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Trump’s War in Iran Nears Critical Deadline Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

When President Trump sent troops into Iran, he did so without a green light from Congress. Now he faces a deadline on May 1 to either end the war in Iran or secure official approval from Congress. That timeline is laid out under the War Powers Resolution, a law that allows presidents to start wars without congressional approval. Democrats in Congress have tried and failed to pass multiple resolutions to halt the war. Meanwhile, the war is losing support from Republican lawmakers, who have not proposed a vote to approve it. We talk about the war in Iran, lawmakers’ efforts to stop it so far, and whether the Trump administration is feeling any pressure from the 60-day deadline.

Guests:

Harold Hongju Koh, professor of international law, Yale Law School; legal advisor to the U.S. Department of State from 2009-2013

Mark DeSaulnier, U.S. Congressman representing California's 10th district (the East Bay)

Robert Jimison, congressional reporter covering foreign policy, defense and national security issues, The New York Times

Elisa Ewers, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

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Roundup: The Controversial Weedkiller Sprayed Throughout California Forests Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

The Supreme Court this week heard a case about Roundup, a weedkiller widely used in agriculture — and that tens of thousands claim has caused their cancer. Now a new investigation from Mother Jones reveals that Roundup is used across California by the US Forest Service and Cal Fire. While Bayer, Roundup’s parent company, claims the chemical’s safety is backed up by extensive research, the investigation calls into question data behind these claims. We look at what’s known about the health impacts of Roundup, how it’s used for fire recovery and why it’s causing a rift in Trump world.

Guests:

Nate Halverson, senior reporter and producer, The Center for Investigative Reporting who reported on Roundup for Reveal and Mother Jones

Patrick Thomas, reporter, The Wall Street Journal

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When Your Devices Fritz And Your Digital Life Is Lost. What Next? Apr 29, 2026

Show notes

What happens when your hard drive gets fried and every photo documenting your kid’s life, or that novel you didn’t back up, or that cache of old emails documenting your first love affair is lost? After the scream of agony, who do you call? That’s what New Yorker staff writer Julian Lucas wanted to know. The answer, it turns out, is right in our backyard. We talk to Lucas and the folks from Drive Savers, a company in Novato that works to resurrect your digital life from the dead. What digital history have you lost?

Guests:

Julian Lucas, staff writer, The New Yorker; his latest article is "Resurrection Hardware"

Sarah Farrell, director of business development, DriveSavers Data Recovery

Kelly Chessen, hypnotherapist; former data crisis counselor, DriveSavers Data Recovery

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Have We Learned How to Talk About GLP1s? Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

An estimated one in eight Americans has now tried a GLP-1 medication like Ozempic or WeGovy: to lose weight, manage diabetes or experiment with anecdotal, off-label benefits. Yet GLP-1s can be hard to talk about — whether you want to ask someone if they take one, respond if you do, or discuss weight without dredging up unhealthy diet discourse. We’ll hear how you’re navigating these conversations in the age of GLP-1s. Tell us: How are GLP-1s showing up in your world?

Guests:

Diana Thiara, medical director, UCSF Weight Loss Management Program

Whitney Casares, pediatrician; author, “Raising Body-Confident Kids” and “My One-Of A-Kind Body: The Ultimate Guide to Caring for Me”

Angela Corral, senior editor, KQED’s The California Report; she has been been taking a GLP-1 for almost 2 years

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How ‘Muskism’ is Reshaping America Apr 28, 2026

Show notes

Everyone has an opinion about Elon Musk, who has carved out a uniquely powerful place for himself in the worlds of auto-making, space launch, social media and even government. But beyond Musk the individual, what do his corporate maneuvers and embrace of authoritarian, anti-humanitarian and white supremacist ideologies tell us about the direction of our society? As Musk’s high-stakes lawsuit against Open AI’s Sam Altman begins in Oakland this week, we talk to Ben Tarnoff and Quinn Slobodian about their new book, “Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed.”

Guests:

Quinn Slobodian, professor of international history, Boston University; author, "Globalists," "Crack-Up Capitalism," "Hayek’s Bastards."

Ben Tarnoff, co-author, "Muskism: A Guide for the Perplexed;" author, "Internet for the People: The Fight for Our Digital Future"

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Tucker Carlson’s Reversal on Trump Raises Questions for MAGA Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

Tucker Carlson, the right wing pundit and onetime Donald Trump diehard, now says he regrets supporting the President. Carlson apologized on his show for misleading his audiences and said he’ll be tormented over that support for a long time. The comments mark a high-profile break between Trump and his former media ally, and they come amid growing divisions within the Republican party over Iran. New Yorker staff writer Jason Zengerle took a close look at Carlson’s many iterations and reversals in his recent biography “Hated by All the Right People.” We talk to Zengerle about what Carlson’s apparent change of heart signals about the future of Trump-era conservatism and get your reactions.

Guests:

Jason Zengerle, staff writer, The New Yorker; author, "Hated by All the Right People: Tucker Carlson and the Unraveling of the Conservative Mind"

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How Can We Better Care for Foster Youth? Apr 27, 2026

Show notes

The death of a San Jose toddler in foster care has Santa Clara’s child welfare system scrambling to respond and politicians asking what went wrong. Six percent of children nationwide will enter the foster care system, primarily for reasons of neglect – which can mean conditions of poverty, homelessness, parental drug abuse or mental health issues. We’ll talk to child welfare experts about what we do right and what we could improve in caring for children deeply in need.

Guests:

Julia Prodis Sulek, reporter, Bay Area News Group; Sulek was part of the San Jose Mercury News team that won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for breaking news reporting

Janay Eustace, president & CEO, Child Abuse Prevention Center

Jill Duerr Berrick, professor, School of Social Welfare at UC Berkeley

Sarah Pauter, executive director, John Burton Advocates for Youth (JBAY), an organization focused on outcomes for older foster youth

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What an Accent Can – and Can’t – Say About You Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

Everyone has an accent, even people who don’t think they do. That’s according to linguist Valerie Fridland, who studies the way American accents have been shaped by centuries of culture and class. In her new book, “Why We Talk Funny”, Fridland shares how different American accents developed, why some are dying off and the way they influence how we see each other and ourselves.

Guests:

Valerie Fridland, professor of linguistics, University of Nevada, Reno

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Remembering Classical Music Icon Michael Tilson Thomas Apr 24, 2026

Show notes

We’ll remember legendary conductor, composer, educator and San Francisco icon Michael Tilson Thomas who died on Wednesday. He served 25 years as music director of the San Francisco Symphony and was a towering figure in the classical music world in the Bay Area and globally. He is credited with revamping classical music with his risky musical choices, innovative collaborations, and talent for teaching young people. Thomas retired from the symphony in 2020 and was diagnosed with a rare brain cancer around that same time. We’ll talk about Thomas’ legacy and lasting imprint on San Francisco.

Guests:

Joshua Kosman, classical music critic, San Francisco Chronicle

Mark Leno, former California state senator; longtime friend of Michael Tilson Thomas

Donato Cabrera, music and artistic director, California Symphony

John Adams, composer - his new opera "Girls of the Golden West" runs at San Francisco Opera through December 10th

Julia Bullock, Grammy-winning opera singer

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When The World Expects Hate, A Palestinian and An Israeli Choose Peace Apr 23, 2026

Show notes

Aziz Abu Sarah, who is Palestinian, and Maoz Inon, who is Israeli, have both lost family to the conflict in the Middle East. They are also both peacebuilders who say they “forged a bond of brotherhood when the world expected us to hate each other.” We talk to them about their relationship and their vision for a culture of dialogue and forgiveness. Their new book is “The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land.”

Guests:

Aziz Abu Sarah, co-author, "The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land”

Maoz Inon, co-author, "The Future Is Peace: A Shared Journey Across the Holy Land”

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