KQED's Forum

Parking is one of the biggest paradoxes of American life. There are between one and two billion parking spaces in the United States, several for each car, and in cities the ratio is even higher. At the same time, to harried drivers seeking a spot near an appointment or to residents of densely populated neighborhoods, it can feel like there are never enough places to park. We’ll talk to Slate’s Henry Grabar about whether the parking shortage is real or imagined and how parking determines the design of our buildings, the character of our communities and the health of our environment. Grabar’s new book is “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World.”Guests:Henry Grabar, staff writer, Slate - author, "Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it possible to have a capitalist democracy that ensures that all people flourish? One that represents common values, yet respects differences? Professors at Stanford’s Moral Political Economy program are bringing together thinkers from across disciplines to reimagine our political, social and economic systems. We’ll talk about what it would mean to base our political economy on the idea that humans are social beings who mutually benefit from cooperation and reciprocity. What would a moral, equitable world look like?Guests:Margaret Levi, political science professor, Stanford; co-editor, Winter 2023 edition of DaedalusHenry Farrell, professor of international affairs, Johns Hopkins; co-editor, Winter 2023 edition of DaedalusManuel Pastor, professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity, University of Southern California; contributor, Winter 2023 edition of DaedalusFederica Carugati, history and political economy professor, King’s College; contributor, Winter 2023 edition of Daedalus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been more than two months that California Senator Dianne Feinstein has been away from Capitol Hill, as she recovers from a case of shingles that left her hospitalized in March. Her absence has created a critical vacancy on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and her fellow Democrats say it’s hurting their ability to confirm judges nominated by President Joe Biden. Now the list of Democrats calling on Feinstein to resign is growing, amid Republican lawmakers’ ongoing refusal to seat a temporary replacement on the Committee. We’ll talk about the political impacts of Feinstein’s extended absence.Guests:Ro Khanna, U.S. Congressman, California's 17th Congressional District (Silicon Valley); chairman, House Subcommittee on the Environment; member, House Oversight, House Agriculture and House Armed Services committeesAnnie Karni, congressional correspondent, New York TimesJoanne Kenen, journalist in-residence, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the use of artificial intelligence explodes, government officials are trying to figure out how best to regulate the technology. Already, generative AI companies are producing software that can replicate voices, create stylized portraits, and produce thousands of fake online reviews. Experts fear that internet harassment, identity fraud and spread of misinformation could become exponentially worse with easy access to AI and warn regulation is crucial to head off potential harms. But, what regulations would be helpful? And what regulations might cause more harm than good? We dive into potential ways to regulate AI and what consumers can do in the meantime to protect themselves.Guests:Jennifer King Ph. D., privacy and data policy fellow, Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial IntelligenceRumman Chowdhury, responsible AI developer, leader, speaker, founder, investorBen Zhao, professor of computer science and director of graduate studies, University of Chicago Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The barista who makes your morning coffee, the person at the dog park or the fellow commuter who you exchange a smile with on the bus every day: You may not know their names, but these acquaintances are more important than you think. Scientists believe that the people with whom you might share a “hello” or a quick nod or a passing glance can help you live a happier life. With loneliness on the rise, acquaintances might be the key to creating connection. We’ll talk to a leading expert and hear from you: who are the acquaintances in your life, the ones you know, but don’t know?Guests:Gillian Sandstrom, director, Sussex Centre for Research on Kindness at the University of Sussex, United Kingdom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oakland teachers went on strike Thursday morning for the third time in just over a year. The teachers, who earn some of the lowest salaries in the region, are asking for a 23% raise, more school psychologists and smaller special education classes among other demands. We’ll talk about what the strike means for Oakland teachers, parents and its 34 thousand public school students. And we’ll discuss the challenges facing public schools across the state as many districts struggle with enrollment declines, teacher shortages and the end of pandemic funding.Guests:Jill Tucker, K-12 education reporter, San Francisco ChronicleErin Baldassari, housing affordability reporter, KQEDLakisha Young, founder and executive director, The Oakland ReachMike Hutchinson, president, Oakland Board of EducationSamia Khattab, school librarian, Franklin ElementaryPecolia Manigo, parent of two children in Oakland public schools and co-executive director, Bay Area Parent Leadership Action Network and former school board candidate Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 10,000 television and screenwriters are on strike after months-long contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke down late Monday. The Writers Guild of America is seeking higher compensation and residuals for its members, as well as minimum staffing requirements for TV writers and rules restricting the use of artificial intelligence in script production. We’ll talk about the impacts of the strike and the labor conditions for writers that led to it.Guests:Alissa Wilkinson, senior culture writer and critic, VoxAnousha Sakoui, entertainment industry writer, Los Angeles TimesBetsy Thomas, television writer and producer; secretary-treasurer, Writers Guild of America WestEric Haywood, writer, producer and director. His TV shows include "Empire" and "Law & Order: Organized Crime"Sal Gentile, writer and producer, "Late Night with Seth Meyers" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Actor and singer Billy Porter has a shelf of awards, including a Tony, Grammy, and Emmy, earned for playing a variety of roles including “Pray Tell,” the imposing ballroom emcee in the FX series “Pose.” Porter also has plans to take on the role of writer and intellectual James Baldwin in a forthcoming biopic. But on his new tour Porter says he didn’t want to play a character, “I’m coming home as myself.” Porter joins us in studio to talk about his “Black Mona Lisa” tour and his long and varied career as a musical, fashion and pop icon.Guests:Billy Porter, actor and singer. Porter starred in the FX series, "Pose" for which he won an Emmy. He won a Tony and Grammy award for his performance in the musical "Kinky Boots." Porter is currently touring on his "Black Mona Lisa Tour" and will appear on May 5 at the Golden Gate Theatre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does your cat’s cry for food sound different from its meow for attention? How come Mr. Whiskers is “making biscuits” on your belly? Evolution may provide clues as to why, writes biologist Jonathan Losos. Losos made his career studying lizards, but he’d pet cats every chance he got. And his new book, “The Cat’s Meow,” applies an evolutionary lens to the domesticated pet, exploring why they — yes — meow, but also trill, howl, growl, hiss, snarl, purr and chirp. It also looks at where outdoor cats like to prowl and whether our cats are really that different from lions and tigers. Losos joins us to share more about our feline friends.Guests:Jonathan Losos, distinguished professor of biology, Washington University in St. Louis - and author, "The Cat's Meow: How Cats Evolved from the Savanna to Your Sofa" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Durian is a pungent, rank smelling fruit common in Singapore that is hard to harvest and cut open. And yet, it’s inspired scores of devotees, including food writer Jennifer Wong, who writes, “For those of us who hail durian as our king of fruits, the smell elicits an undeniable longing — for both the fruit itself and the cultural remembrance it represents.” Whether it’s stinky tofu, roasted grasshoppers or chicken feet, many cultures embrace foods that might come off as unappetizing at first sniff. So, how do some seemingly unusual ingredients become delicacies? In our latest All You Can Eat segment with KQED Food Editor Luke Tsai, we dive into funky foods that we aren’t supposed to love – but do so unabashedly.Guests:Luke Tsai, food editor, KQED Arts & CultureJavier Cabral, Editor, L.A. Taco - independent local news and culture site, and Associate producer for the Taco Chronicles on NetflixJennifer Wong, author of the article "A Bay Area Love Letter to Durian," published on KQED Arts and CultureMonica Martinez, Founder and CEO,Don Bugito - a San Francisco company that makes protein snacks from edible insects Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices