The Gist - Letter-Perfect Solution

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.

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The Gist - The Most Interesting Man We Know

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.

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The Gist - Melody As Smoking Gun

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.

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The Gist - North Korea’s Former Poet Laureate

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.

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The Gist - The Detox Detox

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.

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