The One-Man Beautification Plan
A security guard from Queens explains why he’s repainting New York’s forgotten emergency call boxes.
Caffeine: Shot by ShotCaffeine is powerful and effective, but it’s still a drug. Do the benefits outweigh the costs?
The Passion of the ChristieWhile preparing to run for the highest office, Chris Christie hasn’t tamped down his personality in any way. Will that help or hurt?
The Five-Second StoryYour greatest story probably comes from a tiny sliver of your life. Tell us about it for The Gist’s new storytelling project.
George Costanza vs. ISISEnlisting Art Vandelay in the war against Islamic extremism’s nihilistic narrative.
Bull in a Vagina ShopMore than you ever wanted to know about putting an artificial vagina on the erect penis of a 2,000-pound bull.
Shh! ASMR Isn’t RealThe Gist gets a tingly feeling when Maria Konnikova calls bulls--t on the very scientific-sounding term “autonomous sensory meridian response.”
Redial-a-SongMike Pesca was a devoted fan of They Might Be Giants’ infamous answering-machine project in the ’80s. With the band rebooting Dial-a-Song for 2015, Mike will premiere a new song every Monday on the Gist.
Al Michaels Has the CallOne of the most familiar voices in sports made his bones in Hawaii, then made a name for himself with the “Miracle on Ice.”
CongressionalizationThomas Schaller explains why Congress is well-suited to the Republican agenda, for now.
Microsoft’s Imperfect 10We can mock the decision to skip Windows 9, but the software giant still has a serious share of the market.
Fraunces Tavern BombingForty years ago a banker named Frank Connor died in a terrorist bombing in lower Manhattan. We speak with his son Joe Connor.
How Do I Learn Thee? Let Us Count the Ways.There are 71 documented learning styles, but how many of them really matter?
Where Are America’s Terrorist Cells?The possibility of a terror attack in the United States is real, but so are bigger threats.
Is “Don’t Be Evil” More Than a Slogan?Is the Internet inherently good for mankind, or is it just good for business?
If LBJ Faced Today’s CongressHow did Lyndon B. Johnson get so much done? A corrective history from Julian Zelizer.
A Poet Goes to MerConMatthea Harvey’s work explores the in-between-ness of man and mythical creature. She was drawn to Las Vegas, of course.
Mario Cuomo’s Missed Career in Stand-UpDid the late New York governor’s policy prescriptions from a 1992 speech hold up? We review the tape with Jacob Weisberg and Adam Davidson.
Give Me Liberty or Give Me … LibertéComparing the French and Anglo notions of liberty, and other untranslatable ideas.
Grin and Bear ItHow a wildlife researcher traps, tags, and studies black bears using an irresistible mix of marshmallows and peanut butter.