Kqeds Forum

Despite spending one third of our lives asleep, we know very little about why we dream. But in a new book brain surgeon and neuroscientist Dr. Rahul Jandial begins to peel back the mystery. He says that dreams may help us practice responding to threats, allow us to test different interpersonal scenarios, or serve as a sort of “nocturnal therapist, helping us digest and metabolize anxiety-provoking emotions.” We talk to Jandial about the neurobiology of dreams and what they contribute to our waking lives. Jandial’s new book is, “This Is Why You Dream.” Guests: Dr. Rahul Jandial, surgeon and neuroscientist, City of Hope

As a journalist and a science fiction writer, Annalee Newitz thinks a lot about the power of narrative and how it can change minds, “if a story can make you feel better or smarter, it can also make you feel worse and more confused. And if that story can change your behavior—­whether in the voting booth or on the street—­it becomes a weapon.” In their new book, "Stories Are Weapons," Newitz dives into the history and practice of psychological warfare and traces how the military tools of psyops – including propaganda and disinformation – have seeped into our lives. We’ll talk about how stories are used to manipulate our politics and drive the culture wars and how we might snap out of their sway. Guests: Annalee Newitz, science journalist; science fictions writer; author, "Stories are Weapons"; Newitz is also the author of the books "The Terraformers," "Autonomous" and "Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age"

“Squid Game.” “Crashing Landing on You.” “Winter Sonata.” Korean dramas have injected themselves into American pop culture thanks to their addictive story lines and the advent of streaming services. Grace Jung should know. She spent 10,000 hours watching Korean television for her UCLA PhD in cinema and media studies. A stand-up comedian, podcast host, and critic, Jung unpacks the cultural significance of Korean television in her new book “K-Drama School.” We’ll talk to Jung and hear from you: What’s your favorite Korean television show? Guest: Grace Jung, author, "K-Drama School: A Pop Culture Inquiry into Why We Love Korean Television." Jung is also a standup comedian, critic and host of the podcast "K-Drama School."

Forty six years ago, California held its first statewide vote on gay rights. Prop 6, also known as the Briggs Initiative, sought to ban gay teachers from the classroom. The battle to stop that proposition is the subject of Slate’s current “Slow Burn” podcast season, chronicling an explosive moment in both Bay Area and gay liberation history. It follows the political trajectory of Harvey Milk, as well as a wave of anti-gay backlash from conservative politicians across the country. We speak with Slow Burn host Christina Cauterucci and early gay rights advocates Cleve Jones, Gwenn Craig and Ruth Mahaney, about lasting lessons from the Briggs Initiative and those who opposed it. Guests: Christina Cauterucci, host of Slate's "Slow Burn: Gays Against Briggs" podcast Cleve Jones, author, "When We Rise," organizer with UNITE HERE, a hospitality workers' union. Also co-founder of the AIDS Foundation and founder of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt Ruth Mahaney, former professor of gender and LGBTQ studies Gwenn C

When Ann Powers began to draft her expansive new biography of Laurel Canyon music legend Joni Mitchell, she says that “certain subjects emerged: childhood as an imaginary terrain where singer-songwriters could express their ideals and idiosyncrasies; sadness as a complicated form of women’s liberation; side roads and retreats as the secret sources of an artist’s strengths. And traveling, always traveling.” Powers’ book charts Mitchell’s influences, collaborators and milieu, weaving in reflections on the broader politics and trends of each decade during Mitchell’s career. It grapples with the sexism of Laurel Canyon’s heyday and Mitchell being labeled a “confessional” artist, as well as Mitchell’s own complicated relationship with feminism and with being the only woman at the table. We talk to Powers about Joni Mitchell’s life and art and hear how Mitchell has affected you. Powers’ new book is “Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell.” Guest: Ann Powers, music critic and correspondent, NPR

Every historical era is marked by the fight for a commodity: spices, gold, oil, steel, to name a few. In the next decades as climate change deepens and resources become scarcer, security experts believe the commodities fueling conflict will be food and water. The global battle to control these two resources centers the documentary “The Grab,” which follows Center for Investigative Reporting journalist Nate Halverson’s quest to uncover state-sponsored efforts to snatch up land and water rights in other countries, including the U.S., at the expense of the people who live there. Guests: Nathan Halverson, reporter with the Investigative Reporting Program, UC Berkeley - Halverson is featured in the documentary "The Grab," which centers on his efforts to uncover the players behind state-sponsored land grabs around the world. Brigadier Siachitema, consultant, Women’s Lands & Property Rights at Southern Africa Litigation Centre

The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine on Tuesday called on the medical community to adopt a new, universal definition of Long COVID to help patients access better medical care and benefits and minimize skepticism and social stigma around the condition. The National Academies would define Long COVID as an “infection-associated chronic condition that occurs after COVID-19 infection and is present for at least three months as a continuous, relapsing and remitting, or progressive disease state that affects one or more organ systems.” Long COVID afflicts an estimated 17 million Americans. We’ll talk about the latest Long COVID research and hear your experiences. Guests: Dr. Linda Geng, co-director, Stanford Long COVID Collaborative

In her new book, “Father Time: A Natural History of Men and Babies,” primatologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy rebuffs the idea that men don’t develop a dad instinct the way mothers do. For centuries, it was just assumed that men were not inclined to be good at caregiving and Hrdy says academic researchers overlooked studying what happens when men become fathers. Hrdy’s own research found that fathers, like mothers, experience biological and neurological changes when they become parents. We’ll talk about how the role of fathers is changing and why we should rethink the way society treats dads. Guests: Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, anthropologist and primatologist; author, "Father Time: A Natural History of Men and Babies"

In her new novel “Exhibit” R.O. Kwon introduces us to Jin Han, a photographer in San Francisco who’s unsure if her transgressive infatuation for a ballet dancer activated a family curse, conjuring a ghost from her family’s past in Korea. Through Jin, Kwon explores the nature of desire — and why shame too often accompanies it.. Kwon says it’s as though she “made a list of boxes a person might tick to explain why a woman ought to be disliked, perhaps despised, and then, writing this novel, I filled in each box.” We’ll talk with Kwon about why women especially feel shame for the desire they feel for others or for personal creative fulfillment — and for not desiring motherhood. And we’ll hear about how she grappled with her anxieties and reflected on her politics while writing this novel. Guests: R.O. Kwon, author, "Exhibit" and "The Incendiaries"; co-editor, "KINK: Stories" the anthology

In a recent executive order, Governor Gavin Newsom, directed state agencies to explore the possibilities for generative AI tools with the goal of implementing them as soon as this summer. Using generative AI in government agencies could help reduce traffic jams, make roads safer and provide tax guidance. But concerns have been raised about job loss, misinformation, privacy and automation bias. We’ll talk with government officials and AI experts about the promise and concerns of using AI for public services. Guests: Jason Elliott, deputy chief of staff to Governor Gavin Newsom Jennifer Pahlka, author, “Recoding America: Why Government Is Failing in the Digital Age and How We Can Do Better”; senior fellow, the Nisaken Center and the Federation of American Scientists Khaled Tawfik, chief information officer, Information Technology Department of the City of San Jose

With its term drawing to a close, the U.S. Supreme Court is getting ready to rule on major issues like abortion access, gun regulations, and whether former president Trump has immunity from civil litigation. Meanwhile, Justice Samuel Alito is still facing questions – and calls for recusal– over political flags flown at his houses. We’ll discuss the ethics controversies swirling around the court and look at what the upcoming rulings could mean for the presidential election… the country… and you. Guests: Vikram Amar, professor of law, UC Davis School of Law; He clerked for Justice Harry A. Blackmun of the United States Supreme Court. Mary Ziegler, professor of law, UC Davis School of Law; Her most recent book is "Roe: The History of a National Obsession."

“The year is 13777. There are dragons on the moon.” That’s how Robin Sloan, author of the best-seller “Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Book Store” describes his new novel, “Moonbound.” It’s the first in an ambitious and adventurous trilogy that’s set far in the future, after AI and biotech have transformed life on Earth as we’ve known it. We’ll talk to Sloan about the power of science fiction and his far flung imaginings on sentience, collective history, humanity’s future and the remarkable potentials of yeast. Guests: Robin Sloan, author, "Moonbound"; Sloan's other books include "Sourdough" and "Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore"

Before there was a MAGA republicanism, there was the Tea Party. Founded in 2009, the movement organized around fiscal conservatism and opposition to the Affordable Care Act and government bailouts of the banking industry. But the Tea Party’s influence has waned. Only half of congressional Republicans voted for a limited government position on tax and fiscal issues in 2023, according to a study by the Institute for Legislative Analysis. And the movement has lost financial support following the recent closure of the conservative political group Freedom Works. We look at the history of the Tea Party movement and how it shaped today’s GOP. Guests: Vanessa Williamson, senior fellow, Brookings Institute - co-author of "The Tea Party and the Remaking of Republican Conservatism" Fred McGrath, president, Institute for Legislative Analysis - an organization that collects data for advocates of Limited Government Duncan Braid, coalition director, American Compass - a conservative economic policy advocacy organization

The highly-anticipated opera “Innocence” has made its American premiere in San Francisco. At the heart of the story is a mass shooting at an international school, and the grief and trauma of the event that lingers a decade later. We’ll talk about the San Francisco Opera production and discuss a new mapping project showing a dramatic increase in the number of Americans living in close proximity to fatal gun violence and what it means for our communities. Guests: Tinisch Hollins, executive director, Californians for Safety and Justice; co-founder, SF Black Wall Street; vice chair, SF African-Americans Reparations Advisory Committee Matthew Shilvock, general director, San Francisco Opera Shaila Dewan, National Criminal Justice Correspondent, New York Times Ryan Marchand, director, San Francisco Opera's Department of Diversity, Equity and Community Gabe Meline, senior editor, KQED Arts and Culture

Ruth Whippman is a feminist writer. She’s also the mother of three sons. Her new book, “Boymom,” reflects on the difficulties facing parents tasked with raising good men in an age where people on the right weaponize male concerns and people on the left dismiss them. She asks: What does it mean to raise men who feel validated in their gender identity but not entitled to more because of it? Whippman advocates for an empathetic version of feminism, one where men are held to a high standard but where the loneliness and suicide epidemics plaguing young American men are meaningfully addressed. We’ll hear about her reporting, cultural analysis and own experiences as a “boymom.” Guests: Ruth Whippman, essayist, cultural critic and author of "BoyMom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity"

It’s been almost a year since robotaxi companies Waymo and Cruise expanded their operations to offer fully driverless ride services in San Francisco. Testing human-free vehicles in urban environments has proven challenging, with incidents ranging from gaffs like a driverless car stumped by parade traffic to deep safety concerns that led GM to suspend Cruise’s autonomous operations last fall. After a wave of driverless hype, and criticism – where does the industry stand today? We’ll speak with a research engineer who has been studying the promise of autonomous vehicles for half a century, and an investigative reporter tracking the data and the blindspots of these robots on our roads. Guests: Bigad Shaban, senior investigative reporter, NBC Bay Area Steven Shladover, research engineer, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California-Berkeley Philip Reinckens, senior vice president of commercialization and operations, Gatik

In a speech written for the 1964 Berlin Jazz Festival, Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “much of the power of our Freedom Movement in the United States has come from this music.” King considered jazz music “triumphant” — and this belief is rooted in the widespread popularity of three men: Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, according to author Larry Tye. Respectively known as Satchmo, Duke and the Count, the three men were, Tye writes, “symbols of American culture on par with Coca-Cola and Mickey Mouse.” He profiles the trio in his new book, “The Jazzmen.” In it, he pieces together over 250 interviews, including family members and former bandmates, to illustrate how their appeal among both Black and white audiences paved the way for the Civil Rights Movement. Tye joins us to share more. Guests: Larry Tye, journalist; author, "The Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America" lower waypoint

To date, Miriam Adelson has donated over $200 million to various political campaigns. “She is effectively a queen,” reporter Elizabeth Weil writes in her New York Magazine article about the widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, the richest Israeli and eighth richest woman in the world. As Trump’s top patron in 2020, Adelson has recently announced her intention to channel more than $100 million to this year’s Trump reelection efforts. But what will she want in return? Some speculate Adelson will begin with insistence on complete support for Israel and a continuation of Trump’s Israel agenda from last term, including backing Israel annexing the West Bank. We’ll talk with Weil about Adelson’s 30 billion dollar worth, and what it could mean for this campaign season and our foreign policy. Guests: Elizabeth Weil, feature writer, New York Magazine; author of the New York Magazine article "Miriam Adelson’s Unfinished Business: What does the eighth richest woman in the world want?"

Republicans may lack political power in Sacramento, but in recent years, they’ve made inroads on local school boards. Now, some of those conservative officials are facing recall elections. Temecula voters are heading to the polls on Tuesday to decide whether or not to recall school board president Joseph Komrosky, who worked to ban critical race theory (which is not taught in the district) and require parental notification if students identify as transgender. A recall of conservative school trustees is also in the works in the Bay Area community of Sunol. We’ll look at what’s behind the recalls and what they say about the volatile politics of public education in the state. Guests: Madison Aument, reporter, KVCR Erin Allday, reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Jonathan Collins, assistant professor of political science and education, Teachers College, Columbia University

More than 40% of state legislators have been victims of threats or attacks since 2020, according to a recent survey. Death threats, stalking and relentless harassment of public officials working across local, state and federal government has becoming increasingly common. Experts say intimidation is feeding on political divisiveness and the abuse is pushing people out of government all together. We’ll talk with politicians who have been targeted, and with experts, about why violence against public officials is so pervasive and what can be done about it. Guests: Eric Swalwell, U.S. Representative representing the 14th District of California, including parts of the East Bay; Rep. Swalwell serves on the House Judiciary and Homeland Security Committees Rachel Kleinfeld, senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace studying political violence Gowri Ramachandran, deputy director of elections and government, Brennan Center for Justice Scott Wiener, California state senator representing San Francisco