Stevie Cameron to N.B. for Journalism Chair

Stevie Cameron has been named the Irving Chair of Journalism at New Brunswick's St. Thomas University, says this item in the Miramichi Leader. She'll be conducting workshops and public lectures. Cameron, a leading Canadian investigative journalist, is a member of the advisory board of the Canadian Centre for Investigative Reporting (where I'm the v-p). For more on our upcoming benefit and book talk by the CBC's Susanne Reber in Hamilton this Saturday, Sept. 27, see this post. And here's the centre's new website.

TAGS: Canadian Centre for Investigative Reporting, Stevie Cameron, Canada

Investigations: Harper Record Probed in 504-Page Tome

The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has released what it calls the "most comprehensive" study of the Harper government's record to date. The 504-page tome, just in time for the upcoming federal election, covers everything from energy to the environment, governance and the economy and was prepared by 47 analysts. Available for free download here.

TAGS: Canada, Harper

Interesting: GM, GE, Ford Added to Short-Selling Ban

The list of firms on the U.S. short-selling ban list is growing. Incredibly, now, GM, GE and Ford have been added, says this New York Times story.

TAGS: markets, interesting

Investigations: $13B in Iraq Aid Lost to Fraud

An extraordinary $13 billion meant for Iraqi reconstruction was stolen or wasted in fraud schemes, says a former Iraqi investigator in this Washington Post item.

TAGS: Iraq, corruption, fraud, investigations

Investigations: Fed's Once-Pristine Balance Sheet Now Loaded With Junk

So is the $700-billion financial bailout in the U.S. going to work? Or is it just transferring risk from private hands that bunged it up to the public and endangering the government's own finances? This Financial Week item shows that under the stewardship of Ben Bernanke, the U.S. Federal Reserve Board's balance sheet, pristine and virtually risk-free just six months ago, now consists of a huge portion of troubled assets. While U.S. government treasuries accounted for 91 percent of the Fed's mix of reserve assets six months ago, today 48 percent consists of riskier holdings.

TAGS: markets, Bernanke

Interesting: $700B Financial Bailout Blows Away Past Relief Efforts

How does the proposed $700-billion bailout of U.S. financial players compare to past relief efforts? A ProPublica analysis shows it blows them all away, including the $300-billion savings-and-loan imbroglio. See the table and graphic here.

TAGS: markets

CAR Resources from Lillehammer Global Investigative Journalism Conference

Oslo-based journalist Kristine Lowe posts links to a host of useful Computer-Assisted Reporting resources from the Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Lillehammer in this item on her blog, which is full of other interesting posts and resources.

TAGS: resources