As the opioid overdose crisis continues, a group of volunteers started a hotline with one mission—not to encourage people to go to rehab, not even to discourage them from using—just to keep them alive for one more day.
A collaboration with This American Life.
Guests:
Stephen Murray, paramedic and overdose researcher at Boston Medical Center.
Jessie, a registered nurse who answers calls on the Never Use Alone hotline.
Kimber, a caller to the hotline.
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Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Marc Elias, who has litigated more election and voting cases than almost anyone, to talk about Alabama’s disregard for SCOTUS’ decision in the big Voting Rights Act case of last term, and why the lawlessness is the point. They also delve into the dangers of tying the disqualification of former President Donald J Trump from office under Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the outcomes in his criminal trials. And why, when it comes to defending democracy, depending on the courts may make sense in the short term, but faces serious problems in the long term.
COVID’s still here but the public’s appetite for masking, social distancing, or remote learning is long gone. One palatable way to stop the spread: improving air circulation indoors.
Guest: Apoorva Mandavilli, science and global health reporter for the New York Times
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
When Howard County signed a $27 million contract with the start-up Zum, the company promised to modernize the way schools provide transportation. But when the school year started, that’s not what happened.
Guest: Daniel Zawodny, covering transportation for the Baltimore Banner and corps member of Report For America.
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This week, Emily Bazelon and David Plotz are joined by The Atlantic’s Franklin Foer to discuss Joe Biden’s White House and The Last Politician; the war in Ukraine and the possible meeting of Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin; and Americans’ views on the value of higher education. Join us for Political Gabfest Live in Madison, Wisconsin on October 25!
Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:
Email your chatters, questions, and comments to gabfest@slate.com or X us @SlateGabfest. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)
On this episode: Zak interviews Jake Gyllenhaal, Greta Caruso, and Dan Santat about their new book, The Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles. They dive into what makes that particular relationship so special, why it’s overlooked in children’s literature, and even what goes into crafting a kids book.
We also go over our week in triumphs and fails. Then, if you’re sticking around for Slate Plus, we share some Instagram accounts that are actually making our lives better.
Join us on Facebook and email us at momanddad@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357-9318.
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Podcast produced by Rosemary Belson and Maura Currie.
Math and reading scores plummeted during the year of virtual learning. Kids are now back in the classroom—but they aren’t back on track. What will it take to catch up a generation —and do schools have the will and resources to make it happen?
Guest: Alec MacGillis, reporter for ProPublica.
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The problem with a Congress that is statistically so much older than the country it represents is systemic and—like almost everything in Washington—much of the issue can be traced back to money in politics.
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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Madeline Ducharme, Anna Phillips, Paige Osburn, and Rob Gunther.
The impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is slated to begin in the state Senate today. Though Paxton’s history of scandals is long and storied, this could be the first time he’s faced accountability—and all it took was leaving taxpayers on the hook for a $3.3 million bill.
Guest: Sergio Martinez-Beltran, political reporter with NPR’s The Texas Newsroom, a public radio collaborative.
If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work.
