The Gist

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.

Clarence Page is knowledgeable, reasonable, and nice, which makes you wonder how does this guy have a job in opinion journalism? On The Gist, we'll speak with Page about the current state of race relations and media today, explored in his essay collection Culture Worrier. Plus, Judith Owen and Harry Shearer tell us about the war on wars on Christmas being waged in their show A Christmas Without Tears. Their new single is Christmas With the Devil. For the Spiel, a belated antentwig and the naming of our newest Lobstar. 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, NPR's David Greene joins us in studio to explain the many things Americans don't understand about Russia. Greene traveled far from his cozy Moscow bureau to experience the vast country by train, an experience that is the subject of his book Midnight in Siberia: A Train Journey Into the Heart of Russia. For the Spiel, can the right and left come together around the death of Eric Garner? 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, a look at the issues surrounding police brutality, disengagement, and disarmament in cases like Eric Garner's. Eugene O'Donnell from John Jay College of Criminal Justice explains why we need a holistic review of policing. Plus, Colin Jones tells us the history of smiling in portraits. He's the author of The Smile Revolution. For the Spiel, why we're compelled by threats that are most certainly exaggerated. 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.

Pop-up ads keep telling Mike to test his food sensitivity. Is that bulls--t? Today on The Gist, we ask Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker about the differences between food allergies and intolerance. Plus, Meghan Daum discusses the craft of essay writing, and the near-death experience that taught her nothing. She's the author of The Unspeakable. For the Spiel, the importance of the galvanizing anecdote in the University of Virginia rape case. 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.

Starting Wednesday, Billboard will change the way it measures success on the album chart. Today on The Gist, Chris Molanphy explains how the new system reflects our listening habits—and the evolution of the album inside the music business. Plus, reporter Jody Avirgan gives us the backstory on his recent Studio 360 piece about one of the strangest works ever composed by jazz giant Charles Mingus: a toilet-training guide. For cats. For the Spiel, do we need a perfect expression of popular sentiment? Mike ponders galvanizing anecdotes in the wake of Ferguson. 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 is for eaters, so we've called in an expert. On The Gist, Dan Pashman from The Sporkful explains how to best prepare your belly for the meal ahead. (Hint: Skip the nuts!) He's the author of Eat More Better. Plus, you know Les Marshak's voice, but do you know his story? We'll hear about new markets for old-school-announcer pipes. For the Spiel, Mike's advice for the inevitable argument about Ferguson over Thanksgiving dinner. 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 begins the show with his Spiel about the Ferguson decision. We'll discuss what's unusual (and totally expected) about the grand jury proceedings with Jami Floyd from Al Jazeera America and David Feige, author of Indefensible. To end the show, we head out to our neighborhood spot Hudson Clearwater for a drink with Peter Thomas Fornatale and Chris Wertz. 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 come Scandinavians are always the international good guys when it comes to diplomatic relations? Today on The Gist, RAND political scientist Jonah Blank explains the necessity of a Swedish go-between for U.S. relations. Plus, Dan Pashman from The Sporkful explains tricks for a moist turkey with crispy skin. He's the author of Eat More Better. For the Spiel, the death of Marion Barry, the mayor for life. 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, Chuck Todd from NBC's Meet the Press shares insight into the character of the president, as recounted in his new book The Stranger: Barack Obama in the White House. For the Spiel, Mike concerns himself with easy questions like, "How many Elmos make a quorum?" 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.

If it bleed, it leads, but today on The Gist we discuss the bloodless. Our guest Caitlin Doughty is the author of Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons From the Crematory and host of the popular series Ask a Mortician. Plus, Eric Fine from Van Eck Global shares insight into Brazil's economy, plus pop-up commentary from NPR's Adam Davidson. For the Spiel, explaining Serial to people who explain things (badly) to other people. 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 our feelings about Hamid Karzai cooled, did we miss out on the Afghan president's vision for his country? Today on The Gist, Middle East correspondent Jack Fairweather of Bloomberg News sketches a broad history of Afghanistan from his book The Good War. For the Spiel, Mike fans the flames of a debate from last week's Superfest East. 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, Chicago's Joshua Sebastian tells a story of parking ticket injustice. Then, in our regular segment "Is This Bulls---?," we ask Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker what to make of Jonah Lehrer's new books, and the mark he left on popular science. For the Spiel, Mike has solved the problem of backpacks on the subway. 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, Philip Galewitz from Kaiser Health News explains how the health care shopping experience has improved since Obamacare. Plus, Dan Pashman from The Sporkful explains how artificial scarcity is the real selling point behind food fads like the Pumpkin Spice Latte. He's the author of Eat More Better. For the Spiel, Mike investigates a claim made by Bobby Jindal on Meet The Press. 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 the recent midterm voters reflective of the American public? Today on The Gist, history and public affairs professor Julian Zelizer explains what's a lame-duck Congress to make of the midterm results. Then Slate's Emily Yoffe joins us for a Post-Prudence Impact Statement with past letter writer "Ethical Dilemma." For the Spiel, we finally get around to addressing the issue of being late. 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, RAND Corp. political scientist Jonah Blank puts Obama's visit to Myanmar in context. Then, the harrowing prison story that inspired Jon Stewart's directorial debut, Rosewater. The film is based on the memoir Then They Came for Me by our guest journalist Maziar Bahari. For the Spiel, the Gruber gaffe. 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 entering an era in which failure will dominate our lives? On The Gist, Adam Davidson from Planet Money discusses his New York Times Magazine feature "Welcome to the Failure Age!" and how purple chairs explain progress. Plus, Casper Kelly shares insight into the awful TV-show theme songs that inspired his epic and addictive Adult Swim video "Too Many Cooks." For the Spiel, the fever in song and fact. 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, Margaret Aguirre from the International Medical Corps explains how Ebola quarantines are hurting her organization's efforts to recruit health care professionals. Plus, Middle East analyst Robin Wright explains the historic implications of President Obama's nuclear weapon negotiations with Ayatollah Khamenei. Will this be the most important foreign policy breakthrough in six presidencies? For the Spiel, some mathematical insight into Pakistan's "I Am Not Malala" Day. 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 Jamelle Bouie explains why our democracy may be hardwired to fail. Plus, WKRP in Cincinnati creator Hugh Wilson explains why it took so long to release the classic TV show with original music. For the Spiel, Mike solves the world's problems. 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, our in-house vexilologist Ted Kaye explains what images of ISIS flags tell us about the Islamic State's messaging. Plus, David Dunning of the Dunning-Kruger Effect explains why confident ignorance is incredibly common and increasingly harmful. You can learn more in Dunning's Pacific Standard feature "We Are All Confident Idiots." For the Spiel, The Gist gets a new name. 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, a collection of some of our favorite Slate Plus bonus segments. First, from the "Joe Biden's White Teeth" edition of the Political Gabfest: David Plotz, John Dickerson, and Emily Bazelon have a conversation about law enforcement and parenting. Then, from the "Are You Looking Forward to Our Wearable Future" edition of the Culture Gabfest: an interview with two fans who enjoy the show so much that they held a bachelorette party in the Slate studio. Last, from the "The All's Fair in Love and WAR Edition" of Hang Up and Listen: Stefan Fatsis, Josh Levin, and Mike Pesca talked to Sally Jenkins of the Washington Post about her column on Mo'ne Davis and how the male-dominated sports world discusses women's sports. 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.