Episodes

  • Frank Lavin: Inside the Reagan White House

    Frank Lavin: Inside the Reagan White House
    Mar 4 2026
    The Reagan presidency marked a turning point in American political history, bringing in changes in voting allegiances, long-lasting economic and foreign policy shifts, and a new direction in the country’s political culture that lasted for decades. Now former Reagan aide Frank Lavin comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to share behind-the-scenes stories of the Reagan White House. Drawing on his new book Inside the Reagan White House: A Front-Row Seat to Presidential Leadership with Lessons for Today, Lavin includes a mix of personal stories, insights on the president, discussions of policy and historical events, and crazy, colorful anecdotes in his insider’s look at the Reagan presidency. The Reagan assassination attempt, the Gorbachev Reykjavik summit, Ollie North and the Contras, the 1988 Bush-Dukakis contest and other critical moments of the Reagan years are all covered. Lavin also offers original insights into Reagan cabinet members and other top players, along with personal anecdotes, off-hand comments, and unique family details. Not to mention the movie stars, Soviet spies, neo-Nazis, plain old Nazis, intimate affairs, fights on planes, and con men who were chased by Interpol. But Lavin says that at the heart of his story are the thousands of dedicated Americans who helped Ronald Reagan as he worked to push back against the Soviet Union, promote democracy, improve trade, lower taxes, and reduce the size and scope of government—back when those were the main focuses of conservative Republicans. Join us to discuss whether the Reagan years provide us with any lessons for our current political situation. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: George Hammond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • The Arctic: An Emerging Ocean

    The Arctic: An Emerging Ocean
    Mar 3 2026
    Don’t miss out on an evening celebration of a philanthropic milestone and the exploration of an increasingly important development in the Arctic. Today, we are witnessing the emergence of a new ocean. For almost all of human history, the Arctic Ocean has been a frozen sea dominated by sea ice whose properties include the ability to reflect sunlight. It has played an essential role in regulating the climate well beyond the Arctic. Simply put, it has long served as Earth’s air conditioner. The changes in the Arctic Ocean are affecting many sectors, including global climate, of course, as well as conservation and environmental preservation, fisheries and aquaculture, other sea life, navigation, trade, tourism, renewable energy, marine biotech, green tech, vegetation, digital connectivity and infrastructure, and the 4 million people in five countries who live along the Arctic Ocean coastline including Indigenous peoples and their cultures. As the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation concludes its 25th year, we invite you to participate in a fascinating discussion on emerging conservation opportunities in the Arctic. Join leading conservationists Louie Porta and Enric Sala for an exclusive film screening and in-depth discussion about this rapidly changing ocean. Enric Sala is a National Geographic Explorer and director of Pristine Seas, a project that combines exploration, research, filmmaking, economics and policy—working with local communities, Indigenous peoples and governments to protect vital places in the ocean. Louie Porta is the program director of the Arctic Ocean Initiative at the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California is a nonprofit public forum; we welcome donations made during registration to support the production of our programming. This program is presented by Commonwealth Club World Affairs, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and National Geographic Pristine Seas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • The Age of Tech x Biopharma

    The Age of Tech x Biopharma
    Mar 2 2026
    AI and emerging technologies are reshaping biopharma and redefining how science is built, scaled and valued. As the landscape shifts, the industry must confront critical questions about leadership, capital strategy and what innovation really looks like in the years ahead. Join us to hear inside perspectives from senior leaders across biopharma and technology on: What’s driving momentum at the intersection of tech and science Where unsolved challenges are creating the next wave of opportunity This event is designed for technology and life sciences leaders, investors and stakeholders who want to learn from peers, identify emerging opportunities, and understand how data and AI will shape the next phase of biopharma. Dress code (encouraged): Elevated business attire or cocktail wear. In celebration of Black History Month, MelanInScience and WeAre encourage attendees to wear skin tone-inspired shades to reflect the beauty and diversity of all complexions. Hosted by MelanInScience and WeAre. See more Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    Not Yet Known
  • Michael Shermer: Truth! What Is It? And How To Find It!

    Michael Shermer: Truth! What Is It? And How To Find It!
    Mar 1 2026
    There are scientific truths, religious truths, historical truths, mythical truths, and more. In our current swamp of misinformation, disinformation, truthiness, rewritten history, conspiracy theories, “fake news,” and bald-faced lies, how do we discern actual facts and truth? What is “truth,” anyway? The Declaration of Independence claims that “We hold these truths to be self-evident.” What about those “truths”? These questions are crucial if we’re to have a functioning democracy. Michael Shermer, founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of the new book Truth, returns to our podium to tackle these issues with us. He will clarify the different kinds of truth, take us on an entertaining ride through some classic fallacies, and then show us how to figure out, within the context of the various types of “truth,” whether a particular “fact” is, in fact, factual. So join us for an informative discussion and maybe a few enjoyable, and illuminating, experiential exercises in which we'll practice tackling the problem of finding truth, then maybe have dinner afterward at a nearby restaurant! A Personal Growth Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. Organizer: Eric Siegel The program contains EXPLICIT language. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 9 mins
  • Humanities West Presents Ansel Adams: An Artist Engaged with the World

    Humanities West Presents Ansel Adams: An Artist Engaged with the World
    Feb 27 2026
    Humanities West explores Ansel Adams’ legendary six-decade career as a conservationist, teacher, musician and, above all, photographer, bringing you the stories behind the famous images to reveal the infectious enthusiasms, fervent battles, and bountiful friendships of a truly American original. Two of Ansel Adams’ best friends, Georgia O’Keeffe and Edward Weston, criticized him for being too involved with the world. They advised that his activism—for the environment, for the rights of American citizens, for the recognition of photography as a creative art—all came at a grave cost to his art. To be a serious artist, they agreed, one must focus only on one’s art. Ansel Adams proved them wrong. But too often, Adams’ photographs are appreciated only for their aesthetic appeal, without consideration of the social and political circumstances of their making. On what would have been his 123rd birthday, how do we celebrate this great artist and American citizen? Mary Street Alinder and Dr. Jasmine Alinder will place Adams’ artistic work and political convictions in conversation, not as opposing forces, but as mutually supporting objectives. Mary Street Alinder first studied with Adams in 1967, eventually becoming his chief assistant from 1979 until his death in 1984. During those years she worked very closely with him and completed his autobiography posthumously. She will share her very personal experiences with this great San Franciscan. Jasmine Alinder is an interdisciplinary, community-engaged scholar and teacher of public history, the history of photography, and the history of Japanese-Americans during World War II. In her talk, she will focus on Ansel Adams’ 1944 project Born Free and Equal: The Story of Loyal Japanese-Americans. A Humanities Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums. In association with Humanities West. Organizer: George Hammond Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 49 mins
  • CLIMATE ONE: Electric Bills are Bonkers. What Can We Do About It?

    CLIMATE ONE: Electric Bills are Bonkers. What Can We Do About It?
    Feb 27 2026
    Rising electricity rates across the country are adding pressure to families and businesses already dealing with inflation in other aspects of their lives. Most Americans get their power from a utility that needs to turn a profit for its investors. And people are fed up with the status quo. “Across the country, the utilities have just gotten greedy and are asking for more than they need,” says Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes. Some communities are considering cutting out the profit motive for utilities, taking on the complicated and expensive prospect of moving to public power. But switching from an investor-owned utility to public power is an uphill battle. What are other strategies for reining in corporate greed and making electricity more affordable? Episode Guests: Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General Naveena Sadasivam, Investigative Reporter and Editor, Grist Carroll Fife, Councilmember, District 3, Oakland, California Jackson Kaspari, Director of Member Services, Community Power Coalition of New Hampshire For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit ⁠https://www.climateone.org/podcasts⁠ Skill Up for Earth: ⁠⁠https://skillup.earth⁠⁠ Highlights: 00:00 – Intro 04:00 – Naveena Sadasivam breaks down electric bill drivers by region 14:00 – High bills affected outcome of Georgia Public Utility Commission 17:00 – Tucson town hall held by AZ AG Kris Mayes to discuss power bill 19:00 – Mayes explains why she’s intervening in rate cases 27:00 – Imbalance of power between utility companies and PUCs and consumer advocates 33:00 – Would Arizona legislators consider allowing community choice aggregation 36:00 – Carroll Fife on why she supported a state bill to explore other options to power suppliers 43:40 – Jackson Kaspari explains how community choice aggregation works in New Hampshire 48:00 – Utility pushback 54:00 – Kaspari explains how much work it took to set up CCA in New Hampshire 56:30 – Climate One More Thing ********** Support Climate One by going ad-free! By subscribing to Climate One on ⁠Patreon⁠, you’ll receive exclusive access to all future episodes free of ads, opportunities to connect with fellow Climate One listeners, and access to the Climate One Discord. Sign up today at ⁠patreon.com/ClimateOne⁠. Ad sales by ⁠Multitude⁠. Contact them for ad inquiries at ⁠multitude.productions/ads⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • California Gubernatorial Fireside Chat with SF DCC Chair Nancy Tung

    California Gubernatorial Fireside Chat with SF DCC Chair Nancy Tung
    Feb 25 2026
    This fireside chat will feature the various major Democratic candidates running to be California’s next governor in conversation with Nancy Tung, who is currently serving as the chair of the San Francisco Democratic Party, about the biggest issues facing the state of California. This conversation is taking place as delegates from throughout California arrive in San Francisco for the Democratic Party Convention weekend. Delegates will be evaluating the candidates and casting their votes on whom to endorse for governor as part of our special CADEM coverage of the state convention. Gubernatorial candidates will each have a 15-minute period to share their vision for the future of the Golden State one-on-one with Chair Nancy Tung. See more Michelle Meow Show programs at Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    2 hrs and 31 mins
  • The Economy 2026: Bubble or Boom

    The Economy 2026: Bubble or Boom
    Feb 24 2026
    Are we in an AI-driven financial bubble? New York Times financial journalist Andrew Ross Sorkin, author of a new book on the 1929 stock market crash, thinks so. "I just can’t tell you when, and I can’t tell you how deep," he has said. "But I can assure you, unfortunately, I wish I wasn't saying this, we will have a crash.” But other experts, notably Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, doesn’t think the AI boom is another dot-com bubble. “These companies … actually have business models and profits... So it’s really a different thing,” Powell said in October. So what’s the average consumer and investor to do? In Commonwealth Club World Affairs’ annual economic forecast, our experts will go beyond the hype and doomsaying to break down what it all means for your bottom line. Will the stock market continue to rally, or will there be a correction? How will tariff chaos and the immigration crackdown impact the economy? What can we expect with future interest rate cuts, and with President Trump’s efforts to influence the Fed? We’ll take up those questions and much more with our expert panel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    1 hr and 7 mins