Slate Daily Feed

With the results of the 2020 census in hand, all 50 states have begun the process of redistricting. Extremely thin margins in the House of Representatives mean that this hyper-local process has big implications on the balance of power at a national scale. After aggressive Republican gerrymandering in the 2011 redistricting cycle, many Democrats came out in favor of creating non-partisan commission...

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about Tom Brady’s win over the Patriots. Meg Rowley of FanGraphs also joins to discuss the end of baseball’s regular season and the start of the playoffs. Finally, the Athletic’s Steph Yang helps assess the present and future of the National Women’s Soccer League. Brady vs. the Pats (03:09):  Did the game live up to the hype? Was there too much hyp...

As the U.S. Supreme Court begins a new session, several justices are trying to reassure the public of the court’s nonpartisanship. But, as Slate’s Dahlia Lithwick argues, when you dig into the recent decisions of the court, you’ll see it becoming steadily more political.  Guest: Dahlia Lithwick writes about the courts and the law for Slate and hosts the podcast Amicus . If you enjoy this show, ple...

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael are joined by Max Chafkin to talk about his new book The Contrarian . They get into the life and drama of Peter Thiel, insider trading, and the Ozy Media scandal.   In the Plus segment: What will Peter Thiel do with all his money?  Mentioned in the show:  “ Goldman Sachs, Ozy Media and a $40 Million Conference Call Gone Wrong ” by Ben Smi...

Scams are everywhere. From the Fyre Festival to Anna Delvy to LuLaRoe, fraudsters just seem to be getting more and more popular these days. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison welcome Laci Mosley, host of the podcast Scam Goddess , to talk about her love of scams and scammers, how she’s been scammed herself, and why she thinks we are all so obsessed with these audacious grifters. Podcast prod...

Since 2018, internal research teams at Facebook have been studying the effect on Instagram on mental health. Their results couldn’t be more clear: Instagram is causing problems, especially for teen girls.  Why has it taken so long for their research to surface? And what can be done to improve the relationship between kids and the platform? Guest: Georgia Wells , tech reporter at the Wall Street Jo...

Since 2018, internal research teams at Facebook have been studying the effect on Instagram on mental health. Their results couldn’t be more clear: Instagram is causing problems, especially for teen girls.  Why has it taken so long for their research to surface? And what can be done to improve the relationship between kids and the platform? Guest: Georgia Wells , tech reporter at the Wall Street Jo...

John, Emily and David discuss the fate of the Build Back Better agenda; vaccine mandates working; and journalist Caitlin Dickerson helps explain the recent U.S. immigration actions and to identify some fresh strategies for change. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Jamelle Bouie for The New York Times: “ It’s All or Nothing for These Democrats, Even if That Means Biden Fails...

On this week’s episode: Aymann, Elizabeth, and guest-host Amber Smith discuss their triumphs and fails for the week. Then they answer a question from a listener whose child has become deeply afraid of the dentist and other medical procedures. How can she help prevent her daughter’s fears from becoming phobias? Later, they share some advice on how to politely deter other parents' from making compar...

The 2021-2022 NBA season will be underway in less than a month. The league has set strict testing and distancing rules for unvaccinated players. Largely, that strategy has worked but there are some vocal holdouts. Guest: Bomani Jones is an ESPN commentator and the host of the Right Time with Bomani Jones podcast.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus member...

What happens when you hit speed bumps on the road to having kids? Today, your stories of IVF, IUI, adoption, choosing to not have kids and managing your expectations through it all.  We're putting together an audio survival kit for listeners going through infertility. If you've struggled with infertility, tell us—what's helped you through it? Tell us about the things you've listened to, read, done...

This week, Steve and Dana are joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler. First, the panel reviews Clint Eastwood’s most recent film Cry Macho . Next, the panel discusses the neoliberal parable that is Amazon’s docuseries LuLaRich . Finally, the panel discusses the advantages and pitfalls of eBooks. In Slate Plus, the panel discusses their favorite film credit sequences....

Time’s Up was founded in 2018 in the wake of the #MeToo movement to fight sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the workplace. How, then, was the organization felled by accusations of a toxic work environment and close associations with abusers?  Guest: Lili Loofbourow , staff writer at Slate. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefi...

On today’s episode, it’s time for some High Speed Downloads: First, Rachelle and Madison tell you everything you need to know about a viral video of an unfortunate sea lion seeking refuge from a group of orcas. Then, they get to the bottom of a mythical version of Dear Evan Hansen featuring a digitally de-aged Ben Platt. Is it real? Finally, the hosts answer listener questions about the chair emoj...

It’s hard to imagine, but many states had a plan for how they would make tough calls about the distribution of scarce medical resources during a pandemic. As our present crisis has dragged on, and hospitals have become overwhelmed, those plans are beginning to go into effect -- with some interesting caveats.  Guest: Sheri Fink , correspondent at The New York Times .  If you enjoy this show, please...

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin talk about anti-vaxxers in the NBA. The Washington Post’s Molly Hensley-Clancy discusses allegations that the NWSL’s Washington Sprit have a misogynistic work culture, and Will Bardenwerper joins for a conversation about his Harper’s piece on the potential death of minor league baseball in small towns.   NBA anti-vaxxers (4:36):  How should the league d...

In the past year, twelve inmates on Rikers Island have died and it’s corrections staff has started refusing to come to work. The jail is slated for closure in 2027, but what can be done now to alleviate its problems?  Guest: Jan Ransom is a metro investigative reporter focused on criminal justice for the New York Times. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus...

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Melissa Murray , Leah Litman , and Kate Shaw of the Strict Scrutiny podcast for a special Supreme Court term kick-off panel recorded at the Texas Tribune Festival. They tackle the big-ticket items facing the high court: abortion, guns, and maybe affirmative action. They also discuss the court’s struggle to shore up its legitimacy in the middle of a hard-right turn.  In...

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael talk about the precarious position of the huge Chinese real-estate company Evergrande, the debt ceiling and revolving door of tax policies, and the foreign policy dustup over submarines.  In the Plus segment: Corruption in the Treasury Department.  Mentioned In the show:  “ Understanding Evergrande, the Chinese Real Estate Conglomerate Th...

The little lad who loves berries and cream is inescapable on TikTok right now. A character from a 2007 Starburst commercial, the little lad has transcended his advertising origins and become a meme all his own. On today’s episode, Madison and Rachelle explain how and why this lad has taken over your feeds, and why there are so many remixes of his audio. They also talk about all the remixes on TikT...

In Part 2 of our 50th episode of Hit Parade, we go back 50 years, celebrating the semicentennial of the year when, critics claim, “music changed everything.” The Quiet Beatle became the Favorite Beatle, when Mick Jagger sang lyrics even he regrets, when Carole King graduated from songwriter to singer-songwriter, and commercial juggernaut, when blaxploitation took over the charts and the Oscars, an...

In the U.S., the PCR test is the gold standard for COVID testing. Common knowledge would have it that the test is more accurate—and therefore more effective at containing the spread of the dease—than the rapid antigen test.  What if that isn’t quite true?  Guest: Michael Mina , assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health  Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acas...

In the U.S., the PCR test is the gold standard for COVID testing. Common knowledge would have it that the test is more accurate—and therefore more effective at containing the spread of the dease—than the rapid antigen test.  What if that isn’t quite true?  Guest: Michael Mina , assistant professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health  Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acas...

Emily, John and David discuss what it will take to save the Biden agenda, the abortion doctor's defiance of the Texas ban; and true crime mania. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Josh Marshall for Talking Points Memo: “ Policy vs Positioning Has Dems in a Stalemate ” Michael Dorf for Dorf on Law: “ Texas Could Not Get Away With This Absent SCOTUS-Created Limits On Constitut...

On this week’s episode: Aymann, Elizabeth and Jamilah discuss their triumphs and fails for the week. Then they answer a question from a listener whose baby has received a lot of monetary gifts. At 5 months old, does her baby need a bank account? Later, they share some tips to help you evaluate schools. Beyond testing scores, how do you determine which school you should send your child to?  In Slat...