, and well sourced. What makes this a valuable read this that it illustrates what politics and politicians have become and what lengths they are willing to go to achieve their objectives.