Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Rushkoff says It’s not technology’s fault; but instead he blames a growth-driven, economic operating system that has reached the limits of its ability to serve anyone, rich or poor, human or corporate. But he says there must be a better response to the lopsided returns of the digital economy than to throw rocks at the shuttle buses carrying Google employees to their jobs, as protesters did in December 2013. Acclaimed media scholar and technology author Douglas Rushkoff calls for people to embrace the more distributed possibilities of these technology platforms. He says we can optimize every aspect of the economy—from central currency and debt to corporations and labor—to create sustainable prosperity for business and people alike.

Rosemary's story is interwoven with the author's own personal tale in the new book The Missing Kennedy. A New York Times bestselling author, Elizabeth is the niece of the nun who took care of Rosemary Kennedy for 35 years. The inspiration behind The Special Olympics and The Best Buddies program, Rosemary led a very meaningful life because of how her family responded to her misfortune. Koehler-Pentacoff will share the impact Rosemary had on her life and the life of so many others.

But how is mankind impacting this delicate balance? The most surprising revelation about the rules that regulate life at such different scales is that they are remarkably similar; there is a common underlying logic to life. Award-winning biologist Carroll explains how our deep knowledge of the rules and logic of the human body has spurred the advent of revolutionary life-saving medicines, and makes the compelling case that it is now time to use the Serengeti Rules to heal our ailing planet.

Represented organizations on this panel have experience in building female leadership through directly connecting women and girls in developing countries with professional women in the U.S. who help them access higher education, technology resources and—most important—connect them with a global network of professionals who help them succeed.

Governments worldwide spend more than $8 trillion annually in goods and services with the private sector. Given the enormous size of this market and the complexity of challenges that governments all over the world must address, there has never been a greater need or opportunity for tech innovators and entrepreneurs to play an active role in creating large-scale public and social impact. However, it is often unclear how these innovators and entrepreneurs can actually bring their solutions to bear in this incredibly important market. A panel of public and private sector experts will explore how the private sector can use proven and “breakthrough” solutions to solve major social and public policy challenges, and bring about real change in the enormous public sector market. The discussion will include the ways in which private sector companies can leverage market knowledge and data, support public sector innovation and access market opportunities. The public-private dynamic is shifting, both here in the Bay Area and across the nation and globe. Join us to gain insight into how these opportunities can help create social impact through both the public and private lenses.

Sengupta emigrated from Calcutta as a child and grew up in California. Thirty years later, she returned to India as the first Indian-American bureau chief for The New York Times.

Join the San Francisco Green Film Festival and leading Bay Area wildlife filmmakers and environmentalists for a discussion about the role of filmmaking to save species and habitats. Whether it is butterflies on San Bruno mountain or lions in Kenya, we want to share how film has played a leading part in having stories heard and told. And a plus! A sneak preview of this year's San Francisco Green Film Festival.

Join our panelists for informative and engaging commentary on political and other major news, audience discussion of the week’s events, and our live news quiz! And come early before the program to meet other smart and engaged individuals and discuss the news over snacks and wine at our member social (open to all attendees).

Increased hygiene and a lack of exposure to various microorganisms have been held responsible for the "epidemic" of chronic inflammatory diseases over the past 30–40 years in industrialized countries. While factors such as modality of delivery, neonatal feeding regimens, use of antibiotics, and infections can influence microbiota composition, diet is by far the most important variable affecting gut ecosystem. Dr. Fasano will discuss how the gut microbiome affects health and the steps that can be taken to keepthe microbiome healthy.

Osteopathic physicians and educators from Touro University California will address this need at in this program. Traditional treatments for obesity have been ineffective in addressing this epidemic. For this reason, the university’s highly knowledgeable team will address issues with obesity, including altering diet, incorporating exercise, addressing associated metabolic abnormalities, and even environmental factors such as air pollution and climate change and how they all relate to resolution. The approach taken by researchers at Touro’s new Translational Research Clinic is focused on overall health as opposed to weight and incorporates patient demographics, communication skills and lessons from public health into the training of new physicians.