The Gist

Today on The Gist, journalist Graeme Wood offers insight into the motivations of ISIS. He recently wrote "What ISIS Wants" for the Atlantic. For the Spiel, we name the lobstar of the antentwig for The Gist Episode 200. We end this show with the latest Dial-a-Song debut from They Might Be Giants, a cover of Jonathan Richman's song "I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar." Today's sponsors: Stamps.com! Sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you visit Stamps.com and use the promo code THEGIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Nasdaq Composite Index is closing in on an all-time high. Is the bubble back? Today on The Gist, CNBC markets reporter Dominic Chu explains how the tech sector has changed the index fundamentally. Plus, can snuggling make us healthier? Mike asks Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker if cuddles are important to our health. For the Spiel, Mike revokes Rudy Giuliani's credentials as a New Yorker. Today's sponsors: The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, the new documentary series from HBO. It airs Sundays at 8 p.m. only on HBO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, Bill Browder tells the story of how he went from investing in Russian markets to fleeing the wrath of Vladimir Putin. He's the author of Red Notice: A True Story of High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice. For the Spiel, Pesca marks a moment for the front pages of newspapers everywhere. Today's sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "Fundamentals of Photography." Right now, get 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, ponds face cream, plus water, gurgle and swallow. (Vine here.) Plus, associate professor of political science at Northwestern University Alvin B. Tillery, Jr., explains how the movie Selma got LBJ wrong (among other things). For the Spiel, the publishing industry is not threuss with Seuss. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com! Sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you visit Stamps.com and use the promo code THEGIST. We're also sponsored by Casper, the online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/gist and using the promo code GIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Lance Armstrong has been ordered to pay $10 million dollars for lying under oath about doping. If he complies, he'll send his checks to an outfit called SCA Promotions. Today on The Gist, the Dallas-based company's general counsel, Jeff Dorough, explains its role in big sports money. Plus, Amy Chua and Jed Rubenfeld explain the core values highlighted in their new book The Triple Package. For the Spiel, filling out health care forms online until your eyes bleed. Today's sponsors: The Gist is sponsored by Harry's. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with the promo code GIST. Also, Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you visit Stamps.com and use the promo code THEGIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca is joined by Kid Fury and Crissle, the hosts of The Read podcast. They are best known for their "reads," a term with roots in the 1980s black gay community. A read is an honest, Spiel-like venting with a purpose, and makes for great listening. For the Spiel, Mike Pesca remembers his friend Bobby Lichman, who lived his life with brilliance, intensity, and conviction. Bobby performed under the name Bobby Sichran, and today's show features music from his album From a Sympathetical Hurricane. Today's sponsor: The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, the new documentary series from HBO. It airs Sundays at 8 p.m. only on HBO. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, Max Abrahms from Northeastern University examines the motives of terror groups like ISIS and Boko Haram. Plus, we speak to Mario Schlosser, CEO of health firm Oscar, about how the Affordable Care Act has birthed a new kind of health care company. (Don't forget the health care enrollment deadline is Feb. 15.) For the Spiel, a fantastic performance taped in Gist studios, with Xavier Dphrepaulezz, aka Fantastic Negrito. He just won NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Contest, and here's where you can find his EP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A past Gist guest was recently named the winner of the NPR's Tiny Desk Concert Contest. We spoke with Xavier Dphrepaulezz, aka Fantastic Negrito last September, and heard his journey from 1980s Oakland gutters to black roots music. In our interview, hear how he finally found his voice as Fantastic Negrito, and a few tracks from his EP. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do you own your failures? Today on The Gist, Slate's Justin Peters finds meaning in his televised humiliation he experienced on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. He recently wrote about the experience of losing $225,000 on in his story I Wanted to Be a Millionaire: How failing colossally on a game show changed my life for the better. Justin is part of the improv comedy duo From Justin To Kelly. For the Spiel, a few insights to add to the ample coverage of the Brian Williams story. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Is the White House's new National Security Strategy just a procedural brief, or does it tell us a larger story about U.S. foreign policy? Today on The Gist, Slate's Fred Kaplan explains why security strategies are now exponentially more complicated than they were in decades past. Plus, NBC's Tony Dokoupil reports on how the military has groomed meteorologists to be intellectually and physically capable of running with our most elite warriors. His multimedia feature is called "Send In the Weathermen." For the Spiel, the steady decline of McDonald's seen through a cultural lens. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why is international justice so slow and sclerotic? Today on The Gist. David Kaye, law professor and director of the International Justice Clinic, explains why verdicts are hard to come by in the International Criminal Court. Then, in-house vexillologist Ted Kaye explains how Fiji and New Zealand are dropping the Union Jack from their flags. For more flag news, we strongly recommend subscribing to the Vexilloid Tabloid, the bimonthly newsletter of the Portland Flag Association. For the Spiel, to the South we go. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today's sponsor: The Great Courses, engaging audio and video lectures taught by top professors. Courses like "Fundamentals of Photography." Right now, get 80 percent off the original price when you visit thegreatcourses.com/gist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, a conversation about fetal homicide laws with Emily Bazelon from New York Times Magazine. Plus, Emily Yoffe of Slate's Dear Prudence column joins us for a Post-Prudie impact statement with past letter-writer "Little Girl Lost." For the Spiel, names in the news. Today's sponsors: Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. And, by The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst, the new documentary series from HBO. It starts Feb. 8 and airs Sundays at 8 p.m. only on HBO. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, we might have audio from Brian Williams' helicopter being shot down. Plus, storyteller Matt Dicks tells us about how he pares down memorable moments from his life into the five seconds that are worth telling. He's helping us train a master storyteller here on The Gist. Want to pitch your tale? Tell us your name, a little bit about you, and brief version of your story. Call 304-607-GIST (4478) with your minute-long pitch. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today's sponsors: Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. And, The Great Courses. Their course on "The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals" is a great fit for The Gist listeners. Order from eight of their best-selling courses at up to 80 percent off the original price. Go to thegreatcourses.com/GIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are headlines about "three-parent babies" far-fetched, or spot-on? Today on The Gist, BuzzFeed science editor Virginia Hughes reminds us what we wish we remembered about mitochondrial DNA from ninth-grade biology. Plus, music writer Chris Molanphy explains why Tom Petty received credit for Sam Smith's top-10 hit "Stay With Me." For the Spiel, lower-upper middle-lower-upper class warfare. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Also, Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, a look at how propaganda thrives in North Korea from the perspective of Kim Jong-il's former poet laureate, Jang Jin-sung. He's the author of Dear Leader: Poet, Spy, Escapee—A Look Inside North Korea. For the Spiel, a new way to understand the fiery conversation about vaccines. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate 2 minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today's sponsors: Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Get a free 30-day trial by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the "try it free" button. Also, Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10% off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, political analyst Jonah Blank from the RAND Corporation explains the geopolitical impact of election results in Sri Lanka. Plus, are any of those detox diets worth your while? Mike asks Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker to explain the cleanse she does every day. For the Spiel, beast mode explained. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com. Sign up for a no-risk trial and get a $110 bonus offer, when you visit Stamps.com and enter promo code TheGist. Also, Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Promo Code: Gist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist: a visual avenger for the beauty of Woodside, Queens. His canvas? FDNY fire call boxes, many dating back the 1920s. With a fresh coat of glossy paint (that's also urine-proof and barf-resistant), they look beautiful. We speak with John Colgan, whom you can follow as the Fire Alarm Guy on Facebook. For the Spiel, it's an antentwig. That's our name for a three-week period wherein we correct, amplify, and slouch toward plausible deniability, and it all ends in a Lobstar. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Today's sponsors: Squarespace. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Also, Acura, the presenting sponsor of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Check out the all-new Acura TLX at acura.com or test drive one for yourself at your local Acura dealer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fellow dads Mike Pesca and Adam Davidson of NPR are saving up to send their kids to college and are taking advantage of so-called 529 plans. Today on The Gist, why they think these plans shouldn't exist as a public policy. Plus, journalist Murray Carpenter explains our complicated relationship with an acceptable addiction. He's the author of Caffeinated: How Our Daily Habit Helps, Hurts, and Hooks Us. For the Spiel, Mike solves the world's problems. Today's sponsors: Squarespace. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Also, Acura, the presenting sponsor of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Check out the all-new Acura TLX at acura.com or test drive one for yourself at your local Acura dealer. Complete Slate's podcast listener survey! Tell us about yourself and your favorite podcasts so that Slate can serve you better. We'd appreciate two minutes of your time. Go to slate.com/survey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Do Chris Christie's outbursts make him impossible to elect as president or beloved for candor? Today on The Gist, WNYC reporter Matt Katz explains his complicated relationship with the New Jersey governor. Katz is the host of the new podcast The Christie Tracker. For the Spiel, Mike unearths an early experiment from NPR's Day to Day, an ode to the Garden State's wave of corruption. Today's sponsors: Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Get a free 30-day trial by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the "try it free" button. Also, by Squarespace. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Does the GOP's 2016 candidate need to figuratively lose the primaries to win the general? On The Gist, Slate's Reihan Salam shares which Republican candidates stood out at the Iowa Freedom Summit, and which ones decided not to show. Plus, Slate's Lily Hay Newman joins us to discuss why Windows 9 got skipped, and Internet Explorer got stuck. For the Spiel, winter weather is snow joke. Today's sponsors: Acura, the presenting sponsor of the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Check out the all new Acura TLX at acura.com or test drive one for yourself at your local Acura dealer. Also, Squarespace, the all-in-one platform that makes it fast and easy to create your own professional website, portfolio, and online store. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How exactly should the United States go about countering the jihadi narrative? Today on The Gist, we're joined by Farah Pandith, the first ever Special Representative to Muslim Communities for the United States. She says the solution needs to come from civil society and the private sector, not from government alone. Plus, storyteller Matt Dicks tells us about five seconds from his life. He's going to help us train a master storyteller on The Gist. Want to pitch your tale? Tell us your name, a little bit about you, and brief version of your story. Call 304-607-GIST (4478) with your minute-long pitch. For the Spiel, how to talk to your kids about deflategate. Today's sponsors: Acura. Check out the all-new Acura TLX at acura.com or test drive one for yourself at your local Acura dealer. Also, Stamps.com, enter promo code The Gist for a special offer. Get a no-risk trial plus $110 bonus offer, which includes a digital scale and up to $55 free postage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Before the Revolutionary War, the tavern founded by Samuel Fraunces in lower Manhattan was the meeting place for the Sons of Liberty. During the Revolutionary War, the tavern took a cannonball through the roof, and after the war's end, it's where George Washington bid farewell to his officers. The tavern's last true brush with history came 40 years ago. On Jan. 24, 1975, Puerto Rican nationalists set off a bomb in the tavern annex, injuring 50 people and killing four people. One off those victims was Frank Connor, a banker from Fair Lawn, New Jersey. His son Joe Connor joins us on The Gist to describe his ongoing work preserving his father's legacy and pursuing justice. He and Michael Duncan are the authors of The New Founders. For the Spiel, why NFL quarterbacks should get to do whatever they want with their balls. Read Mike's full article "Let Them Deflate" on Slate. Today's sponsors: Acura. Check out the all new Acura TLX at acura.com or test drive one for yourself at your local Acura dealer. Also, The Great Courses. Their course on The Art of Storytelling: From Parents to Professionals is a great fit for The Gist listeners. Visit thegreatcourses.com/GIST. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Winning the public relations war against ISIS won't be easy, but maybe we're not using the right weapons. On The Gist, Ambassador Marc Ginsberg calls for SEAL Team Six–style social media barrage and an army of entertainer-diplomats, including Jason Alexander, aka Seinfeld's George Castanza. Plus, songwriter David Lowery tells how musicians are banding together against the corporate music industry. For the Spiel, a Springsteen-esque moment in the Republican response to the State of the Union. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, enter promo code The Gist for a special offer. Get a no-risk trial plus $110 bonus offer, which includes a digital scale and up to $55 free postage. Also, Casper mattresses. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting www.casper.com/Gist and using our promo code Gist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After elementary school, who will cater to your learning style? Today on The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker if learning styles are bulls---. She's the author of Mastermind, and her learning style is best described as "give me the information and please don't make me work in groups or make a craft." In the Spiel, Stephanopoulos and sugar daddies. Today's sponsors: GoToMeeting.com. To try their service free for 30 days, visit GoToMeeting.com and click the "Try It Free" button. Also, Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9 p.m. on the Esquire Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When it comes to international monetary shockers, you'd be remiss to dismiss the Swiss. Today on The Gist, Felix Salmon from Fusion explains the currency flux in Switzerland. You can hear more from Felix on the Slate Money podcast. Plus, University of Wisconsin professor John Parrish explains what Toystory the bull's life was really like. For the Spiel, in a commitment to fairness, Mike sticks up for kidnappers. Today's sponsor: Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9/8c on Esquire Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From a statistical standpoint, should we all be so concerned about Islamic terrorists? On The Gist, UNC professor Charles Kurzman makes a public health analogy for the terrorism threat. He's the author of The Missing Martyrs: Why There Are So Few Muslim Terrorists. Plus, I didn't come here to make astronaut friends. Mike Pesca asks NASA scientist Ellen Stofan if they've ever considered funding missions with Reality TV. For the Spiel, everything is not awesome for The Lego Movie. Today's sponsors: Harry's, Promo Code: TheGist. Also, Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9/8c on Esquire Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On The Gist, Slate's Reihan Salam shares the Republicans he'd like to see consider a run for the presidency. Plus, efficiency expert Jill Duffy from PC magazine joins us armed with biometric tracking devices for your wrists. Did Mike write off the "PivLiv" too soon? For the Spiel, what if there was an audio equivalent to displaying the Mohammed cartoons? Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, Promo Code: TheGist. Also, Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9/8c on Esquire Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, Michael Levi from the Council on Foreign Relations helps us find the right analogy for describing the impact and scale of the Keystone XL pipeline. Plus, when Silicon Valley profits, who is losing? Internet entrepreneur Andrew Keen joins us to discuss The Internet Is Not the Answer (and Pesca offers the one scenario in which the Internet is always the answer). For the Spiel, things we can't actually believe are going on in the world. Today's sponsor: Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9/8c on Esquire Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How real is the possibility of a terrorist strike in America this week? Today on The Gist, RAND's Colin Clarke explains were terror cells are grown. We also speak with Plus Magazine editor Rachel Thomas and Marianne Freiberger about their book Numericon: A Journey Through The Hidden Lives of Numbers. For the Spiel, the teaming masses of Buddhist extremists who are bent on murdering civilians. Do they exist, or are they just a useful argument? Today's sponsor: Stamps.com, Promo Code: TheGist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Did Lyndon B. Johnson really move Washington with his own chutzpah? On The Gist, Princeton professor Julian Zelizer offers a corrective for how we think of LBJ and all presidents. His new book is The Fierce Urgency of Now. Plus, starting next week Chicago transit riders will be targeted with strange ads, letting riders know the truth about squirrels and trying to get Vanessa back. We'll ask Ben Larrison why he decided to use the CTA's red line as a vessel for his comedy. For the Spiel, it's time for the Llobstar of the antentwig. What is an antentwig, anyways? Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why do the American public and political leadership have a hard time taking the military seriously? On The Gist, we speak with James Fallows from the Atlantic about his recent feature "The Tragedy of the American Military." Plus, what's with all those ASMR videos on YouTube? Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker about the hard-to-describe sensation for a game we call "Is That Bulls—t?" For the Spiel, we debut our new line of other NFL erotica. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Can terrorism ever be defeated? As a tactic? As an ideology? On The Gist, Colin Clarke explains how we can best counter the terror trends. Plus, poet Matthea Harvey shares from her collection If the Tabloids Are True What Are You? For the Spiel, Mike's prescription for Western media in wake of the Paris terror attacks. (Please note: We are all media.) The Gist's sponsors today are: Stamps.com, where you can sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you use the promo code "TheGist." http://stamps.com/radio/ And, Audible.com, a leading provider of spoken audio information and entertainment. Listen to audiobooks whenever and wherever you want. Get a FREE audiobook and 30-day trial when you sign up today at http://audiblepodcast.com/thegist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From campus codes to moderated online forums, fairness is the rule. On The Gist, Hua Hsu explains why top-down mandates for civility don't work. Plus, Harvard sociologist Orlando Patterson explains why a national conversation about race just isn't possible. He editing the forthcoming book The Cultural Matrix: Understanding Black Youth. For the Spiel, the Gambian goof. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What did Mario Cuomo accomplish and set in motion during his three terms as New York governor? On The Gist, we examine a fascinating figure in American politics through the lens of a single Time Magazine luncheon from 1992. Slate's Jacob Weisberg and NPR's Adam Davidson explain how Cuomo's policies hold up all these years later. Weisberg profiled the liberal icon in a 1994 article for New York Magazine, "Remembering Mario Cuomo's First 4,000 Days in Office." For the Spiel, the price of a barrel of oil. At the very end of this show, we debut a new They Might Be Giants song, as part of their Dial-a-Song reboot, as we will be doing every Monday this year. You can find videos for the song on the band's website. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As a Long Island teenager in the 1980s, Mike Pesca called an answering machine every week to hear a new They Might Be Giants song. Every Monday in 2015, he'll premiere a new TMBG song before it gets released on the band's revived Dial-a-Song line. Members John Flansburgh and John Linnell talk with Mike about the project, their career, and their plans for the new year. For the Spiel, it's time to name the Gentleman of the Year. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A week ago, Obama told CNN he's doing everything he can to shutter the Guantánamo Bay prison. On The Gist, we speak with Clifford Sloan about his work as the special envoy for Guantánamo closure at the U.S. State Department. His recent departure was called "another blow to President Obama's efforts" in the New York Times. He's also a former publisher for Slate. Plus, we get lost in translation with Emily Apter, an editor of the Dictionary of Untranslatables. For the Spiel, the most off-putting boring news stories of 2014. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael Daly of the Daily Beast on the challenges ahead for new NYPD academy graduates and Mayor Bill de Blasio. Plus, sportscasting legend Al Michaels on his infamous "Miracle on Ice" call. And in the Spiel, "Cos" and effect. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thanksgiving cocktails are about a nice drink with your family, but for Christmas it's fully medical. Today on The Gist, we return to Hudson Clearwater for a drink with Peter Thomas Fornatale and Chris Wertz. For the Spiel, Mike reveals the real reason the Grinch hated Christmas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How open are Cubans to the idea of democracy? Today on The Gist, Emily Parker weighs the chances of a less repressive government in Cuba. She's the author of Now I Know Who My Comrades Are: Voices from the Internet Underground. Plus, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker how much we can trust eyewitness testimony. For the Spiel, a Christmas miracle in Oklahoma. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are we experiencing a fundamental reshaping of the status quo in the oil market? Today on The Gist, Keith Johnson from Foreign Policy explains why America's notion of energy independence through domestic oil production is a fallacy. Plus, wildlife biologist Rae Wynn-Grant from Columbia University shares tips for luring, tagging, and tattooing bears. For the Spiel, the problem with the "jokes" of the late-night comic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All this week on The Gist, we're down with O.P.P.: Other People's Podcasts. In this episode, Elliott Kalan, Dan McCoy, and Stuart Wellington explain why their reviews of bad movies on The Flop House aren't your typical Internet snark. Dan says, "We actually do try to keep ourselves from getting mad at the movies, to approach it with some sort of sense of joy so we're not just jerks." To which Elliott adds, "I mean, we are jerks." For the Spiel, it's time to name our lobstar of the antentwig. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All this week on The Gist, we're down with O.P.P.: Other People's Podcasts. In this episode, Luke Burbank from the podcast Too Beautiful to Live explains how he's built his devoted fans through openness and honesty: "When in doubt, I pretty much just get as emotionally vulnerable as possible. If people are being really, really genuine about their emotions, and if people are talking about how they're insecure about things, I always find that compelling." For the Spiel, various staffers from Planet Money recommend their favorite non-NPR podcasts including Longform, The Chris Gethard Show, Creating a Family, Bad at Sports, Reading Out Loud and The Read. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All this week on The Gist, we're down with O.P.P.: Other People's Podcasts. In this episode, Dana Gould explains why he's decided to make a tightly edited comedy podcast: "I didn't want to do my version of Marc Maron's podcast. I thought: Marc's doing his podcast. Why do I have to do his podcast?" Plus, we'll hear an excerpt from the "Summer Testicular" episode of The Dana Gould Hour. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All this week on the The Gist, we're down with O.P.P.: Other People's Podcasts. One of our favorites is Alex Blumberg's StartUp, which tells the story of his startup, Gimlet Media. Blumberg explains the anxiety involved in pulling back the curtain each episode: "There's this giant pit in my stomach before it drops. Like, have I said too much this time, or are people going to hate me, or am I going to embarrass myself?" For the Spiel, meet the podfather. We speak with Christopher Lydon from Open Source about the first audio weblog. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

All this week on the The Gist, we're down with O.P.P.: Other People's Podcasts. First up: Marc Maron explains the role of empathy in his interviews on WTF: "I don't know what happens in here, man, but I'm very open in an emotional way, more so than I am in any other part of my life." We'll find out what he's learned over the years, and the story behind the making of his episode with Louis C.K. (Slate just named that 2010 conversation the best podcast episode of all time.) For the Spiel, Dick Cheney's incredible interview on Meet The Press Sunday. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When your husband dies, must your sex life die too? Today on The Gist, Emily Yoffe of Slate's Dear Prudence column joins us for a post-Prudie impact statement with past letter writer "Cut Off From a Sex Life Too Soon." But first, understanding the protests in Ferguson and New York City with Brown University professor Tricia Rose. For the Spiel, are we all children? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Should America be the world police? Today on The Gist, columnist Bret Stephens from the Wall Street Journal suggests applying a "broken windows" model to foreign policy. He's the author of America in Retreat. Plus, Josh Hyman, Adam Thomas Smith, Scott Griffin, and David Hudson tell us why Drunk Shakespeare is the perfect way to experience the Bard of Avon. For the Spiel, having it your way from McDonald's to breastaurants. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

While campus sexual assault is a real and serious problem, on The Gist we'll explore how studies, including one particular statistic, are being used to inflate the dimension of the problem and inform bad policy. We're joined by Slate's Emily Yoffe to discuss her piece "The College Rape Overcorrection." Plus, are all those stories about mother's intuition real or magical thinking? Mike asks Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker, who listens to her gut on the issue. For the Spiel, does torture ever work? Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, Mike comes out with his prediction for Time's person of the year. Plus, Rick Bragg brings the greatest rock pianist of all time to life in his new biography Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story. As Bragg tells us, "When you talk about Jerry Lee Lewis getting old, you're talking about a wolf with its foot in a trap." For the Spiel, we're going Gruber. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today on The Gist, Slate's Jacob Weisberg offers a brief eulogy to the New Republic. Plus, Michael Hobbes explains how his experiences with international development informed his feature in, oddly enough, the New Republic (RIP). Also: the legacy of Uruguayan President José Mujica, with Michael Shifter from the Inter-American Dialogue. His article is "Stop Trying to Save the World." For the Spiel, the road ahead for campus victims. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.