The Gist

The world used to be full of empires. Is it time for an imperial resurgence? On today's Gist, Robert D. Kaplan, national correspondent for the Atlantic, makes the argument for something that looks a lot like a modern empire, although with a less fraught name. Plus, a look at new research into how we taste, with Charles Spence of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory, who wrote on the subject in Flavour Journal. For the Spiel, remembering NPR's good witch, Margo Adler. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2

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Today on The Gist, where do you draw the line with your husband's close female friends? Emily Yoffe of Slate's Dear Prudence column joins us for a post-Prudie impact statement concerning a husband's proposed road trip with an ex. Then, Susan Crawford, author of Captive Audience, explains why Hollywood and cable subscribers everywhere have the right to be spooked and outraged by the possible Fox-Time Warner merger. For the Spiel, it's time for another an-twentig. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2

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How good did the Roman emperors have it? The Gist asks UCLA history professor Ronald Mellor to compare a ruler's bounty in the ancient world with life in modern America. Plus, Kashmir Hill from Forbes explains the latest tarnish on Facebook's reputation for dubious privacy practices. In today's Spiel, another botched execution and what it teaches us about the death penalty. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2

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Today on The Gist, writer Dave Hill tells us about what it's like to go on a naked cruise. Then, Mike explains why investor Bill Ackman's high-profile accusations against Herbalife failed to make the company go the way of Enron. Michael Regan, the editor at large for Bloomberg News, shares what made this presentation unique, despite Wall Street's cool reaction. For the Spiel, the news from Sioux Falls. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2

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Are all civilians are automatically innocent? Today on The Gist, host Mike Pesca debates a Wall Street Journal op-ed from Thane Rosenbaum, Senior Fellow and Director of the NYU Forum on Law, Culture & Society. Plus, Dr. Dalia Gavriely-Nuri from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, offers translations and insight into Israeli operation names such as Operation Protective Edge and Operation Pillar of Defense. For the Spiel, classics ruined. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2

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Today on The Gist, reporter Challen Stephens explains how an investigative journalism initiative has brought new attention to horrible prison conditions in Alabama. Then, we learn about the top-secret mission of one of NYC's first Italian heroes, NYPD Lt. Joe Petrosino. Mike Dash, author of The Fist Family, explains how new clues have emerge in this unsolved murder. For the Spiel, how the mundane often undoes technology. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2

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Today on The Gist, Slate's Anne Applebaum shares insights into Vladimir Putin's next move. How might the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 affect what Applebaum believes is Putin's failing strategy in Ukraine? Then, count penguin poo with researcher Michelle LaRue from the University of Minnesota's Polar Geospatial Center. She's using satellite imagery to get a better count on penguin populations. In today's Spiel, the MH17 story is all about the telling detail. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2

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Today on The Gist, Ben Lillie from Story Collider explains how muon particles may help us see inside of the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Plus, Archie Comics announced this week that its Life With Archie series would end with protagonist Archie Andrews taking a bullet to save his gay best friend. Jonathan Merrifield, host of the Riverdale Podcast, tell us what this means for fans. For the Spiel, Riverdale Action News takes over this podcast with other breaking comics news. Get The Gist by email as soon as it's available: slate.com/GistEmail Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/slate…id873667927?mt=2

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Today on The Gist, as rockets rain from Gaza, Israeli society is resigned to the fight. We speak with Israeli journalist Shlomi Eldar and former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren, who explain what makes the current military goal different from past conflicts. Plus, Maria Konnikova of The New Yorker explains how so-called bandwidth poverty strains our mental resources and makes decision-making harder. For the Spiel, parents are now getting arrested for letting their kids out.

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Today on The Gist, political analyst Jonah Blank from RAND explains how young democracies navigate fair elections. Plus, Mike speaks with Sonja Lyubomirsky, the author of The Myths of Happiness, about how we can make ourselves into happier people by doing the things that happy people do. For the Spiel, no, you probably won't succumb to a brain-eating amoeba.

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