This story, produced by the podcast Reply All (website, iTunes), asks the question — can internet bile ever be helpful? PJ Vogt interviews Paul Ford, a man who programmed a website to deal with his anxiety. The website sends him abusive comments all day long.

While it’s hard to explain to kids how babies come into the world, it might be harder to explain that people leave the world too — especially to a kid whose mom or dad or brother or sister has died. There are grief counseling centers all over the U.S. that cater specifically to children.

Host Ira Glass talks about the infamous line in the band Van Halen's contract insisting that the groups' dressing room include a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown M&Ms removed. Ira used to think this request was just petulant rock-star behavior.

Julia Lillis talks to Ira about the huge, romantic move she made after a break up, and how it was both crazy and worth doing.

Short fiction from Bess Kalb about a groundhog named Susan, who has her own opinions about the holiday named after her species. (7 minutes)You can find more work from Bess at The Grudge Report on Substack.

On Saturday, Laura Hucke graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville.

Comedian Sasheer Zamata does this joke about her mom in her standup act. About how her mom hates white people.

Jaime Amor does yoga storytelling for kids. We ask her to try taking on a film for grownups.

A super-heated adult debate about trans kids lands in the life of an Alabama teenager named Finn.

A woman watches her partner get taken in handcuffs with no explanation. Days later, she spots him in the most unexpected place.

The government shuts down, and Flake tries to get the senate to ignore what the White House wants. Unsuccessfully.

The official investigation by the city of Muskegon into the officer’s past gets underway– and we have a transcript of what went down! Finally we hear the officer – and his wife – explain themselves.

Producer Neil Drumming tells the story of his dad and his family’s timeshare in Orlando, Florida.

Comedian W. Kamau Bell has two daughters, and tries to figure out just how much about the violent history of racism and oppression his four-year-old can handle.

A middle schooler really wants to trust the adults have her best interests in mind. But some of the most powerful people at her school begin to make that very difficult.

American doctors returning from Gaza compare notes and start to see a pattern. (28 minutes)

It's possible that the most compelling arguments against the war with Iraq, and the most compelling arguments for the war with Iraq, are arguments you've never heard. Ira talks with journalist Nicholas Lemann from The New Yorker magazine about two ways of seeing the war: The so-called Hawks' view, and the so-called Realists' view.

Remember learning that women’s menstrual cycles tend to sync up when they spend a lot of time together? Producer Diane Wu was skeptical. So she went looking for evidence.

The man who organized the rally in Charlottesville is named Jason Kessler. He says he’s not to blame for the violence that happened there, including the death of a counter protester.

Ira Glass' friend Lucy used to love listening to the radio psychologist Joy Browne, who she thought always had the best advice. But is it possible for someone's advice to just be too good? Ira Glass talks to Lucy to find out.

The first day on the job inevitably means mistakes, mishaps, and, sometimes, fiascos. A true story, about a rookie cop, told by the cop.

Producer Neil Drumming looks into two videos he found on YouTube—one that takes place in Atlantic City, another in Brooklyn—that deal with the trouble kids face walking home from school.

Among friends, Elna Baker is famous for her romantic advice: go big! She talks to Ira about successes and failures.

One woman needs to find shelter for 27 young men in a matter of hours. (15 minutes)