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A Guide to Gift Giving This Holiday Season Dec 12, 2024

Show notes

If buying presents is your kryptonite, the plethora of gift guides that have likely hit your inbox may be the answer. This season, it seems like every media outlet, store, or Substack newsletter has a gift guide curated for every kind of interest. We talk to experts about gifts for the people in your life: The foodie, the gardener, the kids, the colleagues and the weird uncle. And we hear from you: What gifts are you giving and what’s on your holiday wish list?

Guests:

MacKenzie Chung Fegan, lead restaurant critic, The San Francisco Chronicle

Ellen Lee, writer, Wirecutter; Lee is part of Wirecutter's baby, kid, and health team; she is based in the Bay Area

Ronnie Sharpe, founder, Ronnie's Awesome List; a website that shares information about Bay Area events and happenings

Catherine Bailey, owner, Heath Ceramics

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What's Next for Syria? Dec 11, 2024

Show notes

Syrians continue to celebrate the fall of Bashar al-Assad, the dictator whose decades-long rule was marked by terror and violence against his own people. But the situation on the ground is fluid and complex. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, one of the key rebel groups controlling Damascus, has former ties to Al-Qaeda and is currently labeled a terrorist group by the United States government. Its leader, Mohammed al-Bashir, was appointed Syria’s caretaker prime minister and said Tuesday he’ll run a transitional government until March. Meanwhile, Israel launched dozens of airstrikes Tuesday targeting Syrian military installations and weapons stockpiled by the Assad regime. We’ll talk about what’s next for Syria and the alliances that kept Assad in power and get reactions from Syrians in California.

Guests:

Ruth Michaelson , journalist based in Istanbul, The Guardian

Natasha Hall, senior fellow with the Middle East Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Sammy Hajomar, Los Angeles resident of Syrian descent

Marwan Chehadeh, San Diego resident of Syrian descent

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CEO’s Murder Reveals Americans’ Anger Over Healthcare System Dec 11, 2024

Show notes

The murder of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO exposed widespread public anger over insurance claim denials and the overall state of medical care in the U.S. And it’s not just social media venting: a recent Gallup survey reveals that “Americans’ positive rating of the quality of healthcare in the U.S. is now at its lowest point” since 2001. We’ll talk with New York Times investigative health care reporter Sarah Kliff about why patients are fed up and what they can do to protect themselves and best navigate a broken system.

Guests:

Sarah Kliff, investigative healthcare reporter, The New York Times

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Trump’s Picks for FBI Chief and National Intelligence Director Face Challenges Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

We look at Donald Trump’s plans to nominate former Hawaii congress member Tulsi Gabbard as Director of National Intelligence, and Kash Patel as FBI chief. Nearly one hundred former national security officials have raised alarms about Gabbard’s sympathy for dictators like Vladimir Putin and Bashar al-Assad, while Patel has said he wants to dismantle the FBI. We talk about the domestic and national security implications of the picks.

Guests:

Josh Meyer, domestic security correspondent, USA Today

Garrett Graff, journalist and historian

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Inflation Slowed Down, But Will Americans See Lower Prices? Dec 10, 2024

Show notes

Inflation has driven up the cost of living for most Americans making them feel squeezed every time they go shopping. And while many voters cited inflation and the economy and top concerns during the recent presidential election, economists note that Donald Trump’s plans are perhaps more likely to bring higher prices than lower ones. We talk with The Atlantic writer Annie Lowrey about how we are experiencing inflation now and what could happen during the next presidential administration.

Guests:

Annie Lowrey, staff writer, The Atlantic

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California’s Unemployment Fund is ‘Broken,’ New Report Finds Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

“Broken” is how the Legislative Analyst’s Office describes California’s unemployment insurance financing system in a new report. California is already $20 billion in debt to the federal government for unemployment claims paid during the pandemic, and losses continue to mount. But businesses and labor groups are at odds over whether companies should pay more in taxes to fix it. Meanwhile, the Employment Development Department continues to grapple with problems of fraud and delay in processing benefits. CalMatters investigative reporter Lauren Hepler joins us to break down the challenges the EDD is facing.

Guests:

Lauren Hepler, investigative reporter, CalMatters

Kim Tanner, Carlsbad resident with firsthand experience with California EDD and Money Network

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What We Learned From the Tsunami Scare Dec 09, 2024

Show notes

Remember that tsunami on Thursday…that didn’t happen? After a magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck 45 miles southwest of Eureka, a tsunami warning went into effect along the Northern California and Southern Oregon coastline. But why did it take so long for us to find out we weren’t at risk? Why did some places, like Berkeley, order evacuations, and other cities were silent? We’ll look at the region’s emergency communication systems and what needs to be improved to better prepare for tsunamis and other natural disasters.

Guests:

Dan Brekke, editor and reporter, KQED News

Lori Dengler, professor emeritus, Cal Poly Humboldt - department of geology

Dave Snider, tsunami warning coordinator, National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska, run by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Brian Garcia , Warning Coordination Meteorologist, National Weather Service SF Bay Area/Monterey

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The Best Podcasts of 2024 Dec 06, 2024

Show notes

The past year, more than any other, “demonstrated how podcasts as a whole bleed into the real world and play a huge role in American culture, for better or worse,” Vulture podcast critic Nicholas Quah recently wrote. It used to be, if a presidential nominee wanted to make news, they would go on TV. In 2024, it was all about podcasts…shows like Joe Rogan and Call Her Daddy. The industry is still reeling from the widespread cutbacks and cancellations in recent years. But the art and innovation of podcasts is alive and well, making it hard sometimes to pick your next listen. We’ll talk with Quah and other critics about the best podcasts of the year and hear your picks.

Guests:

Wil Williams, CEO, Hughouse Productions

Nicholas Quah, critic, Vulture - where he covers podcasts, television, and pop culture

Ronald Young Jr., senior producer and owner, ohitsBigRon studios; host of the podcasts "Weight for It" (which was named one of the best podcasts of 2023 by the New York Times) and Pop Culture Debate Club from Lemonada and the BBC.

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Therapist Sahaj Kaur Kohli on How to Respond to, ‘But What Will People Say? Dec 06, 2024

Show notes

Growing up in an Indian family, Sahaj Kaur Kohli felt pressured to meet her parents’ high expectations for a “good Sikh girl”. Despite being a top student in high school, she battled depression, struggled to keep up in college and dropped out. She eventually went on to become a therapist, mental health advice columnist for the Washington Post, and founder of Brown Girl Therapy, an online community. Through her work, she saw how her experiences mirrored those of many other children of immigrants who feel obligated to succeed, maintain cultural norms, and repay their parents’ sacrifices. Kohli joins us to talk about her new book, “But What Will People Say?” that chronicles her journey and provides practical advice for navigating mental health.

Guests:

Sahaj 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."

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How Could Tariffs Affect California? Dec 05, 2024

Show notes

Cars, lumber and avocados are just a few items that could see their prices increase if president-elect Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs take effect. Throughout Trump’s campaign, he promised to impose tariffs on “day one,” but his targets — China, Canada and Mexico — are California’s biggest trading partners. Forty percent of the state’s imports come from China and Mexico. We look at which industries would be hit hardest, how businesses are preparing and whether consumers would have to pick up the check.

Guests:

Ana Swanson, trade and economics reporter, The New York Times

Don Lee, economics reporter, Los Angeles Times

Edward Alden, senior fellow, Council on Foreign Relations

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