SALON

Sunday, May 12, 2013 5:00 PM UTC

Top 5 investigative videos of the week: Some rich people are just jerks

From the penthouses of Park Avenue to the sweatshops of Bangladesh, a look at the finest docs YouTube has to offer VIDEO

By

Topics: Video, Top 5 investigative videos, The I Files, Bangladesh, Garment Factories, Park Avenue, monopoly, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, , ,

Top 5 investigative videos of the week: Some rich people are just jerksScene still from "Park Avenue: Money, power and the American dream"

The I Files Rigged Monopoly, secret agents, mysterious tattoos and one glum Ghost of Gun Control all make an appearance in this week’s top investigative videos.

For a first look at the best news stories and documentaries from around the world, please take a moment to subscribe to The I Files, a totally free and carefully curated news source. We pore over hundreds of hours of videos so you don’t have to and highlight the best stories you might have missed. We don’t mind – it’s what we do.

Incidentally, The I Files editorial team totally shares the snacks whenever we play Monopoly, unlike some people we know.

“Park Avenue: Money, power and the American dream,” Alex Gibney for the “Why Poverty?” series

“Some rich people are just dicks.”

So says one author interviewed in Alex Gibney’s opinionated, enlightening and anger-inducing documentary “Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream,” part of the “Why Poverty?” series that recently won a Peabody Award.

After watching this video, you see his point. Gibney argues that the ultra rich use their wealth to manipulate public policy and benefit from a system they increasingly dominate. In a country where the 400 richest people control more wealth than the entire bottom half of the country, Gibney asks, “How much inequality is too much?”

The doc examines two sections of Park Avenue in New York: One runs through Manhattan’s wealthiest neighborhood, while the other winds through the South Bronx, America’s poorest congressional district, where 40 percent of the people make less than $40 a day. Gibney carefully pulls apart the longstanding notion of America as the land of opportunity where a person on the poor side of Park Avenue can work his or her way up to the rich side, if only he or she works hard enough. In fact, upward mobility in the U.S. lags behind almost all other advanced industrialized democracies. By the end of the film, the river separating the two neighborhoods begins to look like an uncrossable chasm.

In one striking scene, a psychologist has put together an experiment involving an openly rigged game of Monopoly to look at why the ultra rich seem to be so unsympathetic and even hostile to those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder. In this game, one volunteer is arbitrarily assigned the role of the rich player and gets a number of unfair advantages – earning more money, using two dice to go around the board faster – that ensure the player will win. Despite the fact that the game is obviously rigged, rich players start displaying a palpable sense of entitlement, even gobbling up the majority of the strategically placed snacks and coming to believe that they deserve to win, as though their victory is due to innate intelligence and strategy rather than unfair rules that pre-determined the outcome from the start.

My other favorite part of the film involves Gibney’s rumination on conservatives’ love of author Ayn Rand and her extreme laissez-faire philosophy. He includes some funny excerpts from a film version of “Atlas Shrugged,” which plays out a doomsday scenario in which the billionaires withdraw from society and leave the rest of us to fend for ourselves. Cue the fire-ridden apocalyptic disaster clips and close-up of the distressed blonde yelling, “No!”

“The Man Who Armed the Panthers,” Seth Rosenfeld and the Center for Investigative Reporting

After the Boston bombings, there has been increased attention on FBI informants and the role they play in preventing or encouraging violence.

This multimedia piece explores this territory, delving into the secret life of Richard Aoki, the man who gave the Black Panthers their first weapons – at the same time, it is now revealed, that he was an informant for the FBI. Aoki was a well-known activist and mysterious character to boot – a Japanese American who was a prominent member of the African American organization, always wearing his trademark sunglasses, even at night.

Journalist Seth Rosenfeld broke the story of Aoki’s past in the book “Subversives,” which he spent 30 years researching. Rosenfeld was tipped off about Aoki from the FBI agent who says he worked with Aoki and obtained corroborating FBI files through a Freedom of Information Act request.

This piece is just the beginning of Rosenfeld’s investigation; thousands of FBI documents have yet to be examined. But it raises some tantalizing questions – why did Aoki arm the Panthers? Was the FBI involved?

Aoki committed suicide in 2009 and never publicly confirmed his involvement with the agency. Rosenfeld interviewed Aoki by phone two years before his death, but the recorded conversation is maddeningly opaque. When Rosenfeld confronts Aoki about his involvement with the FBI, Aoki denies it in a roundabout way, saying obliquely that the story is “complex – layer upon layer.”

“Witness: Grandma’s Tattoos,” Al-Jazeera

“Grandma’s Tattoos” follows the personal story of filmmaker Suzanne Khardalian as she investigates the truth behind the strange markings on her grandmother’s hands and face. In the course of her investigation, Khardalian uncovers the experience of Armenian women who were driven out of Ottoman Turkey during World War I.

“As a child, I thought these (tattoos) were devilish signs that came from a dark world. They stirred fear in me,” she explains. “What were these tattoos? Who had done them and why? But the tattoos on Grandma’s hands and face were a taboo. They never spoke about it.”

Khardalian remembers her grandmother as a distant and unpleasant woman who seemed to experience no joy from family life, never hugging or kissing her granddaughters and rarely smiling.

“She had no love for us,” Khardalian recalls. “Something was missing. Her soul was missing. She was alive, but she was a walking corpse.”

Retracing her grandmother’s journey through the deserts of Syria, Khardalian learns some of the truth behind the strange tattoos – signs of violence and slavery that the rest of the family had tried to forget. All the time, in the background of the film, the figure of Khardalian’s grandmother is a haunting presence partly illuminated but never fully revealed.

“Bangladeshi Workers Pay Price for West’s Cheap Clothes,” BBC

Is there blood on your clothes? This BBC investigation examines the human cost behind many of the garments made abroad and sold in the West.

The story of the tragic collapse of the factory in Bangladesh – one of the worst industrial accidents of modern times – has brought to light the horrible Catch-22 of the country’s $20-billion-a-year industry. On one hand, the garment industry provides millions of desperately needed jobs and empowers women who otherwise might be unemployed. But at the same time, the very cost-cutting measures that make Bangladesh attractive to Western companies result in unsafe conditions that endanger the lives of workers and can lead to catastrophic results.

This BBC report investigates how some Western corporations seemingly turn a blind eye to the unsafe conditions in their factories, in favor of the bottom line. Shot just before last month’s building collapse, the story chronicles the fallout of an earlier factory fire that left more than 100 dead and scores wounded. Using hidden cameras, the BBC finds evidence of child labor and signs that cost-cutting practices that led to the tragedy remain unchanged.

“If I ever see the owner (of the factory), I’ll burn him alive,” says the mother of one victim, “just like he burned my child to ash and emptied a mother’s chest.”

“The Ghost of Gun Control,” Drew Christie for The New York Times Op-Docs

In this sarcastic, darkly opinionated animation, the Ghost of Gun Control laments the failure of the latest attempt at firearms legislation and bemoans how his popularity has waned since “the days of Nintendo 64 and the Spice Girls.”

“Each time I’m brought back out of retirement, I’m a less robust version of my previous self,” the ghost glumly intones.

The piece offers some surprising bits of history, like the fact that Republican icons such as Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and even the National Rifle Association have all, at various times, supported previous incarnations of gun control laws.

Apparently, even the founding fathers supported a national firearms registry, something firearms advocates vigorously oppose today.

“Many modern gun enthusiasts yearn to be back in the Wild West days, shooting bad guys and roping various bovine creatures,” the Ghost says. “But in reality, they would have faced stricter gun laws in many frontier towns than they do today.”

Amanda Pike

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.

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

7 motorist-friendly camping sites

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 9

Sponsored Post

  • 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


    Image credit: Getty

  • Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest via Noontootla Creek, Georgia
    Boasting 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


    Image credit: flickr/chattoconeenf

  • 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


    Image credit: umich.edu

  • 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


    Image credit: Getty

  • Mt. Rogers NRA via Hurricane Creek Road, North Carolina
    Most 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


    Image credit: wikipedia.org

  • 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


    Image credit: floridastateparks.org

  • 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


    Image credit: flickr/Irish Typepad

  • As the go-to (weekend) getaway car for fiscally conscious field trips with friends, the 2013 MINI Convertible is your campground racer of choice, allowing you and up to three of your co-pilots to take in all the beauty of nature high and low. And with a fuel efficiency that won’t leave you in the latter, you won’t have to worry about being left stranded (or awkwardly asking to go halfsies on gas expenses).


    Image credit: miniusa.com

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 9

Related Videos

Comments

 0 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

vote
Let's Stop Screwing Around and Impeach James Clapper: After lying to Congress about all the different ways the NSA's spying on us, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lies about how he lied. Call the White House at 202 456-1111 and Tell Obama to Get Rid of Clapper
337 points338 points | 18 comments
vote
Let's Stop Screwing Around and Impeach James Clapper: After lying to Congress about all the different ways the NSA's spying on us, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lies about how he lied. Call the White House at 202 456-1111 and Tell Obama to Get Rid of Clapper
202 points203 points | 25 comments
vote
Machiavelli doesn’t belong to the 1 percent | "The Prince" is oft-quoted on Wall Street, but its author was a hero of the working class who despised elites
92 points93 points | 33 comments
vote
Let's Stop Screwing Around and Impeach James Clapper: After lying to Congress about all the different ways the NSA's spying on us, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper lies about how he lied. Call the White House at 202 456-1111 and Tell Obama to Get Rid of Clapper
53 points54 points | 7 comments
vote
“Whistle-blower” now means “homegrown terrorist” And other definitions from the new dictionary for our post-9/11 security state
46 points47 points | 2 comments

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "The Joker": Laughing at life's deepest sorrows