Deepwater Disaster: The Untold Story

This is a tight one about the 87 day battle to close the burst BP pipeline at the bottom of the god damn ocean. I never realized how many different things they tried... So many failures. Unfortunately it turned into one of the worst environmental disaster in US history.

It doesn't so much investigate BPs mistakes as it does document the events that unfolded after the pipeline burst. Decent.

7.5/10

Fighting for Bin Laden

Watch the full episode. See more FRONTLINE.

This one is truly bad-ass. Since it's so new, it's kind of in fragments, all of which are interesting.

It starts of by highlighting the fact that Pakistan may in fact be harboring Al Qaeda, despite claiming that they're working with the US gov to stop terrorism. This part also shows how the US government is hiring a private Afghan army to help them do some fighting.

The next part looks at the drone war; the use of drone planes to spy on and destroy enemies from the skies. These planes, in case you're not aware, are unmanned aircraft that have the ability to destroy small targets from many miles away. Since the Obama admin., the use of these types of planes has skyrocketed.

The third part is an interview with author Steve Cole. This guy knows tons about everything to do win Osama Bin Laden. He brings up an interesting point: Osama's organization attacked the twin towers in hopes that the U.S. would pull out of Afghanistan and the Middle East. Clearly that plan failed. Maybe the US shouldn't have been there in the first place? I don't know.

The last part is the longest and most awesome. Report Najibullah Quraishi actually chills with a loyal band of fighters who are loyal to Bin Laden. He has to go on a 3 day hike, and think's he's about to die a few times. The leader is super sketchy, and the guy never really knows when he's allowed to be filming. This small group of fighters are pretty loyal to the entire Allah cause. They're even training children to fight.

9/10

One Night in Bhopal

Check it out, I think this writeup explains this doc the most effectively:

"The Bhopal disaster (also referred to as the Bhopal gas tragedy) is the world’s worst industrial catastrophe. It occurred on the night of December 2-3, 1984 at the Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) pesticide plant in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. A leak of methyl isocyanate gas and other chemicals from the plant resulted in the exposure of hundreds of thousands of people. Estimates vary on the death toll. The official immediate death toll was 2,259 and the government of Madhya Pradesh has confirmed a total of 3,787 deaths related to the gas release. Other government agencies estimate 15,000 deaths. Others estimate that 3,000 died within weeks and that another 8,000 have since died from gas-related diseases. A government affidavit in 2006 stated the leak caused 558,125 injuries including 38,478 temporary partial and approximately 3,900 severely and permanently disabling injuries.UCIL was the Indian subsidiary of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC). Indian Government controlled banks and the Indian public held 49.1 percent ownership share. In 1994, the Supreme Court of India allowed UCC to sell its 50.9 percent share. The Bhopal plant was sold to McLeod Russel (India) Ltd. UCC was purchased by Dow Chemical Company in 2001.Civil and criminal cases are pending in the United States District Court, Manhattan and the District Court of Bhopal, India, involving UCC, UCIL employees, and Warren Anderson, UCC CEO at the time of the disaster. In June 2010, seven ex-employees, including the former UCIL chairman, were convicted in Bhopal of causing death by negligence and sentenced to two years imprisonment and a fine of about $2,000 each, the maximum punishment allowed by law. An eighth former employee was also convicted but died before judgment was passed."

Total carnage.

8/10

The Rockefellers

I know the Rockefellers have had a bad rep when it comes to breaking human rights, establishing massive monopolies that control entire industries or the country itself, and basically acting evil. But I think this documentary will help you see the world from their point of view.

For decades, the Rockefeller name was despised in America–associated with John D. Rockefeller Sr.’s feared monopoly, Standard Oil. By the end of his life, Rockefeller had given away half his fortune–but even his vast philanthropy could not erase the memory of his predatory business practices. His only son, John D. Rockefeller Jr., would dedicate his life to recasting the family image.

In the quest for redemption and respectability, Junior would give away hundreds of millions of dollars, and would insist that his six children behave impeccably. Their contributions transformed America. When he died at age 86, Junior left his six children and 22 grandchildren an invaluable inheritance: a name which stood not for corporate greed, but for “the well-being of mankind.”

7.5/Tizzen

Soccer's Lost Boys

Watch Soccer's Lost Boys

I've been totally obsessed with soccer lately because of the world cup, and a buddy of mine recommended that I watch this documentary. It blew my mind how disillusioned some of these people have become; placing their entire hopes for life on these teenage boys, who they hope can someday become a soccer star. Dreams to be like Drogba, Eto'o and Essien fill the heads of these poor boys, who often end up stranded and left to fend for themselves. The director visits Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, and France to trace this story of the trafficking of "footballers".

8.5/10

Roger and Me

Watch Roger and Me

Michael Moore's first film. This bullshits about general motors closing their plant in his hometown, which put 30,000 peeps out of work. To be honest, I can't take this guy seriously. Film is interesting and shows how fucked up the town became as a result of high unemployment. It doesn't really speak to any practical solutions though. He talks to a lobbyist from GM who basically tells him its a reality of the free market. The movie can be described as 50% chasing people down and making them look like the bad guys and 50% talking to people who are poor and desperate. The most important part of this sort of shit is talking about practical solutions, which Moore doesn't do at all. The reason for this fat idiot's success is a talent for capturing the emotional side of real problems and real injustices.

7/10

Ross Kemp: Battle for the Amazon (Part 1)

Watch Ross Kemp: Battle for the Amazon

So we all know that Ross Kemp is hard as fuck. In this episode, he isn't hanging out with Jamaican gangsters or Polish soccer firms. Ross travels to Ecuador and Brazil to look into the horrific environmental damage being caused there. The oil drilling, logging, cattle ranching, and gold mining in these countries are polluting the Amazon, killing its abundance of animals and plants species, and helping destroy planet Earth.

8/10

The One Percent

Peeps the trailer:


Watch The One Percent

This shits made by the guy who did born rich. Its a lot better i think. He interviews some money bros, including Milton Freidman, Bill Gates' dad, Ralph Nader, some other economists, a lot of richass people and a lot of poor black dudes. It has a unique perspective considering the dude interviewing people has such a retarded amount of money. It surprised me that so many rich ass people believed their own conservative bullshit. These people are saying that more good can be done by wealthy bros giving to charity rather than taxing the rich more. Touches on gentrification, the estate tax,

8/10

Born Rich

Watch Born Rich

Originally run on HBO, Born Rich is a look at rich ass young pussies who have inherited a little dough. It's made by a kid from the Johnson & Johnson family of Band-Aid fame. You get the feeling that he isn't satisfied with being a rich kid. He interviews a Trump slut, a Vanderbilt douche, a Bloomberg bitch, and some other wealthy nerds. All these kids have family fortunes in the billions. They are all pretty different, but none of them actually have to do anything. Some of them have some prime shit to say about life, work, and happiness; on the other hand, some of them are just rich sluts looking for some dick. This bullshit was nominated for two Emmys.

7.9/10

Inside The Meltdown

Watch Inside The Meltdown

I had to watch this documentary for my Business and Government class and it was actually really good. It was released by PBS in February of 2009, and the report summarizes the events leading up to and shortly after the financial crisis of 2008. It describes the key players and their roles, as well as the important financial tools that helped make this recession the largest one since the Great Depression.

8.5/10

College, Inc.

Watch College, Inc.

This an awesome PBS report on the state of privatized university in the US. These privately-run public institutions are relying heavily on sneaky sales tactics to attract new students, most of whom cannot afford university. Not only are these stupid people stuck with a huge amount of debt, but once they graduate they will also discover that their degree likely won't help them do jack shit.

Michael Clifford, who never attended college himself, has become notorious for purchasing failing universities from the US government and turning them into privatized businesses. His major investors are wealthy Wall Street businessmen, such as Jack Welch (CEO of General Electric). When asked what was needed to turn around a university Mr. Clifford replied, "Money, management, and marketing...along with compassion."

The goal of this industry is profits and high student turnover, as opposed to higher standards of education. The real question that should be asked is: "Should education be a business?"

8/10

Requiem For Detroit

Watch: Requiem for Detroit

This one was recommended to me by my buddy Mike Wiktorek. Awesome documentary. I knew Detroit was a piece of shit, but I had no idea how many placed have been completely abandoned. When the auto industry exploded, the city was an amazing place. But when they started moving people out into the suburbs in order to make cars a vital mode of transportation, things started falling apart. No one lived in the city, and things started to suck. They say unemployment is as high as 30% in some areas of Detroit. This show gives a good look at how terrible the state of Detroit truly is.

7.5/10

Fall of the Republic: Presidency of Barack H. Obama

Watch: Fall of the Republic

This one raises some good points the U.S. system... It points out how stupid it is to have a vote between two people who are going to run pretty much the same organization in the first place. With Obama in office, the Whitehouse still contains many of the same staff, same with the Pentagon. Seriously though, check this shit out.

8.5/10