KQED’s Forum

The San Francisco AI firm Anthropic has developed a new model that it says is too powerful to be released to the public. Called Mythos, Anthropic says it's in a “different league” when it comes to identifying and exploiting cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and in the wrong hands could enable bad actors to unleash powerful cyberattacks. Anthropic is alerting governments and releasing a limited version called Claude Mythos Preview to about 40 tech companies (including some of its AI competitors) to find and fix their own security vulnerabilities. We look at how this next generation of AI could reshape digital security and policy. Guests: Alex Stamos, chief product officer, Corridor; computer science lecturer, Stanford University Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Going to graduate school has never been cheap. But sweeping new changes to the federal loan system – which will now have caps on how much you can borrow – may make it even harder. What do these changes mean for aspiring nurses, teachers, doctors and lawyers — and could they reshape who gets to pursue advanced degrees in America? We'll talk about student loans, and look at the broader landscape, from income-driven repayment overhauls to the future of public service forgiveness. Guests: Aissa Canchola Bañez, policy director, Protect Borrowers, an advocacy group focused on policy solutions for debt issues facing consumers Jordan Matsudaira, professor at the School of Public Affairs, American University; Matsudaira served as Deputy Undersecretary and Chief Economist at the Department of Education during the Biden Administration Eileen Fry-Bowers, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions, University of San Francisco Jessica Blake, policy reporter, Inside Higher Ed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Psychiatrist Suzan Song has for decades worked with people who have experienced extreme traumas, like being trafficked or recruited as child soldiers. She says she became drawn to those who were able not just to survive, but thrive and flourish – even without access to traditional Western talk therapy. We talk to Song about where she thinks true healing comes from,  and how we can apply that to more ordinary suffering, like a breakup or an unexpected loss. Song's new book is “Why We Suffer and How We Heal.” Guests: Suzan Song, psychiatrist and global mental health expert; author, "Why We Suffer and How We Heal" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California's record-setting heatwave in March caused snow to melt and vegetation to dry out earlier than normal this year. Those conditions could provide lots of fuel for wildfires and hasten the start of fire season. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has gutted the U.S. Forest Service, which manages close to 60 percent of our state's forest areas, and plans to close six research centers in California. We'll dig into how those factors could influence wildfires this year and how you can prepare. Guests: Craig Clements, professor of meteorology, director of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center at San Jose State University Marianne Lavelle, Washington, D.C. bureau chief, Inside Climate News Adrienne Freeman, assistant director for communications for fire and aviation management, US. Forest Service Brent Pascua, battalion chief, Cal Fire Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2026 WNBA season tips off next month. It's expected to see historic viewership and attendance, after last season's record-breaking run as the most-watched regular season in the history of the league. But even though this is the WNBA's historic 30th season, women have been playing basketball since long before 1996. Sports journalists Jordan Robinson and Emma Baccellieri set out to profile the female trailblazers who changed basketball history, like Denise Long Rife, the first woman drafted by an NBA team when she was recruited to the San Francisco Warriors in 1969, and Ora Washington, who in the 1930s became a star on her YMCA's all-Black basketball team after already winning “almost every tennis trophy available to a Black woman in pre-war America.” We'll celebrate the players and coaches who made women's basketball into the phenomenon it is today, and get a preview for the upcoming season, with Robinson and Baccellieri. Their new book is “Court Queens: Celebrate the Players, Teams, and History of Women's Basketball.” Guests: Jordan Robinson, sports journalist; co-author, "Court Queens: Celebrate the Players, Teams, and History of Women's Basketball" Emma Baccellieri, staff writer, Sports Illustrated; co-author, "Court Queens: Celebrate the Players, Teams, and History of Women's Basketball" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Grammy-nominated bassist and composer Melvin Gibbs contends that all music genres popular in the U.S. — pop, country, rock, dance, hip-hop and Latin — “either are, or are based on, or created using, forms of Black music.” In his new book “How Black Music Took Over the World,” Gibbs set out to trace the “rhythmic genealogy” of music from Africa through the Americas. And he unpacks why traditional Western notations and interpretations of music — even when well-intended — misunderstand the sense of time and kinesthetics fundamental to truly understanding how Black music works. Gibbs joins us with his bass to demonstrate the long reach of the African diaspora, and to ask who gets the credit for the music the whole world loves. Guests: Melvin Gibbs, Grammy-nominated composer and musician; author, “How Black Music Took Over The World” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After almost two decades as Prime Minister, Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orbán was defeated by Péter Magyar, leader of the center-right Tisza party. In the final days of the campaign, President Trump sent Vice President JD Vance to Budapest to campaign for Orbán, but voters weren't swayed. Could Orbán's defeat be a sign that President Trump's brand of right-wing populism is losing its appeal? Guests: Zack Beauchamp, senior correspondent, Vox; author, "The Reactionary Spirit" Lucan Way, distinguished professor of democracy, University of Toronto Frank Langfitt, national correspondent, NPR Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An American naval blockade of Iranian ports entered its third day as the U.S. tries to open up ship traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile, President Trump contends that the war is “very close to being over” but also renewed threats to destroy civilian infrastructure. We talk about the latest in Iran and what might happen if no deal is reached before the ceasefire expires next week. Guests: Dalia Dassa Kaye, senior fellow, UCLA Burkle Center for International Relations; author, “Enduring Hostility: The Making of America's Iran Policy” Robin Wright, contributing writer, New Yorker; her recent piece is "'The Peace President' Gets Belligerent with Iran and the Pope;" author, "Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East" David Sanger, White House and national security correspondent, New York Times; his most recent book is "New Cold Wars: China's Rise, Russia's Invasion and America's Struggle to Save the West" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facing sexual misconduct allegations from at least five women, including one former staffer, Bay Area Democrat Eric Swalwell resigned from Congress, where he had served since 2013. Swalwell, who denies the accusations, also suspended his campaign for California governor over the weekend. We look at how his departure reshapes the governor's race and how allegations of sexual misconduct are being treated now, nearly a decade after the #MeToo movement began. Guests: Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host of KQED's Political Breakdown Alexei Koseff, Washington, D.C. correspondent, San Francisco Chronicle Allison Gordon, investigative reporter and producer, CNN Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump promised that new tax provisions in his One Big Beautiful Bill would deliver a windfall to millions of Americans. No more taxes on overtime. No taxes on tips. No taxes on  Social Security payments. While many taxpayers are seeing larger tax refunds this year, the fine print behind Trump's promises means these tax breaks have been smaller than many expected. We look at the impact of changes in the tax code and who stands to benefit the most. And if you haven't submitted your returns yet, we want to hear from you: What questions do you still have before the midnight filing deadline. Guests: Shannon Pettypiece, senior policy reporter, NBC News Digital Karen Brosi, tax preparer and certified financial planner Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

NPR's “Planet Money” has spent years answering economic questions big and small on its flagship podcast and the daily show “The Indicator,” and now the team is out with a new book: “Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life.” The book tackles questions like whether you should rent or buy a home, why the stock market keeps climbing, and why products like TV and clothes get cheaper while the cost of childcare and concert tickets keep going up. We'll talk to the authors — and answer your big questions about the economy. Guests: Alex Mayyasi, author, "Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life" Kenny Malone, co-host, Planet Money Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Books have long transported us to other worlds and lives. But in the American publishing market only a small fraction of books are works in translation –literature from around the world that has been  translated for an English-language audience. Now, the non-profit Center for the Art of Translation is opening a bookstore and cultural center in downtown San Francisco dedicated to bringing translated works to the public. In this hour, we talk to publishers and literary translators to ask: What does it take to bring a book to an English reading audience? How do translations challenge our world view? Guests: Olivia Sears, board president and founder, Center for the Art of Translation Bruna Dantas Lobato, Brazilian literary translator; her translation of “The Words That Remain” by Stênio Gardel won the 2023 National Book Award for Translated Literature; writer, “Blue Light Hours;" assistant professor of English and Creative Writing, Grinnell College Adam Levy, publisher, Transit Books Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thirty years ago, journalist Amy Goodman premiered the daily radio show Democracy Now. Launched on nine community radio stations in 1996, the program now broadcasts on over 1,400 television and radio stations worldwide. Along the way, Goodman and Democracy Now provided groundbreaking coverage of the Standing Rock protests, Chevron's alleged corruption in Nigeria and illnesses linked to toxins after 9/11. The new documentary “Steal This Story, Please!” recounts Goodman's career. We'll talk with her about the documentary, three decades of Democracy Now and the role of independent journalism in today's news landscape. Guests: Amy Goodman, host and executive producer, Democracy Now!; subject of "Steal This Story, Please!" about her 30 year career in independent media Tia Lessin, co-director, ‘Steal This Story, Please!' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, the top political issue for many U.S. Catholics has been abortion. But, a recent article in “The Atlantic” argues that the focus has shifted to opposing the Trump administration's harsh immigration policies and enforcement. Pope Leo, the first American to head the Catholic Church, has criticized and rebuffed Trump's policies, statements and acts of war as contrary to church teaching and Christian values. We'll talk about political tensions U.S. Catholics are grappling with and how that relates to our broader political system. Guests: Christopher Hale, a progressive Catholic and political operative who writes the Letters from Leo Substack Francis X. Rocca, contributing writer, The Atlantic, He is also the Vatican editor at EWTN News Amirah Orozco, theologian, research assistant and doctoral candidate, University of Notre Dame Dónal Godfrey, university chaplain, University of San Francisco Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The fight over data centers is intensifying in California and nationwide as organizers develop new strategies to take on tech companies and developers. While an Imperial Valley site is moving forward despite community backlash, Monterey Park will vote this June on whether to ban all data center development in the city — one of multiple data center referendums on ballots across the U.S. this year. We'll talk with a data center developer who says these sites create jobs and infrastructure necessary for the A.I. boom and a state lawmaker who wants more oversight. Guests: Molly Taft, senior climate reporter, WIRED Kori Suzuki, South Bay & Imperial Valley Reporter, KPBS Public Media Sen. Steve Padilla, state senator representing the counties of San Diego, Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino Sebastian Rucci, chief executive officer, Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing, LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the year 2000, four pre-teen girls in Santa Rosa — three 11-year-olds, and one 9-year-old little sister — wrote and recorded an album inspired by the Spice Girls, Destiny's Child and Fiona Apple, and even filmed music videos for the album. Then, their band X-Cetra disbanded as the elder members entered junior high and found the entire project — to use the slang of today's kids — cringe. Decades later, online experimental music nerds discovered the album, with its haunting child vocals and startling low-fi beats, and turned it into a cult hit, garnering X-Cetra a record contract and a 25th anniversary reissue. A new film “Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story,” which won the South by Southwest documentary jury award last month, documents the reunion of X-Cetra, many of whose members hadn't made art since. We'll talk with the band about what it means to revisit childhood creativity in adulthood, and we'll hear from you: Were you more creative as a tween than you are now? Have you returned to the art you made? Guests: Ayden Mayeri, member, X-Cetra; director, "Summer 2000: The X-Cetra Story" Jessica Hall, member, X-Cetra Robin O'Brien, musician; producer of X-Cetra's 2000 album, “Stardust"; mom of X-Cetra members Janet and Mary Brittany Spanos, music journalist who wrote the Rolling Stone profile, “Four Best Friends Made an Album as Kids. 25 Years Later, It's a Cult Classic” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last winter, ICE ramped up immigration enforcement in several American cities. It was a strategy that shifted focus from the US Mexico border to the streets of American cities. That led to a spike in the detention of families and children, most notably the arrest of  5-year-old Liam Ramos in Minneapolis. According to the Marshall  Project, more than 6,000 children have been held so far during Trump's second term, and the daily detention rate in January was ten times higher than the Biden Administration's final days. What are the conditions within these detention centers? And what are the lasting effects on the young detainees? Guests: Shannon Heffernan, staff writer, The Marshall Project Anna Flagg, senior data reporter, The Marshall Project Shaina Simenas, co-director of Technical Assistance Program, Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, Apple is a $3.5 trillion company with over 150,000 employees worldwide. Fifty years ago, it was two Steves – Jobs and Wozniak – working out of a Los Gatos garage. (All great Silicon Valley origin stories seem to include a garage.) Since its inception, Apple has not only introduced culture shifting technology like the Macintosh computer and iPhone, it has also influenced how we live here in the Bay Area, on the edge of the continent and a future being cast by technologists, innovators, and entrepreneurs. We talk about the influence of Apple. Guests: Margaret O'Mara, professor of American History, University of Washington; author, "The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America" Hansen Hsu, curator, Software History Center at the Computer History Museum; former Apple employee; historian and sociologist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump backed down from his social media threat that “a whole civilization will die” after Pakistan helped broker a ceasefire deal with Iran. But the United States is likely to remain isolated from its allies as many look for economic and diplomatic solutions to the conflict that do not involve America. We talk about the latest developments in the war and the consequences of America's growing isolation from its allies. Guests: Idrees Kahloon, staff writer, The Atlantic Edward Wong, diplomatic correspondent, The New York Times Tom Dannenbaum, professor of law, Stanford Law School Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

High level talks between Cuba and the U.S. are ongoing as the Trump administration's four-month oil blockade of the island nation continues. Trump has said he wants a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, but it's unclear what the U.S. stands to gain or what kind of government could come to power if the current administration leaves. While the U.S. has had an embargo against Cuba since 1960, the recent blockade has raised the stakes and forced many of the country's nearly 10 million people to go without power, water, food, health care and other necessities. We talk about how Cuba is dealing with the worst humanitarian crisis it has faced in decades and what the Trump Administration ultimately wants. Guests: Michael J. Bustamante, associate professor of history, University of Miami; director, Cuban Studies Program Jen Triplett, assistant professor of sociology, University of Colorado, Boulder; researcher with a focus on Latin America Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

California's jam-packed governor's primary may lead to a historic political shakeup this fall. Polls show the two leading Republicans, Riverside county sheriff Chad Bianco and political commentator Steve Hilton, could consolidate enough support to lock Democrats out of the November general election. That leaves the crowded field of Democrats — which includes Rep. Eric Swalwell, former congresswoman Katie Porter and billionaire businessman Tom Steyer — scrambling to secure one of the top spots. We'll break down the major players in this packed race and hear what issues matter most to Californians as they prepare to vote. Guests: Guy Marzorati, correspondent, KQED's California Politics and Government Desk Marisa Lagos, politics correspondent, KQED; co-host, Political Breakdown Seema Mehta, politics reporter, Los Angeles Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A 2015 report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine found that “most people will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, sometimes with devastating consequences.” In her new book “The Elusive Body: Patients Doctors, and the Diagnosis Crisis,” journalist Alexandra Sifferlin looks into what has been done in the decade since that report to improve the accuracy of diagnoses. We talk to Sifferlin and a UCSF doctor profiled in the book about why, despite enormous strides in medicine, the medical system often fails patients in this fundamental task and what it means to live without an accurate diagnosis. Guests: Alexandra Sifferlin, health and science editor, The New York Times; author, "The Elusive Body: Patients, Doctors, and the Diagnosis Crisis" Gurpreet Dhaliwal, professor of medicine, UCSF Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Los Angeles was once defined by smog that for decades choked the city with toxic haze. It obscured surrounding mountains and exposed people – especially children – to dangerous levels of lead, carbon monoxide and other pollutants. But by the early 2000s, thanks to steady public pressure and government reforms, the region's air transformed. We talk to UCLA's Ann Carlson about what L.A. can teach us about confronting climate change now, as the  Trump administration rolls back emissions standards. Her new book is “Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air.” Guests: Ann Carlson, professor of environmental law, UCLA School of Law; faculty co-director, Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment; author, "Smog and Sunshine: The Surprising Story of How Los Angeles Cleaned Up Its Air" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is a tough time to be a farmer. President Trump's tariffs last year raised many of the costs of farming and shrunk food exports. Threats of immigration raids have caused major labor shortages. And now, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent the price of diesel and fertilizer skyrocketing. We talk about the new pressures on an already stressed agriculture industry in California, how farmers are coping and the impact it all may have on consumers. Guests: Dan Sumner, professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics, UC Davis; director, Agricultural Issues Center for the University of California Don Cameron, vice president and general manager, Terranova Ranch; president, California State Board of Food and Agriculture Stuart Woolf, president and CEO, Woolf Farming & Processing Alexis Maxwell, senior equity analyst, Bloomberg Intelligence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Journalist Jordan Ritter Conn has spent years studying some of the psychological challenges facing men in the United States. These include feelings of loneliness, depression and anxiety, sometimes violence and often a sense that this economy isn't for them. His book “American Men” delves into the lives of four men: a West Point grad, a Black trans man in rural Ohio, a white law student recovering from childhood trauma and a gay man prone to alcohol-fueled fights. It explores the gap between the expectations placed on men and the failure, real or imagined, to meet those expectations – and why friendships between men often fail to provide the kind of emotional connections they seek. Conn joins us. Guests: Jordan Ritter Conn, senior staff writer, The Ringer; author, "American Men" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We go for all humanity,” remarked Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman, moments before the rocket taking him and his crew to the moon launched on Wednesday. It's the first moon mission since 1972.  But the astronauts will not land on the moon. Instead, over the next 10 days,  the crew will study the science that's necessary to get to the ultimate goal: A moonbase that can sustain human life and act as a jumping off point for missions to Mars. We talk about the science of space exploration, and its impacts on life on earth. Guests: Loren Grush, global space reporter, Bloomberg; author, "The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts" Anthony Colaprete, acting director for the science directorate, NASA Ames Research Center - Colaprete is on the science team for the Artemis II mission Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that aims to place federal restrictions on voting by mail ahead of this fall's midterm elections. It comes as Congress considers legislation that could dramatically change voting in the U.S. and the Supreme Court appears ready to back additional vote-by-mail limits. We talk with elections experts about potential challenges to the new executive order and how California is navigating the potential changes. Guests: Kim Alexander, president and founder, California Voter Foundation Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State Madison Aument, reporter, KVCR Marc Berman, California State Assemblymember representing the 23rd District, which includes southern San Mateo County and northern Santa Clara County Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a decade of Vision Zero, the effort that aimed to end traffic fatalities and severe injuries, San Francisco saw a drastic decrease in 2025 traffic deaths. To replace the expiring initiative, the city passed the Street Safety Act. However, a spate of recent traffic fatalities in San Francisco has residents on edge, and as pedestrians made up six of the seven victims, some activists say the city isn't moving fast enough. We talk about what can be done to reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries and check in on San Francisco's progress. Guests: Jodie Medeiros, executive director, Walk SF David Zipper, contributing writer, Bloomberg; co-host, "Look Both Ways with David & Wes" podcast Viktoriya Wise, director, Streets Division, SFMTA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker said this weekend that Democrats have “failed to meet this moment” and that his party needed “generational renewal.” The comments come a year after the Democrat set a Senate record, holding the floor for 25 hours and five minutes as he offered thundering criticism of the Trump administration. Now, in his new book, ‘Stand,' Booker urges the country to rise to this moment. To make his point, he highlights the stories of ten Americans, some famous and others less well-known, who also met moments of crisis with steadfastness, strength and optimism. “Our democracy is not a spectator sport,” writes Booker. “It demands participation.” Guests: Cory Booker, U.S. Senator from New Jersey; he was previously the Mayor of Newark from 2006-2013; his new book is "Stand" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

National Geographic Explorer and documentary filmmaker Ariel Waldman challenges our sense of scale in her new PBS series “Life Unearthed” which explores Earth's ecosystems– from microscopic life in the alien terrains of Antarctica to the sweeping American Prairies. We talk with Waldman about the series and what life in the seemingly barren environments of Antarctica reveal about resilient creatures, climate change, and even the possibilities of life beyond Earth. Guests: Ariel Waldman, documentary filmmaker; Antarctic researcher; explorer, National Geographic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is emphasizing the cold, hard facts of climate change – the acres lost to sea level rise, the percentage increase of global warming – actually the right approach for getting people to act? “If we want climate progress in energy, transportation and agriculture, we need progress in pop culture, media and sports,” writes longtime energy and climate reporter Sammy Roth. Roth and climate media advocates argue that seeing electric vehicles in movies like “Barbie,” induction stoves on HGTV or a whole team protesting an oil company in “Ted Lasso” show how climate conscious realities can easily exist — and inspire viewers to advocate and take action. We'll talk about why storytelling in film, TV and advertising has such a powerful sway over us, and take stock of the landscape of climate change depictions on your screens. Guests: Sammy Roth, author, Climate-Colored Goggles: a newsletter about climate & culture Tamara Toles O'Laughlin, national climate strategist; founder, Climate Critical [a Black-led climate collective]; board member, Good Energy [an organization focused on Hollywood climate storytelling] Jessica Kutz, lead climate reporter, The 19th John Marshall, founder and CEO, Potential Energy Coalition [a nonprofit marketing firm that works to increase public action on climate change] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Education funding for California's public schools is one of the largest parts of the state budget. Yet districts across the state, and here in the Bay Area, are struggling to stay afloat. Santa Rosa's school district is considering laying off hundreds of teachers and closing a quarter of its campuses in response to a severe financial crisis and Oakland schools, just a year after emerging from more than 20 years under state receivership, are also facing possible financial insolvency. Declining enrollment, resistance to school closures, and pressure to raise staff salaries are just a few of the many factors contributing to the strain. We'll examine what's driving these challenges, what it'll take to stabilize the system, and what this all means for Bay Area communities. Guests: Katie DeBenedetti, reporter, KQED Iwunze Ugo, research fellow, Public Policy Institute of California; focuses on education from preschool through grade 12 and further on into postsecondary institutions Adriana Gutierrez, education and child welfare reporter, The Press Democrat Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Los Angeles jury found Meta and YouTube negligent in a landmark case about social media addiction. Lawyers suing the tech giants argued that features like infinite scroll and algorithmic recommendations increased the risk of anxiety and depression in young users. We'll look at the history of the case, and hear how it could mark a new strategy for advocates trying to reform major social media companies. Guests: Jeff Horwitz, reporter covering tech, Reuter's Enterprise Team Jasmine Mithani, data and technology reporter, the 19th Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the war in Iran continues into its fifth week, the Pentagon is contemplating sending an additional 10,000 ground troops to the Middle East. This escalation would add to the roughly 5,000 Marines and at least 2,000 paratroopers from the elite 82nd Airborne Division that have already been ordered to the region. Meanwhile, President Trump has pressed pause on his threat to strike Iranian energy infrastructure offering a ten-day reprieve, and on Friday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. could achieve its objectives without using ground troops. We talk about the latest on the Iran War and the fast pivoting American strategy. Guests: Mona Yacoubian, director and senior advisor, Middle East Program, Center for Strategic & International Studies Lt. Col. Jahara Matisek, command pilot and research fellow, U.S. Naval War College Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

150 years ago this month, Alexander Graham Bell placed history's first telephone call. And even though phones have changed — from a black metal cone mounted on a wooden base to today's all-encompassing smartphones — they've remained a steady presence in our lives. What's the first type of phone you used: a rotary, cordless or the iPhone? How does your relationship with the phone differ from that of your parents or grandparents? We'll discuss what looking back on how we used the phone can teach us about restoring connection and meaning in our lives. Guests: Izzie Ramirez, freelance writer and editor Heather Kelly, technology reporter Emily Dreyfuss, culture editor, The San Francisco Standard; co-host, "Pacific Standard Time" podcast; co-author, "Meme Wars: the Untold Stories of the Online Battles Upending Democracy in America" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The poodle might be the most crossbred dog in modern times. There's the labradoodle, goldendoodle and bernedoodle. And also cavapoos, cockapoos and maltipoos. What began as a match between a labrador and poodle to create a seeing eye dog that shed less has now become a billion dollar industry. While dog breeds go in and out of fashion, the doodle seems here to stay even while shelters are urging Americans to adopt, not design dogs. Guests: John Seabrook, staff writer, The New Yorker - his most recent piece is "How Doodles Became the Dog Du Jour" Danika Bannasch, associate dean of research and professor, UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine Laurie Routhier, CEO, Muttville - a senior dog rescue Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“When we give a scented flower, bring blooms to a grave, or dab perfume onto our skin, we are not enacting arbitrary, merely symbolic rituals. Rather, we invoke the relationships with flowering plants from which the ecology of the planet is made, and which created and sustain human life.” So writes acclaimed biologist David George Haskell, whose new book “How Flowers Made Our World” paints flowers as revolutionaries that have determined the evolution of all life on earth — and who need our help to weather climate change. He joins us and we hear from you: What role do flowers play in your life? Guests: David George Haskell, acclaimed biologist; author, "How Flowers Made Our World: The Story of Nature's Revolutionaries," "Sounds Wild and Broken" and "The Songs of Trees" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cars have become dramatically more expensive in the United States in recent years, with the average price hitting a record of $50,000 in 2025. But now the market faces both higher sticker prices and a surge in gas prices stemming from the war in Iran. In the past, U.S. consumers have relied on relatively affordable fuel to justify buying large cars such as SUVs and trucks. In fact, most U.S.-based automakers don't even make sedans and compact cars anymore. California, however, has been pushing drivers to buy more electric cars. We talk about how the current rise in car prices and fuel costs along with government policies are affecting the U.S. auto market. Guests: Edward Loh, head of editorial, MotorTrend - an automotive media company Scott Moura, professor in civil and environmental engineering and acting director of the Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley Jessica Caldwell, head of insights, Edmunds - an automotive information and car buying website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the war in Iran creating major economic uncertainty, some economists are forecasting that a recession could arrive this year. The economy had already been showing signs of weakness, including layoffs in Big Tech and enduring inflation concerns, and now surging oil prices are rocking U.S. markets. How bad might an economic downturn be in 2026? And are we prepared for a recession? Guests: Talmon Joseph Smith, economics reporter, The New York Times Claudia Sahm, chief economist, New Century Advisors; her Substack is "Stay-at-Home Macro" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 2022, the conflict in Ukraine unleashed the first TikTok war. Now, four years later with the war in Iran, AI and a souped up social media are documenting and often distorting how we view that conflict. The Trump administration is keen to ‘gameify' war with social media clips ripped from video games and action movies, and nations on all sides of the war are pushing out disinformation that is making it hard to understand what is happening. We talk about AI, disinformation and social media as tools of war. Guests: Kyle Chayka, staff writer, The New Yorker; his recent piece on the Iran War is titled "War in the Age of the Online 'Information Bomb;'" author, "Filterworld: How Algorithms Flattened Culture" Tiffany Hsu, technology reporter, The New York Times Drew Harwell, technology reporter, The Washington Post Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United States continues to ramp up its military presence near Iran, newly deploying three San Diego-based warships to the Middle East along with some 2500 Camp Pendleton Marines. Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling, who served multiple tours in Iraq and commanded US Army Europe, is a critic of the U.S-Israel war on Iran, saying that it unnecessarily puts lives at risk, lacks any coherent political objective and leaves the U.S. vulnerable to cyberattacks and other forms of reprisal. We'll talk to Hertling about the latest Iran developments and his own combat experience, which he details in a new memoir called “If I Don't Return: A Father's Wartime Journal.” Guests: Lieutenant General Mark Hertling (Ret.), former commanding general, US Army Europe; commander during the 2007-2009 Iraq surge; author, "If I Don't Return: A Father's Wartime Journal" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

San Francisco's government has long been shaped by a tension between efficiency and public oversight. After voters approved Prop E in 2024, a new Commission Streamlining Task Force was created and it recently recommended cutting and merging many of the city's roughly 150 boards and commissions—potentially reducing them by more than 40 percent. But the proposals, which critics say would limit the power of oversight bodies like the police and ethics commissions, sparked major pushback, and now the Board of Supervisors says it will likely act only on “non-controversial” changes. Will efforts to streamline city government ever make headway—and should they? Guests: Jonah Owen Lamb, staff writer, SF Examiner Io Yeh Gilman, reporter, Mission Local Lauren Post, former member, Public Works Commission Amerika Sanchez, member, Human Rights Commission; went through Urban Habitat incubator program to help people of color join commissions; served on 2 commissions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices