Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Women In The Workplace 2019 Dec 06, 2019

Show notes

Studies show that we are starting to see real results in the number of women represented in the c-suite, with nearly 45 percent of companies having three or more women in senior roles. While the bright spots are clear, women are still getting stuck, and it is happening even earlier in their careers, at the very first rung along the corporate ladder. The glass ceiling is cracking, but what else needs to be done to move progress forward for a majority of working women? “Women in the Workplace” is an annual report conducted by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.org, and with 329 companies, representing 13 million people surveyed, it is the largest data set of its kind for women in corporate America. Now in its fifth year, join Alexis Krivkovich, co-author and senior partner at McKinsey & Company, and other corporate leaders and experts as they discuss the 2019 findings. They’ll offer their insights, share key lessons learned along their journey and discuss what needs to be done to fix the broken rung and accelerate progress for all working women.

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Humanity at a Crossroads: New Insights into Technology Risks for Humans and the Planet Dec 05, 2019

Show notes

This program will present the biological and health effects of both natural electromagnetic waves innate to the body and man-made electromagnetic waves from wireless technologies, including discussion about 4G/5G antenna densification. It will also address the mental health and relational impacts of tech overuse and addiction. Importantly, new scientific understanding will be shared by a former telecom industry director of research and development about what is driving the biological effects, that relates to our body being mostly comprised of water. We will learn how wireless radiation instantly changes biology, with system-wide effects. Join us for a provocative program about technology risks to humanity. MLF ORGANIZER Bill Grant NOTES MLF: Health & Medicine, Technology & Society Co-organized by ElectromagneticHealth.org; American Academy of Environmental Medicine; Moms Across America; Ecological Options Network; SafeG; the California Brain Tumor Association; UCOT (Unintended Consequences of Technology); Electromagnetic Safety Alliance; EMF Safety Network; My Street, My Choice!; California Health Coalition Advocacy; Electrosensitive Society; Manhattan Neighbors for Safer Telecommunications; International EMF Alliance

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Joel Selvin: Altamont and the End of the 1960s? Dec 05, 2019

Show notes

As 2019 draws to the close, the media tributes, commemorations, remembrances and explorations related to the 50th anniversary of the 1960s comes to an end. This special program will focus on the 50th anniversary of the Altamont Speedway Free Festival, the traumatic and deadly Rolling Stones concert in the East Bay of San Francisco that is often presented as the symbolic end of the 1960s counterculture. But was it? What is the legacy of Altamont? At the notorious December 6, 1969 concert—held several months after Woodstock took place across the country—one fan was knifed to death, three died in accidents, and many more were beaten and abused before a crowd of well over 300,000. Legendary Bay Area music writer Joel Selvin has written the definitive history of that day. His book Altamont: The Rolling Stones, the Hells Angels, and the Inside Story of Rock's Darkest Day explores in-depth that dark day, what led to the mayhem and what that concert means half a century later. Nearly 50 years to the exact day of the Altamont concert, Selvin will sit down with photographer and music journalist Tabitha Soren for a discussion of Altamont and the final event of the 1960s that continues to divide and fascinate the public. Did the counterculture, formed in the Bay Area, end in the chaos of the Altamont concert? Is the mayhem associated with the concert the proper way to remember the 1960s ending? Why was the concert such a disaster and what responsibility did the Rolling Stones, Grateful Dead and others have? Why are we still talking about it? Please join us for a fascinating and timely discussion on a topic and time period that continues to shape the Bay Area's consciousness. ** This Podcast Contains Explicit Language **

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Inside Stonewall: Outloud Dec 05, 2019

Show notes

In their new documentary, Stonewall: Outloud, filmmakers Fenton Baily and Randy Barbato weave together personal accounts and archival material from the night of the Stonewall riots. Narrated by RuPaul and currently streaming on YouTube, the film is a powerful look back at one of the most significant moments in the history of gay rights in the United States. Join us for a discussion with these two filmmakers about sharing new insight into a pivotal LGBTQ event. Come for a free midday program, as Michelle Meow brings her long-running radio show to The Commonwealth Club one day each week. Meet fascinating—and often controversial—people discussing important issues of interest to the LGBTQ community, and have your questions ready.

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Christine Pelosi: The Nancy Pelosi Way Dec 03, 2019

Show notes

Nancy Pelosi (D–CA) is one of the most successful leaders to ever wield the gavel as speaker of the United States House of Representatives. Under her leadership, Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act and are now championing a for the people agenda. People have spent a lifetime studying how Pelosi uses power and negotiation, but no one understands her better than her own daughter Christine Pelosi. In her new book, The Nancy Pelosi Way: Advice on Success, Leadership, and Politics from America’s Most Powerful Woman, Christine Pelosi teaches us the wisdom and advice she learned firsthand from the most powerful woman in American history. She examines how her mother rose through the ranks of government and extracts key lessons in leadership for us to apply to our own lives. Join us for an enlightening conversation with Christine Pelosi as she teaches us important lessons gleaned from an American icon and the woman she knows best.

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California Wildfires: Community and Water Supply Protection Dec 03, 2019

Show notes

Those of us in Northern California have inhaled a lot of wildfire smoke over the past few years. Fueled by a rapidly warming climate, these catastrophic wildfires are burning down our communities, are hard on our physical and mental health, and can play havoc with our water supply. What are communities doing to protect their homes and their water supply? What are drinking water utilities and the state of California doing to address these terrible problems? During our program, we will discuss the actions a large Bay Area water utility is taking to protect the green and build infrastructure that delivers our water. We will hear from the state's forest health lead on the focus of their work. Finally, we will present examples of steps other communities around the West are taking. MLF: Environment & Natural Resources

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CLIMATE ONE: Shadows to Spotlight: Climate in the Media Dec 01, 2019

Show notes

Murder, love, and the human experience are the stuff of great stories, as podcasts like Serial and RadioLab have shown us. But climate change? Not so much. The story is overwhelming and the ending is predictable and depressing, say radio producers. Coverage in national newspapers has increased since President Trump took office. It’s also expanded from science and environmental beats to culture, health and finance. And as the conversation shifts further toward companies’ role confronting climate impacts, the story of business and climate is gaining prominence and ramping up pressure on corporations.

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Scott Adams: Loserthink Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

Scott Adams has drawn nearly 9,000 cartoons since starting "Dilbert" 30 years ago. His cynical take on white-collar office workspaces propelled him to widespread success and acclaim, while his ongoing commentary on politics and President Trump have kept him in national news. In his newest book, Loserthink: How Untrained Brains Are Ruining America, Adams explores the epidemic of mental shortcuts that make us prone to believing in bad ideas. Adams explores how loserthink makes people stereotype all Trump supporters as racists, believe that gun control is equal to full confiscation and avoid personal reflection during a relationship’s end. Through Loserthink, Adams provides the tools for spotting, avoiding and fighting against loserthink. In doing so, Adams argues that logic and rationality, not emotion, is the most important part of any argument, political or not. Join us for a conversation with Scott Adams as he urges us to think deeper and more critically, breaking free from loserthink.

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Journalist Susannah Cahalan: Rethinking Our Understanding of Mental Illness Nov 26, 2019

Show notes

NPR has called Susannah Cahalan “one of America’s most courageous young journalists.” Known for her memoir Brain on Fire, which details her experience with a rare autoimmune disease, Cahalan’s work has since been made into a feature film on Netflix. In her newest book, The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness, Cahalan explores the centuries-old struggle to define, diagnose and treat mental illness. The Great Pretender details a 1970 experiment, led by Stanford psychologist David Rosenhan, in which he and seven other people went undercover into the asylums of America. Cahalan describes how Rosenhan and the others were forced to remain inside until they could prove they were sane, and as a result, all of those partaking in the experiment emerged with stories of mistreatment and newfound mental health issues. Following the dramatic study, institutions and mental health diagnoses were changed from then on. Cahalan’s research asks us to delve deeper into the Rosenhan experiment and ask important questions relating to what really happened. She argues that this episode’s implications on mental illness and treatment are worth discussing, as the effects of the study are still felt today. Join us for a unique and important conversation with Cahalan as she asks us to delve deeper into our own understanding of mental health, diagnosis and treatment.

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Malcolm Nance: The Plot to Betray America Nov 25, 2019

Show notes

Malcolm Nance is one of the world’s renowned intelligence experts and a popular guest on NBC News and MSNBC. With over 33 years combating radical extremist terrorism, Nance is known for championing human rights, ethical responsibility and cultural awareness in intelligence practices. In his newest book, The Plot to Betray America: How Team Trump Embraced Our Enemies, Compromised Our Security, and How We Can Fix It, Nance argues that President Trump and his team have conspired to commit the greatest act of treason in the history of the United States: betrayal of the oath of office for personal gain. The Plot to Betray America contains in-depth interviews with insiders, analysis from intelligence experts, and substantial evidence of Trump’s deep financial ties to Russia. It also provides solutions on how to protect America’s compromised security. Join us for an essential conversation with intelligence and counterterrorism expert Malcolm Nance as he explains how we can still save America’s democracy, security and future.

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