These are also derivatives. Again, there's this whole galaxy of financial instruments that are basically unregulated, thanks to a law that was passed in 2000 called the Commodity Futures Modernization Act—credit default swaps, collateralized debt obligations, interest rate swaps.

via "Looting Main Street" – Matt Taibbi on How the Nation's Biggest Banks Are Ripping Off American Cities with Predatory Deals.

Amy Goodman and co were good enough to have me on Democracy Now! this week to talk about Jefferson County. I recommend checking out the earlier segment on a 2007 Apache attack in Iraq — the video is disturbing.