a little knowledge

I've got my nose waaay deep into the current financial crisis. There are scores of experts having trouble explaining what went wrong, and no one can say exactly how to set things right or when they will be set right. So far be it for me to make predictions or act like I know stuff. I'm fascinated, though, and convinced that it's a great time to go on ahead and wake up to how money flows in this country, and throughout the world. Toward that end, I'm reading, watching, and listening to everything I can, especially anything that puts the goings on in layman's terms. Here are a few resources that I'm finding very useful:

• This American Life episode 355, 5/29/08, "The Giant Pool of Money"
• This American Life episode 363, 9/12/08, "Enforcers," specifically the "Now You SEC Me, Now You Don't" segment
  
• Today's Freakonomics Column in the New York Times (You might have to register)

The "Giant Pool of Money" is TAL's all-time most popular broadcast/podcast. I've listened to it about 10 times since it aired. It offers a wealth of information and an excellent foundation from which to understand the current crisis. If you heard McCain talk about naked short selling yesterday, or if the phrase intrigues you, "Now You SEC Me, Now You Don't" will be illuminating.

More links to helpful info to come.