KQED's Forum
KQED's live call-in program presents wide-ranging discussions of local, state, national and international issues, as well as in-depth interviews.
Visit Show Website http://www.kqed.org/radio/forum/...Recently Aired
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Linguist Dan Jurafsky Decodes the Language of Food
When a menu offers "fresh crabmeat" or a "chef's selection," ...
When a menu offers "fresh crabmeat" or a "chef's selection," what do these words signal about the restaurant's clientele and the quality and price of its cuisine? In his book "The Language of Food," Stanford linguist Dan Jurafsky delves into the history and mystery of foodie vocabulary.
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'Monkey Selfie' Copyright Lawsuit Comes to San Francisco Federal Court
The crested black macaque monkey who took his grinning self-portrait ...
The crested black macaque monkey who took his grinning self-portrait is now the subject of a federal lawsuit filed in San Francisco this week. The animal rights group PETA argues that the macaque, named Naruto, should be declared the author and owner of his photographs, which were taken during a 2011 trip to Indonesia by British nature photographer David Slater. We discuss the lawsuit's chance of success, and the movement to apply legal concepts of personhood to animals.
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Microbiomes Extend Beyond Gut Into World Around Us, Research Shows
There's been a lot of buzz about the microbiome lately ...
There's been a lot of buzz about the microbiome lately — that ecosystem of bacteria and fungi that people often associate with their gut. But a new study shows that our personal microbiomes extend into the environments around us. We take a look at the research and the implications it has for everything from designing buildings to treating superbugs.
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Ann Beattie Explores Small-Town Maine in New Short Story Collection
Ann Beattie centers her new short-story collection, "The State We're ...
Ann Beattie centers her new short-story collection, "The State We're In," around a restless, sassy teenager spending the summer with relatives in small-town Maine in order to attend a program for troubled teens. We'll talk to Beattie about her cast of characters and her writing, which one reviewer called "hypnotic storytelling."
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New Documentary Follows Young Men's Efforts to Escape Past, Become Firefighters
The documentary, "In the Red," follows three young Oakland men ...
The documentary, "In the Red," follows three young Oakland men as they try to leave behind a history of poverty and juvenile crime for careers as firefighters. We'll meet the local filmmaker who followed the men for nearly two years, a founder of the intense 18-week program training the fire cadets and a young man who graduated from the program and is now trying to find a firefighting job.
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Investigations, Legislation Seek to Shed Light on the Red Cross
When disasters like the Valley Fire ravage a community, many ...
When disasters like the Valley Fire ravage a community, many people donate to the Red Cross, assuming that's the best way to aid recovery and help victims. But recent investigations question the organization's efficiency and transparency. A proposed piece of federal legislation, the American Red Cross Sunshine Act, calls for independent oversight of the organization. Join us as we take a closer look at the Red Cross and talk more broadly about donating to disaster relief efforts.
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Al Letson, Radio's Renaissance Man
Al Letson has worn many hats: hip-hop artist, flight attendant, ...
Al Letson has worn many hats: hip-hop artist, flight attendant, slam poet, playwright. In 2007 he won a public radio talent competition, which launched him as host of the show "State of the Re:Union." Since then, Letson has become host of "Reveal," a project of PRX and the Center for Investigative Reporting. He also launched his own variety show-styled podcast, "Errthang Show." We talk to Letson about his varied career and the changing nature of public media.
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Pope Francis Begins Politically Charged U.S. Visit
Pope Francis arrived in Washington D.C. Tuesday, beginning a historic ...
Pope Francis arrived in Washington D.C. Tuesday, beginning a historic six-day, three-city East Coast visit. The Pope, who has advocated for a more inclusive and compassionate church, has also emerged as a leading voice on climate change, immigration and economic inequality. As membership in the U.S. Catholic Church continues to decline, we discuss the social, political and spiritual implications of the Pope's visit.
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Magna Carta Still Holds Surprises, Stanford Scholar Discovers
Eight-hundred years ago, King John of England issued the Magna ...
Eight-hundred years ago, King John of England issued the Magna Carta, establishing that all people, including the king, were subject to the law. This "Great Charter" inspired legislation safeguarding liberties around the world, including the U.S. Constitution. We'll meet a Stanford scholar who has uncovered new information about one of the original versions of the Magna Carta, and dig into the document's rich history and enduring appeal.
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Actor Carl Lumbly Tackles Race and Gentrification in 'Between Riverside and Crazy'
Walter "Pops" Washington is an ex-cop and widower who is ...
Walter "Pops" Washington is an ex-cop and widower who is about to lose his rent-controlled apartment in New York City. He's stubbornly holding on to his pride and his property, and feeling pressure to settle an old lawsuit with the NYPD. Racism, gentrification and police use of force come to a head in Stephen Aldy Guirgis's "Between Riverside and Crazy," which is currently running at ACT. Actor Carl Lumbly, of "Cagney & Lacey" and "Alias" fame, stars as "Pops" in the Pulitzer Prize winning play. Lumbly joins us to talk about the role and his career so far.
