James Vincent, a senior reporter for The Verge, the Vox Media site devoted to technology and society, discusses whether the U.S. will ever fully adopt the metric system, how we can free ourselves from being controlled by measurements, and whether today's standardized measurements might be missing something. James' new book is Beyond Measure: The Hidden History of Measurement from Cubits to Quantum Constants.

Virginia Johnson, Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, shares what it was like being a principal ballerina, how she became the DTH artistic director, and how to encourage our kids if they're dreaming of a career in the arts. Dance Theatre of Harlem performs Saturday, November 5th at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle. Info at STGPresents.org

Lewis Black shares how he managed failure to become a successful standup comedian, what he thinks about current world events, and what he would do if he were President of the United States. Lewis performs his newest show, Off The Rails, on October 22nd at McCaw Hall in Seattle. Info at STGPresents.com and LewisBlack.com

Award-winning documentary filmmaker Evgeny Afineevsky discusses what it's like to be in Ukraine right now, how we can talk to our kids about the war, and where the Ukrainian people's resilience comes from. Evgeny's latest film is Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom.

Cody Keenan, President Obama's chief speechwriter, talks about Barack Obama as a leader, how we can engage our kids in the political process so they'll feel empowered, and how to write a great speech. Cody's new book is Grace: President Obama and Ten Days in the Battle for America.

Nonfiction writer E.B. Bartels discusses why we bring pets into our homes despite knowing that most of them won't live long, whether grief over losing a pet is a first-world problem, and why we get so intensely sad when a pet dies. E.B.'s new book is Good Grief: On Loving Pets, Here and Hereafter.

Former NPR Education Correspondent Anya Kamenetz discusses the impacts of keeping students out of school as long as we did during the COVID pandemic, why this past school year was so challenging for students and educators, and why it's so important for schools to prioritize relationships and social-emotional well-being moving forward. Anya's new book is The Stolen Year: How COVID Changed Children’s Lives, and Where We Go Now.

Nate Bowling, a past Washington state Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year Finalist, discusses whether there's a way to bring our country together, whether we should prosecute former president Trump, and why it's so important to participate in state and local elections. Follow Nate on Twitter @nate_bowling

Vanity Fair contributing editor and bestselling author Sloane Crosley discusses when the right time is to let go of relationships, whether it's possible to be happy in the age of social media and screens without shutting them off completely, and how living in New York City can feel like living in a small town. Sloane's new novel is Cult Classic.

Economic historian Leticia Arroyo Abad, Professor of Economics at City University of New York - Queens College, discusses whether the Federal Reserve is doing the right thing by raising interest rates so quickly, how other countries managed inflation, and what might happen if interest rates keep going up.