Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

How does the news media navigate an environment of huge changes and challenges? How do news consumers get the news they need to be informed citizens? News organizations—for-profit and nonprofit, large and small, traditional and new media—are facing tremendous changes in business models, in reaching audiences, in political pressure, and in technology.Get an inside look at the mission of the news media when William Brangham joins us at Commonwealth Club World Affairs headquarters. Brangham is an award-winning correspondent for the “PBS News Hour” and also serves as the host of “Horizons” from PBS News. Brangham has also reported extensively on the climate crisis, helping establish the “News Hour” as the clear leader in broadcast news. Brangham has also done considerable reporting on health, health care and pandemics. In addition to playing a central role in the News Hour’s Covid-19 coverage, his multi-part series about the fight against influenza won the 2020 News & Documentary Emmy Award for “Outstanding Scien

What is the outcome of the escalating tensions between the United States, Israel, Iran and Gulf Arab nations?  Join us for a conversation on this timely topic, focusing on the shifting regional balance of power among key actors, their nuclear capabilities and impact on the future proliferation regime, and the outcome of their military and proxy warfare. Experts will analyze the impacts of joint U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, the security of critical Gulf shipping lanes, domestic politics, and future scenarios for conflict escalation or stability. A Middle East 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. OrganizerBanafsheh Keynoush  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Much of what we call luck is the result of deliberate actions and consistent efforts. As Stanford Professor Tina Seelig shared in her popular TED Talk, luck is like the wind—constantly blowing, often unpredictable, and always in motion. To catch the winds of luck, she says you need to construct your sail by doing the internal work that sets the stage for success; recruit your crew by bringing others along; and hoist your sail by acting in ways that lead you closer to your goals. With these practical tools in hand, she says the winds of luck carry you toward the future you dream to live. Her new book What I Wish I Knew About Luck is filled with memorable examples, personal anecdotes, and behavioral science research. You will learn:  how to stay steady in turbulent waters how to sail past your limits how to see problems as opportunities how to build ladders to larger wins how to clear clutter on your path to success how to turn setbacks into stepping stones how luck is amplified over the

On social media, in recovery meetings, through name-change petitions, deconversion blogs, and political conversion manifestos, we’ve been surrounded by stories of radical personal change. But what does it really mean to shed an old skin? Whose change narratives do we celebrate—and whose do we suspect are performance, reinvention as strategy, or even grift? Emerson College Professor Benoit Denizet-Lewis’s new book You’ve Changed offers a fresh and clarifying lens on how we arrived at this bewildering cultural moment marked by fractured truths, shifting identities, and a public dizzy in a world that seems to be changing too fast and not nearly enough.  Denizet-Lewis introduces us to an unforgettable array of people in flux—including psychedelic reality benders, sexual and gender transitioners, ideological shapeshifters, seemingly reformed murderers—as well as those working to engineer change: psychologists, neuroscientists, name-change specialists, even his own father, a breath and meditation teacher who once

Protest is the ultimate in equal-opportunity political action. As Annie Leonard, former executive director of Greenpeace USA says, "Making change is like laying a stone path across the garden. Peaceful protest may be every 4th or 8th or 200th stone; it helps us get where we want to go but also we need a lot of other stones too.”  Leonard explores the history of protests in her new book “Protest: Respect It. Defend It. Use It.”  And while protest is the loudest and most visible tool, it’s only one of many ways to take action. Through community building, through civic engagement, through elected office, through corporate boardrooms, through churches and nonprofit agencies, there are countless paths to exercising power and promoting positive change. In this episode we hear from three leaders working in three different arenas, all toward the same goal. Guests: Annie Leonard, Environmental Activist, Author of “Protest: Respect It, Defend It, Use It” Danielle Lee, Founder, Climate Action Club  James Coleman,

There is an ancient saying in China, or perhaps a curse: “May you live in interesting times.”  We appear to be living right in the middle of very interesting times. From wars in Eastern Europe, to regime toppling in Latin America to the conflagration in the Middle East, the world appears to be on fire.  What does China make of these events? How is it affected, given that some of the actors involved on the other side of this administration’s actions are partners of China? Will these events delay or impede its rise to superpower status? And perhaps the most important question of all, how does it affect its relationship with the United States?  Helping us understand the Chinese perspective is noted scholar and commentator on U.S.-China policies Dr. Shao Yuqun. Dr. Shao Yuqun is the director of the Institute for Taiwan, Hong Kong & Macao Studies and senior research fellow of the Center for America Studies. She is frequently called upon to provide the U.S. perspective to a Chinese audience and the Chinese persp

Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian's new book, Food Is Medicine, is an urgent indictment of the food we eat, how it is making us sick, and the choices that led us here, and a call for a revolutionary new food system that can mend our health, economy and planet, from a world-renowned expert in nutrition, medicine and public policy. The food we eat is making us sick, says Dr. Mozaffarian. In the United States and around the world, diet has become the leading cause of illness and premature death, from obesity and diabetes to heart disease and other chronic ailments. Advocates of healthier diets pin the blame on overeating, but the bigger issue is what we under-eat—the dearth of food that nourishes and heals. Harnessing the power of the right foods can do more than prevent illness; it can treat it, extending life while reducing the crippling cost of ill health to our communities and economy. Mozaffarian shows the way, from transforming our own diets to keep us healthy to getting the right foods from our farms, into our sto

Doris Kearns Goodwin is one of America’s best known and most popular historians, having told the stories of great American leaders such as Abraham Lincoln, Lyndon Johnson, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, and others. Now, she delves into her own life and the time she spent with her late husband, Richard Goodwin, to draw out fresh perspectives on many of the central figures of the 1960s. The Goodwins were married for 42 years. Richard Goodwin helped design LBJ’s Great Society and was a close advisor to Robert Kennedy. Dorris Kearns was a 23-year-old graduate student when she was selected as a White House Fellow; she would work directly for President Johnson and later assisted on his memoir. The couple saw the momentous policies and movements of the 1960s from the inside, and they debated the achievements and failures of the leaders they served, and discussed just how much progress was made and promises left unfulfilled. Drawing on their lives—not to mention more than 300 boxes of letters, diaries,

On October 7, 2023, Hamas fighters killed more than 1,100 Israelis and took more than 200 hostages, prompting an Israeli response that has in turn taken tens of thousands of lives and devastated the Gaza Strip. Why did this happen, and can anything be done to grant peace and justice to Israelis and Palestinians alike?In their new book Tomorrow Is Yesterday, veteran negotiators Robert Malley and Hussein Agha offer a personal and bracing perspective on how the hopes of the Oslo Peace Process became the horrors of the present. Drawing on their experience advising U.S. presidents (Clinton, Obama, and Biden) and the Palestinian leadership (Arafat and Abbas),  and their participation in secret talks over decades, Malley and Agha offer candid portraits of leading figures and an interpretation of the conflict that exposes the delusions of all sides. They stress that the two-state solution became a global goal only when it was no longer viable; that U.S. officials preferred technical schemes to a frank reckoning with

Italy’s vineyards stretch from Alpine peaks to volcanic islands, from rolling Tuscan hills to sun-drenched coastlines. Each glass of Italian wine carries not only the flavor of its land but also the imprint of centuries of tradition, community and culture. Join us for an exploration of that flavor and soul. Andrea Lonardi, one of Italy’s most respected winemakers and agronomists, and a rare Master of Wine, teamed up with acclaimed wine journalist Jessica Dupuy to create Italianity, a book that traces the cultural thread that united Italy’s native grapes and the people who cultivate them. From the misty hills of Piedmont and the Alpine slopes of Alto Adige to the volcanic soils of Sicily and the olive groves of Tuscany, Lonardi and Dupuy came face-to-face with the landscapes, families, and traditions that make Italian wine unlike anything else on earth. Join us to hear their tales of unforgettable encounters, cultural reflection, and stories of the Italian wine world, and learn why they say Italian wine is m

In Academy Award-winning director Steven Soderbergh’s latest film, The Christophers, the children of a once famous artist hire a forger to complete some unfinished, long ago abandoned canvases so they’ll have an inheritance when he dies.  Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen) was once a star of London’s 1960s and ‘70s pop art explosion, but he hasn’t painted in decades and has been broke for years. His two estranged children (James Corden, Jessica Gunning), desperate for an inheritance, hire Lori, an art restorer and former forger (Michaela Coel), to pose as a prospective assistant in order to access eight unfinished canvases Julian has buried deep in storage. Her plan is to complete them, then return them to storage, where they are to be “discovered” upon Julian’s death.  Join us for this special screening of Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers. After the film, a panel of experts will explore the past, present and future of art forgery—as well as the creative process in general. Learn more about your ad choices. Vi

Bestselling author Cleo Wade returns to Commonwealth Club World Affairs with a hug of a book—her latest, In a World of Sunrises, a collection of poetry, prose and inspirational quotes providing uplift and comfort for 365 days.Wade’s entries are a reminder that change is always possible, not only within each of us but also in the world around us. Her message is about feeling good, and feeling like wherever you are in your life is okay and wherever you want to go is possible. It’s about smiling through our tears; it’s about miracles and joy. Befriending one another and ourselves, lightening up, and giving ourselves (and everyone else) grace because life rains its challenges on all of us. So put aside the doomscrolling and the vituperation of the mediasphere and come out to see Wade offer her brand of calm and encouragement. Life can be so complicated—inspiration at its best and most helpful feels simple and full of ease.  This program contains EXPLICIT langauge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaph

Sometimes mothers are biological; other times, they’re chosen. But often, they're the fiercest people you can have on your side. In this special Mother’s Day episode, we’ll hear stories about the vital role mothers and caregivers play in confronting the climate crisis. From a midwife providing essential healthcare in one of the most climate-stressed regions on the planet to an organizer who leads a network of over a million caregivers demanding cleaner air and a healthier future — these women show what it means to protect people in a changing world. Guests:  Dominique Browning, Co-Founder and Director, Moms Clean Air Force Neha Mankani, Founder, Mama Baby Fund; Climate Advisor, International Confederation of Midwives Shohreh Karimipour, Former Regional Water Engineer, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation; Kousha Navidar’s Mom For show notes and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org/podcasts⁠. Highlights: 00:00 Intro 00:25 Shohreh Karimipour on instilling care for the environment 07:49 D

Join us at Commonwealth Club World Affairs for an intimate and candid conversation with patients from Osra Medical who are living proof that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to PrEP.  Our panelists—currently on Descovy, Apretude and Yeztugo—will pull back the curtain on their personal journeys: the questions they asked, the factors they weighed, and what ultimately led them to choose the option that was right for them. From the first conversation with their provider to navigating day-to-day life on their medication, they’ll share the unfiltered reality of what it looks like to make an empowered prevention decision.  Whether you’re newly exploring PrEP, considering switching options, or simply want to hear from people who’ve been in your shoes, this panel is designed to inform, inspire and remind you that your prevention journey is yours to shape. This program is made possible by the support of Osra Medical. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta says he was surprised that the Trump administration apparently had no plan to deal with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz before launching strikes on Iran in late February. “I think that basically is a failure of planning for what would be an obvious consequence of a war in the Middle East,” Panetta told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer.  With hundreds dead, millions more displaced, billions spent, and oil prices surging, many are asking: Was this war avoidable? How might it end? And will America’s traditional allies continue to rebuff President Trump’s calls for help? Panetta, who served as defense secretary and CIA director in the Obama administration, will address those questions—and what it all means for the future of the Middle East and for American politics at home.  Join Commonwealth Club World Affairs for an in-depth conversation with one of America’s most seasoned national security voices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Phillips, bestselling author of Brown Is the New White, returns to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to present his provocative new argument for “draining the swamp of white male privilege.”  He comes here at a time when equal rights are under intense attack on many fronts. Phillips, host of the “Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips” podcast, is on a mission to exhort people to go on the offensive in the fight for racial justice in this country—flipping the focus from the underrepresentation of people of color to the overrepresentation of white men.  It’s a topic he explores in his latest book, Are White Men Smarter Than Everybody Else? He labels the unequal system as Straight White American Male Preference (or S.W.A.M.P.) and says it came roaring out of the shadows once again. Far from being a country where white men have suffered under so-called reverse racism, Phillips says America is a place where white men—a minority of the total—have enjoyed unfair legal advantages, racial quotas, grade inflatio

The first place many people looked following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was Taiwan, long in the sights of the communist government of mainland China, which has vowed to absorb the island nation. If bigger countries were once again subsuming smaller neighbors, what could keep an ever-stronger China from going to war with Taiwan? And will it be the tripwire to sparking a third world war, this time with the United States and China as the main players?  According to the Hoover Institution’s Eyck Freymann, Taiwan is where the uneasy peace between the United States and China will be tested—and maybe broken. In Beijing’s terms, “reunification” is inevitable. American military strength has preserved peace and stability for decades, but its advantages are eroding. Freymann says Beijing has found critical gaps in U.S. strategy and is working to squeeze, isolate and coerce Taiwan into submission without firing a shot. If deterrence fails, the consequences of a Taiwan crisis could be catastrophic, perhaps plunging the

What is Trumpism and how long will it last? A new book by political scientist and author Dr. Larry N. Gerston defines Trumpism as an ideology that preceded Trump’s election and will outlast his political career. He says we need to explore solutions to problems that have long plagued contemporary American democracy.  Gerston says deep-rooted pain points in U.S. governance gave rise to and were exacerbated by Trumpism—discrimination, voter disenfranchisement, and corruption—as well as key areas of government and society that he says Trumpism endangers: political institutions, civic culture and community, law and order, and public education.  These are all issues he explores in his newest book, Overcoming Trumpism: How to Save American Democracy, in which Gerston offers a combination of solutions to preserve American democracy: repair its battered institutions, assure a free and responsible press, and restore public participation in democratic society. He says an invested and attentive public will be necessary

In 2021, legendary investor John Doerr⁠ outlined his plan to solve climate change⁠ in his bestseller “Speed & Scale.” The plan outlines 10 objectives, each with their own set of key results, to cut emissions to net zero. And in true John Doerr style, the results are to be measurable and trackable.  ​Now, five years later, Doerr and co-author Ryan Panchadsaram unveil their 2026 update, revealing where the world is winning, where it's falling behind, and what it will take to close the gap. Guests: John Doerr, Venture capitalist; Chair, Kleiner Perkins Ryan Panchadsaram, Advisor to the Chairman, Kleiner Perkins Aliya Haq, President, Clean Economy Project (CleanEcon) Robinson Meyer, Founding Executive Editor, Heatmap News ​​Nancy E. Pfund,  Founder and Managing Partner, DBL Partners For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit https://www.climateone.org/podcasts Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 01:00 – John Doerr on how his plan differs from others 05:30 – Ryan Panchadsaram: updated plan focuse

When Grete and Julius fled Nazi Germany, they never imagined they’d be forced into hiding in a Dutch attic. While in hiding, their daughter Marion was born—a moment of light amid the darkest of times. Years later, Marion Seidemann Fredman shares her family’s courageous story of love, loss, and resilience in this visually rich, nonfiction picture book. A Time to Hide is suitable for readers as young as 9 or 10 but appropriate for all ages to learn about World War II and the Holocaust. Through a blend of historical documents, family photos, a collage of paintings and illustrations, including newly commissioned illustrations by acclaimed artist Elisa Kleven, Fredman makes history accessible to young readers while preserving the emotional truth of one family’s courage and humanity. Fredman, a longtime Berkeley resident, joins Commonwealth Club World Affairs to talk about the book—and her family’s remarkable story of survival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices