The Gist - Are The Dangers of GMOs BS?

On The Gist, we ask Slate’s chief political correspondent Jamelle Bouie if Donald Trump is a viable candidate in a general election. Then, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker ends the debate over the dangers of GMOs. She’s the author of The Confidence Game. For the Spiel, do the rules apply to Donald Trump? Today’s sponsor: Monster. Find employees who work as hard as you at Monster.com/hiring. Monster. Find Better.  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 - All Things Horse Race

On The Gist, Mike answers the question, “Why all the horse race?” by offering a close look at the issue of magic from House Resolution 642. Then, Harry Enten from FiveThirtyEight uses his polling expertise to explain what today’s many caucus results will means for little Marco Rubio. For the Spiel, even more advice for interpreting Super Tuesday 2 results. 

Today’s sponsor:

Roku and HBO Now. Roku players offer the biggest selection of streaming channels, like HBO Now. Learn more and try HBO Now free for one month by going to roku.com/thegist.

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 - The Duke Lacrosse Case, 10 Years Later

Last night ESPN’s 30 for 30 series aired the documentary about the Duke Lacrosse case called Fantastic Lies. Back when the Gist was being piloted in April 2014, we spoke with author William D. Cohan about the case following his book The Price of Silence: The Duke Lacrosse Scandal, the Power of the Elite, and the Corruption of Our Great Universities. For the first time ever, we’ll air that interview on The Gist. For the Spiel, why all right-thinking Americans should want Donald Trump to be the Republican nominee. Today’s sponsor: Squarespace.com.

Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer 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 - The Year of Travolta

On The Gist, our regular guest Chris Molanphy tells us how disco music swallowed up rock in 1978. We’ll discuss Billboard chart hits from 1978, and just about all of them have a disco beat. He writes Slate’s “Why Is This Song No. 1?” column. For the Spiel, a belated Lobstar of the Antentwig. Do check out this Spotify playlist to hear the songs mentioned in today’s show one more time. It’s got groove, it’s got meaning! Today’s sponsors:  Amazon. Detective Harry Bosch is back on the new season of Amazon’s original series Bosch, based on the best-selling novels by Michael Connelly. Stream the new season now on Amazon Prime Video. Goldman Sachs. Information about developments currently shaping markets, industries, and the global economy, on the firm’s podcast, Exchanges at Goldman Sachs, available on iTunes. 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 - Ctrl-Alt-DESTROY

On The Gist,Slate’sFred Kaplan shares the history and stories behind our ongoing cyberwar.

He’s the author of Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War. For the Spiel, a collection of news

from the states. Today’s sponsor:  Harry’s, the shaving company that offers German-engineered blades,

well-designed handles, and shipping right to your door. Visit Harrys.com for $5 off your first purchase with

the promo code GIST.  Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more.

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The Gist - The Things That Dreams Are Made Of

On The Gist, the only conversation about dreams that promises not to bore you to death. Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker joins us for a game we call “Is That Bulls---?” She’s the author of The Confidence Game. For the Spiel, the Clinton campaign bravely pushes forward.

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The Gist - What Detroit Gave America

On The Gist, a new SAT is here, and the Today show has already failed the test. Author David Maraniss tells the story of an

inflection point for Detroit from his book Once in a Great City: A Detroit Story. For the Spiel, no one is being offered 55 million dollars to be spied on naked. 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 - Is Torture Ever Worthwhile?

On The Gist, can we use game theory to make the case for or against the use of torture during an investigation? We explore various models compiled in Does Torture Work? with our guest John Schiemann from Fairleigh Dickinson University. For the Spiel, how the New York Times explains humor. Today’s sponsors: 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. Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer 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 - Adam Davidson Makes Negative Interest Rates Positively Interesting

On The Gist, Adam Davidson explains the latest experimental development of a desperate economy—negative interest rates. Davidson is columnist for the New York Times Magazine and host of a new podcast with Adam McKay called Surprisingly Awesome. For the Spiel, oh yeah, more Trump. Today’s sponsors: 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. 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 - Would I Be Happier in an Arranged Marriage?

On The Gist, the story behind the so-called Chinese curse “may you live in interesting times.” Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker tells us about international efforts to find the recipe for a happy, lasting marriage. She’s the author of The Confidence Game. For the Spiel, is a Donald Trump nomination inevitable or likely? Today’s sponsor:  Roku and HBO NOW. Roku players offer the biggest selection of streaming channels, like HBO NOW. Learn more and try HBO NOW free for one month by going to roku.com/thegist. 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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