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Latest Episodes:

Can We Really Live on Mars? Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

Mars is inhospitable to human life with its cosmic radiation, atmosphere of carbon dioxide and nights as cold as 200 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. But as Space X founder Elon Musk pledges to colonize Mars, and as NASA renews its push for interplanetary travel, a husband and wife duo has explored whether people really can live in space. What would it require to have babies on another planet? To grow food? To prevent conflicts in space from sparking geopolitical chaos on Earth? We’ll talk about it all with Kelly and Zach Weinersmith, co-authors of “A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?”

Guests:

Kelly Weinersmith, scientist and adjunct faculty member in the biosciences department, Rice University; co-author, "A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?"

Zach Weinersmith, cartoonist of the webcomic Saturday Morning Breakfast Cereal; co-author, "A City on Mars: Can We Settle Space, Should We Settle Space, and Have We Really Thought This Through?"

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Oakland's Fairyland Turns 75, But Remains Ageless Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

On September 1, 1950, Oakland’s Fairyland opened its gates to 15,000 visitors who paid between 9 and 14 cents to explore this storybook adventure land. The park, with its whimsical fairy tale set pieces and rides geared for young children, was a wild success inspiring copycats across the country. It even served as inspiration to Walt Disney himself. Today, Fairyland offers respite and entertainment for visitors of all ages– many of whom visited as a child and are now grandparents themselves. We’ll talk about the park’s history and its future, and we hear from you: What’s your favorite memory of Fairyland?

Guests:

Kymberly Miller, CEO, Children's Fairyland

Randal Metz, director, Storybook Puppet Theater at Children's Fairyland; author, "Creating A Fairyland"

Barbara Lee, mayor of Oakland; former U.S. representative from California's 13th district

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Remembering Hurricane Katrina With Clint Smith, 20 Years After the Storm Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

In October 2005, about six weeks after Hurricane Katrina struck, New Orleans-born writer Clint Smith returned to his devastated home to find haunting remnants: a ruined wedding dress, a chair hanging from a chandelier, a perfectly preserved birthday cake. Smith has continued to visit his hometown, marking progress and the destruction still visible. We talk to him about his new piece for the Atlantic called “Twenty Years After the Storm.” And we’ll hear from you: what was returning home from a natural disaster like for you?

Guests:

Clint Smith, poet and staff writer, The Atlantic - his recent essay for the magazine is "Twenty Years After the Storm."

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What Should A Remodel of Fisherman’s Wharf Look Like? Aug 28, 2025

Show notes

Before the COVID pandemic hit, San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf averaged over 15 million visitors each year. While the waterfront is still one of the most visited areas in the region, the local businesses — including fishing companies, souvenir shops and restaurants — are struggling from a lack of investment, high rents and lower tourism. Now, the Port of San Francisco has announced a multi-year plan that involves a $10 million investment to renovate the area. Set to begin in 2026, the first phase of “Fisherman’s Wharf Forward” is a facelift for Taylor Street, which includes the demolition of a historic fish restaurant, Alioto’s, and the construction of a new public plaza with a waterfront lookout. We talk with the San Francisco Port, local fishermen and an urban design critic about the revitalization project, plans to preserve the history of the area, and what it all means for locals, tourists, and those whose livelihood depends on the waterfront.

Guests:

John King, author, "Portal: San Francisco's Ferry Building and the Reinvention of American Cities"; former urban design critic, San Francisco Chronicle

Elaine Forbes, executive director, port of San Francisco

Sal Alioto, captain of historic fishing and tour boat, The Golden Gate, in Fisherman's Wharf

Sarah Bates, captain of the fishing vessel, Bounty

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Newsom Charges Ahead with Redistricting Plan, Prompting Republican Lawsuit Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

California Republican lawmakers are suing to block Governor Gavin Newsom’s redistricting plan from the November ballot, as President Trump vows his own lawsuit against the state’s effort to redraw its congressional maps to favor Democrats. That’s despite Trump encouraging a similar effort in Texas that favors Republicans. Meanwhile, Newsom is trolling the President on social media, co-opting his taunting style. We’ll talk with KQED’s politics team about Newsom’s tactics and get the latest redistricting news. What do you think of the Governor’s methods?

Guests:

Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED - co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown

Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk

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Should the U.S. Government Own Shares of Private Companies? Aug 27, 2025

Show notes

In a highly unusual move, the Trump Administration announced the government will take a 10 percent equity stake in computer chipmaker Intel. The new arrangement makes the U.S. government the largest shareholder in Intel, a relationship many economists, policy experts and elected officials say is problematic, unnecessary and signals an overreach of presidential power. Earlier in August, fellow chipmakers Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices agreed to pay the United States 15 percent of their revenue from selling chips in China. We talk about what those deals mean, the administration’s strategy and why experts say this is a step toward fascism.

Guests:

Louise Matsakis, senior business editor, WIRED

Tad DeHaven, policy analyst for federal and state economic and fiscal policy issues, Cato Institute - a think tank

Nils Gilman, chief operating officer, executive vice president of programs and deputy editor of Noema Magazine, Berggruen Institute - a think tank

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How to Survive Even the Most Awkward Roommate Conflicts Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

Roommate relationships are increasingly common, with a record-high 6.8 million households in America reporting that they share space with roommates and boarders. Sharing a home can be wonderful, but it also creates questions like how should you negotiate fridge space – and whether it’s okay that your romantic partner sleeps over. We’re joined by a comedian who mediates roommate conflicts Judge Judy-style, and a therapist who has heard every conundrum under the sun – from how to split rent, to how to reconcile living with an ex. Do you have a roomie conflict you’d like an expert to weigh in on? Tell us about it!

Guests:

Sahaj Kaur Kohli, therapist, writer, speaker, and founder, Brown Girl Therapy; author of the book, "But What Will People Say? Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love, and Family Between Cultures"

Michael Abber, comedian; host and self-appointed judge of the viral video series Roommate Court

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Single Fathers Are a Growing, But Often Invisible, Demographic Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

When we talk about households led by single parents, we often think about mothers. But a rising number of families are led by single fathers: men who are parenting alone by choice – whether through adoption or surrogacy – or because of divorce, separation or widowhood. Single dads often have the same challenges as single mothers because the economics and emotional work of parenting solo are not always easy. Yet, single fathers also report being lonelier and less sure of how to access support than mothers. We’ll look at the experience of single fatherhood and hear from you: are you a single dad or were you raised by one? What’s your story?

Guests:

Faith Hill, staff writer, The Atlantic - Hill's most recent article is titled "The Growing Cohort of Single Dads by Choice"

Ignacio Ferrey, director, Fatherhood and Adolescent Services, Alameda County Public Health Department

Ron Poole-Dayan, executive director and founder, Men Having Babies - a nonprofit organization that offers guidance and financial assistance for gay men who want to become fathers through surrogacy

Darby Saxbe, associate professor of psychology, USC - director, USC Center for the Changing Family

Dr. Ken Epstein, therapist and social worker; from 2012-2018, Epstein was the director of the Children Youth and Family System of Care for San Francisco's Behavioral Health Services

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Why Are Firefighters Battling Wildfires Without Masks? Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

Imagine approaching a wildfire with nothing but a bandana to protect you. That’s how U.S. Forest Service firefighters typically battle blazes – with no masks or other respiratory protection. New York Times reporter Hannah Dreier recently headed into the field to find out why. We’ll talk to Dreier and a California firefighter about why it’s been so hard to change the culture and policy around protective gear and how firefighters are dealing with the life-threatening effects.

Guests:

Hannah Dreier, investigative reporter, The New York Times

Joe Perez, firefighter based in Northern California

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Tech Layoffs and Higher Than Average Unemployment: A Close Look at the Bay Area’s Job Market Aug 25, 2025

Show notes

California now has the highest unemployment rate in the country at 5.5%. While the Bay Area’s rate is a bit lower than the state’s, it is still higher than the national average, and continued tech company layoffs and threats to jobs from AI, have workers worried. We look at the shifting Bay Area labor market. Where are jobs disappearing and what could replace them? Will AI be a net boom or loss for local employment? If you’re in the market we want to hear about it. How is the Bay Area labor landscape looking to you?

Guests:

Jeff Bellisario, executive director, Bay Area Council Economic Institute

Aki Ito, chief correspondent, Business Insider coverings the tech industry and workplace issues

Enrico Moretti, professor of economics, UC Berkeley; author, "The New Geography of Jobs"

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