ImpactJournalism Thompson named Goldsmith finalist Great news today that A.C. Thompson was named a finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting, for a series of reports on white vigilante violence in New Orleans — and NOPD complicity — in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Esther KaplanJanuary 29, 2010
AnalysisJustice, World Last Lawsuit Standing I strongly recommend checking out Jeremy Scahill’s new documentary on Blackwater and its alleged murder of a nine-year-old boy during the 2007 massacre at Nisour Square. Marissa Colon-MargoliesJanuary 29, 2010
AnalysisBusiness Gawker hits HuffPost I Fund Tough piece on Gawker yesterday about the HuffPost Investigative Fund. John Cook particularly goes after the project for running almost all of its investigations on its for-profit partner, The Huffington Post, along with a scattering of other sites, such as AlterNet and Common Dreams. Esther KaplanJanuary 26, 2010
InvestigationBusiness, Health Is Your Cell Phone Hazardous to Your Health? Ever worry that that gadget you spend hours holding next to your head might be damaging your brain? Well, the evidence is starting to pour in, and it’s not pretty. Christopher KetchamGQJanuary 26, 2010
NewsPolitics, World Sri Lanka Blocks Websites Hours Before Announcement of Poll Results After Google’s announcement that it would stop filtering its search results in China when its email accounts were hacked from within the country, there’s more news on the silencing of information front: Sri Lanka’s main internet service provider blocked access to independent news websites just hours before the expected announcement of poll results. Jayati VoraJanuary 26, 2010
InvestigationPolitics Dallas’s Evil Genius How will Texas billionaire and conservative political donor Harold Simmons make his next billion? By burying hazardous waste in West Texas. Laray PolkD magazineJanuary 25, 2010
InvestigationBusiness, Justice The Promise of Mortgage Relief Women struggling with fallout from the mortgage crisis could get help in 2010 — if the federal government starts analyzing lending data for gender bias. Part three of a series. (See parts 1 and 2.) Molly M. GintyWomensEnewsJanuary 17, 2010
InvestigationBusiness, Justice For Women, Home Ownership Became a Debt Trap Women’s large-scale entry into home ownership coincided with the advent of toxic, high-risk instruments in the mortgage market. From financial security to crushed dreams. Part two of a series. (See parts 1 and 3.) Molly M. GintyWomensEnewsJanuary 15, 2010
InvestigationBusiness, Justice In Subprime Fallout, Women Take a Heavy Hit An extensive analysis of mortgage lending data suggests credit-worthy women were unfairly stuck with subprime “toxic” debt said to be for high-risk borrowers. Part one of a series. (See parts 2 and 3.) Molly M. GintyWomensEnewsJanuary 14, 2010
InvestigationJustice Despite Court Ban, Texas Puts Mentally Retarded to Death A Supreme Court ruling barred the execution of mentally retarded inmates, but allowed each state to set its own definition. Texas chose to grant enormous leeway to psychologists, with troubling results. Renée FeltzDemocracy Now!January 12, 2010