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On The Gist, more details come out about Garrison Keillor.In the interview, it turns out something can be good for your taste buds without being bad for your health. Monosodium glutamate has gotten a bad rap since 1968, when a medical journal suggested it might cause all kinds of symptoms. Dan Pashman, creator and host of the Sporkful podcast, tells us why MSG isn’t the boogeyman it’s been made out to be (and why he adds it to his own cooking).In the Spiel, behold, the mystical power of Maine Sen. Susan Collins’ talking stick.

Felix Salmon of Fusion, Slate Moneybox columnist Jordan Weissmann, and political risk consultant Anna Szymanski discuss:The Blackrock letterSuper PIK bondsThe Gates Foundation paying off Nigeria’s debt to JapanIn Slate Plus: The collapse of CarillionCheck out other Panoply podcasts at panoply.fm.Email: slatemoney@slate.comTwitter:@felixsalmon, @Three_Guineas, @JHWeissmannProduction by Daniel Schroeder

Josh Voorhees with the rundown: The best thing about the shutdown (it’s a low bar!); Ted Cruz Ted Cruzes (and gets called out for it); and RIP, Rosie the Riveter.

This week, writer Rohin Guha tells us of the joys of leaving Twitter post Trump election. First, the Prudence team takes on gender discrimination at a so-called forward-thinking progressive company. “Tired Asexual” asks “how do I regain my ability to appreciative media that shoehorns romantic interludes as stand-ins for all important interpersonal dynamics?” And lastly, when bird-sitting for neighbors, how can I confront them about their racist artwork? Hear more Prudence by joining Slate Plus: Slate.com/Prudiepod.

John McWhorter on the etymology and pronunciation of English numbers.Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at www.slate.com/podcastsplus. Twitter: @lexiconvalleyFacebook: facebook.com/LexiconValleyEmail: lexiconvalley@slate.com

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that of the 43.4 million Americans who live with a mental illness, 16 million have depression. But how do you know if you’re one of them? And if you are, what does "depression" even mean? In Episode 1 of Life Effects, guest Dr. Jonathan Rottenberg describes how he learned to process his own depression, and explains what he’s discovered about the nuts and bolts of the condition after years of psychological research. 

Slate Plus members get a bonus episode of Slow Burn every week. This week, we're releasing some samples of those episodes—interviews with people with a unique perspective on Watergate. Find out more at slate.com/slowburn.Next week: The end.

On The Gist, what just happened? And are Democrats sniveling losers or Machiavellian savants?  McClatchy reporter Alex Roarty explains why the animating force driving both Democrats and Republicans right now is a loud conservative minority. In the Spiel, Greece has beef regarding which part of world gets to be called “Macedonia.”

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin talk about the Patriots’ and Eagles’ wins in the NFL’s title games; the New York Times’ Juliet Macur discusses the sex abuse scandal in U.S. gymnastics; and Deadspin’s Dave McKenna helps remember D.C. sports legend Gary Mays. NFL playoffs (1:41): A conversation about the Patriots’ inevitability, the rise and fall of the Jaguars, the state of being Blake Bortles, and the shocking excellence of Nick Foles. Larry Nassar (24:40): The New York Times’ Juliet Macur discusses the power of the victim impact statements from Aly Raisman and other gymnasts, and talks about how the sport should reckon with its massive sexual abuse scandal. Gary Mays (42:52):Deadspin’s Dave McKenna memorializes the one-armed basketball and baseball star, who died last week at the age of 82. McKenna explains how Mays shut down Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor, and how he thrived despite being deprived of opportunities due to segregation. Afterballs (1:00:21):

Josh Voorhees runs you through the Senate compromise and tells you what it might mean for the next shutdown.

Producer Jayson De Leon talks to Slate's Jim Newell about the run-up to the government shutdown. Then, how did the shutdown vote unfold? We have a play-by-play of sorts.

We’re inside the chamber for the high-profile case involving a death row inmate from Louisiana who’s asking for a new trial after his lawyer told the jury his client was guilty, despite the client’s insistence that he was innocent. Jay Schwikert, a policy analyst with the Cato Institute’s Project on Criminal Justice and co-author of an amicus brief filed in this case, joins Dahlia Lithwick to sift through the arguments and legal principles at play. Veteran Supreme Court reporter Linda Greenhouse talks about shifting positions from the solicitor General’s office, tees up a key case at the intersection of abortion and free speech that will be heard by the high court this term, and gives her take on the status of the truth in the courts and the country in the age of Trump. Transcripts of Amicus are available to Slate Plus members several days after each episode posts. To learn more about Slate Plus, go to slate.com/amicusplus.Please let us know what you think of Amicus. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. Our email is amicus@slate.com.Podcast production by Sara Burningham.

Up first on The Gist: It appears the Stormy Daniels story checks out.  Plus, Saturday marks the first anniversary of President Trump’s inauguration. The hosts of Slate’s Trumpcast join Mike to revise old predictions, make new ones, and consider whether Democrats should be rooting for impeachment via the Robert Mueller investigation.  And in the Spiel, we’re on the verge of another government shutdown. It seems normal now. Or have we lost track of what normal looks like?

Josh Voorhees with the rundown: Washington edges toward a shutdown, Fox News decides diversity is a bad thing, and Stormy Daniels talks about Trump, sex, and sharks.

David Frum is a senior editor at The Atlantic, and the author of the new book Trumpocracy: The Corruption of the American Republic. He sits down with Isaac Chotiner to discuss the state of democracy after a year of Trump, why the president’s buffoonery doesn’t make him less dangerous, and his own journey from famous neocon to Trump critic. Email: ask@slate.comTwitter: @IHaveToAskPod Podcast production by Max Jacobs.