I’m a longtime fan of This American Life, a weekly, hour-long Public Radio International radio show that covers a variety of eclectic topics. I subscribe to their free podcats and listen when I can. This morning at the gym, I clicked on my iPod to listen to their latest program, entitled THE GIANT POOL OF MONEY.  Turns out it’s a wonderfully cogent, entertaining (and infuriating, when you think about it) explanation of exactly how we got into the mortgage mess we’re in.
Here’s how they bill it:

A special program about the housing crisis. We explain it all to you. What does the housing crisis have to do with the collapse of the investment bank Bear Stearns? Why did banks make half-million dollar loans to people without jobs or income? And why is everyone talking so much about the 1930s? It all comes back to the Giant Pool of Money.

For REALTORS® and the folks who love them (and work for them, like I do), I’d say it’s a must-listen-to. Here’s the direct link to download it for your iPod or other mp3-playing gadget:

http://www.thislife.org/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=355

You can also subscribe to This American Life on iTunes. It’s a free weekly podcast. Just search “This American Life.”

Today’s (March 19) New York Times features a credit-crisis-for-dummies story that, for simple-minded folks like me, is a must-read. Turns out, even the smart Wall Street types don’t completely understand what’s going on. (Whew! That makes me feel so much better. I may be ignorant, but I’m in good company?!)