Slate News

For as glamorous as Hollywood often seems, the workers behind the scenes rarely experience the star treatment. They do everything from sound design and makeup to cinematography and lighting, and they’ve had enough with the industry’s dizzying production pace and long hours that stretch into the early morning. Motivated by shifts in the industry due to the pandemic, workers from the International A...

The Havana Syndrome sounds like something straight out of a spy novel: microwaves are being directed towards U.S. embassies, causing hearing loss, headaches, and in some cases, permanent brain damage. The Biden administration is taking these “anomalous health incidents” very seriously. Should we? Guest: Michael Wilner , a Senior National Security and White House Correspondent for McClatchy.  If yo...

Galveston is a small island off the south east coast of Texas. It’s become a hot spot for short term rentals through start-ups like Airbnb but what the city has gained in tourism dollars, they’ve lost in actual residents.  Guest: Peter Holley is a senior editor at Texas Monthly.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any...

Slate Money is obsessed with  Succession , HBO’s wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday we’ll be discussing the previous night’s episode with spoiler-filled glee. To kick us off after a long wait for season 3, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by The New Yorker's Rebecca Mead to talk about her piece, " The Real C.E.O of 'Succession '", how sorry we shoul...

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Professor Lee Epstein , who studies judicial behavior using empirical legal research, to try to figure out what’s unprecedented partisanship and what’s clumsy PR from the justices as we embark upon a hugely consequential new Supreme Court term.  In our Slate Plus segment, Mark Joseph Stern joins Dahlia to talk about Justice Alito’s press-baiting speech last week, what’...

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael are joined by Robin Wigglesworth to talk about his new book  Trillions . They get into active investing, what’s going on with Tether, and the art company Masterworks.    In the Plus segment: Snacks.    Mentioned In the show:  “ Why Masterworks is worth $1 billion ” by Felix Salmon “ Anyone Seen Tether’s Billions? ” by Zeke Faux “ Former P...

The last month has seen a steady drip of leaked documents from inside Facebook, each seemingly more damning than the next. This week, the whistleblower behind the leaks revealed her identity. What motivates Frances Haugen? And can she do real damage to the social media giant? Guest: Jeff Horwitz , tech reporter at the Wall Street Journal.  Host: Lizzie O’Leary Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

Emily and John are joined by guest host Mary Harris (host of What Next ) to talk about the dangerous debt ceiling games; blowing the whistle on Facebook; and new revelations about January 6th and the plan to overturn the election. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Wall Street Journal: The Facebook Files Wall Street Journal: The Facebook Files, A Podcast Series Nathaniel Per...

Congressional Republicans are forcing Democrats into a game of chicken over the debt ceiling where the stakes are the well-being of the global economy. It’s a showdown that has played out time and again since 2011, but it doesn’t have to be this way.  Guest: Jordan Weissmann , senior editor for Slate If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits...

You might think that the wreckage caused by COVID-19 would be enough to make the U.S. take pandemic planning seriously. But a close look at current pandemic preparedness efforts reveals that’s far from the truth. It’s not too late, though, to get ready for the next Big One - if we’re willing to make serious investments beyond fighting germs. Guest: Ed Yong , a staff writer at The Atlantic covering...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...