Author: Peach Fish Productions

Winning the public relations war against ISIS won’t be easy, but maybe we’re not using the right weapons. On The Gist, Ambassador Marc Ginsberg calls for SEAL Team Six–style social media barrage and an army of entertainer-diplomats, including Jason Alexander, aka Seinfeld’s George Castanza. Plus, songwriter David Lowery tells how musicians are banding together against the corporate music industry. For the Spiel, a Springsteen-esque moment in the Republican response to the State of the Union. Today’s sponsors: Stamps.com, enter promo code The Gist for a special offer. Get a no-risk trial plus $110 bonus offer, which includes a digital scale and up to $55 free postage. Also, Casper mattresses. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting www.casper.com/Gist and using our promo code Gist.

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After elementary school, who will cater to your learning style? Today on The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker if learning styles are bulls---. She’s the author of Mastermind, and her learning style is best described as “give me the information and please don’t make me work in groups or make a craft.” In the Spiel, Stephanopoulos and sugar daddies. Today’s sponsors: GoToMeeting.com. To try their service free for 30 days, visit GoToMeeting.com and click the “Try It Free” button. Also, Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9 p.m. on the Esquire Network.

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When it comes to international monetary shockers, you’d be remiss to dismiss the Swiss. Today on The Gist, Felix Salmon from Fusion explains the currency flux in Switzerland. You can hear more from Felix on the Slate Money podcast. Plus, University of Wisconsin professor John Parrish explains what Toystory the bull’s life was really like. For the Spiel, in a commitment to fairness, Mike sticks up for kidnappers. Today’s sponsor: Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9/8c on Esquire Network.

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From a statistical standpoint, should we all be so concerned about Islamic terrorists? On The Gist, UNC professor Charles Kurzman makes a public health analogy for the terrorism threat. He’s the author of The Missing Martyrs: Why There Are So Few Muslim Terrorists. Plus, I didn’t come here to make astronaut friends. Mike Pesca asks NASA scientist Ellen Stofan if they’ve ever considered funding missions with Reality TV. For the Spiel, everything is not awesome for The Lego Movie. Today’s sponsors: Harry’s, Promo Code: TheGist. Also, Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9/8c on Esquire Network.

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On The Gist, Slate’s Reihan Salam shares the Republicans he’d like to see consider a run for the presidency. Plus, efficiency expert Jill Duffy from PC magazine joins us armed with biometric tracking devices for your wrists. Did Mike write off the “PivLiv” too soon? For the Spiel, what if there was an audio equivalent to displaying the Mohammed cartoons? Today’s sponsors: Stamps.com, Promo Code: TheGist. Also, Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9/8c on Esquire Network.

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Today on The Gist, Michael Levi from the Council on Foreign Relations helps us find the right analogy for describing the impact and scale of the Keystone XL pipeline. Plus, when Silicon Valley profits, who is losing? Internet entrepreneur Andrew Keen joins us to discuss The Internet Is Not the Answer (and Pesca offers the one scenario in which the Internet is always the answer). For the Spiel, things we can’t actually believe are going on in the world. Today’s sponsor: Friday Night Tykes. The new season premieres Jan. 20 at 9/8c on Esquire Network.

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How real is the possibility of a terrorist strike in America this week? Today on The Gist, RAND’s Colin Clarke explains were terror cells are grown. We also speak with Plus Magazine editor Rachel Thomas and Marianne Freiberger about their book Numericon: A Journey Through The Hidden Lives of Numbers. For the Spiel, the teaming masses of Buddhist extremists who are bent on murdering civilians. Do they exist, or are they just a useful argument? Today’s sponsor: Stamps.com, Promo Code: TheGist

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Did Lyndon B. Johnson really move Washington with his own chutzpah? On The Gist, Princeton professor Julian Zelizer offers a corrective for how we think of LBJ and all presidents. His new book is The Fierce Urgency of Now. Plus, starting next week Chicago transit riders will be targeted with strange ads, letting riders know the truth about squirrels and trying to get Vanessa back. We’ll ask Ben Larrison why he decided to use the CTA’s red line as a vessel for his comedy. For the Spiel, it’s time for the Llobstar of the antentwig. What is an antentwig, anyways? 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

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Why do the American public and political leadership have a hard time taking the military seriously? On The Gist, we speak with James Fallows from the Atlantic about his recent feature “The Tragedy of the American Military.” Plus, what’s with all those ASMR videos on YouTube? Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker about the hard-to-describe sensation for a game we call “Is That Bulls—t?” For the Spiel, we debut our new line of other NFL erotica. 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

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Can terrorism ever be defeated? As a tactic? As an ideology? On The Gist, Colin Clarke explains how we can best counter the terror trends. Plus, poet Matthea Harvey shares from her collection If the Tabloids Are True What Are You? For the Spiel, Mike’s prescription for Western media in wake of the Paris terror attacks. (Please note: We are all media.) The Gist’s sponsors today are: Stamps.com, where you can sign up for a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer when you use the promo code “TheGist.” http://stamps.com/radio/ And, Audible.com, a leading provider of spoken audio information and entertainment. Listen to audiobooks whenever and wherever you want. Get a FREE audiobook and 30-day trial when you sign up today at http://audiblepodcast.com/thegist

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