Top 5 investigative videos of the week: Higgs boson explained
From God particles to divided churches, a look at the best documentaries YouTube has to offer VIDEO
By Amanda PikeTopics: Video, The I Files, Higgs Boson, Iraq, Muslims, Gay Witch Hunt in Iraq, Argentina, Europe, Technology News, Entertainment News, News, Politics News
This week’s videos tackle the war in Iraq, gays in the church, a massive agro-chemical empire and one elusive microscopic particle.
The list has been compiled by the editors of The I Files, a one-stop online news source. We scour YouTube and other sources for the best documentaries and investigative videos. We’d also like to hear from you. Let us know about any reports or video footage that you think we should add to our list.
If you’d like to keep up with the best video news stories without having to pore through hours of amateur dance antics, please take a moment to subscribe to The I Files. It’s totally free and takes just two clicks. Once you’ve watched, you’ll sound smarter at parties.
“Iraq’s Secret War Files,” The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
This week is the 10th anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. The occasion was marked by a devastating series of bomb attacks across the country, a reminder that while American forces might have left, violence continues.
“Iraq’s Secret War Files” was the first documentary to make use of raw U.S. military reports obtained by WikiLeaks to piece together the true scope of civilian casualties and provide an inside view of the day-to-day operations of the conflict. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, based in London, created a computer program to analyze hundreds of thousands of leaked documents in order to compare official U.S. military reports with what actually was occurring on the ground. The results are striking.
The filmmakers found that nearly two-thirds of Iraqi casualties were noncombatants and that U.S. forces killed far more civilians than insurgents. The documents provide telling details, including the amount of compensation the U.S. government offered for civilians killed by friendly fire. In one case, U.S. forces mistakenly fired upon a family in their car, killing both parents and leaving one child paralyzed. Surviving family members received $2,500 for each life taken and $2,500 for the car. The documentary also features footage from Apache helicopters showing Americans firing on Iraqi insurgents attempting to surrender, gunned down as they stand with their hands in the air.
Produced in 2010, the documentary is still a painfully relevant cautionary tale as the U.S. starts to consider involvement in Syria and other regional conflicts.
“Gay Witch Hunt in Iraq,” BBC
“Gay Witch Hunt in Iraq” examines an underreported and disturbing consequence of the war – the persecution of gays in post-Saddam Iraq, where being gay, or even being perceived as gay, can be a death sentence. The BBC uncovers the systematic and organized violence against homosexuals by law enforcement officials, acts that are ignored and arguably even condoned by the government. Questioned by the BBC, a spokesman for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki dismisses the problem, saying the number of homosexuals is so small that they don’t need any special protection.
“The gays should respect the moral values of the others in order to be respected,” he says.
The report also goes inside a safe house where transgender and gay men are forced to hide to protect themselves from so-called “honor killings” by their own families.
“What have I done that was so wrong and so bad?” asks one man whose identity has been hidden for his protection. “We are not animals. We are human. And we are Muslims, too …What have we done to be killed and tortured in such savage ways?”
“A Church Divided,” Center for Investigative Reporting and KQED
As the Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on whether same-sex marriages in the U.S. are constitutional, both secular and religious advocates continue their clash in the cultural and political war over gay rights.
“A Church Divided” takes an intimate look at a group within the United Methodist Church that is challenging the church’s definition of homosexuality as “incompatible with Christian teaching.” Told in a cinematic, fly-on-the-wall style, the documentary goes inside last year’s Methodist global convention, where progressive and conservative members of the congregation faced off to determine the future of their church. In the end, the standoff comes down to a tense vote on the convention floor. I won’t spoil the ending, but I was struck by one delegate who made a last-minute plea before the vote, noting that gay members “keep coming back to a church that keeps saying no to them. There’s a kind of miracle in that.”
“People & Power: Argentina: The Bad Seeds,” Al Jazeera English
Monsanto Co. has been in the news this week as a special-interest agricultural amendment was anonymously inserted into unrelated government legislation that Congress must pass to keep the government operating. The so-called “Monsanto rider” would give the company greater power to use genetically modified seeds – even if a court rules that the seeds were illegally approved or are potentially harmful.
This “People & Power” episode investigates the impact in Argentina of Monsanto’s genetically modified soybean crops and its aggressive use of pesticides. While some argue that these crops represent the future of the Argentine economy, others point to surging cancer rates, rare birth defects and rampant land theft. The documentary cites some startling statistics. In cities near soy plantations, Argentines are suffering miscarriages nearly 100 times the national average.
The filmmakers meet citizen activists like the self-dubbed “Mothers of Ituzaingó.” Created by a woman whose infant daughter died from kidney failure that she attributes to pesticide poisoning, the group members are fighting to stop the widespread use of agrochemicals that they say are poisoning their community. It’s an uphill battle, as Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, is a longtime supporter of Monsanto and the soy industry.
“The Higgs Boson, Part 1,” Minute Physics
Wondering what the big deal is with all of the hoopla surrounding the Higgs boson? Scientists at CERN – the European Organization for Nuclear Research – announced that they have definitively confirmed the existence of what some have referred to in the past as the “God particle.” I’ve been struggling to understand why my nerdy friends insist that this is such a big deal. In a series of three videos, animator Henry Reich uses markers, a whiteboard and some deft verbal maneuvering to explain in concise and simple terms what this particle is and why it matters. It’s a fast-paced, blink-and-you-might-miss-it explainer told with wit and humor. If college science had been this entertaining, I might have been able to pass Physics for Poets.
Amanda Pike is the producer for The I Files, a project of the Center for Investigative Reporting. The I Files selects and showcases the best investigative videos from around the Web and across the world. Major contributors include CIR, The New York Times, BBC, ABC, Al-Jazeera, Vice TV and the Investigative News Network. You can follow Amanda on Twitter: @AmandaHPike. More Amanda Pike.
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White River National Forest via Lower Crystal Lake, Colorado For those OK with the mainstream, White River Forest welcomes more than 10 million visitors a year, making it the most-visited recreation forest in the nation. But don’t hate it for being beautiful; it’s got substance, too. The forest boasts 8 wilderness areas, 2,500 miles of trail, 1,900 miles of winding service system roads, and 12 ski resorts (should your snow shredders fit the trunk space). If ice isn’t your thing: take the tire-friendly Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway — 82 miles connecting the towns of Meeker and Yampa, half of which is unpaved for you road rebels. fs.usda.gov/whiteriveryou
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Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest via Noontootla Creek, GeorgiaBoasting 10 wildernesses, 430 miles of trail and 1,367 miles of trout-filled stream, this Georgia forest is hailed as a camper’s paradise. Try driving the Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway, which saw Civil War battles fought. If the tall peaks make your engine tremble, opt for the relatively flat Oconee National Forest, which offers smaller hills and an easy trail to the ghost town of Scull Shoals. Scaredy-cats can opt for John’s Mountain Overlook, which leads to twin waterfalls for the sensitive sightseer in you. fs.usda.gov/conf
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Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area via Green Road, Michigan The only national forest in Lower Michigan, the Huron-Mainstee spans nearly 1 million acres of public land. Outside the requisite lush habitat for fish and wildlife on display, the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is among the biggest hooks for visitors: offering beach camping with shores pounded by big, cerulean surf. Splash in some rum and you just might think you were in the Caribbean. fs.usda.gov/hmnf
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Canaan Mountain via Backcountry Canaan Loop Road, West Virginia A favorite hailed by outdoorsman and author Johnny Molloy as some of the best high-country car camping sites anywhere in the country, you don’t have to go far to get away. Travel 20 miles west of Dolly Sods (among the busiest in the East) to find the Canaan Backcountry (for more quiet and peace). Those willing to leave the car for a bit and foot it would be remiss to neglect day-hiking the White Rim Rocks, Table Rock Overlook, or the rim at Blackwater River Gorge. fs.usda.gov/mnf
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Mt. Rogers NRA via Hurricane Creek Road, North CarolinaMost know it as the highest country they’ll see from North Carolina to New Hampshire. What they may not know? Car campers can get the same grand experience for less hassle. Drop the 50-pound backpacks and take the highway to the high country by stopping anywhere on the twisting (hence the name) Hurricane Road for access to a 15-mile loop that boasts the best of the grassy balds. It’s the road less travelled, and the high one, at that. fs.usda.gov/gwj
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Long Key State Park via the Overseas Highway, Florida Hiking can get old; sometimes you’d rather paddle. For a weekend getaway of the coastal variety and quieter version of the Florida Keys that’s no less luxe, stick your head in the sand (and ocean, if snorkeling’s your thing) at any of Long Key’s 60 sites. Canoes and kayaks are aplenty, as are the hot showers and electric power source amenities. Think of it as the getaway from the typical getaway. floridastateparks.org/longkey/default.cfm
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Grand Canyon National Park via Crazy Jug Point, Arizona You didn’t think we’d neglect one of the world’s most famous national parks, did you? Nor would we dare lead you astray with one of the busiest parts of the park. With the Colorado River still within view of this cliff-edge site, Crazy Jug is a carside camper’s refuge from the troops of tourists. Find easy access to the Bill Hall Trail less than a mile from camp, and descend to get a peek at the volcanic Mt. Trumbull. (Fear not: It’s about as active as your typical lazy Sunday in front of the tube, if not more peaceful.) fs.usda.gov/kaibab
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