Commonwealth Club Of California Podcast

Hear the dramatic inside story of the first four historic flights that launched SpaceX—and Elon Musk—from a shaky startup into the world's leading-edge rocket company. In 2006, SpaceX—a brand-new venture with fewer than 200 employees—rolled its first, single-engine rocket onto a launch pad at Kwajalein Atoll. After a groundbreaking launch from the middle of the Pacific Ocean, the Falcon 1 rocket designed by Elon Musk’s engineers rose into the air for approximately 30 seconds. Then its engine flamed out, and the rocket crashed back into the ocean. In 2007, SpaceX undertook a second launch. This time, the rocket rose far into space, but just before reaching orbit it spun out of control. Confident of success in 2008, Musk and his team launched their third rocket with several paying customers. The first stage executed perfectly, but instead of falling away, it thudded into the second stage. Another failure. Elon Musk had only budgeted for three attempts when he founded SpaceX. Out of money and with a single Falco

At 75, Norma Kamali looks—and acts—nearly half her age. Join us for a conversation with Kamali, who will share her lessons on authentic beauty, timeless style, career-building, fitness and health through personal stories, worldly insight, and actionable advice designed to help women of every age create their happiest, healthiest, most successful and fulfilling lives. The secret, she writes in her first book I Am Invincible, is learning to age with power: Embracing a healthy lifestyle and looking forward to every milestone and the changes they bring, with the realization that reaching one’s potential has no date. Manifesto, memoir and essential guide, her book is informed by 50 years of Kamali’s twists, turns, triumphs and failures experienced while finding the courage and conviction to race after her dreams and never look back. Kamali feels that we are empowered when we are our best selves. Sleep, a healthy diet and exercise are life’s universal solutions for a healthy life. The outcome is a great, authentic

Life is everywhere. From birds in the sky to bushes on the ground to the humans who surround our everyday lives. We assume life is easily identifiable, yet as scientists learn more about the living world, they find life to be a difficult word to define. In his new book Life's Edge: The Search for What It Means to Be Alive, acclaimed scientific author Carl Zimmer seeks to answer one of biology’s greatest questions: What is life? The question hangs over some of society’s most charged conflicts—whether a fertilized egg is a living person, for example, and when we ought to declare a person legally dead. Life’s Edge explores lab experiments attempting to create life, poses questions of what life is like in our grand universe, and offers insight into scientific developments shaping the way we understand living beings. Charting the obsession with Dr. Frankenstein's monster and how Coleridge came to believe the whole universe was alive, Zimmer leads us all the way into the labs and minds of researchers working on eng

This program will feature four vitamin D researchers who will discuss the evidence they generated and/or collected showing that vitamin D has important health benefits. Carole Baggerly, CEO of GrassrootsHealth.net, will outline the findings of health outcomes of more than 10,000 participants in their studies who take vitamin D supplements, measure their vitamin D levels every six months, and report any health changes. She will also discuss the evidence that vitamin D reduces risk of COVID-19. Dr. Carol L. Wagner will present results from studies of high-dose vitamin D supplementation of pregnant and nursing women, such as significantly reduced risk of preterm delivery. Professor Joan M. Lappe will discuss her clinical trials on vitamin D and calcium on prevention of cancer. William B. Grant, Ph.D., director of the Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center in San Francisco, will moderate the discussion. MLF ORGANIZER Robert Lee Kilpatrick NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine SPEAKERS Carole A. Baggerly Founder a

Monday Night Philosophy asks (on a Tuesday afternoon): What are we doing here? And answers: We are pursuing desires — because we are pursuing happiness, and happiness results from fulfilling a desire. But since unhappiness results whenever we don’t fulfill a desire, and since that happens so often, individual life is sometimes seen as a perilous journey, a valley of tears, or even a worthless endeavor, to be escaped via the nothingness of Nirvana, or by retreating to Heaven, or by merging with Oneness. So what’s wrong with this picture? Just as right after a divorce, when it is common to forget all about the fun and enjoyment which came before, we lack perspective. We forget our judgment is untrustworthy in despair. So let’s step back, as philosophers love to do, and see how much more intelligently we could 1) pick which desires to pursue before we pursue them, 2) pick which motives to favor, and which to discard (because our motives are our deeper desires), 3) sort out our conflicting desires so we don’t fac

A healthy constitutional democracy requires a citizenry that has the knowledge, skills and desire to participate in it. The United States is incredibly polarized, and we now have a citizenry and electorate that are poorly trained to meet the modern challenges we are facing. One major reason? The country has disinvested in history and civic education. For example, at the federal level, we spend approximately $50 per student per year on STEM fields and approximately 5 cents per student per year on civics. A lack of consensus about the substance of history and civics education—what and how to teach—has been a major obstacle to maintaining excellence in history and civics education in recent decades. In response to this critical moment, The Commonwealth Club is pleased to support a new effort, Educating for American Democracy, a significant new initiative to provide tools to make civics and history a priority so we as a country can rebuild our civic strength. This education-based special program will focus on thi

Just two months into 2021, deadly winter temperatures left millions of Texans without water and power. Meanwhile, California is preparing for another year of intense drought, and Wall Street millionaires are moving their remote work to Florida, ground zero for flooding and sea-level rise. “We think about the Earth as a system,” says Marshall Shepherd, director of Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia, “so we can't understand climate change unless we understand changes in the Arctic, or in the ocean circulations, or in the biosphere, and so forth.” “Hope or waiting and seeing is no longer a valid risk mitigation strategy." Guests: Katharine Mach, Associate Professor, Marine Ecosystems and Society, University of Miami Marshall Shepherd, Director, Atmospheric Sciences, University of Georgia For complete show notes, visit our website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Expanding health-care coverage has been a long, tumultuous process in the United States, but at its core, citizens want one thing: affordable, accessible health care. In 2010, the federal government passed the Affordable Care Act, the most expansive piece of legislation advocating for health-care accessibility since the enactment of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965. This policy, however, continues to divide the public as leaders from both political parties envision two conflicting futures for a nationalized health-care system. In his new book, The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage, HuffPost correspondent Jonathan Cohn offers a compelling history of how Obamacare came to be, why it looks like it does, and what it’s meant for average Americans. For decades, political leaders have debated what’s wrong with our current health-care system and what should be done to fix it. Drawing from interviews, diaries, emails and memos, Cohn takes readers through the history of health-care

What is the status of extremism in America? Are there more extremists or are they more emboldened? Why is it happening now and what can be done? The Anti-Defamation League is a leading anti-hate organization. Founded in 1913 in response to an escalating climate of antisemitism and bigotry, its timeless mission is to stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all. Today, ADL continues to fight all forms of hate with the same vigor and passion. ADL is a global leader in exposing extremism and delivering anti-bias education, and is a leading organization in training law enforcement. ADL is the first call when acts of antisemitism occur. ADL’s ultimate goal is a world in which no group or individual suffers from bias, discrimination or hate.   MLF ORGANIZER Patrick O'Reilly NOTES MLF: Psychology SPEAKERS Seth Brysk Central Pacific Regional Director (Northern California, Utah, and Hawai'i), Anti-Defamation League; Former Regional Director (Los Angeles), AJC Patrick O'Rei

This is your Commonwealth Club week in review. Hear what you missed this week, and what we’ve got lined up for you next week. We’re always adding new programs - check out commonwealthclub.org/online for all of our upcoming events. If you haven’t already - please consider becoming a member of the Club. Enjoy exclusive discounts and access to special programs all while knowing your contributions directly support our many public programs and civic initiatives. Visit commonwealthclub.org/special, for special rates on memberships. Thanks for your support and as always - thanks for listening! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I grew up in a place where I was not meant to exist—a place where my identity as a gay male was contrary to Middle Eastern culture, standards and faith. I grew up in a home filled with dysfunction and strife. I carried the weight of all of that on my shoulders, . . . but if you carry a weight constantly, eventually you become stronger." —Harma Hartouni Harma Hartouni was born into an Armenian Orthodox Christian family in Los Angeles, but when he was 1 month old, his family moved to Iran, where he was raised. While there, he was involved in an accident, breaking both legs and requiring a 12-month recovery. When he moved back to Los Angeles, he came out as a gay man. Today, he is a self-made entrepreneur, owner of a real estate company with hundreds of agents and more than $1 billion in sales volume in 2019. He is married and lives in Los Angeles with his husband (an executive at Disney), three children, three dogs and two turtles. Join us for an in-depth conversation with Hartouni to discuss his life, trouble

Join us for a virtual conversation with Dennis Rasmussen to discuss the surprising story of how George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson each came to despair for the future of the nation they had created. Although Americans tend to venerate the Constitution and the republican government that the founders created, the founders themselves were far less confident in what they had wrought, particularly by the end of their lives. Many eventually concluded that America’s constitutional experiment was an utter failure that was unlikely to last beyond their own generation. Rasmussen argues that the founders’ pessimism had a variety of sources: Washington despaired because of the rise of partisanship, Hamilton because he felt that the federal government was too weak, Adams because he believed that the people lacked civic virtue, and Jefferson because of sectional divisions laid bare by the spread of slavery. The one major founder who retained his faith in America’s constitutional order t

Thanks to developments in genetic medicine, for the first time we have the ability to predict our genetic future, to diagnose and prevent disease before it begins, and to decode what it really means to be human. Since the Human Genome Project was completed in 2003, the possibilities for genetic medicine have only grown. But what does the human genome and genome sequencing mean for citizens today, and what will it mean for health care over the next several decades? In his new book, The Genome Odyssey, Dr. Euan Ashley answers some of the questions by detailing the medicine and science behind genome sequencing, introducing a dynamic group of researchers and medical investigators who hunt for genetic answers, and bringing forward pioneering patients who open up their lives to the medical community during their search for diagnoses and cures for inherited diseases. Ashley describes how he led the team that was the first to analyze and interpret a complete human genome, how they broke genome speed records to diagno

Based on 20 years of investigative reporting and interviews with 100 practicing physicians who embrace the keto lifestyle as the best prescription for their patients' health, Gary Taubes puts the ketogenic diet movement in the necessary historical and scientific perspective. He makes clear the vital misconceptions in how we've come to think about obesity and diet (no, he says, people do not become fat simply because they eat too much; hormones play the critical role) and uses the collected clinical experience of the medical community to provide essential practical advice. Taubes sets out to revolutionize how we think about eating healthy, and what foods we can and can't eat to prevent and reverse obesity and diabetes. Gary Taubes is an investigative science and health journalist, the author of The Case for Keto, The Case Against Sugar, Why We Get Fat and Good Calories, Bad Calories. Taubes is a former staff writer for Discover and correspondent for the journal Science. His writing has also appeared in The New

Of the many inequities brought to light by COVID-19, the disparities that BIPOC students face in the American education system have proven to be the most complex. Creating an inclusive and anti-racist educational experience that helps students achieve their full potential is made even more difficult in the virtual classroom. To provide their expertise on equitable education, four education leaders will speak at INFORUM on the challenges and opportunities offered by online schooling. They are Dr. Shawn Ginwright, professor of Africana Studies at San Francisco State University; Dr. Kyla Johnson-Trammel, superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District; Dr. Natalee Kēhaulani Bauer, assistant adjunct professor of race, gender and sexuality studies at Mills College; and moderator Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, director of diversity, equity and inclusion at the Wright Institute Clinical Program. Join three Bay Area education experts at INFORUM and with the Club’s education initiative, Creating Citizens, to learn m

If you have walked, biked, or driven around San Francisco during the pandemic, you have most likely seen them: multi-colored illustrations of honey bears painted onto the boards covering closed shops and other businesses. Did you know that masks bearing (forgive the word) the honey bear have raised more than $125,000 for local restaurants to prepare meals for people in need? Now is your opportunity to meet fnnch, the elusive artist behind the honey bear. Wearing a mask—he likes to keep his identity secret—fnnch will join us for a lively discussion about public art, the pandemic, and touching others. fnnch (pronounced like the bird) believes art is for everyone. He says only about 5 percent of a city’s residents and visitors tour its modern art museums; street art and murals are art for the other 95 percent, inspiring and engaging them with the arts. fnnch creates street art and murals using multi-layered stencils and spray paint. He calls his work “contemporary pop art,” depicting objects from nature and ever

Find out what Hillary and Chelsea Clinton liked so much about The Daughters of Kobani—so much that they acquired the book's TV rights for their new production company, HiddenLight. Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, the New York Times best-selling author of Ashley's War and other books, is an adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and partner at Shield AI, a tech company focused on national security. Lemmon—who regularly appears on CNN, PBS, MSNBC,NPR, etc.—will discuss her latest book, based on years of on-the-ground reporting. The Daughters of Kobani, A Story of Rebellion, Courage and Justice, tells the extraordinary story of the Kurdish heroines who fought on the front lines alongside U.S. forces and helped defeat Islamic State in Syria. NOTES MLF: Middle East SPEAKERS Gayle Tzemach Lemmon Journalist; Adjunct Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; Author, The Daughters of Kobani, Ashley's War and The Dressmaker of Khair Khana; Twitter @gaylelemmon Eddy Simonian Vice Chair, Middle East Member-L

Award-winning writer and producer Ira Rosen reveals the intimate, untold stories of his decades at America’s most iconic news show. When he joined the "60 Minutes" team in June 1980, he knew he had reached the heights of TV journalism, and while there he helped break some of the most important stories in TV news history. Behind closed doors, though, was a war room of clashing producers, anchors, and the inimitable Mike Wallace. With surprising humor, charm, and an eye for colorful detail, Rosen delivers an authoritative account of the unforgettable personalities that battled for prestige, credit and the desire to scoop everyone else in the game. As Mike Wallace’s top producer, Rosen reveals the interview secrets that made Wallace’s work legendary, and the flaring temper that made him infamous. Rosen also shares his experiences as senior producer of "ABC News Primetime Live" and of "20/20", exposing the competitive environment among colleagues like Diane Sawyer and Barbara Walters, and the power plays among co

“The long-term energy future of America is not going to be written in fossil fuels,” declared John Kerry last April. President Biden recently appointed the former Secretary of State to a top position in his climate cabinet - United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate. Joe Biden did not start his campaign as the “climate candidate.” But as he starts his second month as president, he is looking at everything through a climate lens – from jobs and infrastructure to international diplomacy, public health and social justice. “He really is a person who was engaged somewhat in climate, but I don't think it was as yet sort of ingrained into him,” said former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Well, it is now!” McCarthy and Kerry are just two of the climate leaders that President Joe Biden has tapped to put his ambitious climate plan into action. In this program, we revisit conversations with these and other Climate One guests from the past year that have been named to prominent roles in the Biden-Harris admi

American liberals find unity on domestic issues such as immigration, racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ rights and other topics. When these issues are extended to other nations, however, unity is disrupted. In their new book Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics, scholar and political commentator Marc Lamont Hill and Middle East expert Mitchell Plitnick explore liberal indifference to the Israel-Palestine conflict and its contributions to the rise of authoritarianism. Except for Palestine argues that progressives and liberals must extend their core principles of equality and anti-exploitation to what they call the oppression of Palestinians. They say that U.S. policy has made peace hard to achieve in the Middle Eastern region, but Hill and Plitnick are strong believers that agreement is plausible if the political concerns of both Israelis and Palestinians are taken into account. Hill and Plitnick provide a timely proposal by examining multiple dimensions of the Israeli-Palestinian conve