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Video Audio icon An illustration of an audio speaker. Audio Software icon An illustration of a 3. Software Images icon An illustration of two photographs. Images Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape Donate Ellipses icon An illustration of text ellipses. Vultures' picnic : a Greg Palast investigation Item Preview.
They won On the night Exxon Valdez crashed the equipment had been broken for two years. They didn't employ the guide ship until twenty years later, under threat of legal sanctions.
We can drill safely and efficiently in ever greater water depths. There is no way to separate the power you get through a wire so you can burn your morning toast, from the political power needed to overcharge you for it. They simply did not have them sealed against water.
Instead of diesels, they might as well surround the plan with tin foil and Christmas wrapping. They are decorative, there to reassure a snoozy public that all is well. Nuclear operators learned a lesson: Fixing the regulators is cheaper than fixing the problem. When the memo leaked, Summers said it was a joke. It was certainly a joke, but it was also, under Summers, World Bank policy.
The moment that happens, money floods in to buy up a nation's assets quickly and cheaply. It looks like an economic boom, but you'd look rich too if you sold your house and threw a party. But when the party's over, you can't go home. Nov 07, Chris rated it it was amazing. Another great book from Greg Palast, containing his own investigative journalism.
Detailed are the murkier activities of the major oil companies and their misfeasance and malfeasance related to a number of oil-industry accidents they were too cheap to even try to prevent probably even figuring that it's cheaper to pay for claims afterwards then pay for safety beforehand , state and federal governmental ineptitude before and after hurricane Katrina, amoral international debt speculators buying t Another great book from Greg Palast, containing his own investigative journalism.
Detailed are the murkier activities of the major oil companies and their misfeasance and malfeasance related to a number of oil-industry accidents they were too cheap to even try to prevent probably even figuring that it's cheaper to pay for claims afterwards then pay for safety beforehand , state and federal governmental ineptitude before and after hurricane Katrina, amoral international debt speculators buying the sovereign debt of corrupt African nations the people suffer, the corrupt government officials go on European shopping sprees , and various related cretins of the modern globalized world.
Told with Palast's "pulp nonfiction" style, this is great reading, probably as good as Armed Madhouse , which I read a few years ago and also give my highest recommendation to anyone interested in current affairs, the energy industry, or international finance. While the entire book is distractingly, page-turningly good, Chapter 9: "the Sorcerer's Stone" is where Palast really knocks it out of the ballpark. It should the the first chapter of a "The Essential Greg Palast" anthology, should there ever be one.
In it, Palast details his strange trip from being a University of Chicago economics student and member of Milton Friedman's circle, and how his cohorts went on to white-shoe high-salary jobs in the very industries and for the very companies he chose to investigate.
Along with his insights into the academic wizardry behind the Capital Asset Pricing Model and the Efficient Market Hypothesis assumptions which went on to crash the financial system, instead of eliminating risk from the marketplace like they said it would , Palast explains other foundational assumptions at the core of modern economic thought.
However, the chapter is very clear and lucid, often funny, and autobiographical. In fact, the book gets better and better from there, though Palast still has yet to uncover who is the final remaining holder of Liberia's debts the else were cancelled, but whoever holds the last bit still has the power to cripple the Liberian economy many times over, were they to ever try enforcing their claims.
Like I wrote for my review of Armed Madhouse , Palast is one of the best, perhaps only, investigative journalists left in a world of newsreaders who merely repeat the AP Newswire, or prattle on with endless celebrity nonsense. Any aspiring journalist, or anyone interested in social justice, should consider Palast a model.
He tracks down the loose ends that fall through the cracks, poring through endless paperwork to get to the real story behind the news. I hope he's around for a long time Feb 21, Wendy White rated it it was amazing. The most satisfying way I can describe this book is: journalism without the additives. While satisfying, it doesn't tell you that much. Here's a little more: Palast and his team investigate the fraud, corruption and corporate criminal activities going on that do far more harm than any bank robbery or kidnapping.
These criminals bring entire nations to their knees, and they get away with not so much as a slap on the wrist. In fact, they usually walk away with at least several billion dollars profi The most satisfying way I can describe this book is: journalism without the additives.
In fact, they usually walk away with at least several billion dollars profit. These are the corporations that act more cruelly than any single human being could act. This book details the shady deals BP, Chevron, Exxon and the others have done in order to get their hands on oil - including decisions that directly led to the major oil spills of the last century, decisions whose repecussions that cost many their lives.
Palast has also collected information on some of the decision-making that led to the severity of the Fukushima reactor disaster, along with other "natural" disasters that would never have occured without the assistance of corporate greed. It's not pretty but the only way to stop these things is an informed populace making informed decisions and supporting a government that will bring regulation to these criminal corporates instead of bowing down to them.
Also, read this book for the good ol' gumshoe investigation vibe. Mar 26, Murray rated it it was amazing Shelves: crime-and-mystery , historical , politics , biography.
I am reading this in the Kindle version - which Palast has cleverly used to include mini videos he is a TV guy with the BBC and Channel 4 so understands the power of image. I don't normally review a book until I have finished it but this is so extraordinarily fine and important, that I thought I would recommend it to any out there who believe that it is possible that those who suck oil out of the ground for a living, may indeed be a bunch of crooks.
Written in a way that makes it as exciting as I am reading this in the Kindle version - which Palast has cleverly used to include mini videos he is a TV guy with the BBC and Channel 4 so understands the power of image.
Written in a way that makes it as exciting as a well crafted novel, the narrative follows Palast as he seeks to understand the politics behind the BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico; his journey takes him to extraordinary places and meetings with remarkable people. You will learn how the chief of the Eskimos in Alaska and yes, he calls them Eskimos whilst also correctly naming their specific tribe whom he has interviewed, dealt with Green Peace when they tried to top his tribe hunting whales as they have done in small numbers for 's of years and their local economy is based around whale products; they use 19th century technology for the hunt and abhor the approach taken by the Japanese whaling fleets.
It is laugh out loud funny. A book like no other that I have read; highly recommended if you are politically to the left of Mitt Romney. Feb 02, Pat rated it it was amazing. Investigative reporter Palast was actually an economist in the Chicago school, a fact I didn't know when reading his other books. Too much information on his personal life for me but worth reading if you have the stomach for manipulation that makes the Koch Brother Investigative reporter Palast was actually an economist in the Chicago school, a fact I didn't know when reading his other books.
Too much information on his personal life for me but worth reading if you have the stomach for manipulation that makes the Koch Brothers look tame. May 08, Tuck rated it really liked it Shelves: essays. Jan 28, Patti rated it it was amazing. I am appalled by all that Greg Palast reveals in this book yet when I try to explain my disgust to other people, I am defeated by all the twists and turns in his investigations and explanations of them.
He spares no one, even Jimmy Carter. Read it and try to pass along what you learn. Jan 15, Sean Estelle rated it liked it. Woof - I feel like I just finished a binge listen through 6 different dirtbag Left podcasts and feel dirty, despite the useful info I just learned.
The only redeeming parts of this were the super in depth stories about energy industry corruption and finance capital flows influencing that which were a different way of taking in breakdowns on sec Woof - I feel like I just finished a binge listen through 6 different dirtbag Left podcasts and feel dirty, despite the useful info I just learned.
But the book could have been so much better! Nov 21, Nuzhat rated it really liked it. Oh, what a depressing book about the evils that corporations and 'other' people get away with because of the money involved and the power they have.
Justice for the collective people is just not done. His jumpy writing style moving from different places and different times sometimes made it hard for me to follow without going back to review. I read it pretty quickly and I wouldn't recommend reading it over more than a 2 week time frame as the characters would get even more confusing especially w Oh, what a depressing book about the evils that corporations and 'other' people get away with because of the money involved and the power they have.
I read it pretty quickly and I wouldn't recommend reading it over more than a 2 week time frame as the characters would get even more confusing especially when he uses made up names as well as their real names at times interchangeably.
I do find it ironic when the news agencies that he's critical of in the book endorse his writing, but then the book section is not synonymous with the investigative reporting part. I have wondered how much impartiality NPR has over stories when Monsanto is a sponsor.
I think he really raises a point of the interchange of people who work for the government and then are hired by the industry and vice versa needs to be addressed as deregulation of the laws controlling abuses by these giants has gotten crazy.
Comments please Oct 30, Russell rated it it was amazing. After nearly a decade spent building a public persona based around apt comparisons to Same Spade, BBC journalist Greg Palast has finally given us a book that provides a plot and supporting characters to match.
In this hard-to-put-down work of pulp nonfiction, Palast's heroes are journalists, researchers, photographers and whistleblowers and his villains are the villains of tomorrow's headlines. As with Palast's previous work, where he was ahead of the pitch on Kenneth Lay and BP, the vulture's After nearly a decade spent building a public persona based around apt comparisons to Same Spade, BBC journalist Greg Palast has finally given us a book that provides a plot and supporting characters to match.
As with Palast's previous work, where he was ahead of the pitch on Kenneth Lay and BP, the vulture's and their ilk are sure to finally catch the attention of the mainstream media in another couple of years, after Palast has made their methods transparent and they've committed one or two more grievous offenses. The book also provides a fascinating look into the inner workings of a committed investigative team, with Palast's office and staff laid bare and nothing off-limits How do you become one of our generation's most important investigative journalists?
Many of Palast's tricks are on display here for all to see. First of all you have to get used to his style of gonzo journalism. However, once he settles down I found this compulsive reading.
He takes an important event in the news, for example the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska and after wondering why it has been reported in certain way and why the parties involved have acted in a particular way he gets gets down to serious investigating with his team. What makes his investigations so interesting is their depth and his willingness to go through swathe First of all you have to get used to his style of gonzo journalism.
What makes his investigations so interesting is their depth and his willingness to go through swathes of paperwork to try and follow the tendrils. We are introduced to some of his sources whistleblowers and we can see their motivations for what they are doing.
Also, you realise this guy knows what he is doing and he carefully backs up the sources finds corroborating data and uses the law in the way it was intended. If you think that most corporations will do almost anything to make a killing, and things like the economic collapse are not a natural disasters but the result of carefully concealed plans, then this is the book for you.
Tough to read though, some people can lose heavily and keep losing if they fall foul of the big guys. Jul 21, Savinipop Savini rated it really liked it. This book appeals to my conspiracy theory side. The stories he shares in this book are fascinating, sometimes complicated and always riding that border of reality that makes it easy to deny they are true if you don't want to believe it.
That is if you have the print copy. I wish I had the digital download because there are links, even mentioned in the print version, to the evidence he talks about. Pretty hardcore. I like that. The only thing that hurts the book is that he takes on a pulp fiction kind of writing style that makes it hard to believe if you want to do so. If you feel like big oil and banks have gone overboard but you're not sure how, this is the book to read.
Dec 17, Joseph rated it really liked it. It's difficult to gauge the accuracy of the facts presented, but boy is the author convincing This book is downright scary. The book is basically a long tirade of the evil deeds of mostly energy companies but also provides a nice summary of how the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act separation of commercial and investment banking brought about the global economic crisis. Palast's style is similar to a gumshoe detective in a noir novel, which I found irritating at first but got used to.
Feel fre It's difficult to gauge the accuracy of the facts presented, but boy is the author convincing Feel free to skip the first chapter which is more rambling than anything else. Warning: You will get angry and feel helpless that there isn't much you can do to change the system, but this book will certainly change your perspective on how some companies make a profit and how we're pawns in their game. See how it goes.
At page 71 and having trouble telling how much is straight down the line and how much is crap. Would usually want a book that is meant to be an expose of something to be clearly and logically presenting information, evidence and conclusions but this looks unlikely.
Without having any form of appendix to the book to check by cross referencing data it loses credability and becomes sort of black entertainment, which is I guess is what it is. Got to about page and gave up.
Would See how it goes. Would rather read a serious factual book or a clever humour one rather than a no mans land hybrid. The style almost gets there but for me, not quite. Dec 17, Lizpeveto rated it liked it. Just one of another string of non-fiction about the oil and gas industry. This book is difficult to follow as the chapters don't flow in date order. They jump around from past to present and randomly.
You will have to read between the lines to put together a summary of his findings. I'm very familiar with the oil industry and can attest to the truth of some of his information ev Just one of another string of non-fiction about the oil and gas industry. I'm very familiar with the oil industry and can attest to the truth of some of his information even tho he would not consider me a worthwhile "source". The most true statement is that it is all about the money.
Aug 09, Dryfly rated it really liked it. Vulture's Picnic is the type of book that you'd hope more people read. While I am dubious of some of Palast's claims, the journalism and tell it how it is approach is refreshing and needed. I have a lot of faith in what Palast says and writes, although I suspect he is prone to some exaggeration. For example, he will quote an "expert" but who is to say whether someone is an expert or not?
Regardless, this book is important. Palast has some gonzo journalism in him, albeit this writing is somewhat Vulture's Picnic is the type of book that you'd hope more people read. Palast has some gonzo journalism in him, albeit this writing is somewhat meandering disjointed at times. Still, Vultures' Picnic is interesting and thought provoking. Sep 04, Joe rated it it was ok. This book has to many unknown sources, no endnotes, footnotes.
I am not saying the things in his book did not happen. Just that no one can check it out except him. Also, His detective narrative gets annoying and he is not particularly funny which he tries to be. With a more scholarly approach this could be a great book, but it is too hard to take at face value. Although, it is no surprise to any reasonable human being that big oil is corrupt greedy and destructive to the environment.
Dec 07, Kate rated it really liked it Shelves: non-fiction. As ever, Palast is entertaining and terrifying while further revealing the man behind the good corporate citizen curtain. As a former civil servant that promoted "free, but fair, trade" in the energy sector during the WTO riots in Seattle, I can tell you that it is every bit as corrupt and covered in blood as he claims.
You keep stirring that pot, Greg. We 99'ers do give a shit. We are just trying to figure out how to handle it without going down in flames. Finished 'Vultures Picnic' and it remained compulsive reading right through. I wasn't sure I was going to like the structure - which is episodic - hopping around in time and space.
However, that IS the nature of his journalistic life so I guess it allows some evaluation of his claims. Who needs fiction when the doings of the rich and powerful are so extraordinary.
He is SO quotable: My favourite: "Louisiana shut down its hurricane center. Any notion of the Finished 'Vultures Picnic' and it remained compulsive reading right through. Any notion of the Commons is out the window. The land, air or sea will be polluted at will by big business. Fines are no hindrance, just the cost of doing business. If regulation becomes onerous BUY the legislature and change the rules.
Clean water and air will eventually be SOLD to us. Essentially global corporations, often acting as cartels are dangerously procuring materials which they sell us for inflated amounts AND corrupting the body politic in the process.
Yesterday coal, today oil and water, tomorrow our common genetic inheritance well Monsanto and co. BP's wickedness was eye-opening. It was immensely reassuring to know that the diesel back-up generators in Fukushima-type nuclear plants are NOT designed to work properly, if at all.
The fire suppression systems don't seem effective either. Are their ANY regulatory bodies who are effective in their work? It seems likely that being psychopathic is a necessary quality for corporate and political leaders. The activities of vulture funds deserve a much higher profile in the daily news round. I wonder why they don't?
The degree to which african countries have been subjected to their depradations is quite extraordinary. The fraudulent deployment of capital eg. Human beings are deluded about many things, but money and power particularly. All in all I shall make a point of reading anything of Palast's that I can get my hands on. To change the world you have to understand it properly and I was surprised by the degree of corruption evidenced in this volume.
Jun 23, Saadiq added it. Greg Palast and his team visit the corners of the world, where BP, Chevron and Shell have left their petroleum prints on the land and the people. Palast shares with us his findings, his papers and his personality and basically tells you everything you thought you know about the Deepwater Horizon spill is wrong. Palast himself is an imposing figure, working tirelessly with his crew, and sifting through folders and binders of business jargon to see what few have ever seen.
Confidential or not, if it has anything to do with white-collar greed, bribery or corruption, the zealous BBC journalist has gotten his hands on it. I only picked up this book for the cover, which looks near-amazing and commences the metaphor he uses to describe the baddies involved. There are times when nothing really important happens and the investigation thins. Feb 12, Justin rated it liked it.
By indicting every corporatist he comes across, Palast falls short of convincingly convicting any one of them. A lot of red herrings, false starts and dead-ends. Not his fault of course, his courageous journalism and investigative approach means the playing field is steeply stacked against him. As a reader you come away feeling more defeated than ever. The bad guys truly have won, despite Palast saving Liberia. Wait, but wasn't this book supposed to be about the BP spill..? It's unfocused, manic By indicting every corporatist he comes across, Palast falls short of convincingly convicting any one of them.
It's unfocused, manic, full of great insights, and as a narrative, ultimately quite disappointing.
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