Slate Daily Feed

With Roe v. Wade on the chopping block, abortion access is under fire in states around the country. At Planned Parenthood’s Knoxville location, the clinic faced that literally when an arson attack burned the building to the ground. How will providers rebuild when the things they stand for are so threatened? Guest: Tory Mills, director of community engagement for Planned Parenthood’s Knoxville Health Center. 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

Joel Anderson, Stefan Fatsis, and Josh Levin are joined by the New York Times’ John Branch to discuss Chinese-American skier Eileen Gu. They also talk about Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL and ponder the 76ers’ Ben Simmons problem and the Nets’ various conundrums.   Eileen Gu (6:02): What to make of her decision to represent China at the Beijing Games.   Flores (23:40): Can anything change the NFL’s hiring practices?   NBA (43:15): Should we sympathize with Ben Simmons? Can the Nets turn it around?   Afterball (1:04:42): Joel on Jim Brown, Syracuse basketball player. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Until last month, Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, and one of only three Black head coaches among the NFL’s 32 teams. That number has since dropped to one.  On Tuesday, Flores announced he was suing the NFL, alleging that the league's hiring practices are racist. His suit comes almost 20 years after the creation of the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for senior positions, and eight years after Colin Kaepernick was black-balled from the sport for kneeling during the national anthem—begging the question of how much has really changed in that time.  Guest: LZ Granderson, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of ABC News’ “Life Out Loud with LZ Granderson.” 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

This week, Stoya and Rich answer a letter from a woman who’s worried about her husband’s secret habit, and offer suggestions for oral sex to a letter writer who has a unique problem.  Mentioned in the episode: Sex, God, and the Conservative Church by Tina Schermer Sellers Is Porn Addiction a Real Thing? Moody Bitches by Julie Holland “TMJ and Intimacy” by S. Michael Plaut Slate Plus members get another episode of the How to Do It podcast every Monday. Sign up for Slate Plus now and get $25 off. Read the How to Do It column on Slate here. If you’re in need of sex advice from Stoya and Rich, write in here or leave a voicemail at ‪(347) 640-4025 and we may use it on the show. Remember, it’s anonymous—and nothing is too embarrassing! Production by Chau Tu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host Isaac Butler talks to playwright Aleshea Harris and director Whitney White, whose new play On Sugarland is currently in preview performances at the New York Theatre Workshop. In the interview, Aleshea and Whitney explain the crucial relationship between playwrights and directors and discuss the ways they work together, solve problems, and ultimately put on the best production possible.  After the interview, co-host June Thomas asks Isaac about his experience working as a director and collaborating with writers.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Aleshea and Whitney explain how COVID protocols have affected their rehearsal process.  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

Banks, healthcare providers, and retailers around the world still rely on COBOL, a programming language originally developed in the 1960s. By all accounts the code is powerful, practical, and very rarely problematic. But the small group of people who still know the language are aging out of the workforce.  What happens when there are no more COBOL coders left? Guest: Clive Thompson, journalist and author of "Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World." Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last month, a Tennessee school board voted to ban Art Spiegelman’s graphic novel about the Holocaust, Maus, from their eighth grade curriculum. This caused Maus to experience the the Streisand effect. On the show today, Rachelle and Madison explain the origins of the Streisand effect as an online phenomenon, how it helped Maus’ recent sales skyrocket, and why this short-term publicity isn’t really the solution to bans like these. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined by management consultant and sports fan Robin Timothy of to talk about Facebook’s sudden loss of users and revenue, why the Olympics are both problematic and boring, and the Brian Flores NFL lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in coach hiring.  In the Plus segment: A big gold cube. Mentioned In the show:  “Brian Flores’ NFL Lawsuit: Can He Prove Systemic Racism? What We Know About Claims of ‘Sham Interviews’ and Incentivizing Tanking, Plus What’s Next” by Kevin Seifert “An Artist Placed a Cube Made From $11.7 Million Worth of Gold in Central Park – Protected By Its Own Security Detail” by Dorian Batycka   Email: [email protected] Podcast production by Cheyna Roth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s Spoiler Specials, Slate staffers Jeffrey Bloomer, Sam Adams, and Josh Levin spoil the latest Scream movie.  After high-schooler Tara Carpenter (Jenna Ortega) is attacked and hospitalized by Ghostface, her estranged sister Sam (Melissa Barrera) comes back to town with her boyfriend Ritchie (Jack Quaid). The reunion causes a surprising family secret to be revealed. More mayhem ensues as old characters return to the Scream fold. Who is the new Ghostface—and is this franchise dead? CORRECTION: After this episode was taped, Jeffrey Bloomer realized that he had misspoken about the familial connections of a key character in Scream 4: That person was Sidney’s cousin, not her niece. You can read Bloomer’s review of the movie here. Note: As the title indicates, this podcast contains spoilers galore. Email us at [email protected]. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Spotify, the last month has seen a cascade of controversies around its exclusive podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. Is it time for the streaming service to rethink its role as a podcast publisher? And is it even possible to moderate podcast misinformation? Guest: Evelyn Douek, lecturer at Harvard Law School, and Affiliate at the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society Host: Lizzie O’Leary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Searching for truthful versions of Black history can be tough, especially as honest lessons about racism are caught up in the controversy over Critical Race Theory. In his new book Who Are Your People?, political commentator Bakari Sellers delivers Black history to a generation of kids, something inspired by his own experience as a father. Bakari Sellers joined Jason Johnson on today’s episode of A Word to talk about the importance of being truthful about Black history with kids in a way that they can understand. Guest: Bakari Sellers, political commentator, attorney, and author of the book Who Are Your People?  Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis  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

Emily, John and David discuss Donald Trump’s attempts to seize voting machines, the racist attacks on the yet-to-be-named SCOTUS nominee, and they are joined by Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings program at Harvard University's T. H. Chan School of Public Health, to discuss ways we might update U.S. COVID norms. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: Joseph G. Allen for The Washington Post: “Our Playbook to Fight Covid-19 Is Outdated. Here Are 10 Updates for 2022.” Joseph G. Allen and Celine R. Gounder for The Hill: “We Have a Once-in-a-Generation Opportunity to Fix Our Crumbling Schools” Healthy Buildings: How Indoor Spaces Drive Performance and Productivity, by Joseph G. Allen and John D. Macomber Adam Serwer for The Atlantic: “Republicans Seem to Think Putting a Black Woman on the Supreme Court Is the Real Racism” Meltdown: What Plane Crashes, Oil Spills, and Dumb Business Decisions Can Teach Us About How to Succeed at Work and at Home, by Chris Clearfield and András Ti

On this week’s episode: Elizabeth, Zak, and Aymann aren’t shying away from the difficult conversations. First, they answer a listener question about how to handle death with a toddler. Should you take a toddler to their grandparent’s funeral? Should you explain death? Should you let them see you cry? Then, Zak is talking with comedian Chris Gethard about his new essay Dad on Pills. They get candid about parenting, mental health, and a rather upsetting joke. On Slate Plus, Elizabeth is panicking about school valentines. Are you too? Luckily, Zak and Aymann give us a reality check.  Recommendations: Zak recommends finding bridge songs to sneakily swap out kid music. Aymann recommends Halal Hot Dogs by Susannah Aziz and A Moon for Moe and Mo by Jane Breskin Zalben.  Elizabeth recommends Don’t Forget to Write. If you, or anyone you know, are in crisis, having thoughts of suicide, or need help immediately, you can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, anytime, at 1-800-273-8255, or you can find help at

A popular, outgoing liberal mayor in Silicon Valley is taking on gun rights groups with a splashy municipal ordinance fashioned to curb gun violence—and be the first of its kind. Gun rights groups are foretelling doom for the new law, and the NRA called it a “ridiculous publicity stunt.”  Does this city’s initiative have the hallmarks of a breakthrough on gun violence prevention? Will lawsuits tank it before anyone has the chance to find out? Guest: Sam Liccardo, mayor of San Jose, California. 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 week’s episode of The Waves, Slate culture writer LIli Loofbourow is joined by Nichole Perkins, pop culture writer, author, and co-host of This Is Good for You. They talk about the history of the romantic comedy—and what makes it such an enjoyable, but sometimes insidious, genre. Then they unpack the return of the rom-com, why bromantic comedies are sometimes good for you, and shout to the heavens for more sex in rom-coms.  In Slate Plus, are the cartoon makeovers of M&M’s and Minnie Mouse feminist?  Recommendations: Lili: One in Me I Never Loved, by Carla Guelfenbein Nichole: The Worst Best Man, by Mia Sosa. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Shannon Palus and June Thomas.  Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rihanna is having a baby, and Romance Twitter is furious. On today’s show, High Speed Downloads are back! Madison and Rachelle will zoom through all the important news about Rihanna’s baby bump reveal and Romance Twitter’s toxic reaction to an innocuous tweet. Then, they explain exactly what’s going on with podcast host Joe Rogan over at Spotify, and why it’s so difficult for platforms to part ways with their big personalities. Podcast production by Daniel Schroeder and Derek John. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the panel is first joined by author and co-host of Slate’s Working podcast, Isaac Butler, to discuss the new Joel Coen rendition of The Tragedy of Macbeth. (Buy Isaac’s new book!) Then, the panel is joined by author and Slate correspondent, Justin Peters, to explain the phenomena of Joe Rogan and the recent Spotify controversy. Finally, the panel discusses the decision to rebrand the famous advertising characters of the Mars candy M&M’s. In Slate Plus, the panel answers listener questions about culture’s relationship to climate change. Email us at [email protected]. Endorsements Dana: An episode of the public radio show On the Media from WNYC called “Humans, Being.” Julia: The endorsement: the Chez Panisse Vegetables cookbook from Alice Waters, owner of the famous California restaurant Chez Panisse. And a request for listeners to send in their favorite salad dressing recipes. Steve: The song “Sweet Baby” by Prince and The New Power Generation. Buy Dana’s book, Isaac’s book, and a ticket to Dana

Cobalt is the most important mineral of the future. It’s a key part of lithium-ion batteries, which power cell phones and laptops, not to mention electric cars. That demand is giving rise to a mining industry in Idaho, which sits atop a giant cobalt deposit. But the environmental costs of extraction raise questions about what “clean energy” really means. Guest: Michael Holtz, freelance journalist and author of “Idaho Is Sitting on One of the Most Important Elements on Earth.” 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 Michael Gerber, the editor and publisher of The American Bystander, an all-star print humor quarterly.  Lavery and Gerber take on two letters. First, from someone trying to stop her girlfriend’s mom from insulting her daughter as being “too butch”. Another letter writer is concerned about a one caring neighbor who has now turned creepy. Plus, Lavery asks Gerber about his favorite zines.  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

The expanded Child Tax Credit slashed childhood poverty in the U.S. by an estimated 30%. Why won’t congress revive it? Guest: Jordan Weissmann, writer and editor at Slate focused on economics, politics, and public policy. 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