More Is Less

#391 - 9 October 2009

An hour explaining the American health care system, specifically, why it is that costs keep rising. One story looks at the doctors, one at the patients and one at the insurance industry.

Return To The Giant Pool of Money

#390 - 25 September 2009

In which we mark the anniversary of the economic collapse and the anniversary of Planet Money: Recapping some of the original episode, The Giant Pool of Money, and finding out what's happened to all those guys in the year since.

Frenemies

#389 - 11 September 2009

This week we bring you stories about friends. Or wait, enemies? How about both? Tales of estranged sisters, BFFs breaking up and making up and breaking up, and how reality stars walk the fine line between making friends and making a name for themselves. Including a story from David Rakoff, whose new book Half Empty is available now.

Rest Stop

#388 - 4 September 2009

Nine radio producers. Two days. One rest stop on the New York State Thruway. In this show, we'll bring you stories of people who are just passing through, and people who are at the rest stop every day—working. One of them has worked there since 1969. A bunch of others came from Asia and eastern Europe to pour coffee for travelers.

Arms Trader 2009

#387 - 7 August 2009

The U.S. government spent two years on a sting operation trapping an Indian man named Hemant Lakhani, whom they suspected of being an illegal arms dealer.

Fine Print

#386 - 24 July 2009

Stories where the fine print changes everything, whether you read it or not.

Pro Se

#385 - 10 July 2009

It's tempting to act as your own lawyer, to argue your own cause. Who better to defend your position than you? This week, stories of pro se defenses: Some brilliant, some disastrous.

Fall Guy

#384 - 26 June 2009

Sometimes when things go wrong, parsing out who all is to blame and taking them to task is just too complicated and haaaard! What's easy is pinning it all on one person and watching them go down in flames.

Origin Story

#383 - 19 June 2009

This week we bring you little-known and surprising stories of how all sorts of institutions—from a controversial legal precedent to a Hollywood teen dance flick—began.

The Watchmen

#382 - 5 June 2009

Since Congress hasn't held 1930's-style hearings into the causes of the financial crisis, we stage one of our own.