KQED's Forum

Electrical vehicle purchases in California dropped significantly in the second half of last year, for the first time in a decade. It’s unclear if this is a trend or just a blip, but some potential EV buyers say that they’re holding off because of concerns over public charger access and reliability. Things may be improving: California approved a $1.9 billion dollar investment in EV charging infrastructure last month, which will bring 40,000 new chargers online – including in rural areas. We’ll talk about what California needs to do to meaningfully expand its EV charging infrastructure ahead of its 2035 ban on the sale of new gas-powered cars.

Guests:

Ethan Elkind, director of the Climate Program at the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment, UC Berkeley School of Law; host, the Climate Break podcast.

Russ Mitchell, automotive editor, Los Angeles Times - He is based in Berkeley and covers the automotive industry.

Terry Travis, managing partner, EVNoire - a Mobility Consulting Group that works to integrate and amplify diversity, equity, and inclusion in the electric transportation sector.

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In 2015, the Vatican published Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical Laudato Si’, which took a firm stance on climate change and urged people to “hear both the cry of the planet and the cry of the poor.” But even with the Pope’s advocacy for the climate movement, action has been slow, especially here in the U.S., where dioceses are reluctant to divest millions from fossil fuels and discuss climate issues with their congregations. We’ll talk with the Pope’s right-hand man on climate, Father Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, about the Catholic Church’s efforts to combat climate change and why the climate crisis is “not just a physical problem, but also a deeply moral one.”

Guests:

Reverend Dr. Joshtrom Isaac Kureethadam, chair of Philosophy of Science and Director of the Institute of Social and Political Sciences, the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome; former coordinator, Ecology and Creation at the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; author, The Ten Green Commandments of Laudato Si’

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President Biden is expected to call for lower healthcare costs and higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy in his State of the Union Address on Thursday. He’s also expected to announce a temporary U.S. port in Gaza to deliver large-scale humanitarian aid, emphasize the importance of reproductive rights and promote his so-called “unity agenda,” which includes ending cancer, confronting the crisis of addiction and helping veterans. The speech is being billed by administration officials as an opportunity for a “reset” to overcome voter concerns about the President’s age as his approval ratings hover in the high 30s. We’ll analyze the speech and hear your reactions.

Guests:

Ro Khanna, U.S. Congressman for California's 17th Congressional District (Silicon Valley).

Christopher Cadelago, California’s Bureau Chief, Politico - and former White House Correspondent.

Mike Madrid, Republican strategist.

Catherine Lucey, White House Reporter, The Wall Street Journal.

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Author Shannon Reed is aptly named because she absolutely loves to read. As a child with hearing difficulties, reading was a reliable way for her to take in information. Now, whether it’s a book, the back of a cereal box, or a sign in the subway, reading is a hobby, calling, and pursuit that captures her fully. In her new book, “Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out,” she delves into how we find connection, comfort and escape in the act of reading. She also gives you permission to put a book down if you’re not loving it. We talk to Reed and a panel of Bay Area authors. And we hear from you: Why do you love to read?

Guests:

Shannon Reed, author, "Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out" - Reed is a Teaching Associate Professor and Director of the undergraduate writing program at the University of Pittsburgh.

Oscar Villalon, editor, Zyzzyva - San Francisco based literary journal.

Vanessa Hua, author, "Forbidden City" - Hua's previous books include “A River of Stars.” She is a former columnist with the San Francisco Chronicle.

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“Even if it was never the intention,” writes Kara Swisher, tech companies have become “key players in killing our comity and stymieing our politics, our government, our social fabric, and most of all, our minds.” Those are harsh words from the longtime Silicon Valley journalist who says she once rooted for young tech innovators like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Her disillusionment with the industry she covered is the foundation of her new memoir “Burn Book: A Tech Love Story.” We talk to her about what she’s learned from nearly three decades of reporting.

Guests:

Kara Swisher, cofounder and editor-at-large, Recode

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From Leslie Jamison’s Splinters to Lyz Lenz’s This American Ex-Wife, a number of high-profile recent books explore womens’ experiences with divorce. We’ll talk with Jamison and journalist Tracy Clark-Flory about what these “divorce memoirs”, and their popularity, say about the state of marriage in America today.

Guests:

Leslie Jamison, author, "Splinters: Another Kind of Love Story." Her other books include "The Empathy Exams."

Tracy Clark-Flory, journalist; essayist; author of "Want Me: A Sex Writer's Journey into the Heart of Desire." Her newsletter can be found at tracyclarkflory.substack.com.

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California voters finish casting their ballots on Tuesday to choose their top two candidates for U.S. Senate and decide the fate of Proposition 1, the mental health services measure supported by Gov. Gavin Newsom. We’ll take stock of those results, check in on key congressional races around the state and look at the outcome of the presidential nominating contests nationwide.

Guests:

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

Faith E. Pinho, reporter, Los Angeles Times

Scott Shafer, senior editor, KQED’s California Politics and Government desk; co-host, KQED's Political Breakdown

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With a predicted anemic turnout, what lessons can be gleaned from voters in this March primary? Issues that crowd the headlines like public safety and homelessness appear in various state and regional ballot measures. Will these concerns tilt the otherwise progressive-leaning Bay Area towards a more conservative path? With the help of the KQED Politics team, we’ll analyze the election results and trends in this primary, and we’ll hear from you: What brought you to or kept you from the polls?

Guests:

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

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

Annelise Finney, reporter, KQED

Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, reporter and producer covering politics, KQED News

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The 96th Academy Awards are in less than a week, and a lot of ink has been spilled comparing contenders for best actor, best director and best picture. But what about less-discussed “craft categories” that reward creativity behind the scenes — like editing, costume design, cinematography and production design? We’ll talk to artists in each of those fields about what their work entails and how to recognize and appreciate a bold edit or a brilliant visual aesthetic. And we’ll hear from you: what’s an Oscars category you’d love to know more about?

Guests:

Sam Restivo, editor; credits include "Napoleon," "House of Gucci," and "The Last Duel"

Allison Pearce, costume designer; credits include "Paint," "Black Bear," and "Clerks 3"

Olivia Peebles, production designer and set decorator; credits include “Miss Juneteenth,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” and “Oppenheimer”

Elisha Christian, cinematographer; credits include "The Night House" and "The Voyeurs"

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Caroline Paul is 60 years old and she rides a one-wheel, paddle boards wherever she pleases, and as the endurance swimmer Diana Nyad put it, is “the toughest broad I know.” But in her new book, Tough Broad, Paul sets out to show that all kinds of outdoor adventure from BASE jumping to bird watching can enrich the lives of women as they get older in a society that tells them to simply fade to irrelevance. We’ll be talking awe and novelty, accepting loss and challenging norms. As she writes, “This is not a book about adrenaline, it is a book about exhilaration. It is not about bravado, it is about bravery.”

Guests:

Caroline Paul, author, "Tough Broad: From Boogie Boarding to Wing Walking-How Outdoor Adventure Improves Our Lives as We Age" and "The Gutsy Girl: Escapades for Your Life of Epic Adventure

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