In the age of the vast and insatiable Internet, where zany headlines are compiled by the hive-mind, is it possible that the very notion of weird has been diluted? On The Gist, Slate contributing editor Dan Engber explores changing standards for the strange and bizarre. He recently wrote about this for Pacific Standard in a piece called "Who, What, Where, When, Weird." For the Spiel, why Iran is the perfect country for an arms control treaty. 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. And by Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Get a free 30-day trial by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the "try it free" button. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices