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Legendary hacker Peiter "Mudge" Zatko’s reputation in the cybersecurity world is unmatched. His allegations against Twitter’s security are all the more damning because of it. Guest: Joseph Menn Host: Lizzie O'Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you ready for some football! After decades of being kept out of the quarterback position, more Black quarterbacks are creating success and finding stardom in the NFL. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by ESPN’s Jason Reid, author of “Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America.” They discuss how the business and politics of race have changed for football’s most sought after players, and what challenges remain for Black quarterbacks. Guest: Sports writer Jason Reid, author of “Rise of the Black Quarterback: What It Means for America” Podcast production by Yanii Evans You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, David Plotz, Emily Bazelon, and John Dickerson discuss what the special election results suggest for the midterms, an unprecedented $1.6B donation to a secretive conservative organization; and Biden’s student loan forgiveness and repayment plans. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together, by Heather McGhee The Sum of Us podcast Here are this week’s chatters: John: The Bullshit Generator; The Age of Acrimony: How Americans Fought to Fix Their Democracy, 1865-1915 Hardcover, by Jon Grinspan Emily: Igor Derysh for Salon: “‘That’s Not What Our Report Said’: Ex-Mueller Prosecutor Says Barr's Trump Memo Is ‘legally Wrong’”; The Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law David: Courtney E. Smith for Ultimate Classic Rock: “35 Years Ago: Los Lobos’ ‘La Bamba’ Returns Ritchie Valens to Spotlight” Listener chatter from Rebecca Vernon: Sarina E. Miller for the Washington Post: “Thanks To Middle-Schoolers Like Me, There Are

On this episode: Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth help a letter writer who is hurt by the cliquey moms in her parenting group. All the kids get along great. But the moms constantly make her feel like an outsider, despite her initiating conversation and planning hang outs. Zak, Jamilah, and Elizabeth share some tips for making friends with other parents, knowing your value, and ditching people who aren’t giving you the time of day.  Then on Slate Plus, they discuss Angela Garbes’ piece, The Morning Rush: Parenting at its Most Essential.  Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes.  Podcast produced by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Rosemary Belson. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on MADAF each week, and no ads. Sign up now at slate.com/momanddadplus to listen and support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, Slate senior producer Cheyna Roth is joined by culture writer Anna Nordberg to talk all about Jane Austen. The romance novelist may have written her seven books well over a century ago, but as Cheyna and Anna discuss, her work still endures in popular culture. They talk about why Austen’s characters are even more modern than the men and women we see on screen today and why some of the men are kind of meh. Later in the show, they talk about what makes an endearing Jane Austen adaptation, and why Netflix’s Persuasion fails so miserably.  In Slate Plus, are Jane Austen’s proposals feminist? Recommendations: Anna: The 1995 Sense and Sensibility adaptation starring Emma Thompson.  Cheyna: The music of Cosmo Jarvis. Plus a dedication to a beloved professor, Dr. Brent Chesley.    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus, Daisy Rosario, and Alicia Montgomery.  Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn m

After winning 23 Grand Slam singles titles, four Olympic gold medals, and over $100 million in prize money, this month Serena Williams announced the end of her professional tennis career. While her on-court accomplishments and longevity put her in the sporting pantheon, her cultural impact is just as remarkable.  Guest: Amira Rose Davis, assistant professor of Black studies at the University of Texas Austin and co-host of the feminist sports podcast Burn It All Down. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this edition of Working Overtime, hosts Isaac Butler and Karen Han discuss the many complicated emotions that can sometimes creep up after a big project comes to an end. They also share tips for managing those emotions and finding ways to recharge before the next project starts. Do you have a question about creative work? Call us and leave a message at 304-933-9675, or email us at [email protected]. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis and Cameron Drews. Link to Atlassian Work Check Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Evan Chung tells the story of the American teachers who competed for an unprecedented prize: a spot on the January 1986 launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Three of the finalists describe the grueling selection process and the tragedy that killed one of their own. One Year is produced by Evan Chung, Sophie Summergrad, Sam Kim, Madeline Ducharme, and Josh Levin.  Derek John is Sr. Supervising Producer of Narrative Podcasts and Merritt Jacob is Sr. Technical Director. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $15 for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The realm of fan fiction is a wild, magical place to be, especially if that fan fiction is set at Hogwarts. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about All the Young Dudes, an extensive Harry Potter fan fiction that has inspired a fandom all its own, and just how that fandom came to be. But first, they chat about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and spend time listening to the first line of some listeners’ NaNoWriMo novels. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis, Daniel Schroeder, and Derek John. This episode originally ran on November 20, 2021. Subscribe to Slate Plus at slate.com/icymiplus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Dana and Julia hold down the fort in Steve’s absence while Slate’s book critic, Laura Miller, fills in as a third host. First, the panel breaks down the Neil Gaiman adaptation that no one thought would happen, The Sandman. Then, the panel discusses the new installment in the Predator franchise: Prey. Finally, supplemented by Laura’s great piece on the author, the panel attempts to answer: Who is Colleen Hoover? In Slate Plus, the panel discusses pairs of notable people that they’d like to see in conversation with one another. Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: Pulling a Julia with a food endorsement: Off-Script’s Samin-Nosrat-inspired thyme pistachio pesto. Julia: More Summer Strut afterglow: “I Wish That I Could See You Soon” by Herman Dune. Laura: The New Zealand comedy series, Wellington Paranormal, which is a spin-off of the original What We Do in the Shadows film. Specifically: season 4 episode 3, “The Coolening.” Podcast production by Cameron Drews. Production assistance by

The Department of Justice announced this month that they were investigating allegations that leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention mishandled sexual abuse accusations for decades. How have abusers exploited the church’s decentralized structure and notions of forgiveness to avoid accountability, and how have church teachings about sexuality and “purity culture” allowed the abuse to continue? Guest: Robert Downen, reporter at the Houston Chronicle.  Jules Woodson, co-Founder & COO of Help;Hear;Heal, a nonprofit providing therapy funding for survivors of sexual abuse. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny Lavery welcomes Carey O’Donnell, a writer and comedian, who also co-hosts Sexy Unique Podcast.  Lavery and O’Donnell tackle two letters. First, from someone who’s worried that his boyfriend’s family of origin is trying to re-enter his life. Another letter writer is wondering how to be patient with an old friend who keeps crossing the line. Plus, a listener update! Slate Plus members get another episode of Big Mood, Little Mood every Friday: sign up now! Need advice? Send Danny a question here. Email: [email protected] Production by Phil Surkis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Clare decided on a resolution for the year, she was looking for a new challenge. Instead of running a marathon like her partner, Clare—who “talks for a living”—decided to go completely silent. She signed up for a silent retreat. But as it approached, she wondered how she could possibly go an entire week without speaking. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Daniel Thorson of the Monastic Academy in Vermont and host of the podcast, Emerge. Daniel has spent over a year of his life in silent meditation, including a 75 day silent retreat at the beginning of the pandemic. He says his first silent retreat was the worst experience of his life — just what Clare wanted to hear — but there’s a reason he kept going back. If you liked this episode, check out: How To Quiet the Chatter in Your Head and How To Sleep with Headspace’s Andy Puddicombe.   Do you have a burning question? Send us a note at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Slate Plus members get bon

Despite its fraught history of botched executions, the state of Oklahoma is preparing to begin a 29 month execution spree this week. 25 dates have been set for men with severe mental illness, personal histories of childhood abuse, inadequate legal representation, or claims of innocence. Though these inmates have been deemed "the worst of the worst," activist nun Sister Helen Prejean implores the world to look at fuller pictures of their lives, and seek out an alternative to the death penalty. Guest: Sister Helen Prejean, anti-death penalty activist and author of Dead Man Walking, The Death of Innocents, and River of Fire. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Levin, Stefan Fatsis, and Vinson Cunningham are joined by Defector’s Maitreyi Anantharaman to discuss the WNBA playoffs. Dion Wright also joins to explain what it was like to guard LeBron James. Finally, they talk about Isiah Thomas’ “No Crime Day,” the subject of the first episode of Slate’s One Year: 1986 podcast.   WNBA (2:48): Can Sue Bird lead the Seattle Storm to a fifth title?   Dion Wright (23:39): How it felt to go viral for going up against one of the greatest of all time.   No Crime Day (42:20): A conversation about basketball and athlete activism in the 1980s.   Afterball (1:05:56): Stefan on the agony and ecstasy of watching Pete Carril’s Princeton teams. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As part of a stunt to protest the Biden administration’s immigration policies, the governors of Texas and Arizona have been sending bus-loads of migrants to DC and New York without any support. Immigrant advocate groups are scrambling to take care of these people, who were vulnerable well before being used as political props. Guest: Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director at New York Immigration Coalition & NYIC Action If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode: Jamilah, Zak, and Elizabeth jump back into the potty-training trenches to help a parent who is at her wit’s end. Her kid is potty trained—or so she thought—but will not stop peeing in his pants before taking himself to the toilet. They share some tips for making the toilet actually appealing to her son.  They also respond to a listener who wrote in following the How to Address Death episode and check in about their plans for the fast-approaching (or already underway) school year.  Recommendations:  Zak recommends the show, A League of Their Own on Amazon Prime.  Elizabeth recommends the books Yo MIllard Fillmore! and Yo Sacramento! Jamiliah recommends Loot on Apple TV.  Join us on Facebook and email us at [email protected] to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes.  Podcast produced by Kristie Taiwo-Makanjuola and Rosemary Belson. Slate Plus members get a bonus segment on MADAF each week, and no ad

This week, host Karen Han talks to Lynon Aksamit, a puzzle designer for the Colorado-based company Liberty Puzzles. In the interview, Lynon explains how he and his colleagues select artwork to turn into puzzles. Then he breaks down his process for designing puzzle pieces (including “whimsy pieces”) and describes how he plays with the themes of the original artwork to create engaging puzzles for customers.  After the interview, Karen and co-host June Thomas discuss their own experiences with puzzles.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Lynon explains how he’s able to make time for side projects.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to [email protected] or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews.  If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign u

There's no way to remove politics from public health. Guest: Tim Requarth Host: Lizzie O'Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Plotz talks with author Mat Johnson about his new novel Invisible Things. Johnson’s novel tells the story of a group of astronauts that land in a bubble colony on Jupiter's biggest moon. They talk about the challenges of writing satire when reality feels fake, how mediocre people rise up by sucking up, and why we need to look at the invisible things in our daily lives.   Tweet us your questions @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages could be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.) Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices