Month: January 2017

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The Gist - The Paradox of Shaving

New Yorker writer Maria Konnikova returns for another round of everyone’s favorite game, “Is That Bulls--t?” Konnikova takes on a long-held theory about hair growth: The more often you shave, the faster it grows back. Konnikova’s most recent book is The Confidence Game.  In the Spiel, the Megyn Kelly backlash begins.    Sponsors:  ZipRecruiter. Post your job listing to all the top job sites with a single click. Try it for free by going to ZipRecruiter.com/gist.

Harry’s. Get the smooth shave you deserve. Right now Harry’s is giving away their shave set for free when you sign up. All you have to cover is the shipping. Go to Harrys.com, enter code gist at checkout and you’ll also get one of their post-shave balms for free.

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Serious Inquiries Only - SIO4: Trollology 101

In this episode I am joined by Scott and David. We discuss some of the science behind the rise in internet trolling. They share their ideas about the ways psychology, sociology, and our ever increasing dependence on technology for socialization; have led to more trolling. We also discuss some other behaviors and traits that correlate with online trolling, some of the possible origins of these behaviors, and speculate as to what can be done about it. Support us on Patreon at:  patreon.com/seriouspod Follow us on Twitter: @seriouspod Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/seriouspod For comments, email thomas@seriouspod.com Questions, Suggestions, Episode ideas? Contact us: haeley@seriouspod.com Direct Download
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The Gist - Mara Wilson’s Post–Child Star Life

Mara Wilson became iconic in the 1990s, but she hasn’t appeared in a film since the year 2000. In her memoir Where Am I Now? Wilson explores the joys and difficulties of her life after child stardom. Mara’s book was recently named one of the best of 2016 by NPR.

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Betterment, the largest automated investing service. Get up to six months of investing FREE when you go to Betterment.com/gist.

What happens to our digital lives when we’re gone? LifeAfter, a new series from GE Podcast Theater and Panoply, the creators of last year’s award-winning The Message, explores these very questions. Listen and download LifeAfter wherever you find your podcasts.

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SCOTUScast - Venezuela v. Helmerich & Payne International – Post-Argument SCOTUScast

On November 2, 2016, the Supreme Court heard oral argument in Venezuela v. Helmerich & Payne International. Helmerich & Payne International Drilling Company owns a subsidiary that, in 2007, contracted to provide Venezuela's state-owned oil corporation the use of Helmerich’s drilling rigs. When unpaid invoices to the state-owned company surpassed $100 million in 2009, Helmerich refused to renew the contract and prepared to remove its equipment. Employees of the Venezuelan corporation, along with the Venezuelan National Guard, blockaded the equipment yards, and then-President Hugo Chavez issued a Decree of Expropriation. -- Helmerich sued in federal district court under the expropriation and commercial activity exceptions to the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Venezuela moved to dismiss, and the district court granted the motion with respect to the expropriation claim but denied it with respect to the commercial activity claim. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit reversed, holding that because the expropriation claim was neither insubstantial nor frivolous, the district court should not have granted the motion to dismiss that claim--but should have dismissed the commercial activity claim because the subsidiary’s commercial activity had no “direct effect” in the United States. -- The question before the Supreme Court is whether the pleading standard for alleging that a case falls within the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act’s expropriation exception is more demanding than the standard for pleading jurisdiction under the federal-question statute, which allows a jurisdictional dismissal only if the federal claim is wholly insubstantial and frivolous. -- To discuss the case, we have Donald Earl “Trey” Childress III, who is Professor of Law at the Pepperdine University School of Law.
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Money Girl - 479 MG Money-Saving Hacks to Beat the System

Laura interviews David Pogue, author of the new book, Pogue’s Basics: Money – Essential Tips and Shortcuts (That No One Bothers to Tell You) About Beating the System. You'll take away easy ways to outsmart retailers, leverage savings programs, and keep more of your hard-earned money, no matter how much or little you have. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2i8iVJb

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The Gist - Ralph Nader’s Animal Instincts

Ralph Nader’s second work of fiction, Animal Envy, imagines a world where animals can talk to people and start demanding rights. Nader says the fable is meant to prompt deeper thinking about our relationship with nature. “We need to talk about what-if, because if we don’t, we can’t kick in our idealism and imagine real possibilities,” says the 82-year-old author and advocate. Nader also weighs in with his thoughts on the Trump presidency, and how to win a political argument.

In the Spiel, Donald Trump’s rockin’ New Year’s Eve.  

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Stamps.com. Buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk. Go to Stamps.com and use promo code gist for a 4-week trial plus a $110 bonus offer – including postage and a digital scale.

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