TAL podcast at the top of the iTunes charts

It’s neat to see the This American Life podcast at the top of the iTunes charts. This is now ancient history but TAL played a big inspirational role in my contributions to podcasting. It’s still once of the best programs out there. On a related note, a recent episode of sister program Planet Money tells the story of a shipping executive who, after negotiating the ransom and release of a vessel taken by pirates, forms a relationship with the pirates’ negotiator. Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction.