The Gist - Exercise Fad B.S.

On The Gist, a gift for your New Year’s resolutions. Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker tells us what research has been done into various popular exercise methods. She’s the author of The Confidence Game, now available for preorder. For the Spiel, the biggest news story in the world right now. Today’s sponsor: Casper, the online retailer of premium mattresses for a fraction of the price. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting casper.com/gist and using the promo code GIST. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus.

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The Gist - Near-Death Winter Tales with Matthew Dicks

On The Gist, professional storyteller Matthew Dicks tells a story to demonstrate how to tell better stories. We’ll learn why it’s important to give your story a setting in the physical world. He’s the author of The Perfect Comeback of Caroline Jacobs. You can listen back to all the past appearances in our storytelling series here on Soundcloud. For the Spiel, happy manipulating with air bag manufacturer Takata. The Gist and Story Collider Event, Jan 15: Coming up on Friday, Jan. 15, our host Mike Pesca and listener Frank Kennedy will be live onstage as part of the Story Collider STEM FEST. Visit the Story Collider website for tickets and more information about the lineup. Slate Plus members are invited to a free happy hour before the show. RSVP here.

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The Goods from the Woods - Episode #72 – “Magic City’s Finest” with Wes Van Horn, Michael McCall, & Jonny Moze

In this episode, the Goods from the Woods Boys hit the road for this episode. This is three conversations that span the entire country starting with a chat with comedian Wes Van Horn at Disgraceland Studios in Los Angeles. We follow that up with a chat with Birmingham Comedians, Michael McCall and Nick Thomas. Finally, we go backstage at Yellahammered with the brilliant musician and author, Jonny Moze. Follow Wes @WesVanHorn, follow Michael @JMichaelMcCall, follow Jonny Moze @JayMoze. Song of the week this week: "Ain't That A Barrel" by Jonny Moze   Follow the show @TheGoodsPod  Rivers is @RiversLangley  Dr. Pat is @PM_Reilly  Mr. Goodnight is @SepulvedaCowboy  Pick up a Goods from the Woods t-shirt at: http://prowrestlingtees.com/TheGoodsPod

The Gist - Terrorists or Nudniks?

On The Gist, how significant is the impact of the shale revolution on the international oil markets? We ask Robert Weiner, professor of international business at George Washington University. For the Spiel, Mike wonders what we should call the armed protesters who took over the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. The Gist and Story Collider Event, Jan 15:  Coming up on Friday, January 15th, our host Mike Pesca and listener Frank Kennedy will be live on stage as part of the Story Collider STEM FEST. Visit the Story Collider website for tickets and more information about the lineup. Slate Plus members are invited to a free happy hour before the show. RSVP here. Today’s sponsor: Texture, the mobile app that lets you tap directly into the world's most popular magazines using your phone or tablet. Dive deeper into Vogue, People, Esquire, Time—with interactive content for a richer reading experience. Try Texture for free at Texture.com/gist.

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