Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

It is one thing to study the fall of democracy, another to have it hit your homeland—and yet another to raise children as it happens. Join Sarah Kendzior as she shares one family’s journey to the most beautiful, fascinating, and bizarre places in the United States during one of its most tumultuous eras. As Kendzior worked as a journalist chronicling political turmoil, she became determined that her young children see America before it’s too late. So Kendzior, her husband, and the kids hit the road—again and again.Starting from Missouri, the family drove across America in every direction as cataclysmic events—the rise of autocracy, political and technological chaos, and the pandemic—reshaped American life. They explore Route 66, national parks, historical sites, and Americana icons as Kendzior contemplated love for country in a broken heartland. Together, the family watches the landscape of the United States—physical, environmental, social, political—transform through the car window.She told the tale of her epic car trips in The Last American Road Trip, calling it one mother’s promise to her children that their country will be there for them in the future—even though at times she struggles to believe it herself. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming.Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs.This program contains EXPLICIT language.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On October 28, 2015, Jeanne Carstensen was reporting as a foreign correspondent covering the Syrian refugee crisis in Europe when she witnessed a devastating boat accident. After nearly a decade of research and investigation, Carstensen recounts the events of that day, with firsthand accounts from not only the desperate refugees, but also the heroic islanders who did their best to help. Of her book A Greek Tragedy: One Day, A Deadly Shipwreck, and the Human Cost of the Refugee Crisis, she says, “I wrote this book because I believe we need to pay attention to the human impacts of our migration policies. Increasingly, we are militarizing boarders, building more fences, and criminalizing those who try to help. I hope A Greek Tragedy will serve to wake us up; my hope is that we will not turn away.”Organizer: Frank Price An International Relations Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.This program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for a richly informative exploration of the central role of muscle in human life and health. Michael Joseph Gross, author of the new book Stronger, will share his urgent call for each of us to recognize muscle as “the vital, inextricable and effective partner of the soul.”Gross draws on everything from the battlefields of the Trojan War in Homer’s Iliad, where muscles enter the scene of world literature; to the all-but-forgotten Victorian-era gyms on both sides of the Atlantic, where women build strength and muscle by lifting heavy weights; to a retirement home in Boston, where a young doctor makes the astonishing discovery that frail 90-year-olds can experience the same relative gains of strength and muscle as 30-year-olds if they lift weights.These surprising tales play out against a background of clashing worldviews, an age-old competition between athletic trainers and medical doctors to define our understanding and experience of muscle. In this conflict, muscle got typecast: Simplistic binaries of brain-versus-brawn created a persistent prejudice against muscle, and against weight training, the type of exercise that best builds muscular strength and power.Come hear how Gross looks at muscle and weight training in a whole new light. He’ll be in conversation with Guy Raz for a discussion about how all of us, from elite powerlifters to people who have never played sports at all, can learn to lift weights in ways that yield life's ultimate prize: the ability to act upon the world in the ways that we wish.If you have symptoms of illness (coughing, fever, etc.), we ask that you either stay home or wear a mask. Our front desk has complimentary masks for members and guests who would like one.Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming.In Association with Wonderfest.Commonwealth Club World Affairs is a public forum. Any views expressed in our programs are those of the speakers and not of Commonwealth Club World Affairs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a previous Climate One episode, we discussed the good, the bad, and the ugly impacts of artificial intelligence. But AI isn’t going away. Humans rarely give up a nifty new tool unless something better comes along. AI’s share of energy consumption is enormous, and the Department of Energy estimates that data center energy demands will double or even triple in just the next three years. Demand on fresh water is at least as big and isn’t talked about nearly enough. So, what can we do to reduce AI’s impact? Plenty of researchers have ideas — from site selection to energy efficiency to using zero-carbon sources of energy. But what will incentivize the AI corporations to take any of those actions?This episode is supported by Climate One Steward Noel Perry and Next 10.Episode Guests:KeShaun Pearson, Executive Director, Memphis Community Against PollutionKate Brandt, Chief Sustainability Officer, GoogleIrina Raicu, Director of the Internet Ethics Program at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara UniversityClimate One is once again hosting a series of live conversations as part of SF Climate Week 2025! Tickets for all four of our events, featuring leaders such as Jenny Odell, San José Mayor Matt Mahan, Rep. Jared Huffman, Abby Reyes, Margaret Gordon and two of this year's Goldman Prize winners are on sale now through the official SF Climate Week event calendar.Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on Patreon, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today.For show notes and related links, visit our website.Ad sales by Multitude. Contact them for ad inquiries at multitude.productions/ads Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The energy transition is a monumental task, still in its early stages, with only about 10 percent of the necessary low-emissions technologies deployed to meet 2050 targets, according to the McKinsey Global Institute.As the world strives to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while meeting growing global energy demand, significant challenges lie ahead. Join us as we explore the complexities of transforming the global energy infrastructure, and also the opportunities for innovation that lie ahead.Industry leaders will share insights on the progress being made and the critical steps needed to scale low-emission technologies while ensuring energy access and equity worldwide. Don’t miss this forward-looking discussion on the physical, technical and financial hurdles that must be overcome to achieve a sustainable energy future. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Peter Som, nothing is quite as satisfying as the moment when everyone is gathered around the table and platters of food are set down for everyone to dig into together. Now culinary creator and lifestyle expert Som releases Family Style, a cookbook of 100 recipes with unique and creative flavor combinations, paying homage to his identity, heritage and family.He’s got powerfully flavorful recipes for breakfasts, dinners, desserts and more—all unfussy, comforting and creative. Perfect, he says, for an everyday meal at home, yet sophisticated, elegant and visually stunning to impress any guest.At the heart of each of the 100 recipes in Family Style are imaginative and personally unique flavor combinations. There are beloved nods to his grandma’s Cantonese flavor profiles, his mom’s deep love of French food, his Bay Area upbringing, and desserts that are “not too sweet”—the highest compliment in his family—and more, with recipes including: Burnt Miso Cinnamon Toast, Crispy Deviled Tea Eggs, Radicchio and Fennel Salad with Creamy Miso Maple Vinaigrette, Roasted Carrots with Gochujang Honey Butter, Cacio e Pepe Sticky Rice with Egg, Hoisin Honey Roast Chicken, Char Siu Bacon Cheeseburger, Chickpea Bourguignon, and Lychee Lime Pavlova.Join us to hear from this entertainment and lifestyle authority whose brand of effortless sophistication stems from his many years helming his own award-winning fashion brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Vince Hall, Chief Government Relations Officer at Feeding America, and Jennifer Steele, CEO of Meals on Wheels San Francisco, as they delve into the complexities of food policy and its direct impact on hunger relief. They discuss the urgent issue of food insecurity facing millions in the U.S., particularly children. With personal stories, they explore how Meals on Wheels combats hunger and loneliness among seniors. The conversation highlights the critical role of community advocacy and the need for innovative solutions to improve food access and nutrition for all.

Clare Fiesler, a Canary Media reporter, dives into the intricacies of the offshore wind industry. Jed Welder, a farmer facing local opposition to a wind farm, shares his firsthand experience navigating community dynamics. Barbara Kates-Garnick, a Tufts University energy policy expert, discusses the impact of political policies on renewable energy. They explore the contrasting landscapes of wind energy in the U.S. versus Europe, the irony of job growth in GOP districts, and the regulatory challenges that may shape the future of wind energy in America.

Debbie Chinn, a seasoned nonprofit arts leader and author, Sawyer Rose, an artist tackling women's labor inequity through data, Vera Maslova, a science and arts connector, and Anne W. Smith, an experienced arts educator, share their powerful journeys. They discuss the importance of women's mentorship and community in challenging societal norms. Their storytelling showcases resilience, creativity, and the vital role of arts in empowering women, highlighting the need for collective action to inspire future generations and drive change.

Join Gary Krist, author of "Trespassers at the Golden Gate," as he unravels the scandalous tale of Laura Fair, who shot her lover A.P. Crittenden amidst the chaos of Gilded Age San Francisco. Explore how the city's transformation during the Gold Rush intersected with issues of femininity and madness, spotlighting early courtroom dramas and societal perceptions of women. Krist shares riveting details from the trial that captivated the nation, illustrating the complexities of love, crime, and the relentless pursuit of reinvention.