Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Chronic pain is a debilitating and very common condition. Tension headaches, and lower back and neck pain are listed among the top 10 leading causes of disability around the world, with billions of people experiencing pain on a recurring basis. Studies show that up to 50 percent of the population might experience chronic pain conditions during their lifetime. The latest breakthroughs in neuroscien...

Russia’s interference in the 2016 election wasn’t a new problem with our Cold War adversary. Their meddling in 2016 marked only the latest chapter of a hidden and revelatory history. In his new book Rigged, David Shimer tells the sweeping story of covert electoral interference past and present. He exposes decades of secret operations—by the KGB, the CIA and Vladimir Putin's Russia—to shape elector...

Heidi Kuhn, a former CNN reporter and producer, will share her extraordinary journey as a peace activist and how she created Roots of Peace a nonprofit organization that removes landmines and replaces them with vineyards and orchards. Roots of Peace has removed more than 100,000 land mines and unexploded ordinances in Afghanistan, Israel, the West Bank Croatia, and elsewhere, and it has helped mor...

Comedian Loni Love has always felt like an outsider in Hollywood. Unlike most celebrities who leveraged their connections to catch their big break in the industry, Love grew up in low-income housing in Detroit and worked as an electrical engineer post-college to make ends meet. Even after striking gold as a comedian and host of the popular talk show "The Real," she still found herself at odds with...

Expanding oil extraction and clean energy, supporting capitalism while fighting climate change: can humans ever really have it all? In their new books, authors Hope Jahren and Rebecca Henderson explore how a healthy climate might coexist with a consumption-driven economy — and what we need to change to get the best of both worlds. Meanwhile, is Norway the perfect example of having it all — or just...

Join us for a virtual conversation with Edward Larson to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his Pulitzer Prize-winning history Summer for the Gods, the definitive account of the pivotal battle between creationism and evolution. In his new epilogue, Larson assesses the lasting resonance of the Scopes Trial as clashes continue between science and religion, and about free speech and academic freedom...

The COVID-19 pandemic threatens every aspect of transportation funding in California. State revenues from federal, state, regional and local taxes and fees are all at risk. Since California’s shelter-in-place order went into effect in March, the state has already faced plummeting revenues from gasoline taxes, tolls, transit fares and sales taxes. These revenue sources will most likely continue to...

"BoJack Horseman" creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s trademark is engaging writing that is equal parts dark comedy and gut wrenching tragedy. His work forces you to examine your place in humanity, while reminding you that none of this actually matters. It’s this mix of absurd hilarity and existential dread that makes Bob-Waksberg one of the most celebrated storytellers working today. Join Bob-Waksberg...

Join us for a discussion with Rick Welts and Hannah Gordon, two leaders who have made an indelible impact in sports for LGBTQ rights through their courage and resiliency. Ricke Welts became a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. For the past 8 years, he has been president and chief operating officer of the Golden State Warriors, overseeing all business-related operations for the team, in...

Since narrowly losing Georgia’s closest gubernatorial race in more than 50 years, Stacey Abrams has been on a crusade to ensure voting access to everyone in America. A recognized expert on fair voting and civic engagement, Abrams provides a chilling account of how the right to vote and the principle of democracy have been and continue to be under attack. In her new book, Our Time Is Now: Power, Pu...

Eric Swalwell has served a lengthy political career in the Bay Area, working as the Alameda County deputy district attorney, as a Dublin city council member and currently as the U.S. representative for California’s 15th congressional district. As a congressional freshman, Rep. Swalwell served on several House committees and was able to get more bills passed in the House and signed into law than an...

Today’s most urgent problems, from food security to global warming, are fundamentally global. They require nothing less than concerted, planet-wide action if we are to secure a long-term future. But humanity’s story has always been on a global scale. In his new book The Ages of Globalization, Jeffrey D. Sachs, renowned economist and expert on sustainable development, turns to world history to shed...

Which country has the best health care? The United States spends more than any other nation—an astonishing $4 trillion a year. Yet for all that expense, the United States lags behind other countries. From Taiwan to Switzerland, Dr. Emanuel profiles 11 of the top health-care systems in the world. He showcases how the most inventive health-care providers are tackling global challenges in pursuit of...

What is higher education’s role in a healthy society, and how are we improving it? And what about questions of costs, benefits, access and opportunity? These and related topics will be the focus of this program with three leading educators at UC Berkeley. The wholesale switch to remote learning triggered by the coronavirus is realigning several education fundamentals, paving the way for future hig...

The importance of workplace mental health in the United States has steadily gained traction in the last few years. And for good reason. Up to 80 percent of Americans will struggle with a mental health issue during their lifetime. The coronavirus pandemic and the protests following the murder of George Floyd have made addressing mental health at work even more imperative. How are leading companies...

Since the end of the Cold War, the global perception of the United States has progressively morphed from dominant international leader to disorganized entity. Robert Gates, defense secretary under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, asserts that this transformation is the result of the failure of political leaders to understand the complexity of American power, its expansiveness, and its l...

After an illustrious career and with no formal training, Dominique Crenn was awarded three Michelin Stars in 2018 for her successful restaurant Atelier Crenn. She is the first female chef in the United States to receive this honor, and she credits her unconventional life to her success. At only 20 years old, Dominique Crenn left her home in France for the United States with only one goal—to fulfil...

During his 16 years at Fox, veteran journalist Chris Wallace has covered almost every key political event and interviewed numerous U.S. and world leaders. Now, he explores the crucial 116 days and events leading up August 6, 1945—the infamous date that President Harry Truman gave the order to unleash the world’s first atomic bomb attack on Hiroshima, Japan. Hear more of how we got to that pivotal...

As the global population approaches 8 billion, humans continue to test the number of bodies that can fit onto a planet of finite resources. Empowering women through access to education and family planning may be at the core of establishing a healthy population balance, not just for the planet’s sake, but for ours. So why aren’t we talking about it more? How big a role can gender equity play in red...

Monday's U.S. Supreme Court ruling supporting workplace protections for LGBT employees surprised many people—the 6–3 opinion was written by conservative appointee Neal Gorsuch, who was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts as well as the liberal members of the court. Join us for a timely discussion with some real legal eagles. Once again, LGBTQ rights are up for judgment by the U.S. Supreme Court....

In 2020, exploring the harsh complexities of racism and systemic injustice is still a painful task for most adults, but how do our children process these concepts? How should we have these difficult conversations with our children, and how can we make sure that they feel empowered to change society as they grow? Dr. Ibram X. Kendi and Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith join INFORUM to teach us how. Kendi i...

The exploitation of their Aunt Huguette by her professional advisors and caregivers horrified the Clark family. By the time she passed away in 2011 at age 104, Huguette’s attorney, accountant and medical caretakers had manipulated her out of nearly $40 million. The 2013 book, Empty Mansions, told some of the story. Determined to bring good from a terrible situation, the Clark family resolved to pr...

For decades, beloved Bay Area sportswriter Joan Ryan has written about winning (and losing) sports teams. In her groundbreaking new book, Intangibles, Ryan explores the importance of team chemistry and the mystery of why some teams "click," foster trust and respect, and push players to exceed their own potential. In sports, team chemistry is often overlooked, in part because it is assumed that it...

Veteran journalist Jonathan Karl has known and covered Donald Trump longer than any other White House reporter. And during this time he has been praised, has fought, and been branded an enemy of the people by President Trump himself. Karl says we have never seen a president like this—norm-breaking, rule-busting, dangerously reckless to some and an overdue force for change to others. He goes on to...

In the midst of one of modern history’s most uncertain moments, how can we all work to keep mindful of ourselves and those who matter most to us? Krista Tippett’s podcast, "On Being," aims to shine a light on people whose insights illuminate the best aspects of the human spirit. Every week, Tippett talks to writers, scientists, poets, activists and theologians from an array of faiths who have all...