Longtime Atlantic tech, culture and political writer Derek Thompson cuts through all the noise surrounding the big questions and headlines that matter to you in his new podcast Plain English. Hear Derek and guests engage the news with clear viewpoints and memorable takeaways. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, and if you've got a topic you want discussed, shoot us an email at [email protected]! You can also find us on tiktok at www.tiktok.com/@plainenglish_
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The best podcast for learning English if you like current events and trending topics. Improve your English listening, learn new words, and build your confidence with the #1 English-learning podcast focused on current events and trending topics. Improve your English listening: Plain English episodes go a little slower than native speed so you can understand every word and improve your English listening little by little. Your host is Jeff. He's a native English speaker from the United States a ...
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Whether you’re a law student, an undergraduate considering law school, or a lifelong learner, join me as we demystify the law — one concept at a time. We break down complex legal principles into plain English, making the law accessible for everyone.
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The Plain English Finance podcast is hosted by Tré Bynoe CFP® CIM®, a financial planner with TCU Wealth Management and Aviso Wealth. While Tré specializes in working with families with more complicated finances, typically involving corporations and trusts, this podcast is for anyone wanting to learn how to make high-quality decisions based on evidence, to give themselves the highest likelihood of financial success. You should always consult with your financial, legal, and tax advisors before ...
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Every day, we explore the world of crypto and blockchain in one minute and in plain English.
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Web3 in Plain English. So much of the tech content explains Web3 with buzz words and overlong articles that make no sense. This podcast will explain practical Web3 use cases that are easy to understand.
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The life of a criminal from early beginnings to life on the right side of the law. We take a deep dive into true crime stories and real prison experiences.
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Learn about copyright law in plain english. Brought to you by the staff of www.ResearchCopyright.com
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UX has a usability problem. Chris and Carla are on hand to help you navigate through the jargon, user flows and mind maps so you can concentrate on designing great things for users. **Disclaimer** The views on this podcast are ours and don’t represent the views of any former or current employers or clients.
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A fresh season for each new election from former government minister and ACT Party Deputy Leader Hon Heather Roy and TorquePoint business partner and former ACT Party candidate and ministerial staffer Dr Simon Ewing-Jarvie. TorquePoint runs the popular LobbyTorque experiential learning programme on effective political lobbying in New Zealand. With much media coverage reduced to soundbites, many are frustrated with the lack of real commentary from people who have worked in Parliament. Season ...
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Ep. 27 | Case Study: What Comes After “We’re On Track”?
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38:00In this episode of Plain English Finance, Tré Bynoe, CFP®, CIM® walks through a real-life case study (with names changed) to explore what happens when you’ve already “made it” — when your retirement savings are on track, your debt is under control, and your financial plan is stable. Tré and Sierra unpack the next stage of wealth building: turning a…
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Is 'premium economy' worth it? [archive]
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13:49We're opening up the archives to repeat episode 223 from January 2020, just before COVID-19 halted air travel. Enjoy! -- In between economy class (in the back) and business class (in the front), airlines have created a new class of service called "premium economy." This is aimed at travelers who will pay a little more for some extra space, but can'…
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A Grand Unified Theory of Cultural Stagnation
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58:51One of my favorite theories about the modern world is the idea that culture is "stuck." Whether the decline of ornamentation in modern architecture, or the fact that every corporate logo looks the same now, or the fact that Gen Z's favorite television was all made in the 1990s and 2000s, or the sequel fetish in Hollywood, or the theory that old mus…
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Product Liability: When Your Toaster Becomes A Defendant
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11:30Send us a text In this explosive episode of Law School in Plain English, we break down product liability—the law that decides who pays when everyday products fail in catastrophic ways. From exploding soda bottles to flaming hair spray, defective cars, and billion-dollar talcum powder verdicts, we take you from the basics all the way to real-world c…
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Black Friday is here, and Plain English is ready to support your English learning with a great introductory offer: Join Plain English Plus+ today and get 3 months for the price of 1! In three months with Plain English, you can: ** Lose the fear of speaking by joining up to 9 live Zoom calls with Jeff & JR ** Learn to express your ideas with in-dept…
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The hot new trend is an ice-cold bath [archive]
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13:10Today's episode is one from the archives, originally number 583. Enjoy! -- Cold plunges are the new health trend championed by high-fliers and ordinary people alike. By submerging yourself water that's 15 degrees Celsius (or colder!), you can manage stress, reduce muscle soreness, improve your concentration, and more, advocates say. Full lesson: ht…
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Ep. 26 | Investing Basics: Understanding Risk
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42:13In this episode of Plain English Finance, Tré Bynoe, CFP®, CIM® breaks down the foundations of smart investing. Joined by Sierra, he walks through the same conversation he has with every new client — what “risk” really means, why most people misunderstand it, and how to build a portfolio that matches both your goals and your comfort level. Tré expl…
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The University of California San Diego is one of the best public colleges in America. So it was fairly shocking when the school released a report on the steep decline in academic preparedness of its freshman. The number of incoming students in need of remedial math has surged in the past few years. These students did not fail high school math. Many…
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Parkrun is the world’s free running club
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14:33Today's story: Parkrun is a free, volunteer-run event that takes place every Saturday morning in parks around the world. Participants run, jog, or walk a 5K route, and the focus is on community, health, and fun—not competition. What started with just 13 runners in London has expanded to over 23 countries. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglis…
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How Superintelligent AI Could Upend Work and Politics
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58:43Many AI experts believe that some time in the next few years, we will build something close to artificial general intelligence (AGI), a system that can do nearly all valuable cognitive work as well as or better than humans. What happens to jobs, wages, prices, and politics in that world? To explore that question, Derek is joined by Anton Korinek, a…
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The quest to make snake bites less lethal
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14:52Today's story: Snake bites kill over 100,000 people each year, but antivenom (the treatment for poisonous snake bites) has hardly changed in a century. Today, doctors have to know the type of snake that bit a patient, and the hospital has to have the right antivenom handy. But now, scientists are developing universal treatments that work against ma…
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Sometimes, the perfect guest to discuss your own writing is ... you. On this special crossover episode, I am interviewed by Ben Smith and Max Tani of Semafor's Mixed Signals podcast about my recent essay, "Everything Is Television." During our conversation, which you can also find on the Mixed Signals feed, we discuss TV, politics, the definition o…
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Ep. 25 | The 4% Fallacy: Why Lazy Planning Hurts Clients
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45:21Some financial planners still use the same flat “4% return” rate for every client’s retirement plan. Tré and Sierra explain why that’s not just inaccurate—it’s unprofessional. In this candid episode, Tré shares what happened at a due diligence event that left him frustrated with the industry’s bad habits. You’ll learn why using made-up assumptions …
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Seniors are the new screen addicts
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13:36Today's story: Screen time among senior citizens has been growing recently, as more and more retirees use phones and tablets, in addition to time spent watching television. Online devices can help seniors keep their skills sharp, stay in touch with loved ones, and pass the time. But seniors are also vulnerable to scams and don't have the built-in s…
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Youth unemployment is rising. Hiring is freezing up. The housing market is a mess. How did things get so bad for young people in the economy? And are things as bad as they seem? Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson of the Animal Spirits podcast join the show to discuss. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at Plain…
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The rise and fall of Publishers Clearing House
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16:27Today's story: Publishers Clearing House made its name by offering magazine subscriptions through the mail—along with the chance to win big prizes. The lure of big winnings helped the company sell millions of subscriptions. Some winners received $5,000 a week for life. But the company recently declared bankruptcy, and the "lifetime" payments stoppe…
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The Democrats Have a New Winning Formula
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1:00:43This week was a straight flush for Democrats. Zohran Mamdani completed his heroic arc to become mayor of the world’s most important city. Democrats ran up huge margins in the big governor races in Virginia and New Jersey, where Abigail Spanberger and Mikie Sherrill, respectively, won by double digits. What unified the three victories was the Democr…
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Ep. 24 | Should You Incorporate? What Canadians Should Know
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42:58Should you incorporate your business, or stick with a sole proprietorship? In this episode, Tré and Sierra unpack what a corporation really is, how it works, and why it’s one of the most powerful wealth-building tools available to Canadians. Tré explains the real advantages—legal protection, tax efficiency, and control over income timing—while also…
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Four Seasons hotels win big with ‘White Lotus’
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14:59Today's story: The White Lotus may be fictional, but the luxury hotels in the show are real—and they’re getting a lot more attention. All three seasons of the HBO hit show "The White Lotus" were filmed at Four Seasons resorts. It all started with a risky bet during the pandemic, but now the hotel chain is finally embracing its onscreen fame. Transc…
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How the American Revolution Changed the World, With Ken Burns
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59:19Ken Burns—the award-winning filmmaker whose documentary films and television series on American history include 'The Civil War' (1990), 'Baseball' (1994), 'Jazz' (2001), and 'Country Music' (2019)—joins the show to talk about the American Revolution and the art of storytelling. If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, emai…
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Louvre robbery: How it happened
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13:48Today's story: On a Sunday morning in October, four thieves disguised as construction workers used a ladder truck and power tools to break into the Louvre museum. In just seven minutes, they smashed display cases and escaped with eight priceless pieces of French crown jewelry, including emeralds, sapphires, and pearls once worn by empresses. Transc…
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The Problem With Sports Gambling
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54:45Last week, an FBI investigation into gambling led to the arrest of several prominent basketball stars, raising questions about the state of legalized sports betting, which has enriched professional sports and sports media. The problems with sports gambling extend far beyond the integrity of the game. A 2024 working paper from economists at UCLA, Ha…
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Buck v. Bell: The Supreme Court Case That Inspired Hitler’s Final Solution.
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28:43Send us a text Buck v. Bell: The Supreme Court Case That Inspired Hitler’s Eugenics Nightmare. In 1927, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that states could forcibly sterilize “undesirables” like Carrie Buck—a young woman falsely labeled “feeble-minded” for being poor and pregnant out of wedlock. Justice Holmes’ infamous line? “Three generations of i…
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Ep. 23 | The Real Purpose of Insurance
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49:43Most people think insurance is for “what if I die?” scenarios—but that’s not the real risk. In this episode, Tré and Sierra break down how smart families and business owners actually manage risk. From life insurance to disability and liability coverage, Tré explains how to identify what’s truly at stake—your ability to earn, live, and protect your …
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A visit to Dublin [archive]
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17:24In this episode from the Plain English archives, you'll learn about Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland. It's a great place to explore the best of Irish culture: the music, the drinks, and the literature. -- Cold plunges are the new health trend championed by high-fliers and ordinary people alike. By submerging yourself water that's 15 d…
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Law School In Plain English: Hidden Verdicts - When The Supreme Court Justified Death By Electrcity.
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19:16Send us a text They called it progress. Thomas Edison called it science. But when the Supreme Court gave its blessing, electricity became something else entirely — a state-sanctioned killer. In this eerie Halloween edition of Law School in Plain English, Jeff pulls back the curtain on one of the most haunting legal moments in American history: when…
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Law School In Plain English: Hidden Verdicts - “The Law That Said ‘Everyone’s Equal’—Until You Were Chinese”
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11:08Send us a text You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Equal protection under the law.” But what happens when the law looks fair on paper… and is used unfairly in real life? In this episode, Jeff dives into one of the most overlooked Supreme Court cases in U.S. history — Yick Wo v. Hopkins (1886) — where a Chinese laundry owner in San Francisco stood up…
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Strict Liability: When Fault Doesn’t Matter.
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26:07Send us a text You’re liable even if you did nothing wrong. Welcome to Strict Liability—the torts rule that says fault doesn’t matter. In this episode, we break down how owning a vicious dog, storing explosives, or making homemade fireworks can cost you big—even if you were careful. No negligence? No defense. From Rylands v. Fletcher to explosives,…
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Michael Lewis on How the Global Financial Crisis Explains Trump, Crypto, and Everything Else
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1:12:03Bestselling author Michael Lewis joins the show to talk about how bubbles happen, the legacy of 'The Big Short' and the global financial crisis, 'Moneyball' and how the data analytics revolution conquered sports and entertainment, the difference between being a good investor and being a good investigative journalist, and the craft of writing. Liste…
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What sound should a quiet car make?
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14:02In this episode from the Plain English archives: Electric vehicles promised to improve safety and reduce harmful CO2 emissions, but they’re also eerily quiet, which is causing safety problems for pedestrians and cyclists. Several countries now have regulations mandating that electric vehicles make noise with external speakers, but it’s up to the ca…
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What Happens When AI Learns to Do Our Jobs
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54:14Today’s guest is Ethan Mollick. Ethan is a professor of management at Wharton, where he specializes in entrepreneurship and innovation. He is the author of the book 'Co-Intelligence: Living and Working With AI,' and his Substack, One Useful Thing, is the single most useful guide I have ever found to make sense of these tools and use them productive…
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Ep. 22 | Buy Now, Regret Later.
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31:45“Buy now, pay later” sounds harmless. Four easy payments, no interest, and you’re done. But in this episode, Tré and Sierra Bynoe break down why services like Klarna are anything but free. They uncover how BNPL programs encourage overspending, trap users in hidden fees, and target the most financially vulnerable. From financing groceries to making …
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Update episode: BTS, Birkin, NYC trash, Seine swimming & more
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12:43Today's story: Get ready for some updates to previous Plain English stories: New York begins rolling out containerized trash collection; Paris opens the Seine for public swimming; BTS announces a comeback; the original Birkin bag sells for a record €8.6 million; Ethiopia opens the long-disputed Nile dam; and the UK, Uruguay, and Italy take steps to…
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Can "Touch-Grass Populism" Save America?
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59:48By some measures, the Democratic Party has never been so unpopular as a political brand. While this fact obviously reflects some difficult realities for the party, it also creates an opportunity for Democrats to redefine what the party stands for. Derek talks to Massachusetts Congressman Jake Auchincloss about his idea for a digital dopamine tax, t…
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The Reasonable Person Goes To Court.
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10:01Send us a text In this episode, we move beyond theory and watch the law’s favorite imaginary character face real-life legal drama. We explore how courts decide what’s foreseeable, what behavior counts as reasonable, and what happens when someone says: 👉 “I didn’t think that would happen.” You’ll learn: How juries decide what’s “normal” behavior Why…
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Sagrada Familia nears completion after 140 years
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11:22Today's story: Construction on the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, is approaching a major milestone after more than 140 years. The basilica’s central tower is nearly complete, and the project is expected to be structurally finished by 2026, the 100th anniversary of the death of Antoni Gaudí. But more than a decade of additional work remains be…
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Everybody Thinks AI Is a Bubble. What If They’re Wrong?
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52:07Two weeks ago, in one of our most popular podcasts of the year, the investor and author Paul Kedrosky explained why he thinks AI is a bubble. In the last few days, practically everybody seems to agree. I hate this. I don’t like feeling like my position is the same position as everybody else’s. Conventional wisdoms are often more conventional than w…
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