KQED's Forum - TopPodcast.com

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UCLA Study: Less Snow and More Rainfall Spell Trouble for California Aug 11, 2020

Show notes

By the 2070s, climate change will reduce snowpack and increase extreme rainfall in the Sierra Nevada and California’s reservoirs will likely be overwhelmed. That’s according to a new study by UCLA climate scientists, who predict that run-off during so-called atmospheric rivers will increase by nearly 50 percent, leading to widespread flooding across the state. We’ll talk about the impact of climate change on Sierra weather patterns and what it all means for the state’s water supply.

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Pulitzer Prize-winning Author Isabel Wilkerson Examines America’s Caste System Aug 11, 2020

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In her new book, “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents,” Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson presents an examination of what she sees as America’s often disguised, but very real, caste system. The book compares America’s system with those in India and Nazi Germany, and delves into how America betrays its ideals of meritocracy by instead cultivating an insidious hierarchy based on race. “Caste” is a much anticipated follow up to Wilkerson’s 2011 book “The Warmth of Other Suns,” which detailed the decades-long migration of black people from the South to other regions of the country. Wilkerson joins Forum to discuss her new book and how America’s past relates to its future.

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Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman on How to Sustain ‘Big Friendship’ Aug 10, 2020

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A close friendship can be one of the most fulfilling, and most challenging, relationships of our lives. In their book “Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close,” writers and longtime friends Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman share their honest and humorous account of what it really takes to maintain a meaningful bond -- from moments of being totally in sync to painful disagreements and everything in between. We'll talk to Sow and Friedman about the lessons they've learned together and hear your stories of big friendships that transcend life phases.

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CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Trump’s Erratic Foreign Policy Approach Aug 10, 2020

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In his new book "The Madman Theory," CNN anchor and Chief National Security correspondent Jim Sciutto highlights how President Trump’s unpredictable behavior--including threats to meet North Korea with “fire and fury” and to pull the U.S. out of NATO and NAFTA--have unnerved enemies and allies alike. Sciutto discusses how Trump’s volatility has led advisers to hesitate in giving the President military options because they feared he could start a war. We'll talk to Sciutto about the lasting imprint Trump has left on the world after four years in office, and get his take on how that will shape America’s place in the world.

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Artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh on the Power of Street Art as Protest Aug 07, 2020

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Musician Nina Simone once said "an artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times." We're now seeing a reflection of our times -- the fight against racism and inequality -- in works of art on city streets and storefronts across California, as artists paint murals or graffiti remembering George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and declaring "Black Lives Matter." Artist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh knows the power street art can have in bolstering a social movement. Her international street art campaign "Stop Telling Women to Smile," now a book of the same name, reflected her own experiences with street harassment and became a way to empower other women. We'll talk to Fazlalizadeh about her work, which includes recent murals supporting the Black Lives Matter movement, and the role of street art in protests.

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How to Chart a Path out of QAnon and Other Cult-like Communities Aug 07, 2020

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QAnon, the online conspiracy group that traffics in baseless theories about a Satan-worshipping deep state, counts among its defenders Republican congressional candidates, far right media personalities and former and current Trump administration officials. It’s also stolen the minds of countless ordinary Americans who have come to believe in its apocalyptic, convoluted narratives. We’ll talk about what attracts people to QAnon and similar cult-like communities, and what friends and family members can do to help loved ones emerge from the rabbit hole.

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Pandemic Brings a Rise in Hunger in the Bay Area Aug 07, 2020

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For Bay Area food banks, securing funding and supplies is increasingly difficult during the pandemic. The challenges come as the need for food assistance is rising. Long lines have become common at food banks, and Second Harvest Food Bank in Silicon Valley is seeing a 100 percent increase in the number of people calling its food connection hotline, many for the first time. As the economic impact of the virus on families and individuals grows, we’ll hear how Bay Area food banks are coping.

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Benjamin Jealous, President of People For the American Way, on Saving the U.S. Postal Service Aug 07, 2020

Show notes

With less than 90 days to the November election, concerns are mounting that the Trump Administration is actively undermining the U.S. Postal Service. Although the USPS is the country’s most popular government agency, President Trump recently dismissed it as a “joke” and questioned its ability to deliver mail-in ballots on time. Trump’s newly appointed Postmaster General, who was also a major Trump campaign donor, has limited overtime work, and extra mail delivery, moves that postal workers say have created mail backlogs. In response, Benjamin Jealous, the President of the People For the American Way, is spearheading a campaign to defend the Postal Service. We’ll talk to Jealous about what can be done to ensure that Americans can have confidence in the mail service.

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Former Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe on the Latest Political News Aug 06, 2020

Show notes

Since former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe published “A Citizen’s Guide to Beating Donald Trump” back in early March, there have been major developments regarding the 2020 election. Former Vice President Joe Biden became the Democratic nominee, the coronavirus pandemic escalated and the economy fell into a deep recession. Most recent polls have Trump trailing in the general election, and one poll from Berkeley IGS this week has Biden leading by 39 percentage points among California voters. But many questions are still to be answered, including who Biden will pick as his running mate, what an election looks like in a pandemic and which strategies each party should take in order to win votes. Plouffe joins Forum to talk about the book, answer those questions and discuss the latest political news.

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Ahead of School Year Start, Teachers Raise Concerns About Remote and In-Person Instruction Alike Aug 06, 2020

Show notes

As school districts around the country issue pandemic education plans, there’s widespread concern among teachers about safety, equity and how to make the most of online learning. We’ll talk about a new NPR/Ipsos teacher survey, and we’ll hear how one local teachers’ union is handling its members’ concerns about education in the time of Covid.

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