The A.I. Data Center Push That Wasn't

Since the 1980s, hospice has been covered by Medicare, and it’s come to be an expected part of the healthcare that millions of Americans receive at the end of their lives. But beneath the pamphlets of patients living out their days in comfort lies an uglier reality: a cottage industry that frequently misappropriates taxpayer dollars in the name of profit.Guest: Ava Kofman, investigative 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 Amicus—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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17 Tammi 202326min

In the wake of the anniversary of the January 6th insurrection, and now similar riots in Brazil’s capital, we’re picking up our conversation about how to reduce political violence. In the first episode of our two-part series, we heard from Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. This week, we’re talking with Curtis Toler, director of outreach at Chicago CRED. After joining his first street organization at the age of 9, Curtis went from a gang leader to a violence interrupter. He talks about how to reach people entrenched in cycles of conflict, how to get to the peace table, and what Congress (and all of us) can learn from his success on the streets of Chicago.Resources:Chicago CREDA Savage Order: How the World’s Deadliest Countries Can Forge a Path to Security by Rachel KleinfeldAn Ex-Gang Leader’s Advice for Deescalating Violence in Politics by Amanda RipleyIf you liked this episode, check out: “​​How To Talk Politics With Your Dad (Without Yelling) Part 1 and Part 2.”Do you have a question without an answer? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16 Tammi 202335min

Elon Musk was promising an “epic” Q4 at Tesla last year. But 2022 ended closer to what might be considered an “epic fail,” with the stock price down 65 percent. In an uncertain economic environment like this one, how much blame goes to Musk for unloading $40 billion worth of stock and focusing on his shiny new social media network? Or are these just growing pains that every company goes through as they mature? Guest: Dana Hull, automotive and technology reporter for Bloomberg News in San FranciscoHost: Lizzie O’LearyIf 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 TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 Tammi 202328min

You might think of noncompete agreements as mostly limited to highly skilled, highly paid tech workers to protect trade secrets. But one-third of workers bound by noncompetes make $13/hour or less: fast-food workers, security guards, and the like.Noncompete clauses not only give employers leverage over their employees—both during and after their employment—but studies have shown the agreements are a weight on the economy, which is why the FTC is angling for a federal ban. Guest: Elizabeth Wilkins, director of the Office of Policy Planning, Federal Trade CommissionHost: Lizzie O’LearyIf 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 TBD. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Tammi 202319min

Ovidio Guzmán, the son of Sinaloa cartel head Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzmán, was arrested last week in a huge sting by the Mexican government. Who is Ovidio and how does his arrest affect the cartel? Guest: Luis Chaparro, journalist and producer who moves between Texas and Mexico covering narcos, drugs and immigration.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 Amicus—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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12 Tammi 202323min

New York’s new Adult Survivor’s Act has opened a “lookback window”—a year-long suspension of the civil statute of limitations—to allow people who may have been assaulted a long time ago the chance to go to court and demand compensation. For those who choose to pursue legal action, what can they expect?Guest: Carrie Goldberg, victim rights lawyer specializing in sex crimes and author of Nobody’s Victim: Fighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs, and Trolls.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 Amicus—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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11 Tammi 202327min

How far can you go on a lie? Looking at the career of George Santos, United States Representative, it can take you at least to the congressional floor. But now, firmly in the public eye, his resume unraveling, is Santos’ political career about to be derailed before it starts? And how did it get this far in the first place? Guest: Azi Paybarah, national reporter covering campaigns and breaking politics news at 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 Amicus—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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10 Tammi 202321min

On Friday night, Representative Kevin McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House—but not before a far-right revolt kept Congress in a weeklong deadlock. As he begins his tenure as Speaker, will these sorts of standoffs be the rule, not the exception? Guest: Jim Newell, Slate’s senior politics writer.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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9 Tammi 202323min