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Sick toxic asset cartoon
NPR
At Urlesque, we write about a lot of different pets, but this is the first time I've ever found myself doing a story on a pet toxic asset. It's hardly cute and cuddly, but NPR program Planet Money decided to adopt a toxic asset -- aka a bundle of those bad mortgages that just ruined the economy -- and name it Toxie.

Sad news, though, friends: as quickly as I found out about Toxie, she was taken away from us. Poor Toxie died after paying out only $449, less than half of the $1000 that the Planet Money crew paid for her in January. I'm no financial expert, so I've included NPR's awesome animated explanation of what a toxic asset is, and how it makes money or (more likely) dies.

So, what's next for this adorable little mascot of the financial crisis? Her remains -- the $449 -- are going to be invested in delicious, nutritious gold. Planet Money will be following that investment, too.