Topic: Junkets

A review of WikiLeaks documents reveals Representative Maxine Waters' frequent participation in international congressional junkets. The records indicate travel to Peru and Paraguay for events described by the hosts as "phony baloney." Waters is characterized as a "junket queen" who travels with a specific group of Democrats and Republicans to attend these organized international trips.

John Dvorak discusses the hypocrisy of journalism ethics rules regarding gifts and junkets. He explains how the New York Times uses strict "pay-your-own-way" rules to maintain exclusivity while smaller publications are priced out of international coverage. He argues that the rise of bloggers has disrupted this gatekeeping system.

The era of trusted movie critics like Siskel and Ebert has ended, replaced by a promotion-driven system where reviewers are paid to praise films. Many "exclusive" celebrity interviews are revealed to be "canned" junkets where the interviewer and the star are never actually in the same room. This lack of honesty in entertainment journalism is attributed to the consolidated ownership of networks and film studios.