Slate News

Elizabeth Holmes was found guilty of defrauding investors this week in federal court. The former CEO, wunderkind, and blood mogul has been the subject of intense legal interest and public fascination ever since her company, Theranos, was beset by scandal in 2015. Today on What Next: TBD we follow-up with Rebecca Jarvis, host of “The Dropout” podcast and ABC News Chief Business, Technology & Economics Correspondent. We dig into the verdict and ask if Silicon Valley will finally confront the elements of its culture that allowed Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos to run wild with investor’s money, and patient’s health. You can listen to “The Dropout: Elizabeth Holmes on Trial” now wherever you get your podcasts.

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Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson and David Plotz discuss Jan. 6, with guest Jamelle Bouie and what to make of omicron's impact on schools, and the Theranos case.

Here are some notes and references from this week’s show:

Matt Levine for Bloomberg: “Slaying the Blood Unicorn”

Wall Street Journal: Theranos and Elizabeth Holmes: History of the WSJ Investigation 

Emily Bazelon for the New York Times Magazine: “I Write About the Law. But Could I Really Help Free a Prisoner?”

Ruddy Roye Photography

Walker Evans

Anastasia Taylor-Lind

Sally Mann

Larry Fink Photography

Edward Hopper: Night Shadows, 1921

Alexander Calder: Finny Fish

Wolfgang Laib: Wax Room

Caravaggio: The Conversion of Saint Paul

Here’s this week’s chatter:

Emily: Crossroads, by Jonathan Franzen; Parul Sehgal for the New Yorker: “The Case Against the Trauma Plot”

John: Window-Swap.com

David: Fight Club; Free Guy; City Cast

Listener chatter from Cynthia Weiner: Corryn Wetzel for Smithsonian Magazine: “Ten Hilarious Winners of the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards”

For this week’s Slate Plus bonus segment Emily, John, David, and Jamelle discuss the famous works of art they would most like to possess. 

Tweet us your questions and chatters @SlateGabfest or email us at [email protected]. (Messages may be quoted by name unless the writer stipulates otherwise.)

Podcast production by Jocelyn Frank.

Research and show notes by Bridgette Dunlap.

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Back in March of 2020, a scientist working at MIT developed a rapid test for the novel coronavirus. It wasn’t quite as accurate as a PCR, but would have gone a long way in detecting infectious cases during the emerging pandemic. But her test was never approved—and today, the U.S. is still behind other developed countries in our mass testing scheme.

Guest: Lydia Depillis, reporter for ProPublica.

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.

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It's easy to look at the latest pandemic-related disruptions and assume we're careening into another full-blown COVID crisis. But in many ways, we’re getting better at combating this coronavirus. 

Guest: Dan Diamond, national health reporter for the Washington Post. 

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.

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Months before the attack on the Capitol, Bart Gellman predicted that the 2020 election would usher in a make-or-break year for American democracy. He was correct. Now, he’s trying to sound the alarm again. This time he says American democratic institutions and systems are being broken before our eyes, and the people in power aren’t doing enough to stop it.

Guest: Barton Gellman, staff writer at The Atlantic.

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.

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The Justice Department’s criminal investigation into the January 6th insurrection is unprecedented. More than 700 rioters face charges, and federal prosecutors are still adding names to the pile. As cases work their way through the courts, judges are sparring over the proper approach to sentencing rioters. How do you hold an individual responsible for a collective event? 

Guest: Zoe Tillman, senior legal reporter with BuzzFeed News. 

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.

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Should journalists work to end American racism, not just report on it? That’s what the Boston Globe’s new project, The Emancipator, is making its mission. On today’s episode of A Word, Jason Johnson is joined by its co-editor-in-chief, Amber Payne. They discuss The Emancipator’s history, and its vision for an anti-racist American future.

Guest: Amber Payne, co-editor in chief of The Emancipator at the Boston Globe

Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis

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Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, to reflect on the past year and her time at the head of the legendary civil rights organization as she prepares to step down in spring 2022. 

In our Slate Plus segment, Dahlia is joined by Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern for the “Amicus Plus 2021 Hangover Edition,” in which they run down their biggest headaches from 2021 and look for signs of hope in the courts and the legal system for 2022.

Podcast production by Sara Burningham.

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This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael are joined by Joe Weisentahl of the Bloombergpodcast Odd Lots. They discuss this past very long year in markets – from labor to crypto to supply chains; what’s up and what’s making them go ‘huh?’ and how we should maybe be grateful to Steve Mnuchin. 

In the Plus segment: How the lumber supply chain issue had very little to do with lumber. 

Mentioned In the show: 

“This is the Booming Movement to Abolish Work as We Know It” by Odd Lots podcast

“The Effect of Earned Versus House Money on Price Bubble Formation in Experimental Asset Markets” by Brice Corgnet, Roberto Hernan-Gonzalez, Praveen Kujal, and David Porter

“Gambling With the House Money and Trying to Break Even: The Effects of Prior Outcomes on Risky Choice” by Richard H. Thaler and Eric J. Johnson

Email: [email protected]

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth

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On this week’s episode of The Waves, former hosts Christina Cauterucci, Nichole Perkins and Marcia Chatelain return for a special reunion. They haven't been on the microphones together since the pandemic started, and they have a lot to discuss. They cover the nighttime doula Twitter fight, thoughts on the generational battles that are raging, how race plays a role in nostalgia, and the horrors of dating during the pandemic. 

In Slate Plus: Is gift giving sexist?

Recommendations:

Christina: Sheertex tights

Nichole: Candles, especially from Brooklyn Candle Studio and Posh Candle Company.

Marcia: Checking out interesting children’s books like Julián Is a Mermaid, by Jessica Love. 

Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas. 

Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to [email protected]

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