This blog is meant to be a bit of a running commentary regarding the things I come across in my life that might benefit others, or that I am seeking feedback on. I am a genuine expert in absolutely nothing but my cultivated inexpertise, so I will attempt to limit my reach to this measure of my grasp.
I am currently in the process of starting career(s) within the financial sector which I do not enjoy (primarily for structural reasons associated with being at the bottom of an organization and constantly believing that I am smarter than I actually am) and dreaming of starting a career in Journalism with a capital ‘J’, where my professional need to ask questions and irritate those in positions of responsibility could complement my personal need to feel smarter than everyone else and prove it to physically attractive people within earshot.
The topics of posts will generally remain within my areas of immediate practical personal experience, as well as areas that I hold a sustained interest and an above-layman’s understanding, such as:
FINANCE (mortgages and real estate in particular),
TECHNOLOGY (smartphones are my bag… no wait, that’s my phone),
POLITICS (US and international, I wouldn’t be able to confidently name the Canadian PM most days),
BASKETBALL (the same-sex love of my life),
CARS and MOTORCYCLES (the things that make me go ‘putt putt’),
MOVIES (I’m a hater and with the current quality of popular movies, my voracious haterism can finally be saited,
JOURNALISM (see previous),
… and bovine utterances.
Here is another installment in the Seattle Times investigation, The Favor Factory, that you have mentioned. Congress, despite reform, is still hiding earmarks, in this case $3.5 billion in earmarks in the 2008 defense bill. We have a searchable database of the 2,000-plus earmarks, including contributions to lawmakers from the employees and PACs of companies that got the earmark favors. Those results are also linked to the companies’ lobbying efforts, as well. Lots of new data there for anyone who wants to dig deeper on a company, lobbyist or local lawmaker.
I hope you consider linking to the project:
http://www.seattletimes.com/favorfactory
Thanks Jim, will do so in a bit (though, as you know, I have linked to and availed myself through your project in the past).
It’s a fantastic service you and the Seattle Times are providing for Americans. I really couldn’t have been more impressed when I found the article and the Favor Factory.
Have you thought of contacting Bill Moyers? I’m sure he’d love to provide a follow-up, especially if there are more evocative stories about fairly clear cases of favours being traded that can bring some life to the dollar values. He has certainly been great about providing updates and follow-up reports to pieces in the past.
Once again, my highest praise to you and your colleagues at the Seattle Times. You and your colleagues have performed the unheralded yeoman’s work to help unearth this affront to Democracy and governance.