Category: 3-SometimeCommentary

On The Gist, a new show at Musée d’Orsay in Paris is the first to tell the story of prostitution in art, 1850–1910. Our guest Mary Lane from the Wall Street Journal will share the highlights. Then, we check back in with vexillologist Ted Kaye about the new national flag selection processes in Fiji and New Zealand. For more flag news, we strongly recommend subscribing to Vexilloid Tabloid, the bimonthly newsletter of the Portland Flag Association. For the Spiel, innovative rapping campaign ads from Ben Carson and Jeb Bush. Today’s sponsors: The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you’re qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.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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On The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker about her beef with the World Health Organization. Their recent headlines draw attention to a link between processed meats and cancer risk. Is that bulls--t? Maria’s new book The Confidence Game is now available for preorder. For the Spiel, the common core’s big PR problem. Today’s sponsors: RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you’re qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.com/gist. Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. 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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When thinking about America’s prison problem, at some point we’re going to have to begin asking how we’re going to treat violent offenders differently. On The Gist, Fordham law professor John Pfaff joins us for the rest of our extended interview. Listen back to Monday’s Gist to hear the first part of our short series. For the Spiel, Mike solves more of America’s problems. 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.  RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you’re qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.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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If you’re 42 or younger, you’ve never lived in a safer America than today. But if you were alive in 1960, today’s crime rates are twice as high as they were then. Could that be why older politicians are resisting prison reform? On The Gist, Fordham law professor John Pfaff joins us for an extended interview. This is the first of a short series about America’s prison problem. Join us on Tuesday for a new Spiel. Today’s sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. The Message, a new podcast series from GE Podcast Theater. 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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On Start the Week Tom Sutcliffe discusses the importance of uncertainty and failure. The former head of the European Research Council Helga Nowotny argues research is fed by uncertainty and that any form of scientific inquiry may produce results that are ambiguous. She criticises policy makers for focusing on easy short-term solutions, but the former conservative MP and Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, understands the difficulty for governments in dealing with uncertainty. In his role at the think tank Resolution Foundation he's attempting to use analytical research to improve policy on living standards. Matthew Syed examines how a positive attitude to failure can lead to success in areas as diverse as sport, business, politics and healthcare. The failure of governments to come to an agreement on climate change will be discussed next month at a UN conference in Paris and Oliver Morton looks at whether the radical, yet uncertain, strategies of geo-engineering are the answer. Producer: Katy Hickman.

On Start the Week Tom Sutcliffe discusses the importance of uncertainty and failure. The former head of the European Research Council Helga Nowotny argues research is fed by uncertainty and that any form of scientific inquiry may produce results that are ambiguous. She criticises policy makers for focusing on easy short-term solutions, but the former conservative MP and Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, understands the difficulty for governments in dealing with uncertainty. In his role at the think tank Resolution Foundation he's attempting to use analytical research to improve policy on living standards. Matthew Syed examines how a positive attitude to failure can lead to success in areas as diverse as sport, business, politics and healthcare. The failure of governments to come to an agreement on climate change will be discussed next month at a UN conference in Paris and Oliver Morton looks at whether the radical, yet uncertain, strategies of geo-engineering are the answer. Producer: Katy Hickman.

On The Gist, the film Spotlight depicts serious investigative journalism without the usual guns, car cases, and explosions. We speak with subjects from the film including journalists Walter “Robby” Robinson (played by Michael Keaton), Sacha Pfeiffer (Rachel McAdams), and Mike Rezendes (Mark Ruffalo). They’re the authors of the book Betrayal: The Crisis in the Catholic Church. For The Spiel, is this the end for Jeb? Today’s sponsors: Squarespace.com. Get a free trial and 10 percent off your first purchase when you visit Squarespace.com and enter offer code GIST. RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you’re qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.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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On The Gist, professional storyteller Matthew Dicks tells a story about how to tell better stories. It all comes down to the stakes. For the Spiel, a moment in the CNBC GOP debates draws attention to the use of “that” and “who” in public speaking. Today’s sponsors: 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. RealtyShares. With RealtyShares, you can invest in professionally vetted residential and commercial real estate projects across the United States. Browse all the investments at no cost once you’re qualified, invest as little as $1,000 per transaction, and diversify your portfolio by visiting RealtyShares.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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For many Americans, the salt you sprinkle on your steak has less of an impact on daily sodium intake than what you pour into your … cereal bowl? On The Gist, Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to examine the research into the impact of salt on your long-term health, and the common foods that drive up daily intake. For the Spiel, no one likes Joe Buck. Today’s sponsors: SAP HANA. SAP HANA helps the world’s best companies get the answers they need to become more agile, develop new streams of revenue, and predict the future. Run SAP. And Run Simple. Visit sap.com/reimagine to learn more 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.  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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On The Gist, should we fear a league of robots taking away our teaching jobs? Slate’s Will Oremus explains why even the smartest teaching tools still need a teacher’s guiding hand. He recently wrote the feature “No More Pencils, No More Books.” For the Spiel, a cadence that many … broadcasters indulge to convey … authenticity. 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 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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