Slate News

For years, the Postal Service has faced financial turmoil. Now, facing a pandemic, mail volume has dropped off and the question has resurfaced: Can the post office survive? Devin Leonard wrote the book on the Postal Service and says how it got to this latest crisis is more complicated than it seems. With the post master general saying that the service could be financially insolvent by the fall, is this the government’s last chance to right the ship?

Guest: Devin Leonard, writer for Bloomberg and Bloomberg Businessweek. He’s also the author of Neither Snow Nor Rain: A History of the United States Postal Service.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It all started when the weather took a turn for the better. Surfers and beachgoers flocked to Orange County shores, only to find them cordoned off, at the behest of Governor Gavin Newsom. Protestors took to the streets in Huntington Beach, demanding an end to the shutdowns. The demonstrations weren't huge. But, in the world of Republican politics, you ignore Orange County at your own peril.

Guest: Gustavo Arellano, writer at the Los Angeles Times and host of L.A. Times podcast Coronavirus in California. He’s also the author of Orange County: A Personal History.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Slate Money mini-series, Felix Salmon talks to guests about the economics of food.

This week, Austin Bryniarski joins to discuss his theory that the war on food waste is a little too easy for everyone to get behind and might ultimately serve as a distraction from bigger environmental and social issues. 

For more info, read his article The War on Food Waste is a Waste of Time by Austin Bryniarski for The Outline.

Email: [email protected]

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Last spring, Lucy Flores wrote in The Cut that Joe Biden invaded her personal space and sniffed her hair at a campaign event in 2014. She says Biden never reached out to her after she went public. Now, as Joe Biden faces even more serious allegations from a former staffer, what action does Lucy expect from the former Vice President?

Guest: Lucy Flores, Former Nevada Assemblywoman and CEO Luz Collective.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the coronavirus continues to leave people sick and out of work, alone and under stress, there’s one particular group of people taking special notice, extremists. It's not just the virus that is spreading. Extreme and violent rhetoric is too.

Guest: Hannah Allam, covers extremism for NPR.

Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up now.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week Felix, Anna, and Emily discuss the process for reopening states, what’s going on with big business right now, and the gross domestic product that’s hidden in our homes. 

In the Slate Plus segment: The meat industry. 

Email: [email protected]

Podcast production by Jessamine Molli.

Twitter: @felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @EmilyRPeck

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we're introducing you to one of our favorite podcasts, Code Switch!

Hosted by Gene Demby and Shereen Marisol Meraji, Code Switch offers some of the best stories and conversations about race you'll find anywhere.

On today's bonus episode you'll hear a fascinating story about what happened when Puerto Ricans were asked for the first time on their census form: "What is your race?"

The answer reveals a lot about the island's relationship with the US and, of course, our identities.

Don't forget to subscribe to Code Switch wherever you listen to podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the world’s largest tech companies posted their quarterly earnings. And—unlike most other companies in the world—things aren’t looking so bad. With the global economy reeling, and people sheltering indoors, the tech giants have an opportunity to reshape the way we live. Don’t expect them to wait on the sidelines.

Guest: Elizabeth Dwoskin, Silicon Valley correspondent at the Washington Post

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, the world’s largest tech companies posted their quarterly earnings. And—unlike most other companies in the world—things aren’t looking so bad. With the global economy reeling, and people sheltering indoors, the tech giants have an opportunity to reshape the way we live. Don’t expect them to wait on the sidelines.

Guest: Elizabeth Dwoskin, Silicon Valley correspondent at the Washington Post

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Virginia Heffernan talks to CNN national security analyst Juliette Kayyem about what it really means—and what it takes— to safely re-open the country and heal from the coronavirus pandemic, the Waffle House Index, and how this crisis may affect our values.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices