Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Mongolia is a unique land of both incredible beauty and misunderstood history. One of the last remaining countries of nomadic herders, it is the most sparsely inhabited country in a landlocked territory and one of the most isolated spots on Earth. Yet eight centuries ago it was the center of the world—home of the largest empire in history and the birthplace of Genghis Khan, the man The Washington Post named the most important person of the last thousand years. How did Genghis Khan’s life shape the last eight centuries of history? How is he relevant to us today? Jack Weatherford will share his research and insights. MLF ORGANIZER NAME Norma Walden NOTES MLF: International Relations In association with the Travel department

The rape of Europa is a Greek myth that tells of a Phoenician princess stolen across the sea from Tyre to Crete. Her five brothers are sent to find her. Although none are successful, one brother, Cadmus, finds the city of Thebes, marries a local girl named Harmonia, and is credited with giving Greece agriculture, the alphabet and metalworking—the pillars of civilization. The myth’s names tell its story: Europa means “west,” Cadmus derives from the word for “east,” and Harmonia (“harmony”) was how Greeks defined beauty. The Greek myth is thought to depict the arrival of ideas, art, stories and technical skills from the Near East to Europe in the middle of the first millennium B.C. It was a seedtime that fertilized rocky, resource-poor, illiterate Greece, giving birth to western civilization. Douglas Kenning relates the history that this richly layered myth evokes, both as it was once told and as it is told now, using century after century of beautiful paintings to illustrate this history. MLF Organizer Name George Hammond Notes MLF: Humanities

Monday Night Philosophy recognizes that reasoning has always been part of human life, but Plato played a radical role in increasing our respect for the power of reason, cutting through mythological beliefs and inaccurate opinions. He shared his passionate enthusiasm for reason with the students of his Academy (and later with us) through his philosophical dialogues. Plato carried his ideas out of the shadows of the cave of Pythagorean secrecy and spread them out in the sunlight for everyone to see. Plato even records Socrates arguing that philosophical discussions should not be recorded in writing because they will then be distorted and misunderstood. Plato's mischievous and knowing disobedience was based on his acceptance that distortions and misunderstandings would abound. But he was convinced that it was crucial to make clear, conceptual reasoning more popular if we were ever going to understand the world we inhabit. Plato's decision proved vital to our current understanding of reasoning. However, the popularity of his radical respect for reason is still in its infancy of influence on human culture. Peer ahead to see what is still to come. MLF Organizer Name George Hammond Notes MLF: Humanities

If Medicare seems like one big alphabetical maze to you, you are not alone. For most, a correct understanding of how Medicare works, how Medicare interacts with company and retiree plans, what plan options might be best for you, and when or how to sign up are not clear. Learn the ABCs of Medicare as well as the realities of what and what not to expect. Here’s what every boomer needs to know before they turn 65. MLF Organizer Name John Milford Notes MLF: Grownups

Despite the high potential for solar power generation in Kenya, more than 84 percent of Kenyans in rural communities have no access to grid electricity. A pilot project in Limuru, Kenya, is teaching young people the skills they need to build a solar-LED light system with scrap components, soldering wire for electricity in their homes, schools and neighborhoods. The goal is to help youth learn to develop renewable energy. The program also encourages entrepreneurial goals and provides students with the skills they need for economic self-sufficiency in their communities. Come learn what these young people are doing to create solar energy and power for both today and the future. MLF Organizer Name Ann Clark Notes MLF: Environment & Natural Resources

In her book “Dark Money: the Hidden History Behind the Rise of the Radical Right,” New Yorker writer Jane Mayer exposes the powerful group of individuals who bankroll our political system. Mayer traces the billions of dollars spent by the Kochs, the Mercers, and other wealthy conservative activists to influence policies related to climate change, the economy and more. And as the Trump administration rolls back regulations, the head of the US Chemical Safety Board, Vanessa Sutherland, wonders how much these billionaires will succeed in weakening government oversight of their business.

Creative, colorful, hands-on, inspiring: How many people get to describe their jobs that way? Brit Morin ran with her passion for DIY and crafting and took it to the next level. Today, she’s founder and CEO of Brit + Co, which aims to educate, inspire, entertain and inform creative women on a global scale. Morin’s entrepreneurial streak began while she was working in Silicon Valley at Google and Apple, but even then she always had creative side projects going on during her off-hours. She left Google at 25 to launch Brit + Co, which began as a small online company offering how-to videos for women, covering everything from calligraphy to coding. Under Morin’s direction, Brit + Co has grown from a fledgling venture into one of the largest digital media companies for women—130 million users strong—securing partnerships with IKEA, Starbucks, Target, Sephora and many others along the way. Not just online, Brit + Co often hosts pop-ups and conferences that welcome in-person community building, crafting and more. Morin is a partner to Slow Ventures, and her recent awards include Forbes’ 30 Under 30, Marie Claire’s New Guard, and Glamour’s Female Entrepreneur Innovator. Whether you’re into DIY crafting or are looking for new inspiration, Morin will empower you to harness your inner creativity and use it to live a more colorful life. She will be in conversation with Marissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo, who mentored her at Google, invested in Brit + Co, and continues to be one of Morin’s influences and inspirations.

This program is part of our Good Lit series, underwritten by the Bernard Osher Foundation. Cleo Wade has already been called “the millennial Oprah” by New York magazine, and this talented poet is still on the rise. With hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers waiting for her next poem or artwork to drop, she’s inspiring a generation with her words and warmth. Whether she’s advocating for women’s issues, reproductive health or LGBTQ rights or launching creative projects with her Chez Conversations art collective, Wade uses her words to empower and motivate. A combination of poems, mantras, affirmations and pep talks, her collection Heart Talk is a daily reminder to look both inward and to others for support and sustenance. Join Wade for a conversation about leveraging the power of the pen for positive impact.

Award-winning author Jackson Fahnestock will be in conversation with Denise Michaud, co-chair of the Grownups forum, about how a health crisis precipitated his early retirement from an architectural career and led to his pursuits of art and writing. He will talk about his first novel, Shu Wei's Revenge, which was a distinguished favorite of the New York City Big Book Award and a 2015 semifinalist of the William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition. Set in 1898 in San Francisco’s Chinatown, the book touches on several relevant themes. The discussion will be followed by a question and answer session.

Here’s a chance to get an inside view of innovation in the tech industry from two high-level executives at Cisco Systems, one of Silicon Valley’s most revered companies. Our speakers will discuss the disruptive impact of digitization on industries, their operations, cultures and employees as well as co-innovation best practices inside and outside that enable companies to lead the digital transition. For the past 20 years, Alex Goryachev has made it his business to turn disruptive concepts into emerging business models. As Cisco’s senior director of innovation strategy and programs, he sparks internal innovation by providing employees at all levels the chance to share their big ideas, many of which make their way into the company’s innovation engine. He was the emerging stars gold recipient of Brandon Hall Group’s 2016 Human Capital Management Excellence Awards Program, and his organization won golds for employee engagement and innovation talent management programs. Prior to Cisco, Goryachev was a successful consultant with extended assignments at Napster, Liquid Audio, IBM Global Services and Pfizer. Maciej Kranz brings 30 years of networking industry experience to his position as vice president of the corporate strategic innovation group at Cisco. He leads the group focused on incubating new businesses, accelerating internal innovation and driving co-innovation with customers and partners through a global network of Cisco innovation centers. Prior to this role, Kranz was general manager of the connected industries group at Cisco, a business unit focused on the Internet of things (IoT). He built a $250 million business from the ground up in 18 months and relentlessly evangelized the IoT opportunity across Cisco and the market. Before coming to Cisco, Kranz held various management positions at 3Com Corporation and began his professional career at IBM. In his New York Times best-selling 2016 book, Building the Internet of Things, Kranz offers practical advice to business decision makers on how and why to implement IoT today. Kranz is also a faculty member of Singularity University, focusing on IoT and corporate innovations. Notes This program is generously supported by Accenture