Cascade PBS Ideas Festival

Two experts in immersive technologies may disagree on what the metaverse will look like, but they do agree that it is going to change society.   The metaverse may very well be the future. Before we get there, though, it is probably necessary to establish what exactly the metaverse is. That, it turns out, isn’t so easy.  For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we listen in on a conversation between Carnegie Mellon University professor Jesse Schell and Wedbush Securities managing director Michael Pachter, who discuss recent developments in metaverse technologies and how the public views these developments.  In this conversation with journalist and author Steven L. Kent during the Crosscut Ideas Festival in Seattle, the two also spar over what exactly the metaverse will be, and share how much further they believe the industry needs to evolve to truly see the metaverse reach its full potential.  What they agree on is that the metaverse will be able to bring us closer together, but also risks pulling us further apart. This conversation was recorded May 2, 2023. --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

The Washington Post tech industry analyst discusses how America’s major tech companies are grappling with government regulation and a public that has fallen out of love.  Tech companies aren’t the shiny new players in the world economy anymore; they are core pillars of that economy and primary drivers of our culture.  They are also feeling a little old, says Washington Post tech industry analyst Will Oremus, and are now beset by lawmakers who would like to regulate them and users who have fallen out of love with them.  For this episode of the “Crosscut Talks” podcast, Oremus and Lizzy O'Leary, host of Slate's “What Next: TBD,” dive into the tech industry's midlife crisis and discuss how companies like Microsoft, Google and Facebook are cutting back by laying off workers in an effort to slim down and stay relevant. The two revisit what made these tech giants powerful, the tactics they used to get there and how backlash started nearly 10 years ago. And they discuss what the future could hold as these companies attempt to grow and remain dominant. This conversation took place May 3, 2023.  --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

The Edmonds-born record-breaker muses on the game’s transformation and reveals behind-the-scenes secrets. Jeopardy! is an American institution, a television game show that for decades didn't really change all that much. But in recent years the syndicated staple has undergone some relatively seismic shifts.  For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we listen in on a conversation with Ken Jennings about the longstanding legacy of the American game show, his fascination with trivia as a child and how he went from computer programmer to 74 consecutive wins on Jeopardy! to being the current co-host. In this conversation with journalist Peter Kafka from the 2023 Crosscut Ideas Festival, Jennings also discusses how the show has changed since his time as a contestant.   Kennings says Jeopardy! now benefits from social media, where there is a thriving community of fans and prospective contestants. But he also says the game show is dealing with present-day challenges in an entertainment world more and more dominated by streaming platforms. This conversation took place May 6, 2023.  --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

The former presidential candidate believes he knows what is wrong with American politics and shares why his new party is a solution. When Andrew Yang ran for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, he did so with hopes of changing the conversation. He left the race despondent, he says. But now he is back with a new party and a renewed sense of purpose.  For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we listen in on a conversation with the entrepreneur-turned-politician in which he discusses his political journey, his role in creating a new third party, the Forward Party, and his hopes for the future of American politics.  In this May 6 conversation from the Crosscut Ideas Festival, Yang explains his new party to Crosscut executive editor David Lee and reveals what he believes is a practical approach to working across the aisle to fix America's problems.  Yang also shares why he ran for president on solutions he believes can work, such as aUniversal Basic Income, and why he believes re-energizing voters who feel powerless may be the only way for us to move forward as a country. This conversation took place May 6, 2023.  --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

Former congressman Will Hurd says his party needs to stop election denial and start appealing to voters that have lost trust in the party. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, the Republican Party and its voters have a major decision to make about the future of the party. With former President Donald Trump running for another term, there is a likelihood that the party continues on the trajectory set under his presidency. But there is also the possibility of a break from that path. For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast we listen in on a conversation with Will Hurd, a former Republican congressman and former CIA officer who is advocating for a kind of Republican reboot. In conversation with political commentator Brandi Kruse, Hurd put forth a formula for repairing his party and regaining the trust of more voters. One key, he said, is that conservatives must be unafraid to disagree. This conversation took place May 2, 2023.  --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, advocates are pushing back to assure that people still have access to reproductive care. Last June the Supreme Court transformed the landscape of reproductive rights overnight when it overturned Roe v. Wade, leaving the power to determine the legality of abortion to individual states. For many the decision also signaled a need for a new abortion underground. For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we listen in on a conversation about this new landscape featuring Kelsea McLain, deputy director of abortion advocacy and reproductive justice organization the Yellow Hammer Fund, and Judith Arcana, a member of Chicago’s pre-Roe underground abortion services organization the Jane Collective. The two women share their personal abortion stories with journalist Megan Burbank, and they discuss the history of abortion and misconceptions about reproductive rights, as well as the legal challenges facing organizations and individuals who support a the rights of individuals to make their own choices about reproduction. The current landscape of reproductive rights has become highly politicized, but these panelists offer a framing that suggests more complexity than what’s been normalized. This conversation took place May 5, 2023. Read Megan Burbank's article about the Jane Collective here. --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

Three advocates weigh in on the rising threat of the synthetic opioid — and what policymakers can do to fight it. Seattle is in the midst of a fentanyl crisis. Of the 310 overdose deaths recorded in the city in 2022, more than half were from the powerful synthetic opioid. And we are not alone. For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast we are talking about the crisis afflicting cities across the country with three advocates for public health and safety. Journalist Andrew Engelson speaks about the rising threat of fentanyl with Brad Finegood of Public Health for Seattle and King County; Darcy Jaffe, senior vice president of safety and quality for the Washington State Hospital Association; and Julian Saucier, who works to support organizations and coalitions impacted by the criminal justice system. The trio challenges listeners to think of the issue as a health crisis rather than a matter of morality. And they identify three key areas policy-makers and the government should be focused on to help bring it to an end. This conversation took place May 6, 2023.  --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

As the new technology proliferates, the founding CEO of the Allen Institute for A.I. discusses how — or even whether — it should be controlled. Artificial intelligence is everywhere. Companies are already exploring the many uses of AI and a number of tools are widely available for public use. We're seeing the benefits in the business world, from simple to revolutionary, but at the same time a host of critiques.  For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we dive into the technological phenomenon with Oren Etzioni, founding CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, who spoke at the Crosscut Ideas Festival in May 2023.  Etzioni tells interviewer Chirag Shah, from the University of Washington's School of Information and Computer Science, that he doesn't want to rush sweeping new regulations, but says companies should adhere to current laws and regulators should focus on the enforcement of potential violations.  The bigger concern here, according to Etzioni, is what still needs to be done to prevent this kind of technology from getting into the hands of bad actors. To some degree, he says, it already is. This conversation was recorded on May 6, 2023. --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

Danni Askini of the advocacy group The Gender Justice League breaks down the misconceptions and myths surrounding gender-affirming care. Legislation seeking to limit the rights of trans people has been on the rise in state houses throughout the U.S. But why?  For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we listen in on a conversation about the wave of proposals and laws that seek to curtail the ability of trans Americans to use the bathroom or participate in sports according to their stated gender, or receive gender-affirming care.  In this conversation from the Crosscut Ideas Festival, Gender Justice League co-executive director Danni Askini speaks with Jonquilyn Hill, the host of Vox's Weeds podcast, about the impacts of these Republican-led efforts on an already marginalized community.   Askini says the humanity of trans people needs to be at the center of the conversation and implores cisgender people to show up as allies in the fight for trans rights.  This conversation was recorded on May 6, 2023. --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.

Three education experts discuss how young people can find postgrad success (and it's not a 'one-size-fits-all' approach). With high school graduation approaching, many young people across Washington state will be taking a big step toward adulthood. Whether they have all the information and encouragement they need to make a decision that is right for them is less certain. For this episode of the Crosscut Talks podcast, we listen in on a conversation about the education-to-work pipeline with education advocates from throughout state, including Seattle Public Schools, Washington STEM and the state superintendent’s office. Speakers Kelvin Dankwa, Angie-Mason Smith and Rebecca Wallace detail the challenges facing students in the talk, which took place during the Crosscut Ideas Festival in early May and was moderated by Angela Jones of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Wallace, from the office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, suggests that there needs to be a better effort made to let students know that there are multiple pathways to success after high-school graduation, that the idea of 'one-size-fits-all' is failing students and their families. The panel also discusses "adult bias in education” and how it affects students' belief in what they can achieve after high school. This conversation was recorded on May 4, 2023 at the Crosscut Ideas Festival in Seattle. --- Credits Host: Paris Jackson Producer: Seth Halleran Event producers: Jake Newman, Anne O'Dowd Engineers: Resti Bagcal, Viktoria Ralph --- If you would like to support Crosscut, go to crosscut.com/membership. In addition to supporting our events and our daily journalism, members receive complete access to the on-demand programming of Seattle’s PBS station, KCTS 9.