The Gist

In preparation for Lebowski Fest, writer Alex Belth shares his story about working with the Coen brothers as a personal assistant. His Kindle single is The Dudes Abide. Then, Georgetown professor Bruce Hoffman explains how the beheading of James Foley signals a change in strategy for ISIS. For the Spiel, why Times Square needs to be swept clean of costumed creeps. 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.