Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily 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. Our in-studio guest this week: San Francisco Supervisor Hillary Ronen Hillary Ronen was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors District 9 seat in November 2016. District 9 is comprised of the Mission, Bernal Heights, Portola and St. Mary’s Park neighborhoods. Prior to her election she worked as chief of staff for District 9 Supervisor David Campos. Hillary is a graduate of UC Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law. After law school, Hillary worked at La Raza Centro Legal and became the director of La Raza’s Worker Rights Unit. Hillary has also worked as an immigration attorney in a private firm and pursued international human rights claims of children of Haitian descent residing in the Dominican Republic. See more upcoming Michelle Meow Shows at The Commonwealth Club here.

Based on his recently released, expanded edition of the award-winning Perception and Deception: A Mind-Opening Journey Across Cultures, Joe Lurie will present a spirited and insightful exploration of cross-cultural miscommunications in an increasingly globalized, polarizing world. With YouTube, tweets, refugees and fake news rapidly crossing cultures without context, Lurie shares a timely, intriguing and sometimes tragic array of intercultural encounters gone wrong because of cultural misperceptions across the globe, in the worlds of migration, diplomacy, commerce and technology. David Lennon, former managing editor of the Financial Times, called Lurie's book “brilliant!” According to Lennon, the book offers: “Terrific and timely insights and tools for understanding culture clashes in a hyper-connecting world.” MLF Organizer Name: Norma Walden Notes: MLF: International Relations In association with the Fromm Institute, UC Berkeley's International House, Northern California Peace Corps Association and the Osher Institute at San Francisco State University

This program is part of our Food Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. Can lifestyle medicine actually change your health and well-being? In their newest book, UnDo It!, Dean Ornish and his wife Anne present a comprehensive approach to reversing many of the chronic diseases that plague Americans today. Scientifically researched, this plan includes eating well, moving more, stressing less and loving more. Dean and Anne Ornish provide everything you need to succeed in this lifestyle change, including recipes, exercises and stress relievers. Join us to learn more about how you can radically change your health with two pioneers in the health field. NOTES In association with the Health and Medicine Member-Led Forum

Our Republic’s founding document starts with: “We the People." However, the Constitution’s promise of liberty and justice for all is being fought in our nation’s courthouses, by unelected judges with lifetime appointments. With Congress in a gridlock, both liberals and conservatives are realizing the opportunity that the judicial branch provides in settling some of the nation’s most contentious issues, from gun control to reproductive health. UC Berkeley dean and respected legal scholar Erwin Chemerinsky explains how both parties are using the power of the Supreme Court to shape policies for decades to come.

Are we doing enough to protect our planet? According to world-renowned scientist and Astronomer Royal Martin Rees, humanity has reached a critical moment, and there is no plan B for Earth. With our world changing at a rapid pace, Rees explains why the future of humanity is bound to the future of science. He offers a compelling look at how advancements in biotechnology, robotics and artificial intelligence, if applied wisely, can help address these growing challenges and threats. In association with Wonderfest.

Monday Night Philosophy investigates why the world is grappling with a fierce resurgence of “us versus them” nationalism. Veteran political reporter and author John Judis analyzes the underlying causes of the nationalist revolt and its global impact, arguing that nationalism is an inescapable aspect of politics that the Left has ceded to the Right. The result: the rise of leaders such as Donald Trump in the United States and Viktor Orbán in Hungary. Judis looks to the future and urges leaders to identify and reclaim what is valid in nationalism while recognizing that it is in a country’s national interest to work together with strong international institutions. MLF Organizer Name George Hammond Notes MLF: Humanities

Join us as Michelle Meow brings her long-running daily 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. This week, we'll talk about what to expect in the new year—the people, the issues, the events that will affect the LGBTQ community for better and worse—and we'll review the newsmakers (again, for better or worse) of 2018. Come and join us, and bring your list of the 2018 and 2019 LGBTQ people and things to watch!

What could we achieve if our old and young generations unite together in their pursuit of social good? Author Marc Freedman delves into this intriguing issue, highlighting the untapped opportunity to harness the experience of our older generations. While American youth seemingly enjoy defying their parents, Freedman offers a profound contrasting perspective, emphasizing the power of cooperation and connection. As CEO of Encore.org, Freedman is dedicated to developing social work opportunities for those over 50. Freedman emphasizes mentorship and purpose, with the goal of creating a better world for future generations. People of all ages should listen to what Freedman has to say. Notes In association with the Grownups Member-Led Forum Freedman will also be speaking in Marin on 1/30/19

Happy New Year! Let's kick off 2019 by previewing the people and policies and events that will be driving politics in the new year. Join Bob Butler and Dr. James Taylor in our studio, plus Debra J. Saunders on phone from Washington, D.C., for a lively discussion of the biggest, most controversial and sometimes the surprising political issues. We'll cover the major political news of the day, and we'll talk a bit about what to expect in 2019. Our panelists will provide informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news; and we'll have audience discussion of the week’s events and our live news quiz!

In its infancy, the Paris Agreement carried the promise of a truly global climate solution. Supporters still say the Agreement is the first step in setting the global economy toward a sustainable future, but U.N. reports now say current commitments are only a fraction as strong as they need to be, and critics say it's dangerously delusional to think the pact is ambitious enough to avoid catastrophic climate change. Katharine Mach, Senior Research Scientist at Stanford University, and Trevor Houser, Partner at the Rhodium Group, join host Greg Dalton for a Paris checkup, three years on.