Category: 3-DailySometimeCommentary

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The Indicator from Planet Money - Why do we live in unusually innovative times?

For most of human history, economic growth was, well, pretty bleak. But around the Enlightenment, things started clicking. This year's Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences went to a trio of researchers whose work focuses on how technological progress led to this sustained economic growth. Today we hear from one of them, Joel Mokyr, about his work on European economic history. 

Related episodes: 
Why are some nations richer? (2024 Economics Nobel) 
A conversation with Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin (2023 Economics Nobel)
When Luddites attack (Update) (Featuring Joel Mokyr) 

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What A Day - Trump Is Prosecuting His Enemies

Things have been moving fast since President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social last month QUOTE: "Pam: I have reviewed over 30 statements and posts saying that, essentially, “same old story as last time, all talk, no action. Nothing is being done. What about Comey, Adam “Shifty” Schiff, Leticia??? They’re all guilty as hell, but nothing is going to be done.” Since then, two of the three people Trump mentioned – former FBI director James Comey and New York Attorney General James – have been charged with crimes. Just last week, the Department of Justice indicted James on one count of bank fraud and one count of making a false statement in relation to allegations James lied on a mortgage application. James says the charges amounted to pure lawfare aimed at Trump’s enemies. So, to talk about Trump prosecuting his political enemies, we spoke Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha.

And in headlines, Trump reignites the trade war with China, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is trying to rehire hundreds of employees it fired by mistake, and Trump is in Israel to greet hostages held by Hamas upon their release.

Show Notes:


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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Amicus | Dear Justice Kavanaugh, “I’m American, Bro”

While the What Next team celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day, please enjoy this episode from our colleagues at Amicus, Slate’s legal podcast. Mary will be back with a new episode of What Next tomorrow.

In this week’s episode of Amicus, we delve into the recent Supreme Court shadow docket order in Noem v. Vasquez-Perdomo, which in essence legalized racial profiling by roving ICE patrols, and in practice may have ushered in America’s “show your papers” era for Americans with brown skin, who speak Spanish, and/or go to Home Depot in work clothes. Join Dahlia Lithwick and Ahilan Arulanantham, a longstanding human rights lawyer and law professor, as they unpack what this unargued, unreasoned, unsigned and (in Kavanaugh’s case) uncited decision means for both immigrants and U.S. citizens, for 4th amendment doctrine, and for the lower courts expected to parse SCOTUS’ tea leaves. 

Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you’ll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen.


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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - TBD | A.I. for Cops

At this very moment, police departments can gather more data than they have time to actually go through — audio and video from crime scenes, cell phone and search data, vast digital dragnets. This is where artificial intelligence comes in…as well as the civil rights questions.

Guest: Gerrit De Vynck, tech reporter for the Washington Post.

Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.


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More or Less: Behind the Stats - Are 72% of prison inmates in Switzerland foreign?

In a recent speech to the UN, US president Donald Trump set out some remarkable figures on the proportion of inmates in European prisons who were foreign nationals.

Citing statistics from the Council of Europe, he references Greece, Germany and Austria, as having rates around 50%.

“In Switzerland, beautiful Switzerland,” he said “72% of the people in prisons are from outside of Switzerland.” These numbers are correct, but why are the percentages so high – particularly in Switzerland?

Tim Harford speaks to Professor Marcelo Aebi, a criminologist from the University of Lausanne, who wrote the prisons report for the Council of Europe.

If you’ve seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at, let us know: moreorless@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Tim Harford Producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Bonus: SchadenFriday: Portland Puts A Frog On It

As troops continue to roll in, unwelcome, to American cities, you can be forgiven for calling the national picture “pretty bleak.” But even now, the news will occasionally let you get off a chuckle or guffaw, even if it isn’t always from your better nature. It’s SchadenFriday; go ahead and indulge.

Guest: Alex Sammon, Slate feature writer. 

This episode is member-exclusive. Listen to it now by subscribing to Slate Plus. By joining, not only will you unlock exclusive episodes of What Next —you’ll also access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the What Next show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme, and Rob Gunther.

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What A Day - What A Week!

This week has been… a lot. On Thursday, Israel’s cabinet approved the first phase of a peace agreement between Hamas and Israel, which would end the fighting in Gaza and return all Israeli hostages, living and dead. But the news didn’t stop there – with President Donald Trump threatening National Guard deployments in both Chicago and Portland, and both cities responding by heading to court. And don’t forget, we’re in the second week of a government shutdown with no end in sight. To unpack it all, we spoke to Pod Save America co-host Tommy Vietor.

And in headlines, a federal judge temporarily blocks the President’s National Guard deployment in Chicago, the CDC quietly updates its COVID-19 vaccine recommendation for pregnant women, and trick-or-treaters this year might find their bags less full of chocolate and more full of gum.

Show Notes:


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The Indicator from Planet Money - Scam compounds, sewing patterns and stolen dimes

As Vice Week wraps up here at The Indicator, we wanted to take a slightly different perspective on the evolving business of crime and take a look at TRUE crime. As in the genre. Because look, people are obsessed with it! Today on the show, our hosts favorite pieces of true crime content. 

Darian Woods: The Economist’s Scam Inc.
Wailin Wong: Wednesday Journal’s A tangled mess 
Adrian Ma: Philadelphia Inquirer’s Dime Heist story 

Related episodes:
Fighting AI with AI
What’s supercharging data breaches? 
When cartels start to diversify For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter.

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What Next | Daily News and Analysis - TBD | The People Suing ICE

Though ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied their Freedom of Information Act requests, these journalists aren’t giving up without a fight—not until they get their hands on a document that outlines how much information Medicaid is sharing with ICE.

Guest: Joseph Cox, cofounder of 404 Media. 

Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to get access wherever you listen.

Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort.


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