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On this bonus episode from our friends at Slate's How To! podcast—Keith prides himself on being a good dad to his three sons. But in a post-pandemic world with looming student debt and uncertain opportunities, the future can be really scary. He’s especially worried about his middle son Ben, an introvert who doesn't know what to do after he graduates high school this year. On this episode, co-host...

The economy is doing well almost every but in tech, where headlines about layoffs have been replaced with news about Silicon Valley Bank’s demise. The collapse of “the central artery for the tech industry” looks like the end of an era. Where do venture capitalists, start-ups—and the industry writ large—go now? Guest: Priya Anand , reporter at Bloomberg covering venture capital and start-ups. Host:...

David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss the Silicon Valley Bank bailout with David Leonhardt; Ron DeSantis coming out against aid to Ukraine; and free speech fights at elite law schools. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: William Saletan for The Bulwark: “ The Ukraine Untruths of Disingenuous DeSantis ” Ken White for The Popehat Report: “ Hating Everyone Every...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah, and Zak help a listener who is worried her kid’s backyard birthday party won’t compete with the other kids’ extravagant parties. They come up with some budget-friendly ideas for creating an awesome birthday celebration. Then on Slate Plus, they talk about Everything Everywhere All at Once winning at the Oscars and all the love moms are getting.   If you enjoy t...

Colleges are dropping the SAT as a requirement in their admissions process, citing studies that what the test measures best is simply how well you’ve prepared for the test. But the question at the heart of the matter remains: how do you create a fair and equitable college admissions process? And can a test-optional system help foster a more equal playing field when there’s still so much inequality...

We asked you to tell us about the fears in your life that are holding you back. In this episode, we share your stories and questions with Steve-O , Laurel Braitman , and Rev. angel Kyodo williams . Each of them, in one way or another, had fear and bravery inform their work and their lives. They offer advice and insights on what’s worked for them, and what they’ve learned from navigating fear. Did...

Today, we’re bringing you an episode of the recently relaunched Dear Prudence podcast hosted by Jenée Desmond-Harris. In this episode, Prudie (Jenée Desmond-Harris) is tackling questions about text etiquette, whether or not to allow children at a wedding, and weighing the heavy decision of surrogacy for a sibling. Slate’s own Rachelle Hampton (host of ICYMI) joins dole out some words of wisdom. Po...

This week, Dana, Julia, and Stephen start by discussing the wins and losses of Oscar night. Then, they’re joined by Slate’s Sam Adams to talk about his recent piece, “ Peak TV Is Over. Welcome to Trough TV ,” and the current state of streaming television. Finally, they try out TikTok’s new “Bold Glamour” filter and discuss how they feel about it. In Slate Plus, the panel discusses the recent New Y...

This month, hosts Christina Cauterucci, Jules Gill-Peterson, and Bryan Lowder explore two parts of the queer world heavily associated with the 1970s: PFLAG and “The Lesbian.” First, they mark the 50th anniversary of PFLAG with a discussion of how the relationship between parents, parenthood, and queer people has changed over the last five decades, how it hasn’t, and what all that means in this dan...

The downfall of Silicon Valley Bank marks the second largest bank collapse in American history.  Why and how did SVBgo under? Where were the regulators? And how do we stop this from happening again? Guest: Annie Lowery ,staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Give People Money . If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads...

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has made anti-trans legislation a trademark of her term, but singling out trans people—and those who provide them medical care—comes at a cost to the state and its residents. It left the tiny rural town of Webster with only one physician. Guest: Mayson Bedient, a family medicine and gender-affirming care specialist in Fargo, North Dakota If you enjoy this show, please...

Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and the New Yorker’s Louisa Thomas talk about what went wrong for the North Carolina men’s basketball team and other NCAA Tournament matters. They also check in on quarterback Lamar Jackson’s standoff with the Baltimore Ravens. Finally, the Athletic’s Nick Miller joins to discuss why the BBC pulled soccer commentator Gary Lineker off the air, and what happened next.   NC...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah and Zak help a listener whose six-year-old has started telling them “f*ck you.” Swearing is allowed in their house but this feels pointed and categorically different than a casual curse. How can they curb the cursing before it gets worse?  Recommendations: Jamilah recommends giving Flaming Hot Cheetos a second chance.  Zak recommends The Nugget Elizabeth recomme...

Judy Heumann devoted her life to advocating for Americans with disabilities and was a fixture at protests, sit-ins, and activist meetings, eventually becoming a presidential advisor. After passing away at 75, her work continues through her friends and those she fought for.  Guest: Sandy Ho , founder of Disability and Intersectionality Summit and disability policy researcher. If you enjoy this show...

The online dating world can be brutal and repetitive—just the kind of thing you might want to automate. But, in one tech writer’s experience, artificial intelligence isn’t ready to make real connections—at least, not without a lot of help. Guest: Heather Tal Murphy , covers business and technology at Slate Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slat...

On today’s episode, Rachelle Hampton is joined by Deepti Sahrawat, the host of Pop Culture Prisoner , to discuss a shocking cheating scandal within the cast of the Bravo reality series Vanderpump Rules , and why it blew up on the internet in such a big way. They talk about how the history of the show led us up to this point, the ways it’s so different from the usual cycle of reality scandals, and...

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by political analyst Michael Podhorzer (ex AFL-CIO, now newly-minted substacker). Michael was one of the all-hands-on-deck responsible for shoring up the 2020 election against subversion, he’s a political data geek,  and for Amicus’s purposes - he’s someone with a fascinating take on the Supreme Court , and all the ways we fail to truly understand it. Hear why Michael doe...

This week, Felix Salmon , Emily Peck , and Elizabeth Spiers are joined by American Banker national editor Kevin Wack to discuss all things banking, including retail banking, why it’s so difficult to switch banks and why neobanks aren’t more successful. They also discuss the Wells Fargo fake accounts scandal.   In the Plus segment: the lead up to the Silicon Valley Bank downfall.   Podcast producti...

Alecia Moore was so fearless, they put an exclamation point in her name. Pink—a.k.a. P!nk—was full of bravado from the moment she broke at the turn of the millennium, singing a frothy style of teen pop&B. She was promoted as ethnically ambiguous and sold to white and Black audiences as a sassy Total Request Live starlet. She even joined an all-star remake of “Lady Marmalade.” But Pink felt mis...

Just weeks before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, a Nebraska woman and her daughter were charged with performing an illegal abortion, thanks to information that law enforcement uncovered by going through their Facebook accounts.  Guest: Johana Bhuiyan , senior reporter on tech and surveillance for The Guardian Host: Lizzie O’Leary If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Sl...

David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon discuss Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign, the end of pandemic-era medicaid & food security protections, and the many legal fights over medication abortion. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show Hannah Dreier and Kirsten Luce for The New York Times: “ Alone and Exploited, Migrant Children Work Brutal Jobs Across the U.S. ” Jef...

On this episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah, and Zak answer a listener letter about a preteen who is interested in converting to Islam. Her parents are supportive and have offered opportunities to explore the faith. But instead of starting with learning more deeply about the religion, she wants to start with wearing a headscarf to school—which makes our letter writer worry that this is a performative move...

For all of his success, Steven Spielberg has a spotty record at the Oscars. He’s been nominated 22 times, but he’s only won three. Is it a curse?  This Sunday could mark a shift for the King of Hollywood’s five decades in the industry. And with The Fabelmans this year, it’s personal.  Guest: Michael Schulman , New Yorker staff writer and the author of Oscar Wars: A History of Hollywood in Gold, Sw...

Anna first talked with Liam and Marisa about their love story back in 2014 . Nine years later, we hear about the next chapter of their relationship: becoming parents. Update: We changed the title of this episode after publishing to be more accurate. It was initially called "Adopting As A Trans Couple." Did you know we have a weekly email newsletter for the Death, Sex & Money community? Every W...

On today’s episode, Daisy Rosario is joined by Nitish Pahwa and they’re talking about the places they go to when they need online comfort. They discuss cute cartoon affirmations, the need for satisfaction, and hear from a few Slate colleagues about their own comforting online enclaves. Some of our recommendations: @unclogging_drains  on TikTok @catsofyore  on Instagram @itslennie , an animated blo...