My nephew Seth is a pro at getting money from his parents, so since it is fundraising

season here at NPR I called him for advice.

You have to like work up to it, so like do all my chores without asking.

Then when the time comes they're like wow, that's a nice kid, you know, I would give

him money if he asked for it.

This year we taught you how to recycle, how to survive a snake bite, even how to metal

in an election.

So go to donate.npr.org slash planet money.

Be a good kid and you'll get good money.

This is Planet Money from NPR.

A couple of weeks ago I went to visit the TV writer David Simon at a little black box

theater in New York.

David, hey.

Alex, how are you?

Are you ready?

Yeah, I think we're just going to use this room.

I don't know if you got my name.

David is the writer of big time TV shows like The Wire, Tra-May, The Duce.

Someone during your screenwriter, you've written a lot of episodic television.

Where do you think this story begins?

What's the establishing shot?

The establishing shot is probably me on the rewrite desk, the Baltimore Sun.

...