The Cultured Girl

Justice finally prevailed in the ongoing saga of Enron, when the company’s former execs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling today were found guilty of fraud and conspiracy. Apparently not buying the argument that the defendants were clueless victims, the jury convicted Lay on 10 counts of conspiracy, wire fraud, and other charges, while Skilling was found guilty on 28 different charges.

If you’re still confused about the in’s and out’s of the Enron tale, I highly recommend the 2005 documentary Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. Far from a dull corporate chronicle, this highly detailed and chilling film has the effect of a horror movie that you can’t help but replay in your head. It’s full of juicy and tragic details and jaw-dropping examples of greed and gall that will help you understand why this is one of the most important news stories of the past decade.