The Gist

James Holmes is mounting an insanity defense for his trial in the 2012 movie-theater killings in Aurora, Colorado. But what connection does that tactic have with the actual medical understanding of mental illness? Today on The Gist, Fordham's Barry Rosenfeld explains the challenge of diagnosing a "guilty mind." For the Spiel, we ask Nate DiMeo to share an episode of his podcast The Memory Palace about Coney Island's Dreamland amusement park, and his approach to revisiting history. Today's sponsor: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, how common is the phenomenon of the historic genius or eccentric CEO who needs less sleep than the rest of us? Could more of us benefit from less sleep? Mike asks Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker to open our eyes about sleep deprivation, the latest in a series we call "Is That Bulls--t?" For the Spiel, Burwell or not so well. Today's sponsors: Citrix GoToMeeting. When meetings matter, millions choose GoToMeeting. Get a free 30-day trial by visiting GoToMeeting.com and clicking the "try it free" button. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the Wall Street Journal editorial "The New Nationwide Crime Wave," Heather Mac Donald argues that spikes in inner city crime are the consequence of "The Ferguson Effect" on police. Today on The Gist, Mike Pesca disagrees. Mac Donald is the author of Are Cops Racist, and at the Manhattan Institute scholar. For the Spiel, is edible normcore taking it on the chin? Today's sponsor: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, listener Dillon Kondor explains why he finds himself consistently embarrassed by his own stage banter. Can indie rock singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten save the day? They'll join us in studio for a thoughtful conversation about what's involved in being a frontman who's confident in their vulnerability. For the Spiel, the latest Duggar-based revelation. Today's sponsor: Squarespace, the easiest way to create a beautiful website, blog, or online store. Use the offer code GIST at checkout to get 10 percent off. Squarespace. Build it Beautiful. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When Asher Price reached his mid-30s, he realized it was his last chance to learn how to dunk a basketball. Today on The Gist, we'll visit the West 4th Street Courts to learn about his training regimen and the symbolism behind a slam dunk. He's the author of Year of the Dunk: A Modest Defiance of Gravity. For the Spiel, debating about debates. Today's sponsor: Squarespace, the easiest way to create a beautiful website, blog, or online store. Use the offer code GIST at checkout to get 10 percent off. Squarespace. Build it Beautiful. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, a new album from Mac McCaughan captures the feeling of being fifteen in 1982. His new album Non-Believers is available from the label he co-founded, Merge Records. In our segment, you'll hear the tracks "Box Batteries" from the new album, and at the end of the show, "Noisy Night" by Portastatic. For the Spiel, (the) Magna Carta explained. Plus, be sure to come see Mac live in Durham, NC for Mom and Dad Are Fighting LIVE!: The Indie Rock Parenting Edition at Mororco on Sunday, June 7, 2015. Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. And, Squarespace, the easiest way to create a beautiful website, blog, or online store. Use the offer code GIST at checkout to get 10 percent off. Squarespace. Build it Beautiful. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, Maria Konnikova of the New Yorker returns for another installment of "Is That Bullshit?" Maria and Mike take a closer look at compression sleeves used by elite athletes, senior citizens, and injured folks alike. Plus, we talk about the U.S. military's Massive Ordnance Penetrator bomb and Russia's Armata supertank with Rebecca Grant, the president of IRIS Independent Research and a contributor to Air Force magazine. For the Spiel, Mike raises an eyebrow at the body count in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Today's sponsor: Squarespace, the easiest way to create a beautiful website, blog, or online store. Use the offer code GIST at checkout to get 10 percent off. Squarespace. Build it Beautiful. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. Email: thegist@slate.com Twitter: @slategist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, Steve Inskeep of NPR's Morning Edition talks about the story of two complicated political leaders he chronicles in a new book, Jacksonland: President Andrew Jackson, Cherokee Chief John Ross, and a Great American Land Grab. In the Spiel, a candid question: "What will you do now that the Patriot Act has been temporarily suspended?" Today's sponsors: Stamps.com, where you can buy and print official U.S. postage right from your desk using your own computer and printer. Use the promo code THEGIST to get a no-risk trial and a $110 bonus offer. And, Squarespace, the easiest way to create a beautiful website, blog, or online store. Use the offer code GIST at checkout to get 10 percent off. Squarespace. Build it Beautiful. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Join the discussion of this episode on Facebook. Email: thegist@slate.com Twitter: @slategist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alex Winter went from co-starring with Keanu Reeves in the Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure franchise to creating tech-centric documentaries. Today, Winter talks about directing Deep Web, about the online black market Silk Road and its founder Ross Ulbricht, who was sentenced to life in prison on Friday. The show premieres on Epix this weekend. Also, Slate's Joel Meyer joins us to answer one question, and one question only, about Minneapolis. For the Spiel, should we give so much credit to the sage grouse? Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today on The Gist, a brief history of beer with William Glenn and Trish Parry. Their show A Brief History of Beer is at the Under St. Marks Theater in New York the last Sunday of every month. Plus, author Baratunde Thurston joins us from the new Panoply podcast About Race. He's the author of How to Be Black. Guidelines for talking about race include: 1. Assume good intentions, especially online. 2. Shut up. Listen. 3. Try to make it not just about yourself. "But I've never" isn't a good argument. It's about a bigger system. For the Spiel, does it matter if our politicians are out of touch? Today's sponsor: The Netflix original documentary series Chef's Table. Go inside the lives and kitchens of six of the world's most renowned international culinary talents. All episodes now streaming on Netflix. Join Slate Plus! Members get bonus segments, exclusive member-only podcasts, and more. Sign up for a free trial today at slate.com/gistplus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices