2. An extensive Q & A shutdown guide

USA Today put together this exhaustive, clearly written list of explanations about the mess we find ourselves in.

3. Which parts of the government are closed?

Again from the Washington Post, this interactive shows the federal agencies hit by the shutdown, and the number of furloughed employees in each.

4. How it went down

This New York Times graphic traces the back and forth in the halls of Congress that led to the shutdown.

5. Who's going to be hit hardest?

Mother Jones put together this extensive list of the people who stand to be impacted the most by the shutdown.

6. A history of government shutdowns

The Washington Post (once again), does a good job charting and explaining the causes of every government shutdown that's happened since 1976. The Associated Press also published this interesting piece on the government shutdown's constitutional roots.

And finally ...

OK, so not exactly an exemplar of objective journalism, but too hilarious to leave out: Jon Stewart waxes poetic on the shutdown.

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Closed for Business: 7 Great Resources Explaining the Government Shutdown