Walter Shapiro

It's not just Democrats who need the Democratic Party to remember how to win elections. Democracy does. Spencer's guest this time has some great ideas on where to start, based on his unique, decades-long experience studying politics from the inside and out. Walter Shapiro has reported on 11 presidential campaigns, going back to Ronald Reagan’s landslide defeat of Jimmy Carter in 1980. He’s written for the Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, USA Today, Roll Call, and The New Republic among others, worked for President Carter, and teaches at Yale.

It's not just Democrats who need the Democratic Party to remember how to win elections. Democracy does. Spencer's guest this time has some great ideas on where to start, based on his unique, decades-long experience studying politics from the inside and out. Walter Shapiro has reported on 11 presidential campaigns, going back to Ronald Reagan’s landslide defeat of Jimmy Carter in 1980. He’s written for the Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, USA Today, Roll Call, and The New Republic among others, worked for President Carter, and teaches at Yale.

Walter Shapiro: Finding the Democrats’ Missing Message

Jade McGlynn

Spencer's guest this time has fascinating, important insights about Vladimir Putin's "memory war:" a campaign to rewrite history with Russia at the center of the world stage. That campaign is being enacted with horrific violence in Ukraine, but is pursued in different ways around the world, including in the United States. Dr. Jade McGlynn is a senior researcher in Russian Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, a former lecturer in Russian at Oxford University, and a contributor to Foreign Policy, The Telegraph, The Spectator, and others. She's the author of The Kremlin’s Memory Makers, coming soon from Bloomsbury, and is currently writing a second book, Putin’s Unreality. Find more info and links at https://dastardlycleverness.com/jade-mcglynn.

Spencer's guest this time has fascinating, important insights about Vladimir Putin's "memory war:" a campaign to rewrite history with Russia at the center of the world stage. That campaign is being enacted with horrific violence in Ukraine, but is pursued in different ways around the world, including in the United States. Dr. Jade McGlynn is a senior researcher in Russian Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, a former lecturer in Russian at Oxford University, and a contributor to Foreign Policy, The Telegraph, The Spectator, and others. She's the author of The Kremlin’s Memory Makers, coming soon from Bloomsbury, and is currently writing a second book, Putin’s Unreality. Find more info and links at <a href="https://dastardlycleverness.com/jade-mcglynn" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://dastardlycleverness.com/jade-mcglynn</a>.

Russia Expert Jade McGlynn: Putin's Memory War

Mike Madrid

Mike Madrid is a co-founder of the Lincoln Project, a longtime political consultant for candidates of both parties, and a leading expert on Latino voting. Mike says Latino voters are sounding an urgent alarm for the Democratic Party about how it may lose the presidency and more, by losing its working class base. And Mike believes that’s not just a problem for Democrats: At this time in our history, democracy needs Democrats to win. Mike says the problem is that Democrats have increasingly become the party of a well-educated, well-intentioned, but disconnected elite, as recently wrote an op-ed for the New York Times called  “While Democrats Debate ‘Latinx,’ Latinos Head to the G.O.P.” In this episode, he discusses it with host Spencer Critchley in a fascinating, wide-ranging discussion.

Mike Madrid is a co-founder of the Lincoln Project, a longtime political consultant for candidates of both parties, and a leading expert on Latino voting. Mike says Latino voters are sounding an urgent alarm for the Democratic Party about how it may lose the presidency and more, by losing its working class base. And Mike believes that’s not just a problem for Democrats: At this time in our history, democracy needs Democrats to win. Mike says the problem is that Democrats have increasingly become the party of a well-educated, well-intentioned, but disconnected elite, as recently wrote an op-ed for the New York Times called <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/22/opinion/politics/latinos-democratic-party.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> “While Democrats Debate ‘Latinx,’ Latinos Head to the G.O.P.”</a> In this episode, he discusses it with host Spencer Critchley in a fascinating, wide-ranging discussion.

Lincoln Project Co-Founder Mike Madrid: Latino Voters Have an Urgent Warning for Democrats

Rose Kumar

The way we live is also the way we get sick and die: "Lifestyle diseases" are the leading causes of death for Americans, six out of ten of whom have a chronic condition. And yet we treat the symptoms, with expensive drugs and procedures, instead of addressing the causes. After training at top medical schools, our guest Dr. Rose Kumar walked away from a promising career in what she calls our industrialized healthcare system. She says it was killing her to have to treat patients like machines instead of people, and she knew there was a better way. And she's working to prove it at her multidisciplinary health center, where the care is based on both rigorous science and attention to a patient's whole life, not just their illness. More: dastardlycleverness.com/rose-kumar

The way we live is also the way we get sick and die: "Lifestyle diseases" are the leading causes of death for Americans, six out of ten of whom have a chronic condition. And yet we treat the symptoms, with expensive drugs and procedures, instead of addressing the causes. After training at top medical schools, our guest Dr. Rose Kumar walked away from a promising career in what she calls our industrialized healthcare system. She says it was killing her to have to treat patients like machines instead of people, and she knew there was a better way. And she's working to prove it at her multidisciplinary health center, where the care is based on both rigorous science and attention to a patient's whole life, not just their illness. More: <a href="https://dastardlycleverness.com/rose-kumar" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">dastardlycleverness.com/rose-kumar</a>

Treating People as People, Not Machines: Dr. Rose Kumar on How to Heal Healthcare

Michele Gelfand

In Singapore, you can face a heavy fine or even jail for offenses like spitting on the sidewalk and importing chewing gum. Meanwhile in New Zealand, a man who hatched himself from a giant egg was appointed the country’s “official wizard.” These are examples of tight and loose cultures. Much of what’s going on in America and the world right now can be understood better through knowing more about tightness and looseness: for example, the appeal of authoritarian leaders, or refusals to follow COVID safety guidelines. Spencer's guest this time is Michele Gelfand, an expert on tight and loose cultures, a Stanford University cultural psychologist  and the author of the fascinating book Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: Tight and Loose Culture and the Secret Signals That Direct Our Lives.

In Singapore, you can face a heavy fine or even jail for offenses like spitting on the sidewalk and importing chewing gum. Meanwhile in New Zealand, a man who hatched himself from a giant egg was appointed the country’s “official wizard.” These are examples of tight and loose cultures. Much of what’s going on in America and the world right now can be understood better through knowing more about tightness and looseness: for example, the appeal of authoritarian leaders, or refusals to follow COVID safety guidelines. Spencer's guest this time is Michele Gelfand, an expert on tight and loose cultures, a Stanford University cultural psychologist  and the author of the fascinating book Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: Tight and Loose Culture and the Secret Signals That Direct Our Lives.

Michele Gelfand: What Tight & Loose Cultures Tell Us About the World & Ourselves

Even if you see through the phony panic being spun up by Trumpists, some of what you hear from critical race theorists can sound extreme, especially if you don’t know much about the context. In this episode, host Spencer Critchley offers a guide for people who feel confused about Critical Race Theory but aren't sure why.

Even if you see through the phony panic being spun up by Trumpists, some of what you hear from critical race theorists can sound extreme, especially if you don’t know much about the context. In this episode, host Spencer Critchley offers a guide for people who feel confused about Critical Race Theory but aren't sure why.

A Guide for the Confused: Just What Is Critical Race Theory?

Colleen Murphy

Sometimes we can't "just move on." Sometimes we must first confront the truth about the past. According to our guest this time, we can do that through transitional justice. It addresses situations where doing wrong is not the exception, but has been made normal, as has happened in places like South Africa under apartheid, Northern Ireland during the Troubles—and the United States during our long history of racism, and more recent history of democracy under attack. Colleen Murphy is a professor of Law, Philosophy, and Political Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an expert on transitional justice. As she makes powerfully clear in this episode, transitional justice has helped other societies truly move forward—and is already under way in parts of the US. Sometimes, as with the murder of George Floyd or the attack on the US Capitol, it's because the truth confronts us, whether or not we're ready to confront it.

Sometimes we can't "just move on." Sometimes we must first confront the truth about the past. According to our guest this time, we can do that through transitional justice. It addresses situations where doing wrong is not the exception, but has been made normal, as has happened in places like South Africa under apartheid, Northern Ireland during the Troubles—and the United States during our long history of racism, and more recent history of democracy under attack. Colleen Murphy is a professor of Law, Philosophy, and Political Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an expert on transitional justice. As she makes powerfully clear in this episode, transitional justice has helped other societies truly move forward—and is already under way in parts of the US. Sometimes, as with the murder of George Floyd or the attack on the US Capitol, it's because the truth confronts us, whether or not we're ready to confront it.

To Go Forward, We Must First Look Back: Colleen Murphy on Transitional Justice

Georgina Mendoza McDowell

We already know a lot about how to reform policing: not just to make it more fair, but to make it more effective. It turns out that when police work in partnership with the communities they protect, crime goes down, often way down. Spencer's guest this time is an expert on what works. Georgina Mendoza McDowell is an attorney and public safety expert who has worked with the Obama Justice Department, a White House initiative to reduce youth violence, a Washington DC-based international development consultancy, and now with Evident Change, a data-driven policy consulting nonprofit.

We already know a lot about how to reform policing: not just to make it more fair, but to make it more effective. It turns out that when police work in partnership with the communities they protect, crime goes down, often way down. Spencer's guest this time is an expert on what works. Georgina Mendoza McDowell is an attorney and public safety expert who has worked with the Obama Justice Department, a White House initiative to reduce youth violence, a Washington DC-based international development consultancy, and now with Evident Change, a data-driven policy consulting nonprofit.

Georgina Mendoza McDowell: What We Know About How to Reform Policing

Susan Neiman

It may be hard for many Americans to imagine, but there are striking parallels between post-Civil-War America and post-World-War-2 Germany. Our guest this time is an expert on those parallels, and wrote a deeply-researched, insightful, and important book about them. Philosopher Susan Neiman is the author of Learning From the Germans: Race and the Memory of Evil. She describes how Germans finally began what a process of vergangenheitsaufarbeitung, or “working off the past.” It has helped Germany both to make atonement, and to build a better society. As America begins facing its own forgotten, buried, or rewritten past, we can learn a lot from this book and its author.

It may be hard for many Americans to imagine, but there are striking parallels between post-Civil-War America and post-World-War-2 Germany. Our guest this time is an expert on those parallels, and wrote a deeply-researched, insightful, and important book about them. Philosopher Susan Neiman is the author of Learning From the Germans: Race and the Memory of Evil. She describes how Germans finally began what a process of vergangenheitsaufarbeitung, or “working off the past.” It has helped Germany both to make atonement, and to build a better society. As America begins facing its own forgotten, buried, or rewritten past, we can learn a lot from this book and its author.

Susan Neiman: What America Can Learn From Germany About Facing Its Past

Abené Clayton

Compared to other high-income countries, our rate of gun deaths per capita is 25 times higher. But much of what Americans think they know about the costs and causes of gun violence is wrong. And few are aware of solutions that have already been shown to work. To help fix that, The Guardian has been running a series of in-depth stories called “Guns and Lies.” Its lead reporter is Spencer Critchley's guest this time, Abené Clayton. Abené Clayton started covering community gun violence in her hometown of Richmond, California and continued during her time at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. In this episode, she recounts her own experiences with gun violence and the discoveries she's made while covering the issue as a reporter. It's a fascinating discussion that goes behind, and well beyond, the conventional wisdom and clichés of gun violence coverage. You'll hear about the real people involved, the real costs — and some real solutions.

Compared to other high-income countries, our rate of gun deaths per capita is 25 times higher. But much of what Americans think they know about the costs and causes of gun violence is wrong. And few are aware of solutions that have already been shown to work. To help fix that, The Guardian has been running a series of in-depth stories called “Guns and Lies.” Its lead reporter is Spencer Critchley's guest this time, Abené Clayton. Abené Clayton started covering community gun violence in her hometown of Richmond, California and continued during her time at UC Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. In this episode, she recounts her own experiences with gun violence and the discoveries she's made while covering the issue as a reporter. It's a fascinating discussion that goes behind, and well beyond, the conventional wisdom and clichés of gun violence coverage. You'll hear about the real people involved, the real costs — and some real solutions.

Abené Clayton: Guns and Lies

Winner of national Communicator and W3 Awards: the podcast for people who make progress. Your host: writer, consultant, and national media commentator Spencer Critchley.

Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good

The third and final part of "Hope for Democracy:" great questions from the audience. On May 17 at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, we heard the unique perspectives of leaders with national and local experience in government, politics, the law, and media. This is Part Two of a three-part series on this event. Former Congressman Sam Farr represented the Central Coast in the House of Representatives for 24 years, following service in the California Assembly, on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, and in the Peace Corps. His record of accomplishment includes the creation of CSUMB, Pinnacles National Park, the VA Hospital in Marina, the Central Coast Veterans Cemetery and much more. Adrienne Harris was a Special Assistant to President Obama for Economic Policy at the White House National Economic Council. Before that she was with the U.S. Treasury Department, New York-based Sullivan &amp; Cromwell LLP, and election campaigns for Barack Obama, Senator Cory Booker, and Manhattan D.A. Cyrus Vance, Jr. Zach Friend is a policy, public affairs, and communications expert who has worked for Barack Obama and John Kerry’s presidential campaigns, the White House Council of Economic Advisers, U.S. Senate, Congressman Sam Farr, and the Democratic National Committee. He is the 2nd District Supervisor for Santa Cruz County. Host Spencer Critchley is a communications consultant whose experience includes both of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, stories for the CBC, NPR, the AP and others, and audio production for the Emmy-winning PBS documentary “Blink.” He is the Managing Partner of Boots Road Group, a communications firm for governments, nonprofits, and socially responsible corporations.

The third and final part of "Hope for Democracy:" great questions from the audience. On May 17 at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, we heard the unique perspectives of leaders with national and local experience in government, politics, the law, and media. This is Part Two of a three-part series on this event. Former Congressman Sam Farr represented the Central Coast in the House of Representatives for 24 years, following service in the California Assembly, on the Monterey County Board of Supervisors, and in the Peace Corps. His record of accomplishment includes the creation of CSUMB, Pinnacles National Park, the VA Hospital in Marina, the Central Coast Veterans Cemetery and much more. Adrienne Harris was a Special Assistant to President Obama for Economic Policy at the White House National Economic Council. Before that she was with the U.S. Treasury Department, New York-based Sullivan &amp; Cromwell LLP, and election campaigns for Barack Obama, Senator Cory Booker, and Manhattan D.A. Cyrus Vance, Jr. Zach Friend is a policy, public affairs, and communications expert who has worked for Barack Obama and John Kerry’s presidential campaigns, the White House Council of Economic Advisers, U.S. Senate, Congressman Sam Farr, and the Democratic National Committee. He is the 2nd District Supervisor for Santa Cruz County. Host Spencer Critchley is a communications consultant whose experience includes both of Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns, stories for the CBC, NPR, the AP and others, and audio production for the Emmy-winning PBS documentary “Blink.” He is the Managing Partner of Boots Road Group, a communications firm for governments, nonprofits, and socially responsible corporations.

Hope for Democracy, Part 3 of 3

Spencer talks with David Schmerler, a researcher who keeps track of North Korea and its weapons of mass destruction. David says his work can be like a spy novel, or a video game — and in fact he even helped create a Minecraft simulation to help people understand what’s at stake. But knowing the difference between fiction and reality is crucial — for him, and for all of us. Find the full details, plus links, at the episode page: http://dastardlycleverness.com/blog/north-korea-and-wmd  David SchmerlerJames Martin Center for Nonproliferation StudiesMiddlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

Spencer talks with David Schmerler, a researcher who keeps track of North Korea and its weapons of mass destruction. David says his work can be like a spy novel, or a video game — and in fact he even helped create a Minecraft simulation to help people understand what’s at stake. But knowing the difference between fiction and reality is crucial — for him, and for all of us. Find the full details, plus links, at the episode page: <a href="http://dastardlycleverness.com/blog/north-korea-and-wmd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://dastardlycleverness.com/blog/north-korea-and-wmd</a> David SchmerlerJames Martin Center for Nonproliferation StudiesMiddlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey

North Korea & WMD: How to Think About the Unthinkable

Kristin Wolff

Everything about jobs is now open to question — including whether jobs will even exist. To sort it out, we talk this time about robots, the gig economy, income inequality, the disruption of education — even bitcoin. All that and more from someone whose job is to work on the future of work: social policy consultant Kristin Wolff. Find the show notes and links here.

Everything about jobs is now open to question — including whether jobs will even exist. To sort it out, we talk this time about robots, the gig economy, income inequality, the disruption of education — even bitcoin. All that and more from someone whose job is to work on the future of work: social policy consultant Kristin Wolff. Find the show notes and links <a href="http://dastardlycleverness.com/blog/future-work-kristin-wolff" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.

The Future of Work with Kristin Wolff

What if we could get millions of young people good jobs, free them from college debt, and give the economy a big boost? This episode's guests say we can do it — if we just follow a proven model from Switzerland, now being tried and tested with promising results here in the United States. It's an update of an ancient concept: apprenticeships. Students attend high school while also working and learning at a real job. Everyone benefits: young people, employers, schools, and the economy overall.  We’re learn about it from two experts: Dr. Katie Caves is a post-doctoral researcher with the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich. That’s like the Swiss version of MIT -- Albert Einstein studied and taught and there. Katie grew up in the Bay Area of California.    Vinz Koller is an expert on US workforce development policy and the Director of Training and Technical Assistance at Social Policy Research Associates in Oakland, California. SPR "provides customized services in evaluation, organizational development, and facilitation and training." Vinz grew up in Switzerland.   Show links and files: KOF Swiss Economic Institute:  Social Policy Research Associates: www.spra.com CApprenticeship2.0 LinkedIn group: www.linkedin.com/groups/13555551/profile "Training for Growth" report on Colorado apprenticeships: www.research-collection.ethz.ch/handle/20.500.11850/164859

What if we could get millions of young people good jobs, free them from college debt, and give the economy a big boost? This episode's guests say we can do it — if we just follow a proven model from Switzerland, now being tried and tested with promising results here in the United States. It's an update of an ancient concept: apprenticeships. Students attend high school while also working and learning at a real job. Everyone benefits: young people, employers, schools, and the economy overall. We’re learn about it from two experts: Dr. Katie Caves is a post-doctoral researcher with the KOF Swiss Economic Institute at Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich. That’s like the Swiss version of MIT -- Albert Einstein studied and taught and there. Katie grew up in the Bay Area of California. Vinz Koller is an expert on US workforce development policy and the Director of Training and Technical Assistance at Social Policy Research Associates in Oakland, California. SPR "provides customized services in evaluation, organizational development, and facilitation and training." Vinz grew up in Switzerland. Show links and files: KOF Swiss Economic Institute: <a href="http://www.cemets.ethz.ch/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank"></a> Social Policy Research Associates: <a href="http://www.spra.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.spra.com</a> CApprenticeship2.0 LinkedIn group: <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/13555551/profile" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.linkedin.com/groups/13555551/profile</a> "Training for Growth" report on Colorado apprenticeships: <a href="https://www.research-collection.ethz.ch/handle/20.500.11850/164859" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.research-collection.ethz.ch/handle/20.500.11850/164859</a>

"Debt-Free College" & Other Ways We Could Transform Education, Jobs & the Economy with Apprenticeships

If we could get the first five years of life right, it would transform society: less crime, less violence, less poverty, more people having happy, productive lives. Lots of research backs that up. When young children suffer from poor health, neglect, missed learning opportunities, or trauma, they can pay for it for the rest of their lives. So do the rest of us. Many of our biggest social problems originate in troubled childhoods. So if the goal is to make the world better, improving life for the very young is one of the best things we can do. The people of California took a step in that direction in 1998 by passing Proposition 10. That created a state commission called First 5 and funded it with a tobacco tax. First 5 finds and supports effective early childhood programs. It also advocates on behalf of young children. The work gets done through 58 local First 5's, one in each California county. Spencer's guest is Gabriel Sanchez, the Director of Communications for the biggest one: First LA, covering Los Angeles County. Spencer first met Gabriel while both were doing communications work for the 2008 Obama for America campaign. As you’ll hear, Gabriel's experience includes politics, government, education, and now, trying to change the way we think about and invest in early childhood. Show Links First 5 LA First 5 California First 5 Parents' Site The Power of Moments, by Chip and Dan Heath (source of Gabriel's "trip over the truth" reference)  "Myers study: Investing in children critical to nation’s economic, political future"  "How to Say 'No' to a Toddler (Without Actually Saying No)" Gabriel Sanchez LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielsanchez Southern California native Gabriel Sanchez is the Director of Communications at First 5 LA. As the principal communications and marketing strategist for the organization, Gabriel leads a department of 12 to spearhead communications, media, social marketing, public education, advertising, digital and social media, sponsorships and related activities for First 5 LA’s ongoing work to support young children and their parents across Los Angeles County. Gabriel came to First 5 LA from Green Dot Public Schools, where he was the communications director. Previously, he was a senior strategist with The Strategy Group in Pasadena and an independent communications consultant in Orange County, serving a range of corporate, labor and political clients. He also has served in top communications roles in the offices of then-Governor Gray Davis and then-Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez. During the 2008 presidential campaign, he was the California Communications Director for Obama for America. Gabriel is a graduate of California State University Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in political science and Chicano studies. He is in the process of completing a master’s degree in political science from Suffolk University in Boston, MA. He also is a graduate of the MALDEF Leadership Development Program, and Cal State Fullerton’s Leadership Institute. A Letter from Gabriel to His First 5 LA Communications Staff I was thinking deeply about the “why” of what we do. We point to facts and figures on brain development. We talk about outcome areas. Yes, it’s about kids. Yet I feel we aren’t connecting with audiences. Then I thought about how parents are the focus of our work. What do parents do when they become parents? They re-order and re-prioritize their lives. Parents sacrifice. Parents go without. No more going out to eat, weekend getaways or fancy sportcars (if you could afford that earlier). Sleep is a like a long-lost friend you hope to see again someday. Why? Why endure all of that? Because parents want that little human to be the best they can possibly be. We speak that truth in the tagline below our current logo, but I offer to you we haven’t embraced it fully. Aside from some tax credits, there isn’t any new revenue that comes in when you have a child. Your spending on baby furniture, food and clothing skyrocket. And your household income may dip if one parent chooses or has to stay home with baby. We offer tips, ideas and resources to parents to help with these priorities. We don’t ask parents to “make a greater investment in early childhood development.” Maybe we shouldn’t ask decision makers and lawmakers either. Rather, we should ask them to “think like a parent” and prioritize policies accordingly. We can bridge our parenting and community audiences with decision makers by messaging a “parenting approach to policies.” Parents – that, is constituents - sacrifice and re-prioritize to give their kids the best start. We should ask lawmakers to do the same, across all policies. We should be asking decision makers and lawmakers to re-order their priorities, not make new investments, as if they too were parents and had to sacrifice for their kids. The Mercury News last week and the NYT’s California Today newsletter capture examples of decision makers taking a parenting approach to law making. In this case, it’s because they became parents themselves and “tripped over the truth.” (h/t Dan and Chip Heath, the authors  “The Power of Moments,” who say, “the way to get an idea to stick is to have someone experience it.”) I can share my own example. I would have never lobbied my friend, then-Assembly Member Ricardo Lara, on diaper changing tables in mens’ restrooms unless I had experienced, first-hand, the frustration of needing to change my daughter’s diaper in stores that sold diapers and baby food. I’m not sure how this can fit into the message platform development, but I wanted to share the idea. Gabriel

If we could get the first five years of life right, it would transform society: less crime, less violence, less poverty, more people having happy, productive lives. Lots of research backs that up. When young children suffer from poor health, neglect, missed learning opportunities, or trauma, they can pay for it for the rest of their lives. So do the rest of us. Many of our biggest social problems originate in troubled childhoods. So if the goal is to make the world better, improving life for the very young is one of the best things we can do. The people of California took a step in that direction in 1998 by passing Proposition 10. That created a state commission called First 5 and funded it with a tobacco tax. First 5 finds and supports effective early childhood programs. It also advocates on behalf of young children. The work gets done through 58 local First 5's, one in each California county. Spencer's guest is Gabriel Sanchez, the Director of Communications for the biggest one: First LA, covering Los Angeles County. Spencer first met Gabriel while both were doing communications work for the 2008 Obama for America campaign. As you’ll hear, Gabriel's experience includes politics, government, education, and now, trying to change the way we think about and invest in early childhood. Show Links <a href="http://www.first5la.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">First 5 LA</a> <a href="http://www.ccfc.ca.gov/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">First 5 California</a> <a href="http://www.first5california.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">First 5 Parents' Site</a> <a href="http://heathbrothers.com/the-power-of-moments/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Power of Moments</a>, by Chip and Dan Heath (source of Gabriel's "trip over the truth" reference) <a href="https://priceschool.usc.edu/myers-study-investing-in-children-critical-to-nations-economic-political-future/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> "Myers study: Investing in children critical to nation’s economic, political future"</a> <a href="https://themilitarywifeandmom.com/how-to-say-no-to-a-toddler-without-actually-saying-no/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> "How to Say 'No' to a Toddler (Without Actually Saying No)"</a> Gabriel Sanchez LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielsanchez/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielsanchez</a> Southern California native Gabriel Sanchez is the Director of Communications at First 5 LA. As the principal communications and marketing strategist for the organization, Gabriel leads a department of 12 to spearhead communications, media, social marketing, public education, advertising, digital and social media, sponsorships and related activities for First 5 LA’s ongoing work to support young children and their parents across Los Angeles County. Gabriel came to First 5 LA from Green Dot Public Schools, where he was the communications director. Previously, he was a senior strategist with The Strategy Group in Pasadena and an independent communications consultant in Orange County, serving a range of corporate, labor and political clients. He also has served in top communications roles in the offices of then-Governor Gray Davis and then-Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez. During the 2008 presidential campaign, he was the California Communications Director for Obama for America. Gabriel is a graduate of California State University Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in political science and Chicano studies. He is in the process of completing a master’s degree in political science from Suffolk University in Boston, MA. He also is a graduate of the MALDEF Leadership Development Program, and Cal State Fullerton’s Leadership Institute. A Letter from Gabriel to His First 5 LA Communications Staff I was thinking deeply about the “why” of what we do. We point to facts and figures on brain development. We talk about outcome areas. Yes, it’s about kids. Yet I feel we aren’t connecting with audiences. Then I thought about how parents are the focus of our work. What do parents do when they become parents? They re-order and re-prioritize their lives. Parents sacrifice. Parents go without. No more going out to eat, weekend getaways or fancy sportcars (if you could afford that earlier). Sleep is a like a long-lost friend you hope to see again someday. Why? Why endure all of that? Because parents want that little human to be the best they can possibly be. We speak that truth in the tagline below our current logo, but I offer to you we haven’t embraced it fully. Aside from some tax credits, there isn’t any new revenue that comes in when you have a child. Your spending on baby furniture, food and clothing skyrocket. And your household income may dip if one parent chooses or has to stay home with baby. We offer tips, ideas and resources to parents to help with these priorities. We don’t ask parents to “make a greater investment in early childhood development.” Maybe we shouldn’t ask decision makers and lawmakers either. Rather, we should ask them to “think like a parent” and prioritize policies accordingly. We can bridge our parenting and community audiences with decision makers by messaging a “parenting approach to policies.” Parents – that, is constituents - sacrifice and re-prioritize to give their kids the best start. We should ask lawmakers to do the same, across all policies. We should be asking decision makers and lawmakers to re-order their priorities, not make new investments, as if they too were parents and had to sacrifice for their kids. The Mercury News last week and the NYT’s California Today newsletter capture examples of decision makers taking a parenting approach to law making. In this case, it’s because they became parents themselves and “tripped over the truth.” (h/t Dan and Chip Heath, the authors  “The Power of Moments,” who say, “the way to get an idea to stick is to have someone experience it.”) I can share my own example. I would have never lobbied my friend, then-Assembly Member Ricardo Lara, on diaper changing tables in mens’ restrooms unless I had experienced, first-hand, the frustration of needing to change my daughter’s diaper in stores that sold diapers and baby food. I’m not sure how this can fit into the message platform development, but I wanted to share the idea. Gabriel

If We Got the First 5 Years of Life Right, It Would Change Everything

Cities across the United States struggle with gang violence, and the challenge can sometimes seem hopeless. But you may be surprised to learn that we know a lot about how to reduce gang violence — often dramatically. We just have to act on what we know. Our guest this time is an expert on the subject, from a small but innovative California city: Salinas. If you know about Salinas, it may be because your vegetables come from the Salinas Valley, sometimes called the Salad Bowl of the World. Maybe you know that John Steinbeck was born there. Or maybe you’ve visited, and enjoyed the scenery, the nearly perfect weather, and the charming old downtown. What you may not know is that this rural town of 150,000 has a big-city gang problem. But it’s also a national leader in taking an innovative, evidence-based  approach to reducing the violence, by dealing with it as a public health problem — one that can be prevented. The strategy in Salinas brings together law enforcement, social service agencies, nonprofits, the faith community, and anyone else who wants to make a difference in a county-wide group called the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace, or CASP. The director of CASP is Jose Arreola, who is also the Community Safety Administrator for the City of Salinas. (Disclosure: the City of Salinas is a client of Boots Road Group, the producer of Dastardly Cleverness.) José Alfonso Arreola is the City of Salinas Community Safety Administrator and Director of the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace. He was born and raised in San Diego, California. José graduated from San José State University. He co-founded and was the founding Principal at Downtown College Preparatory Alviso, a middle school in North San José, California. Prior to joining the City of Salinas, José was the Education Specialist and Extensions Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County. He currently serves as the Millennium Charter High School Board President. José is also the site coordinator for Salinas‘s participation in the Government Alliance on Racial Equity, California Cities Violence Prevention Network and the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention.

Cities across the United States struggle with gang violence, and the challenge can sometimes seem hopeless. But you may be surprised to learn that we know a lot about how to reduce gang violence — often dramatically. We just have to act on what we know. Our guest this time is an expert on the subject, from a small but innovative California city: Salinas. If you know about Salinas, it may be because your vegetables come from the Salinas Valley, sometimes called the Salad Bowl of the World. Maybe you know that John Steinbeck was born there. Or maybe you’ve visited, and enjoyed the scenery, the nearly perfect weather, and the charming old downtown. What you may not know is that this rural town of 150,000 has a big-city gang problem. But it’s also a national leader in taking an innovative, evidence-based  approach to reducing the violence, by dealing with it as a public health problem — one that can be prevented. The strategy in Salinas brings together law enforcement, social service agencies, nonprofits, the faith community, and anyone else who wants to make a difference in a county-wide group called the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace, or CASP. The director of CASP is Jose Arreola, who is also the Community Safety Administrator for the City of Salinas. (Disclosure: the City of Salinas is a client of Boots Road Group, the producer of Dastardly Cleverness.) José Alfonso Arreola is the City of Salinas Community Safety Administrator and Director of the Community Alliance for Safety and Peace. He was born and raised in San Diego, California. José graduated from San José State University. He co-founded and was the founding Principal at Downtown College Preparatory Alviso, a middle school in North San José, California. Prior to joining the City of Salinas, José was the Education Specialist and Extensions Coordinator for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Monterey County. He currently serves as the Millennium Charter High School Board President. José is also the site coordinator for Salinas‘s participation in the Government Alliance on Racial Equity, California Cities Violence Prevention Network and the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention.

We Know How to Reduce Gang Violence — If We're Willing to Act

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is world famous for otters, sharks, a spectacular setting — even  appearances in movies such as "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and "Finding Dory," and TV shows such as "Big Little Lies" and the BBC/PBS series "Big Blue Live." But that’s just the most visible part. The Aquarium is also a powerful force for protecting the oceans through education, advocacy, and the development of young leaders. In this episode, Spencer speaks with the Aquarium’s senior communications strategist, Ken Peterson, about the dramatic impact the Aquarium is having in ocean conservation — and the protection of all life on earth. Show Links Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) Big Blue Live Seafood Watch Ken Peterson  Ken Peterson is senior communications strategist for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In that capacity, he’s responsible for developing messages about a public aquarium that’s evolved from its beginnings as arguably the finest public aquarium in the world, to become a global leader in ocean conservation. The scope of its activities include policy advocacy, marine research and science education involving protection of marine ecosystems and wildlife, sustainable seafood, climate change and ocean plastic pollution. Prior to joining the aquarium in 1989, Ken was a writer and editor for 15 years with California newspapers, including the San Jose Mercury News and Monterey County Herald, with a focus on coastal, land use and environmental issues.  As a member of the Mercury News staff, he shared a Pulitzer Prize for contributing to coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and is a past Jeopardy! champion. You can follow him on Twitter at @aquaken.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is world famous for otters, sharks, a spectacular setting — even <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monterey_Bay_Aquarium#In_media_and_popular_culture" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> appearances</a> in movies such as "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and "Finding Dory," and TV shows such as "Big Little Lies" and the BBC/PBS series "Big Blue Live." But that’s just the most visible part. The Aquarium is also a powerful force for protecting the oceans through education, advocacy, and the development of young leaders. In this episode, Spencer speaks with the Aquarium’s senior communications strategist, Ken Peterson, about the dramatic impact the Aquarium is having in ocean conservation — and the protection of all life on earth. Show Links <a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monterey Bay Aquarium</a> <a href="https://www.mbari.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)</a> <a href="http://www.pbs.org/big-blue-live/home/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Big Blue Live</a> <a href="http://www.seafoodwatch.org/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Seafood Watch</a> Ken Peterson Ken Peterson is senior communications strategist for the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In that capacity, he’s responsible for developing messages about a public aquarium that’s evolved from its beginnings as arguably the finest public aquarium in the world, to become a global leader in ocean conservation. The scope of its activities include policy advocacy, marine research and science education involving protection of marine ecosystems and wildlife, sustainable seafood, climate change and ocean plastic pollution. Prior to joining the aquarium in 1989, Ken was a writer and editor for 15 years with California newspapers, including the San Jose Mercury News and Monterey County Herald, with a focus on coastal, land use and environmental issues.  As a member of the Mercury News staff, he shared a Pulitzer Prize for contributing to coverage of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and is a past Jeopardy! champion. You can follow him on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/aquaken" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@aquaken</a>.

More Than Just Pretty Fish: This Aquarium Is a Force in Ocean Preservation

When Santa Fe Institute Professor Mirta Galesic was a teenager, her country fell apart. She lived in what was then Yugoslavia. But after the death of president for life Josip Broz Tito, that country was riven by ethnic nationalism. Amidst all the competing claims and rumors spawned by the turmoil, young Mirta was struck by a realization: people would believe whatever supported their group. It influenced the course of her life as a scientist. Mirta and several co-authors have just published the results of a study that finds, among other things, that if you want to know how people will vote in an upcoming election, you may want to ask their friends. And as you'll hear in this interview with host Spencer Critchley, complex social systems — offline and online — may explain a lot about the surprise election of Donald Trump, hyper-partisanship, media echo chambers, and many other aspects of the current state of democracy. Find the full show notes, with links, at dastardlycleverness.com/why-we-vote.

When Santa Fe Institute Professor Mirta Galesic was a teenager, her country fell apart. She lived in what was then Yugoslavia. But after the death of president for life Josip Broz Tito, that country was riven by ethnic nationalism. Amidst all the competing claims and rumors spawned by the turmoil, young Mirta was struck by a realization: people would believe whatever supported their group. It influenced the course of her life as a scientist. Mirta and several co-authors have just published the results of a study that finds, among other things, that if you want to know how people will vote in an upcoming election, you may want to ask their friends. And as you'll hear in this interview with host Spencer Critchley, complex social systems — offline and online — may explain a lot about the surprise election of Donald Trump, hyper-partisanship, media echo chambers, and many other aspects of the current state of democracy. Find the full show notes, with links, at <a href="http://dastardlycleverness.com/why-we-vote" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">dastardlycleverness.com/why-we-vote</a>.

Why Do We Vote the Way We Do?

The election of Donald Trump shocked America and the world — and that included Dastardly Cleverness host Spencer Critchley. But Spencer believes now that we should have seen him coming, like we should have seen the approach of this hyper-partisan crisis of democracy we're going through. He's written a book about it, called Patriots of Two Nations: Why Trump Was Inevitable &amp; What Happens Next, available now at Amazon.com. We hear an excerpt from it in this episode. In the book, Spencer explains why Trump or someone like him has been on his way since this country's beginning. The Founders thought they could design a new kind of nation, one based on the Enlightenment triumph of reason. But many Americans rejected the Enlightenment, and many of them still do. So the United States has never been truly united: it’s divided not just by race and class, but by culture and worldview. Supporters and opponents of Trump see America, loyalty, and even truth very differently. Uniting those nations is going to require that they finally learn to understand each other. I think that might still be possible. For the sake of democracy, it has to be.

The election of Donald Trump shocked America and the world — and that included Dastardly Cleverness host Spencer Critchley. But Spencer believes now that we should have seen him coming, like we should have seen the approach of this hyper-partisan crisis of democracy we're going through. He's written a book about it, called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087BKWGH5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Patriots of Two Nations: Why Trump Was Inevitable &amp; What Happens Next,</a> available now at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087BKWGH5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>. We hear an excerpt from it in this episode. In the book, Spencer explains why Trump or someone like him has been on his way since this country's beginning. The Founders thought they could design a new kind of nation, one based on the Enlightenment triumph of reason. But many Americans rejected the Enlightenment, and many of them still do. So the United States has never been truly united: it’s divided not just by race and class, but by culture and worldview. Supporters and opponents of Trump see America, loyalty, and even truth very differently. Uniting those nations is going to require that they finally learn to understand each other. I think that might still be possible. For the sake of democracy, it has to be.

Patriots of Two Nations: Why Trump Was Inevitable & What Happens Next

Brent Colburn

Brent Colburn’s experience goes back to the Al Gore presidential campaign in 2000, through Howard Dean’s campaign in 2004, both Obama campaigns, FEMA, Homeland Security, HUD, and to the Pentagon, where he was in charge of communications for the Defense Department. After that, he led communications for Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and he is now the Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs at Princeton University. Along the way he was a fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. In this episode, we hear Brent's insights on how we should deal with the coronavirus crisis, and what he’s learned from dealing with other high-stakes crises during his career.

Brent Colburn’s experience goes back to the Al Gore presidential campaign in 2000, through Howard Dean’s campaign in 2004, both Obama campaigns, FEMA, Homeland Security, HUD, and to the Pentagon, where he was in charge of communications for the Defense Department. After that, he led communications for Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan’s Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and he is now the Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs at Princeton University. Along the way he was a fellow at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. In this episode, we hear Brent's insights on how we should deal with the coronavirus crisis, and what he’s learned from dealing with other high-stakes crises during his career.

How to Communicate in a Crisis, With Brent Colburn

Mark Barker

Jordan Ruden

A big reason why Donald Trump won in 2016 — and why he may win again in 2020 — is that Republicans now seem to get social media, email, and the rest of the online world better than Democrats do, even though Democrats like Howard Dean and Barack Obama were online pioneers. In this episode, Mark Barker and Jordan Ruden of Craft &amp; Commerce give fascinating insights into how Democrats lost their lead, how Republicans took it over, and what it means for how we all communicate, whether we’re in politics or not.

A big reason why Donald Trump won in 2016 — and why he may win again in 2020 — is that Republicans now seem to get social media, email, and the rest of the online world better than Democrats do, even though Democrats like Howard Dean and Barack Obama were online pioneers. In this episode, Mark Barker and Jordan Ruden of Craft &amp; Commerce give fascinating insights into how Democrats lost their lead, how Republicans took it over, and what it means for how we all communicate, whether we’re in politics or not.

How Republicans Are Beating Democrats Online, With Mark Barker & Jordan Ruden

Tracy Palandjian

Host Spencer Critchley talks with Tracy Palandjian, the co-founder and CEO of Social Finance, a nonprofit dedicated to using capital to drive social progress. So far, it has helped direct more than $100 million toward challenges in criminal justice, early childhood education, workforce development, health and homelessness. Social Finance uses the Pay for Success model. At its most basic, that means funding promising social good projects with money from investors, who only get paid pack if the project succeeds. But it also involves a lot more than money: clearly defined outcomes, data-driven decisions, cross-sector partnerships, and strong governance and accountability.

Host Spencer Critchley talks with Tracy Palandjian, the co-founder and CEO of <a href="https://socialfinance.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Social Finance</a>, a nonprofit dedicated to using capital to drive social progress. So far, it has helped direct more than $100 million toward challenges in criminal justice, early childhood education, workforce development, health and homelessness. Social Finance uses the Pay for Success model. At its most basic, that means funding promising social good projects with money from investors, who only get paid pack if the project succeeds. But it also involves a lot more than money: clearly defined outcomes, data-driven decisions, cross-sector partnerships, and strong governance and accountability.

Tracy Palandjian: Changing How Change Happens, With Pay for Success

Jake Harriman

For more than seven years, Jake Harriman was a US Marine, serving as a platoon commander in the Infantry and in a Special Operations unit. He was deployed in Southwest and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, and served two combat tours in Iraq. During the second tour, he earned the Bronze Star. Jake believed whole-heartedly in the mission of fighting terrorism. But in Iraq he started to question how that should be done. He came to see the greater enemy as extreme poverty: while terrorist leaders may be evil or insane, their foot soldiers are often motivated by desperation. So Jake left the Marine Corps and went to Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. There he gained the knowledge he needed to create Nuru International, a nonprofit dedicated to ridding the world of extreme poverty in our lifetime. There's more at  dastardlycleverness.com.

For more than seven years, Jake Harriman was a US Marine, serving as a platoon commander in the Infantry and in a Special Operations unit. He was deployed in Southwest and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, and served two combat tours in Iraq. During the second tour, he earned the Bronze Star. Jake believed whole-heartedly in the mission of fighting terrorism. But in Iraq he started to question how that should be done. He came to see the greater enemy as extreme poverty: while terrorist leaders may be evil or insane, their foot soldiers are often motivated by desperation. So Jake left the Marine Corps and went to Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business. There he gained the knowledge he needed to create Nuru International, a nonprofit dedicated to ridding the world of extreme poverty in our lifetime. There's more at <a href="https://www.dastardlycleverness.com/jake-harriman?utm_source=libsyn&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=dcsg29" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> dastardlycleverness.com</a>.

Jake Harriman: Fight Terrorism By Ending Extreme Poverty

We hear so many stories about government spending big money without getting results — to the point that many Americans agree with Ronald Reagan's famous assertion that government isn't the solution, it's the problem. That claim was never accurate, as government successes like the Internet, highways, or vaccinations make clear. All the same, though, a lot of government effort does end up wasted, as even people who work in government will readily acknowledge. So, many of them have embraced a new approach that’s driven by the smart use of data. It has a lot in common with the way coach Billy Beane turned around the Oakland A’s baseball team, as was described in the book "Moneyball," by Michael Lewis. In fact, it’s is often called “Moneyball for government.” Spencer's guest this time is Jenn Park, who’s with a nonprofit called Results For America. In their conversation, Jenn focuses on What Works Cities, a collaboration with Michael Bloomberg’s Bloomberg Philanthropies and other partners. More at dastardlycleverness.com.

We hear so many stories about government spending big money without getting results — to the point that many Americans agree with Ronald Reagan's famous assertion that government isn't the solution, it's the problem. That claim was never accurate, as government successes like the Internet, highways, or vaccinations make clear. All the same, though, a lot of government effort does end up wasted, as even people who work in government will readily acknowledge. So, many of them have embraced a new approach that’s driven by the smart use of data. It has a lot in common with the way coach Billy Beane turned around the Oakland A’s baseball team, as was described in the book "Moneyball," by Michael Lewis. In fact, it’s is often called “Moneyball for government.” Spencer's guest this time is Jenn Park, who’s with a nonprofit called Results For America. In their conversation, Jenn focuses on What Works Cities, a collaboration with Michael Bloomberg’s Bloomberg Philanthropies and other partners. More at <a href="https://www.dastardlycleverness.com/jenn-park" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">dastardlycleverness.com</a>.

Jenn Park: What If Government Just Did What Works?

Elin Kelsey

“We recognise and respect the many challenges facing our oceans, yet too often 'doom and gloom' stories are the only kind of ocean news we hear. "The evidence suggests that if we do not balance the bad news with good, and the problems with solutions, we will not motivate people to act.” That’s a quote from the website of Ocean Optimism, a movement to inspire action to save the oceans not by highlighting what’s going wrong, but by sharing stories of what’s going right. Our guest this time is Ocean Optimism’s founder, Elin Kelsey. Learn more on the episode page at dastardlycleverness.com.

“We recognise and respect the many challenges facing our oceans, yet too often 'doom and gloom' stories are the only kind of ocean news we hear. "The evidence suggests that if we do not balance the bad news with good, and the problems with solutions, we will not motivate people to act.” That’s a quote from the website of Ocean Optimism, a movement to inspire action to save the oceans not by highlighting what’s going wrong, but by sharing stories of what’s going right. Our guest this time is Ocean Optimism’s founder, Elin Kelsey. Learn more on the <a href="https://www.dastardlycleverness.com/elin-kelsey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">episode page at dastardlycleverness.com</a>.

Elin Kelsey: How Optimism Can Help Save the Oceans

Jacob Martinez

Jacob Martinez is the founder of Digital NEST, an incubator for young tech talent in the farming towns of Watsonville and Salinas, California. Its graduates make an average starting salary of more than $46,000. The average Watsonville resident makes about $17,000. NEST graduates have been hired not just by local companies but by multi-nationals like software maker Adobe, and the NEST has attracted donations from major venture capitalists. As we hear in this interview with host Spencer Critchley, Jacob Martinez thinks the success of Digital NEST can be replicated in small towns up and down California, and maybe even across the country.

Jacob Martinez is the founder of Digital NEST, an incubator for young tech talent in the farming towns of Watsonville and Salinas, California. Its graduates make an average starting salary of more than $46,000. The average Watsonville resident makes about $17,000. NEST graduates have been hired not just by local companies but by multi-nationals like software maker Adobe, and the NEST has attracted donations from major venture capitalists. As we hear in this interview with host Spencer Critchley, Jacob Martinez thinks the success of Digital NEST can be replicated in small towns up and down California, and maybe even across the country.

Jacob Martinez: How Digital NEST Helps Youth Take Flight

Alex Gershenson

Big corporations buy what they need from all over the world because they're looking for the best prices. But increasingly, they’re also looking for environmental and social sustainability. For example, McDonald’s has committed to serving only sustainably-sourced coffee at all of its locations by next year. To achieve that it’s buying its coffee from thousands of often small coffee growers. A company in Santa Cruz, California called SupplyShift makes software that helps companies manage their supply chains to make sure they’re sustainable. On this episode: an eye-opening conversation with SupplyShift’s CEO, Alex Gershenson.

Big corporations buy what they need from all over the world because they're looking for the best prices. But increasingly, they’re also looking for environmental and social sustainability. For example, McDonald’s has committed to serving only sustainably-sourced coffee at all of its locations by next year. To achieve that it’s buying its coffee from thousands of often small coffee growers. A company in Santa Cruz, California called SupplyShift makes software that helps companies manage their supply chains to make sure they’re sustainable. On this episode: an eye-opening conversation with SupplyShift’s CEO, Alex Gershenson.

Alex Gershenson: The Huge Potential of Making Corporate Buying More Sustainable

Patrice Maginnis

Patrice Maginnis has experienced life as someone who can see, and as someone who can’t. She was born with retinitis pigmentosa and gradually went blind, losing all usable sight at age 60. Patrice has learned to adapt and to thrive. And she helps others do the same, through her work with the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a nonprofit with locations in Santa Cruz, Palo Alto, and San Jose, California. Vista Center’s mission is to empower people who are blind or visually impaired “to embrace life to the fullest.” Often that involves technological solutions that a sighted person might never think of. A smart phone, for example, takes on a whole new meaning by providing a means of "seeing" everyday objects like groceries or currency. And sometimes, the Vista Center’s approach is very low-tech — like clients being made to feel welcome in a supportive community.

Patrice Maginnis has experienced life as someone who can see, and as someone who can’t. She was born with retinitis pigmentosa and gradually went blind, losing all usable sight at age 60. Patrice has learned to adapt and to thrive. And she helps others do the same, through her work with the Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, a nonprofit with locations in Santa Cruz, Palo Alto, and San Jose, California. Vista Center’s mission is to empower people who are blind or visually impaired “to embrace life to the fullest.” Often that involves technological solutions that a sighted person might never think of. A smart phone, for example, takes on a whole new meaning by providing a means of "seeing" everyday objects like groceries or currency. And sometimes, the Vista Center’s approach is very low-tech — like clients being made to feel welcome in a supportive community.

Patrice Maginnis: How Tech—High & Low—Is Changing the World of the Blind & Visually Impaired

Our episode this time is a live recording of a terrific panel discussion featuring some very smart people from across the ideological spectrum who have national experience in politics and media. Amanda Renteria, Mike Madrid, Debbie Mesloh, Dan Schnur, Kristin Olsen, and Zach Friend joined host Spencer Critchley at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California to go way beyond the usual talking points and offer deep insights into where we are — and how we go forward. More at dastardlycleverness.com.

Our episode this time is a live recording of a terrific panel discussion featuring some very smart people from across the ideological spectrum who have national experience in politics and media. Amanda Renteria, Mike Madrid, Debbie Mesloh, Dan Schnur, Kristin Olsen, and Zach Friend joined host Spencer Critchley at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California to go way beyond the usual talking points and offer deep insights into where we are — and how we go forward. More at <a href="https://dastardlycleverness.com/saving-democracy-the-way-forward" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">dastardlycleverness.com</a>.

Saving Democracy: The Way Forward

Bud Colligan

Business drives our economy — but our guest this episode thinks it can also make society better. Bud Colligan has been part of some of the most successful businesses of our time, including Apple. He’s also a social entrepreneur: he invests in ventures that promise to achieve social good, such as through education, or environmental protection, or inclusive economic development. One example is Pacific Community Ventures, which he co-founded and where he helped raise $100 million for community-focused investments. Another is the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, a coalition that’s helping to build sustainable economic growth in his part of California. More on the  episode page at dastardlycleverness.com.

Business drives our economy — but our guest this episode thinks it can also make society better. Bud Colligan has been part of some of the most successful businesses of our time, including Apple. He’s also a social entrepreneur: he invests in ventures that promise to achieve social good, such as through education, or environmental protection, or inclusive economic development. One example is Pacific Community Ventures, which he co-founded and where he helped raise $100 million for community-focused investments. Another is the Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, a coalition that’s helping to build sustainable economic growth in his part of California. More on the <a href="http://www.dastardlycleverness.com/bud-colligan?utm_source=libsyn&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=dcsg22" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> episode page at dastardlycleverness.com</a>.

Bud Colligan: Social Entrepreneur

The best podcast episodes on parenting. Interviewing experts and talking through common issues surrounding parenting. This topic is filled with important lessons and insights for anyone listening. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

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The best podcasts about ourselves as well as the world through the lense of Science. Specific topics include things about our brain, emotions to biology, physics and more!