I don't care if The New York Times is calling This American Life preciously hipster, maybe they are just jealous because Chicago Public Radio often accomplishes what The Grey Lady has failed to do most days: turn complex problems into a compelling narrative.

Today at the gym, I listened to this episode on how a global tidal wave of capital led to an excess of demand for mortgage backed securities which led to nonsense like No-Income-No-Asset loans and our present troubles. I love This American Life. A lot. To a point that I get a little crazy about it, but this may well be one of the best episodes I have ever listened to. I follow the sub-prime issue very closely, and I learned a lot from this episode. I also laughed several times.

Here's the description of the show from the website:

355: The Giant Pool of Money

A special program about the housing crisis produced in a special collaboration with NPR News. We explain it all to you. What does the housing crisis have to do with the turmoil on Wall Street? 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.

You can listen to the full episode for free on the website. Or snag it off the podcast. Do it. Strap on your Ipod. Hit the gym. Get angry. It's really good.
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This Too Will Pass -- for the guts in your cerebrum.