Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Today, many people who call themselves makers are geeks. Familiar with the ideas and practices of open source software, these hardware geeks are changing how we make things, where we make things and who gets to make them. However, the maker movement is moving beyond its geek contingency, just as personal computers once did, and is spreading out to engage more and more people. The maker movement is having considerable impact on business and education, emphasizing hands-on education and creative problem-solving. It is also introducing open, collaborative models around innovation that broaden participation in an innovation-driven economy. Join us for a conversation about making the future of innovation. Dale Dougherty has been on the front lines of a worldwide renaissance of creating, designing, modifying, inventing and personalizing that is affecting all aspects of how we do business. In his new book, Free to Make: How the Maker Movement Is Changing Our Schools, Our Jobs, Our Minds, Dougherty acts as a tour guide to the spectacular, hope-filled global phenomenon that we now call the maker movement. In conversation with Robert Stephens, the founder of the Geek Squad, they will explore how the do-it-yourself movement approaches arts, crafts, science and engineering, changing us as a result.

Dr. Gordis, a former Conservative rabbi, award-winning author of several books on Jewish thought and Israeli currents, and columnist for the Jerusalem Post, will discuss the topic of his latest book, which has been described as a luminous history shedding light on Israel's culture, politics and economy, so people can understand her future. Gordis was the founding dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles before moving to Jerusalem, where he helped to found Israel's first liberal arts college. Presently, he is senior vice president and Koret Distinguished Fellow at Shalem College in Jerusalem.

George Mitchell knows how to bring peace to troubled regions. The New York Times has called him “a diplomatic heavyweight." He was the primary architect of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement for peace in Northern Ireland. But when he served as U.S. special envoy for Middle East peace under President Obama from 2009 to 2011—working to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict—diplomacy did not prevail. For the first time, George Mitchell will offer his insider account of how the Israelis and the Palestinians have progressed (and regressed) in their negotiations through the years and the new steps the United States and international community can take to encourage a peace agreement. Alan Sachar served as an advisor to the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Daniel B. Shapiro, in Tel Aviv from 2011 to 2012 and to President Obama’s special envoys for Middle East peace, George J. Mitchell and David Hale, from 2009 to 2011. From 2006 to 2009, he served in the State Department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, focusing on the U.S. bilateral relationships with Israel and the Palestinians as well as Arab-Israeli relations. As a new U.S. administration is about to take power, hear from one of the world’s most astute statesmen and a top diplomatic advisor.

The peaceful transition of power has been a hallmark of our democracy, but new presidents consistently fail to get their new administrations up and running quickly and effectively. Max Stier has been leading a comprehensive initiative to reform the system and advise both the outgoing administration and the incoming transition teams. He will give a candid, insider’s perspective on the most complex takeover in the world and a case study on changing how Washington works. Under Max Stier’s leadership, the Partnership for Public Service has been widely praised as a first-class nonprofit organization and thought leader on federal government management issues. In 2015, the Partnership launched the Center for Presidential Transition, a first-of-its-kind effort to ensure the smoothest transition of power yet by working with campaign teams, federal agencies and the outgoing administration. Mr. Stier has worked previously in all three branches of the federal government, having served on the personal staff of U.S. Representative Jim Leach, clerked for Chief Judge James Oakes of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and clerked for Justice David Souter of the United States Supreme Court. Most recently, he was deputy general counsel in the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Stier is a graduate of Yale College and Stanford Law School.

Mozart and Homer both understood that philosophical perspectives can be of limited utility in providing comfort to the bereaved. In commemoration of the 225th anniversary of Mozart’s death, we will listen to the extraordinarily moving lamentation section of his String Quintet in G minor performed by the London Quintet. After examining how Mozart uses musical devices to achieve emotional effects, we will compare his musical evocation of grief with passages in The Iliad lamenting the death of heroes.

A renaissance in science is creating a revolution in thought and understanding—and in our physical bodies—that is changing the world and our health. Epigenetics reveals that we are not victims of our genes. Cancer, depression and diseases were once believed to be preprogrammed in our genes. In fact, the nervous system can send different signals to cells, reprogramming their genetic activity and behavior. Dr. Lipton says that this provides for miraculous spontaneous remissions from cancer or other diseases. Cell biologist and bestselling author Bruce H. Lipton will take you on a fast-paced journey from the microcosm of the cell to the macrocosm of the mind. This informative and self-empowering presentation on the mechanics of the mind-body interaction explores his views of how our thoughts, attitudes and beliefs create the conditions of our body and our place in the world. He has designed this presentation to inspire your spirit, engage your mind and empower you to become the master of your fate rather than the "victim" of your heredity.

In his most ambitious work to date, Thank You for Being Late: An Optimist’s Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations, Thomas L. Friedman shows that we have entered an age of dizzying acceleration—and explains how to live in it. Due to an exponential increase in computing power, climbers atop Mount Everest enjoy excellent cell-phone service, and self-driving cars are taking to the roads. A parallel explosion of economic interdependency has created new riches as well as spiraling debt burdens. Meanwhile, Mother Nature is also seeing dramatic changes as carbon levels rise and species go extinct, with compounding results. Today, it is easier than ever to be a maker (try 3-D printing) or a breaker (the Islamic State excels at using Twitter), but harder than ever to be a leader or merely "average." Friedman concludes that nations and individuals must learn to be fast (innovative and quick to adapt), fair (prepared to help the casualties of change), and slow (adept at shutting out the noise and accessing their deepest values). Join Friedman for an engaging conversation on how we should think about and cope with all of these changes.

James Hoggan contends that the most pressing environmental problem we face today is not climate change. It is pollution in the public square, where a smog of adversarial rhetoric and propaganda stifles discussion and creates resistance to change, thwarting our ability to solve our collective problems. In I'm Right and You're an Idiot, Hoggan grapples with this critical issue, conducting interviews with such notables as Thich Nhat Hanh, Noam Chomsky and the Dalai Lama.

This year, Planned Parenthood marks its 100th year of providing vital health-care services, education and information to women, men and families across America. While 2.5 million men and women visit Planned Parenthood affiliate health centers annually, the organization faces major opposition and during this historic election year, Planned Parenthood and its supporters have been under scrutiny by politicians and others who want to eliminate the organization’s state and federal funding and shut down its clinics. One side argues that Planned Parenthood’s initiatives should not be bolstered by the government and often have a negative impact, while Planned Parenthood’s supporters assert that without the organization’s services, public health and safety are potentially endangered. Join INFORUM at The Commonwealth Club in welcoming Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards for a powerful and timely discussion about Planned Parenthood’s history, its role in our political and cultural dialogue, and what the future holds for the organization as it looks toward its next 100 years.

Climate change is as much about what we eat as what we drive or where we live. Rising heat is hitting chocolate, wine, beer, bread and other foods we love, while our appetites for meat, fish, and dairy are responsible for a host of unsustainable farming practices. So what’s a climate-conscious eater to do? On today’s program we'll look at how climate change affects us at the kitchen table. We’ll ask whether all those craft beers, fair-trade coffees, and single-batch chocolates are part of the solution, or whether going vegan is the key to a climate-friendly diet.

While many people concerned about climate disruption have changed their car and their diet, few have changed their flying habits. The greenhouse gas emissions from air travel often blows away all the carbon savings from other lifestyle changes. That could be about to change. The airline industry has agreed to an international deal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. What new fuels and technologies will make that possible? Can we really look forward to guilt-free flying in the foreseeable future? A conversation about cleaning up the skies and the possibility of going to see grandma on a jet powered by food scraps and old tree branches. This program was made possible by support from ClimateWorks Foundation.

Resilience is an amazing story of research, understanding and hope for our children's futures and for ourselves. People hope that every child lives in an safe and healthy environment. Most people know that neglect, abuse and unhealthy environments are damaging to children. The new documentary Resilience is about dedicated people discovering that adverse childhood experiences can lead to poor physical and mental outcomes in childhood and can carry over to life-threatening issues and health risks in adulthood. The film is about new discoveries and research about life, health and hope for people at all ages.

Andy Cohen’s back on the INFORUM stage with his latest book, Superficial: More Adventures from the Andy Cohen Diaries, and Anna Sale of the cult-favorite podcast "Death, Sex and Money" will be wringing all the salacious details out of him live. Since we last saw him, Andy has continued to leave his footprints all over the media world, from touring with Anderson Cooper to creating his own Sirius station, Radio Andy. Andy’s new book will satiate your appetite with juicy stories about his personal and professional adventures, and everything in between. This time, Andy’s not holding anything back (especially his opinions!) and you won’t want to miss your chance to hear the scandalous scoop straight from the source.

Why do so many Americans die in ways they say they don’t want, suffering and tethered to machines? When Harvard physician Dr. Angelo Volandes had trouble explaining to his dying patient the possible consequences of her treatment options, he walked her down to the ICU. She immediately understood where her decision might lead, and it changed her outlook. Since then, Dr. Volandes has created dozens of powerful videos to support advance care planning and facilitate difficult conversations about end-of-life care. His ground-breaking work has attracted support from the NIH and private foundations, and his efforts have helped thousands of clinicians, patients and families have “the conversation.” Dr. Volandes’ efforts have demonstrated the power of stories and video in helping patients make decisions that reflect their preferences and values. He has applied his approach to large health-care systems and entire states, and his work has been translated into multiple languages. His presentation will include excerpts from several videos as well as from his recent book, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care.

Join author Jessica Buchleitner and contributors Silvia Vasquez Lavado (Peru), Nwe Oo (Bangladesh/Burma border), Masha Maslova(Moldova), and Boona Cheema (India) as they offer advice for our new U.S. president to tackle the most prominent issues women face globally. Will the United States take a stand to ratify the CEDAW ordinance? What will be the fate of immigrant women with children and the programs they depend on? Each contributor offers her story and unique experiences serving communities through various means.