Slate Technology

This week’s AWS outage illustrates just how fragile and vulnerable our interconnected world really is—and how far we’ve fallen from the vision of a decentralized internet.  Guest: Samanth Subramanian [https://samanth.substack.com/], author of “The Web Beneath the Waves: The Fragile Cables That Connect Our World. [http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DYHNKFL9/?tag=slatmaga-20]” Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus [http://slate.com/whatnextplus] to get access wherever you listen. Podcast production by Evan Campbell, and Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

On today’s episode, host Kate Lindsay is joined by Slate staff writer Luke Winkie to talk about Twitch streamer Hasan Piker, who some viewers have accused of shocking his dog on his livestream. Winkie spent time with Piker [https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/02/hasan-piker-donald-trump-news-elon-musk-jd-vance.html] and his dog, Kaya, for Slate earlier this year, and helps debunk the misinformation currently being spread by cloutchasers and right-wing media figures alike. He also answers the most important question of them all: Just how soft is Kaya’s fur, exactly? Get more of ICYMI with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of ICYMI and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the ICYMI show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/icymi/id1554115325] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6bo1EK9sElQV8DqzO0HLac]. Or, visit slate.com/icymiplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=ICYMI&utm_source=show_notes] for access wherever you listen. This podcast is produced by Daisy Rosario, Vic Whitley-Berry, and Kate Lindsay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Hosts Alex Kirshner [https://www.splitzoneduo.com/], Lindsay Gibbs [https://lindsaygibbs.com/], and Ben Lindbergh [https://www.theringer.com/authors/ben-lindbergh] are joined by Nate Silver [https://www.natesilver.net/], founder of FiveThirtyEight and Silver Bulletin, to discuss his new NFL prediction model “ELWAY” and what it reveals about an unpredictable football league. Later in the show, OG Hang Up host Stefan Fatsis [https://www.bystefanfatsis.com/] returns to talk about his new book on the dictionary, “Unabridged: The Thrill of and Threat to the Modern Dictionary,” and to share some of his favorite sports word definitions. The panel also previews the upcoming NBA season. Stefan sticks around to give a throwback style introduction to Ben's Afterball on the goofy mule-kicker comedy “Gus”. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel has GOAT talk aboutShohei Ohtani. NFL (3:54): The tricky world of football forcasting NBA (26:33): Will Wemby be great? Fatsis is back! (45:18): The prodigal host is unabridged Afterballs (1:05:08: Hee-haw (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.) Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hang-up-and-listen/id327595087] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/65uyYjdz34l1411uDzmKlA], or visit slate.com/hangupplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Hang_Up&utm_source=episode_summary] for access wherever you listen. You can email us at hangup@slate.com [hangup@slate.com]. Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Hosts Alex Kirshner [https://www.splitzoneduo.com/], Lindsay Gibbs [https://lindsaygibbs.com/], and Ben Lindbergh [https://www.theringer.com/authors/ben-lindbergh] are joined by Nate Silver [https://www.natesilver.net/], founder of FiveThirtyEight and Silver Bulletin, to discuss his new NFL prediction model “ELWAY” and what it reveals about an unpredictable football league. Later in the show, OG Hang Up host Stefan Fatsis [https://www.bystefanfatsis.com/] returns to talk about his new book on the dictionary, “Unabridged: The Thrill of and Threat to the Modern Dictionary,” and to share some of his favorite sports word definitions. The panel also previews the upcoming NBA season. Stefan sticks around to give a throwback style introduction to Ben's Afterball on the goofy mule-kicker comedy “Gus”. On the bonus episode available exclusively for Slate Plus members, the panel has GOAT talk aboutShohei Ohtani. NFL (3:54): The tricky world of football forcasting NBA (26:33): Will Wemby be great? Fatsis is back! (45:18): The prodigal host is unabridged Afterballs (1:05:08: Hee-haw (Note: time codes are only accurate for Slate Plus members, who listen ad-free.) Get more Hang Up and Listen with Slate Plus! Join for weekly bonus episodes of Hang Up and Listen and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the Hang Up and Listen show page on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hang-up-and-listen/id327595087] or Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/65uyYjdz34l1411uDzmKlA], or visit slate.com/hangupplus [https://slate.com/podcast-plus?utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plus_pod&utm_content=Hang_Up&utm_source=episode_summary] for access wherever you listen. You can email us at hangup@slate.com [hangup@slate.com]. Podcast production and editing by Kevin Bendis, with production assistance from Patrick Fort. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Paying a fraction of a penny per stream and diminishing the value of music were bad enough for Xiu Xiu, but when Spotify owner Daniel Ek announced an investment in a German defense contractor, they decided it was time to take the music back. Guest: Jamie Stewart, musician in the band Xiu Xiu [https://www.xiuxiu.org/]. Want more What Next TBD? Subscribe to Slate Plus to access ad-free listening to the whole What Next family and all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts by clicking “Try Free” at the top of our show page. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus [http://slate.com/whatnextplus] to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]