Shows
The San Francisco ExperienceJim: The Life and Afterlives of Huckleberry Finn's Comrade. Talking with author, Professor Shelley Fisher Fishkin.Mark Twain's novel features an enslaved man Jim who teams up with young Huck rafting down the Mississippi to freedom. But Jim has become one of the more controversial characters in American Literature. This book sheds new light on one of Mark Twain's most endearing albeit misunderstood characters.2025-04-1057 min
The San Francisco ExperienceBetaNXT: A Private Equity Success Story.Motive Partners, a specialist PE firm that invests in financial technology companies, acquired BetaNXT in 2022. With 50 million clients, 37million daily transactions and 70,000 financial advisors using the platform, BetaNXT is a key part of the broker dealer/investor experience. Connected Data is what BetaNXT provides to clients.
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/james-herlihy/message2024-06-2130 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Conservative Futurist. How to create the Sci Fi World we were promised. Talking to author Jim Pethokoukis.The Techno Optimist and Techno Pessimist camps - UpWing or DownWing respectively as the author refers to the two views of progress - have been in conflict since the 1970s. The Techno Pessimist view was in full flight recently with the fears of AI posing an existential threat to humanity. But we have been down this road before with Jeremiahs bemoaning the risks of nuclear power or most recently MRNA vaccines. The author argues that we as a society need to jettison these 50 year old shibboleths that are holding back progress and embrace new technologies.2024-05-2741 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Techno-Optimist Manifesto by Marc Andreessen. Are you an accelerationist or a doomer ?Marc Andreessen lays out a 5000 word case to be optimistic and welcoming to new technology for the economic betterment of all as narrated by host, Jim Herlihy. 2024-02-0913 min
The San Francisco ExperienceDel Seymour founder of Code Tenderloin talks to Jim HerlihyDel Seymour, the founder of Code Tenderloin, shares his personal journey from addiction to recovery on the streets of the Tenderloin. 2023-05-2623 min
The San Francisco ExperienceWho killed Jerusalem ? Talking with author George Albert BrownSan Francisco in the 1970s was dominated by larger than life characters like Jim Jones of the Peoples' Temple, Patty Hearst the heiress turned terrorist, the Zodiac killer, Harvey Milk, George Moscone and Dan White. Author George Albert Brown evokes those heady times with equally colorful characters in "Who killed Jerusalem", in this whodunit with a literary homage to 18th Century English poet William Blake set against the backdrop of San Francisco. 2023-05-2541 min
The San Francisco ExperiencePeking to Paris: The ultimate motoring challenge. Talking to Jim Gately.The Peking to Paris motor race began in 1907 as a long distance endurance motor rally and was revived in 1997. For 36 days covering 8,500 miles, across 11 countries, and 8 time zones, 100 plus competitors raced their classic and collectible cars across Asia and Europe in June 2019. Jim Gately relates his epic journey in his 1937, 4 door, Cadillac convertible.2023-04-2543 min
The San Francisco ExperienceJFK: the Oliver Stone Film. Talking with Shaun Chang of the Hill Place Movie and TV Blog.Oliver Stone's JFK film popularized a conspiracy theory that was set in New Orleans. The District Attorney Jim Garrison, crusaded or grandstanded - depending on your point of view - a weak case that ended up putting Clay Shaw on trial. He was acquitted and the conspiracy theory rejected by the jury after one hour of deliberation.2023-02-1728 min
The San Francisco ExperienceRuth Paine remembers Lee Harvey Oswald and Marina his wife. In conversation with Jim Herlihy.Ruth Paine is one of the last surviving Warren Commission witnesses. She was a key witness in helping the Commission establish Oswald's whereabouts in the October and November weekends leading up to the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963. She secured the job for him at the Texas School Book Depository and he spent his last night of freedom at her home on November 21, 1963. His rifle was stored in her garage, unbeknownst to her. She was interviewed by Jim Garrison the New Orleans DA and testified at the Clay Shaw trial. She shares her recollections of Oswald in this podcast...2023-01-0643 min
The San Francisco ExperienceBritain's Number 1 Art Forger. Max Brandrett, The life of a Cheeky Faker. Talking with Clay Small and Jim HerlihyMax Brandrett has lived a colorful life of hard knocks, from poverty, to being sent to Dr. Barnardo's, running away to join the circus and jail time for forgery . But through it all, he has pursued his passion for painting, bringing joy to countless people. And in his own words, would not change anything . An upbeat and inspiring life story.2022-11-2139 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe UK Pound flirts with US Dollar parity. Talking with James Herlihy, Hedge Fund Consultant.Turmoil in UK financial markets has pummeled the value of Sterling and caused havoc with UK Government bonds, in the wake of a large tax cut announced last week by Kwasi Karteng, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Is Supply side economics back in the UK ? Listen to James Herlihy's perspective.2022-09-2927 min
The San Francisco ExperiencePrisoners of Geography : 10 maps that explain everything about the world. By Tim Marshall. A Review by Jim HerlihyThe physical geography of countries, mountains, rivers, lakes, coastlines etc largely dictate the political decisions of their leaders. We tend to overlook those critical facts when conflicts arise. And no country is as much a victim of its flawed geography as Russia. On the other hand, few nations are as advantaged by their geography as the United States. 2022-06-2117 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe five acts of Diego Leon. Talking with author Alex Espinoza.Diego Leon flees his home in 1920s revolutionary Mexico for Los Angeles. Like most immigrants from Mexico, he is ambitious, hard working and driven. And he won't let Hollywood's exploitative culture stop him from achieving his dream of being an actor.--- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message2022-04-0831 min
The San Francisco ExperienceCalifornia's Wildfire Apocalypse: a Moonshot SolutionThe quickening pace of the destruction of California's forests by wildfire is staggering. In the last 3 months four million acres of our 33 million acres of forest have burned. That's 12%. From 2000 to 2019 4 million acres burned and before that it took 66 years - 1933 to 1999- to burn 4 million acres. The exponential increase in the burn rate is an existential threat to the Golden State. Yet we still do not have an overarching strategic plan to bring the wildfire menace under control. The same old opponents to efficient management of our forests are still dragging their feet. California needs an immediate change...2020-10-0618 min
The San Francisco ExperienceProud Boys: Stand Back, Stand ByWho are the Proud Boys and why did Joe Biden and Chris Wallace give them oxygen at the Presidential debate ? A right wing group the Anti-Defamation League calls Alt-Lite, with a Disney film inspired name wasn't deserving of mention. But they are now part of the 2020 presidential campaign. What do they believe ? What is White Supremacy ? And what about Executive Order #13950 Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping, dated 9/22/2020. Listen to today's podcast for answers.2020-10-0420 min
The San Francisco ExperienceDeceit and Dirty Money an interview with author Jim HerlihyDeceit and Dirty Money is Jim Herlihy's debut novel written in the late 1990's - a simpler and gentler time before 911, Global financial crises, cell phones, the internet and electric cars. Set in San Francisco, this financial thriller with classic San Francisco Noir overtones, satirizes the City's social elite. Jim also gives an insider's explanation of the writing process and how he developed his unique voice and writing style.2020-09-3026 min
The San Francisco ExperienceCalifornia Dreamin' or California Leavin' : A new ExodusCalifornia experienced its' smallest net population growth in 2019 - 87,000 or 0.2%, the smallest net increase since 1900. The 2020 net increase is likely to be even smaller. Are the unaffordable housing costs, high taxes and high cost of living, to say nothing about wildfire air pollution and last in the nation Covid re-opening finally starting to bite ? A host of online websites offer one stop shopping Exit California packages. Are we reaching a breaking point ? Meanwhile Texans warn newly transplanted Californians: " Don't California my Texas." Is the bloom off the Golden State's rose ?2020-09-2823 min
The San Francisco ExperienceUpon this Rock - Interview with author David Eugene PerryA new Meet the Author series kicks off today at The San Francisco Experience. David Eugene Perry's debut novel is set in Orvieto, Italy. With a tip of the hat to Dan Brown, this mystery thriller weaves together an intricate plot of murder, intrigue and suspense which threatens to bring down the Catholic Church. The protagonists, Lee and Adriano are a gay couple from San Francisco on sabbatical in Orvieto, 75 miles North of Rome. But instead of a relaxing re-charge of batteries, they are ensnared in a devilish plot.
David Perry's critically acclaimed debut novel is available on Amazon in p...2020-09-2228 min
The San Francisco ExperienceSan Francisco's Deathly Compassion.San Francisco's homeless population numbers approximately 24,000. It breaks down into three discrete segments, namely one third mentally ill, one third economic casualties and one third drug users and addicts. Today's podcast focuses on the drug users and addicts. The City Journal and Erica Sandberg in particular has written a detailed account of the Harm Reduction drug culture in San Francisco. Her chilling account of how they facilitate drug use and abuse among the homeless on our streets is shocking. And it is all in the name of misguided compassion.2020-09-2115 min
The San Francisco ExperienceHate Studies : Why we need to learn about Hate.Gonzaga University's Institute of Hate Studies, located in Spokane, Washington is a center focused on understanding the roots of Hate in the public square and working to eradicate it. The ADL's Pyramid of Hate is a graphic visual depiction of the five progressive steps of hate culminating in Genocide. During the 20th Century, 21 genocides were perpetrated with 14 of them in the last four decades of the century, when most of us were alive. (Mount Holyoke College). Hate speech in particular is one manifestation of Hate which is growing through Social Media amplification, especially during these polarized political times. 2020-09-1525 min
The San Francisco ExperienceCalifornia's Wildfires: a Pathway to Redemption. Who Knew ?The 3700 California prison inmates who volunteer to be firefighters as we wage war on the Wildfires, will be eligible to have their records expunged as a result of their service. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the legislation into law yesterday. It's an important step for former inmates to obtain a professional certification as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) the pre-requisite to apply for a civilian firefighter job. the 3700 inmate firefighters make up 26% of those on the frontlines of the wildfires. They earn a nominal $1 per hour versus their civilian comrades who earn $40,000 per year. 2020-09-1309 min
The San Francisco ExperienceOrange Skies and Poison Air: California in Flames.San Francisco's skies turned the color of Irish Single Malt Whiskey, even down to that hint of smokiness on Wednesday morning. The deep orange/amber twilight persisted most of Wednesday forcing everyone to turn on their headlights and don N95 surgical masks against the ash that swirled in the air. As if the Coronavirus were not enough. Massive wildfires, 100 miles to the North East of San Francisco exploded to life during overnight wind storms. The resulting mountains of smoke poured into the Bay Area. A heavy marine layer has trapped the smoke in place giving us dirty air with...2020-09-1222 min
The San Francisco ExperiencePolice Chiefs continue to resign across the nation.Over the last 6 weeks, five major police departments have lost their Chiefs, in large measure because of a breakdown of trust between the Mayor and Chief. Most police chiefs serve at the pleasure of the Mayor and their ongoing working relationship is critical to the morale of the rank and file police officers and to the safety of the community. Trust, confidence and sharing of goals are key to a successful working relationship. In the five cases we cite, the Mayor became beholden to the street protesters destroying the working relationship with the Chief.2020-09-1020 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Pacific North West: a center of Hate ?The recent murder of right wing Patriot Prayer member Jay Danielson by Antifa activist Michael Reinoehl on the streets of Portland, was a dangerous escalation in the street protests of this Summer. Reinoehl was subsequently killed by US Marshals in a gunfight near the Washington state capital Olympia. Does this mark the start of right versus left street killings ?
The Southern Poverty Law Center tracks 52 right wing groups in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, but not Antifa. What's wrong with that picture ?2020-09-0820 min
The San Francisco ExperienceAntifa member Michael Reinoehl killed in a gunfight with US MarshalsMichael Reinoehl, the confessed murderer of Patriot Prayer member Aaorn Jay Danielson, in Portland Saturday, August 29, has died in a gunfight with a law enforcement Task Force led by US Marhalls, close to Olympia, Washington, Thursday, September 3, 2020. In a series of fast moving events Thursday, Reinoehl acknowledeged that he shot Danielson in self defense, in an interview with Vice News. When the Task Force attempted to arrest him on a murder warrant, a gunfight ensued and he was killed. The law enforcement officers were unharmed. President Trump sent out two Tweets on the matter. The first was a message o...2020-09-0415 min
The San Francisco ExperienceAntifa murders Patriot Prayer in Portland: an ominous start to the Presidential campaign.Aaron Danielson a 39 year old Trump supporter and Patriot Prayer was shot and killed by Michael Reinoehl, 48, years old and a self described 100% Antifa follower. The killing brings into sharp contrast the ideological battle lines of a divided country against the backdrop of 90 nights of continual protests in Portland, Oregon. Will this murder enflame the political debate or could it serve as a timeout for both sides to stop and take stock ?
Portland's fraught racial history and the profusion of extremist political movements in the Pacific North West are the subject of today's podcast.2020-09-0121 min
The San Francisco ExperienceWine Country Wildfires: the ungovernable State of California11,000 dry lightning strikes hit the Golden State overnight August 16 and 17, igniting 347 wildfires. Here in Wine Country, 50 miles North of San Francisco, the fires continue to burn two weeks later, sending massive columns of smoke and ash South to San Francisco and the Bay Area. 2020 marks the fourth straight year the Wine Country has suffered the consequences of massive wildfires. Governor Gavin Newsom says this is what climate change looks like. But is that a cop out ? Mismanagement of California's 33 million acres of forestland has been going on for years. At the same time, our population has mushroomed to 40 million but...2020-08-3021 min
The San Francisco ExperienceQanon, Conspiracy Theories and the RepublicansQanon is a right wing conspiracy movement with a formidable Social Media presence on Twitter, Facebook and several bulletin board sites like 4Chan, 8Chan and 8kun . Its' theories have been embraced by many Republicans and 14 current Congressional candidates have prominently espoused their views. One, Marjorie Taylor Greene won the Republican primary in Georgia's 14th district, a safe Republican seat with the endorsement of President Trump and is likely to win in November. But Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy wants nothing to do with Qanon. And what role will they play in the race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden ? 2020-08-2520 min
The San Francisco ExperienceKamala Harris and Conspiracy TheoriesKamala Harris and Facebook. 4 conspiracy theories quickly emerged after her selection. In today’s episode we will look at each one, and while trying not to give them oxygen, debunk them2020-08-2324 min
The San Francisco ExperienceIf we knew then what we know now about Covid 19.6 months into the pandemic,transmission rates are dropping and our changed behaviors wearing masks and socially distancing are making a difference. But the Fog of War on Covid 19 at least initially meant that many mistakes were made and lives lost unnecessarily.2020-08-2118 min
The San Francisco ExperienceEdwin Ramos: Kamala Harris’ Willie Horton ?An illegal alien felon shot and killed a father and his two sons in a working class residential neighborhood of San Francisco in June 2008. District Attorney charged Edwin Ramos with three counts of murder but declined to seek the death penalty despite pleas from the widow and Senator Dianne Feinstein. The controversial case brings together three of Harris’ vulnerabilities - death penalty, sanctuary cities and referring to ICE agents as equivalent to KKK.2020-08-1611 min
The San Francisco ExperienceDementia, Alzheimer’s, Cognition Testing and the Presidential Election Campaign.Dementia and Alzheimer’s are brain diseases of older age. The former can be treated to an extent with lifestyle changes, but the latter is far from finding a cure. Cognition Testing became a presidential campaign issue when President Trump challenged former VP Biden to take one and make the results public. We will focus on both illnesses and the test.2020-08-1516 min
The San Francisco ExperienceImplicit Bias and Principled Policing: Does it work ?Science tells us that 95% of the population has implicit biases yet there is only a 16% correlation between the bias and behavior. So is racist, homophobic and misogynistic behavior not principally triggered by implicit bias ? That's what the science says according to Fast Company magazine, but politicians would have us believe otherwise.
I attended a 5 hour Implicit Bias class sponsored by the San Francisco Police Department - the same one that all sworn and unsworn personnel must take. It was very instructive and some useful takeaways to add to your interpersonal toolkit: the four pillars - Voice, Respect, N...2020-08-1124 min
The San Francisco Experience2084: Was George Orwell's novel 1984, one hundred years ahead of itself ?Mass surveillance and totalitarianism are two prominent themes in Orwell's dystopian novel published in 1949. But there are two major mass surveillance systems at play in the world today. In the West, the data mining strategies of the FAANG internet giants with combined market capitalizations of $4.1 trillion dollars, exploit users' personal data for profit. The other system is the Social Credit Report program established by the Chinese Communist Party to reward conforming behaviors and sanction deviant behaviors of its' 1.3 billion people. Harvard Business School Professor Emerita, Shoshana Zuboff has written a book entitled " The Age of Surveillance Capitalism," which is c...2020-08-0422 min
The San Francisco ExperienceA Tale of Two States: California and New York amidst Covid 19California's Summer surge in C-19 cases has put the Golden State in the dubious first place position of 452,000 cases versus 412,000 for New York. What went wrong ? Back in March and April, California had an enviably low number of cases versus New York which was being ravaged by the Coronavirus. But a series of missteps in the last two months set California on its current downward track. Meanwhile, cases in New York are plummeting.2020-08-0121 min
The San Francisco ExperienceScience deniers keep schools closed.California’s powerful teachers’ union the CTA and Governor Gavin Newsom seem to be taking a very slow and hesitant approach to reopening the state’s schools. He has announced that online learning rather than in person classroom instruction is the way to go. But Santa Clara County, Silicon Valley’s HQs is taking the lead asking for waivers to reopen its schools. The state’s Catholic bishops are also urging more clarity. After 4 months of lockdown, California is unprepared to open its’ schools. Why ?2020-07-2721 min
The San Francisco ExperienceTik Tok, a threat to US security. Really ?Tik Tok the popular lip syncing video app has exploded in popularity globally during the Covid 19 lockdowns. But Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has threatened to ban it in the US. India and Australia have already done so. Is Tik Tok a Trojan Horse for Chinese Communist Party espionage ?2020-07-2226 min
The San Francisco ExperienceLet our kids go back to school !Over 20 European countries have re-opened their schools but the US lags far behind. Our decentralized and locally controlled as well as politicized schools - school boards are elected and funded with local property taxes - are slow off the mark to re-open. Meanwhile our kids suffer.2020-07-2121 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Coming Population BustThe world's population stands at 7.8 billion today and has increased by 5.8 billion since 1950. But the British medical journal The Lancet and the University of Washington in Seattle have authored a study which posits that the 21st Century will end with a net decline of 1 billion people. 23 countries will see their current populations cut in half and 90 countries will experience net declines. After an unbroken upward trajectory in population trends since 1800, what is the catalyst for such a reversal ? Female education and emancipation is a big driver of falling birth rates, declining fertility and a drop in the net replacement rate of...2020-07-1724 min
The San Francisco ExperienceUrban Hiking: Your Gym Replacement.With San Francisco"s gyms closed for four months, hiking the urban environment of one of America's most beautiful cities affords lots of opportunities for vigorous exercise. But how is urban hiking different from walking ? We want some physical challenge which is demanding and satisfying at the same time. Listen to today's podcast for some tips on changing your city scape into an exciting outdoor adventure venue,2020-07-1625 min
The San Francisco ExperienceFacebook: a free speech forum or an advertising surveillance app ?The Social Media giant is weathering a month long boycott by some of its advertisers, a critical civil rights audit and controversy about political speech. Yet Mark Zuckerberg’s founding principles for Facebook remain: voice and inclusion. How is the company faring ?2020-07-1323 min
The San Francisco ExperienceDisinformation and Fake News: How to spot it and How to avoid it.With the 2020 Presidential election less than 4 months away, Social Media and with it Fake News stories will loom large no doubt, much as they did in 2016. The BBC has a dedicated weekly program called BBC Trending which focuses on Disinformation stories. Why would the world's most respected broadcaster want to give any oxygen to conspiracy theories and disinformation stories ? It is a measure of how far the Internet and its' no holds barred culture has impacted how we get our news. In today's podcast, I interviewed Mike Wendling and I share his insights with you.
BBC Trending can...2020-07-1028 min
The San Francisco ExperienceSpanish Missions: The Spine of Modern California35 million Californians live within 50 miles of one of the 21 historic Franciscan Missions: They are a key part of the California identity. But the recent destruction of statues of Father Junipero Serra, have challenged the legacy of the Missions. Urban legend versus a large, detailed historical record. Set the record straight !2020-07-0724 min
The San Francisco ExperienceHomelessness in the Tenderloin: San Francisco's Shame.The mushrooming of 443 homeless tents on the sidewalks of the Tenderloin, one of San Francisco's poorest and most disadvantaged neighborhoods, caused a group of neighbors, including the well-connected UC Hastings Law School to sue San Francisco on May 4, 2020. A settlement between the parties was announced on June 12, 2020 which provides for dismantling 300 of the tents and housing each homeless person in a hotel at $200 per night. The Board of Supervisors has legislated to rent 7000 hotel rooms to house the homeless, all while the City faces a huge budget deficit as a result of the Covid-19 economic lockdown. San Francisco has mismanaged...2020-07-0319 min
The San Francisco ExperienceJunipero Serra: the Missions and Presidios of CaliforniaThe destruction of statues of Junipero Serra in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park and in front of Los Angeles' founding church, Nuestra Senora de Los Angeles, was a wanton act of vandalism. Serra, a Franciscan Friar was canonized a saint by Pope Francis in 2015. As well as being one of California's Founding Fathers, literally and figuratively, he is one of the most if not the most prominent Hispanic and Latino figures in American History. His statue graces the Rotunda of the US Capitol in Washington D.C. How did this 18th century follower of St. Francis of Assisi come in...2020-07-0130 min
The San Francisco ExperienceTwo steps forward and one back: San Francisco and Covid-19.Cutting edge research coming out of University of California San Francisco (UCSF) in the antiviral field. Are Kinase Inhibitors the magic bullet to kill the Coronavirus ?2020-06-2923 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Boogaloo Bois : Extremists or Fantasists ?When Steven Carrillo scrawled BOOG in his own blood across the hood of his white van, the US Air Force Sergeant cast his fate with the extremist anti government movement, the Boogaloo Bois. Facing two death penalty charges for killing both a federal security officer and a Santa Cruz County Sheriff deputy, his murderous acts have skyrocketed Boogaloo to national prominence. But who are they ? Can their goal of provoking the downfall of the US government be taken seriously ?
We explore the roots of the movement and how Social Media especially during the Covid 19 confinement caused their membership to explode.2020-06-2621 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Rainbow Honor Walk: San Francisco pays homage to the LGBTQ CommunitySan Francisco's Rainbow Honor Walk serves to acknowledge and memorialize Great men and women of the LGBTQ Community. 44 large bronze plaques have been laid along Castro Street and Market Street sidewalks to memorialize people like James Baldwin, Frida Kahlo, Tennessee Williams, Virginia Woolf to cite but a few. The plan is to eventually place 500 plaques to memorialize luminaries of the LGBTQ community. As the rest of the country witnesses statues being torn down and monuments being defaced, San Francisco's LGBTQ community is quietly acknowledging its' history.2020-06-2419 min
The San Francisco ExperienceSan Francisco celebrates 75 years of birthing the UN in 1945.In the closing days of World War II, San Francisco hosted the organizing conference which created the UN. The conference took place at the War Memorial Opera House from April 25 to June 26, 1945. Why did San Francisco get this honor ?2020-06-2219 min
The San Francisco ExperiencePost Covid 19 trends for Work, Health, Retail, Dating and Gyms. Don’t be Dense !Many of our changed behaviors during the Covid 19 confinement are being translated into new policies and procedures by Employers, Healthcare Providers, Retailers and even Significant Others. The overriding theme of the changes is : Don’t be Dense. In other words, give me space. Avoid crowds to stay healthy.2020-06-2128 min
The San Francisco ExperienceTearing down San Francisco's Asian Art Museum for being too white.As the statue removal movement sweeps across America and England, it has hit the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Artists, academics and art historians are demanding that a bust of its' founder, Avery Brundage be removed from the Museum's foyer. He bequeathed his 8000 piece Asian Art Collection to the people of San Francisco and it is the cornerstone of the the 18,000 piece Asian collection. He served as President of the International Olympic Committee from 1952 to 1972. He died in 1975. Yet he is accused of being anti-semitic and racist. He was always controversial and unpopular throughout his career. Further, the pr...2020-06-1724 min
The San Francisco ExperiencePolice unions root out racism from the ranks: a few bad apples or systemic racism ?The SFPD, LAPD and SJPD police unions announced a reform agenda to combat racist police officers. The plan lays the groundwork for new policies and procedures to be crafted for their departments and beyond. But is the problem one bad apple or systemic racism ?2020-06-1523 min
The San Francisco ExperienceSan Francisco tackles Police Reform.San Francisco has seen a 47% drop in Use of Force Incidents involving the police and the public from 2016 through 2019. But racial disparities remain. Mayor Breed’s 4 point reform plan is reasonable. But her first attempt to defund the SFPD by $23 million was unanimously rejected by the Police Commission, which includes her own appointees. She’s also calling to redirect those police budget savings to African American Reparations.2020-06-1423 min
The San Francisco ExperienceAssassination of Olof Palme Solved. Maybe....Maybe not.Swedish prosecutors have named Stig Engstrom as Palme's assassin. It's taken 34 years of mystery, conspiracy and botched investigations in which 130 different people claimed to be the assassin since 1986 to reach a conclusion. Engstrom himself claimed to have tried to resuscitate Palme at the scene. The assassin attempting to revive the man he had just assassinated ! A comedy of errors. Enter renowned Swedish crime fiction author Steig Larsson who mounted his own investigation of the killing which the Swedish police took seriously. The improbable twists and turns of the JFK conspiracy look like child's play as compared to the Palme assa...2020-06-1116 min
The San Francisco ExperienceIlhan Omar to Minneapolis Police: You’re toast !Three issues are covered in this episode: 1) Abolition of the Minneapolis Police Force, 2) the Justice and Policing Bill of 2020, 3) political fallout of Police Reform on the 2020 Presidential Election. #Joerogan. #8cantwait #benshapiro. #policebrutality2020-06-0819 min
The San Francisco ExperienceMinneapolis to abolish its’ Police Department ?The killing of George Floyd has unleashed a flood of police reforms.Minneapolis is considering abolishing its force while Los Angeles and San Francisco are planning to defund their police departments. And what impact will abolition and defunding urban police departments have on the 2020 Presidential Campaign ? Donald Trump wants to run as the Law and Order candidate.2020-06-0618 min
The San Francisco ExperienceTrump and Obama agree on one issue: The need for police reform.While the President and former President acknowledge that reform is necessary, they approach the issue from opposite ends of the political spectrum. What impact will the call for police reform have on the November Presidential Election ? Is reform even achievable given the fact there are 17985 police entities in the United States, and control is at the local not national level.
My June 2nd podcast provides a baseline of information on Policing in America, which is so different from most other countries.2020-06-0420 min
The San Francisco ExperienceRiots, Looting, Curfews and Chaos in America"s Cities : Is Police Brutality the Cause ?The proximate cause of the riots and looting is the heinous murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police office Derek Chauvin. But the ensuing civil unrest has been co-opted by a host of bad actors like Antifa who have exploited the tragedy. Weak and uncoordinated responses by the nation's Mayors and Governors has made a bad situation much worse. Tragically, the neighborhoods in Minneapolis that have been looted and torched are predominantly minority. The chaos seems likely to continue this week. America's sprawling and decentralized Law Enforcement Infrastructure is slowing down a strong and effective response.2020-06-0227 min
The San Francisco ExperienceConspiracy Theories around Covid 19.The Covid 19 pandemic has spawned many conspiracy theories. Cutting through misinformation and getting to the facts is key. But what is fact and what is fiction ?2020-05-3136 min
The San Francisco ExperienceRemoteotopia: A New World Order post Covid 19.Does the Covid 19 pandemic represent an epochal inflection point in American history ? Will we look back on this time as one of those watershed moments of how things used to be so much better or worse ? Or will the confinement, shelter in place and the horrific death toll melt away like other national traumas ? These are some of the questions we confront in today's episode.2020-05-2926 min
The San Francisco ExperienceSuperspreaders of Covid 19: Who are they ? How do we control them ?The 80/20 Rule in business says that 20% of your sales team generates 80% of the company's revenue. In a sense something similar applies to Covid - 19. A small number of C-19 victims can infect a huge number of people. And clusters seem to prevail in such circumstances. Why the clusters ? What is unique to the Coronavirus to cause large group infections ? In today's podcast we will look for answers to these and other questions as America re-opens its' doors and tries to get back to a normal existence in the Summer of 2020.2020-05-2819 min
The San Francisco ExperienceRe-opening America and the Joe Rogan Experience.Two news stories this past week included the piecemeal re-opening of the American Economy in the wake of Covid-19 and the acquisition of the internet’s most popular podcast, the Joe Rogan Experience. The two stories illustrate old media and new media styles.2020-05-2622 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Streets of San Francisco. Michael Douglas. Karl Malden. 1972-1977.The 119 episodes of the TV series were filmed on location in San Francisco. To retain San Francisco authenticity, a sound stage was built in the City to film non-location, indoor scenes. Early 1970s San Francisco comes alive in these episodes. Douglas and Malden are both Oscar winners.2020-05-2520 min
The San Francisco ExperiencePodcast 101: the What, Why, Who of podcasting.Podcasting has become an important information medium in the last 15 years with Apple, Spotify, Google, Anchor, Stitcher, TuneIn Radio and iHeart Radio investing heavily in distribution. While barriers to entry are low, survival of the 850,000 Podcasts is always a challenge.2020-05-2315 min
The San Francisco ExperienceShe's going to shoot the President. Sara Jane Moore. 1975On September 22, 1975 would be assassin Sara Jane Moore waited outside the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco's Union Square to kill President Gerald Ford. The first shot missed the President's head by 5 inches. Our 38th President literally and figuratively dodged an assassin's bullet on the streets of San Francisco. I was present at the lunch, met the President, shook his hand and chatted with him before his brush with death. I heard the shots ring out and watched in horror as the presidential motorcade barrelled down Post Street for SFO and the safety of Air Force One. September 22 1975 and Sa...2020-05-2119 min
The San Francisco ExperienceCalifornia's Curbside ComebackCalifornia began Phase 2 of the Shelter in Place orders which began eight weeks ago. Many of the state's 58 counties entered the early stages of re-opening the California economy - the 7th largest in the world if California were independent - with a series of steps including opening of commerce. But the proposed curbside pick-ups at restaurants, clothing stores and book stores is hardly the jumpstart that Small Business was looking for. While construction and most manufacturing is coming back, office workers are still subject to teleworking for the most part.
Every Monday The San Francisco Experience does a...2020-05-1914 min
The San Francisco ExperienceBullitt. Steve McQueen. 1968Bullitt starring iconic 1960s King of Cool Steve McQueen is set in San Francisco. A Chicago mobster is being guarded by Lt. Frank Bullitt (McQueen) and his team pending his appearance as chief witness before a Senate subcommittee. A heart-stopping car chase down San Francisco’s vertiginous hills still revs up the adrenaline !2020-05-1821 min
The San Francisco ExperienceWill California Covid-19 cases remain low ?California's total Covid-19 infections have been remarkably low as compared to New York State. There are a host of reasons for the fact California ranks 5th in the Covid-19 stakes, with New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Massachusetts having more cases and fatalities. As California embarks on a limited re-opening next week, we explore what could throw off the Golden State from a successful re-opening.2020-05-1620 minThe San Francisco ExperienceWill California keep Covid-19 cases low ?California’s Covid-19 cases and fatalities is a fraction of New York’s. As the Golden State begins to re-open next week, can we keep the Coronavirus in check ? While our weekly death rate remains about 500, that number has been stubbornly resistant to coming down. Why, after 8 weeks of Shelter in Place ?2020-05-1520 minThe San Francisco ExperienceReopening goes global: Baby steps to normalcy.A wrap-up of reopening news in California and Western Europe.2020-05-1320 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Irish and the Choctaw Nation: a debt of gratitude repaid.In 1847, at the height of the Irish Potato Famine, the Choctaw Nation donated $170 to Irish famine relief. Returning the favor, 173 years later, many Irish are donating to a GoFundMe page for Navajo, Hopi and Choctaw Covid-19 relief.2020-05-1317 min
The San Francisco ExperienceTowering Inferno. Steve McQueen. Paul Newman. Faye Dunaway. 1974The dedication ceremony of the worlds tallest high rise at 138 stories in San Francisco, is the setting for this 1974 disaster film. The film unintentionally provides an eerie foreshadowing of the events of 9/11 and the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.2020-05-1124 min
The San Francisco ExperienceHomeless with Covid 19 in SanFrancisco.San Francisco’s 8000 homeless people are crowding into the Tenderloin District, pitching tents on city streets. The neighbors have sued the City to compel City Hall to clean up the streets. The Mayor has committed to rent 8250 hotel rooms to house the homeless, but so far only 1000 homeless have moved in. The Mayor has a comprehensive plan to fix the Tenderloin problems but neighbors are skeptical.2020-05-0923 min
The San Francisco ExperienceIs the Gig Economy Dead ?Silicon Valley is beginning to experience a wave of layoffs - a rarity as tech firms considered themselves immune from such cuts in the past. But the Gig Economy with its ride hailing apps and home stay apps will have the biggest challenges to face post pandemic.2020-05-0720 min
The San Francisco ExperienceWork.com: a new software tool to re-open America.Work.com, a creation of Salesforce based in San Francisco, will provide managers the tools to keep employees safe from the Coronavirus in the workplace, as America goes back to work.2020-05-0620 minThe San Francisco ExperienceTo open or not to re-open: that is the question.As the US moves to the next phase of the pandemic with almost half the country re-opening for business, California is slower off the mark. Why ? And why has Ireland been able to craft such a winning Roadmap to Re-Opening with the apparent full backing of its citizens ?2020-05-0422 min
The San Francisco ExperienceMrs. Doubtfire. Robin Williams. 1993Robin Williams was an accomplished comedian and dramatic actor who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in “Good Will Hunting.”. A comedic genius, he died in 2014 at the age of 63.2020-05-0322 min
The San Francisco ExperienceProfiles in Covid: California Governor Gavin Newsom and S.F. Mayor London Breed.Governor Newsom and Mayor Breed are products of San Francisco politics. Their early and effective Shelter in Place policies and practices have helped to keep Covid-19 cases and fatalities low. But their opponents criticize them for being too slow to re-open California.2020-04-2923 min
The San Francisco ExperienceMy Health or My Privacy: Does it have to be a choice ?Apple and Google roll out their Coronavirus tracking APP to public health authorities Tuesday April 28. Will it infringe our right to privacy ? Should we care ?2020-04-2722 minThe San Francisco ExperienceThe Perfect Storm: How Covid - 19 overwhelmed the system.New data shows that the Coronavirus was coursing through America’s cities much earlier than believed. Our system’s response initially was flat footed at best. But we are making progress.2020-04-2521 min
The San Francisco ExperienceMilk. Sean Penn. 2008Sean Penn’s Oscar winning portrayal of slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk is a powerful dramatization of the last 10 days of his life in November 1978. Milk continues to inspire both Americans and global citizens like Leo Varadkar, Prime Minister of Ireland.2020-04-2320 min
The San Francisco ExperienceTony Bennett to honor SF’s frontline Covid-19 workers:. I left my heart in San Francisco.Tony Bennett will lead a mass, civic singalong on Saturday April 25 at 12 noon. All 850,000 inhabitants of San Francisco are invited to join in as a thank you to the Covid-19 frontline workers who have taken care of us and kept us safe during the Pandemic.2020-04-2107 minThe San Francisco ExperienceCovid 19: Have we made progress in the last 5 weeks ?The Social Distancing and Lockdown practices of the last 5 weeks has seen a slowing in the rate of increase of C-19 infection rates and fatalities. But global and national numbers still increase. What is next and how does C-19 compare to historic pandemics ?2020-04-2121 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Maltese Falcon. John Huston/Dashiell Hammett, 1941This film noir is set in 1941 San Francisco and stars Humphrey Bogart in the title role of private investigator Sam Spade, Mary Astor as the manipulative fortune seeker Brigid O’Shaugnessey, Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre. Intrigue, greed, obsession on the streets of San Francisco.2020-04-1819 min
The San Francisco ExperienceTracing Covid-19 victims to break the transmission chain.A new, massive C-19 testing program will be part of our return to normal. But all new C-19 victims will have to provide names and phone numbers for their contacts who may have been exposed. Those contacts also must self isolate, but what about their privacy ?2020-04-1818 min
The San Francisco ExperienceCalifornia versus France: a tale of two re-openings.As California and France appear to have passed the peak of C-19 infection rates, when and how will society get back to normal, the economy start running again and shelter in place be lifted.2020-04-1617 min
The San Francisco ExperienceBill Gates: Coronavirus WarriorThe Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is actively funding 8 entities working to develop a Covid 19 vaccine. Gates, the visionary who brought personal computing into our lives, is now focused on finding a new vaccine and preventing another Pandemic posing an existential threat to humankind.2020-04-1622 min
The San Francisco ExperienceCovid 19 testing: Is it a waste of money ?Today’s podcast focuses on C-19 policies, practices and technologies in Germany, the U.K. and the US. Best practices, use of data and testing technology to defeat Covid-19.2020-04-1318 min
The San Francisco ExperienceThe Birds. Alfred Hitchcock 1963Hitchcock’s thriller and horror film was filmed on location in San Francisco and Bodega Bay, Sonoma County in 1962. The themes of the film, a world out of joint, nature attacking humans, inhabitants seeking shelter from terror are topical for today’s Covid -19 lockdown culture caused by another force of nature gone awry.2020-04-1120 minThe San Francisco ExperienceWhy is California’s Covid 19 death rate so low ?California with a population of 40 million has had 374 Covid-19 fatalities. During the same period through 4/7/20 New York State with 19 million people has had 5236 deaths - 14 times more than California. Why ?2020-04-0917 minThe San Francisco ExperienceInnovation Update: Covid 19 solutionsInnovation Update is a weekly feature of The San Francisco Experience. In today’s installment we recount 7 innovations created in the San Francisco Bay Area to confront Covid-19 and stop it dead in its tracks.2020-04-0818 min
The San Francisco ExperienceLiving on Lockdown: Survive and ThriveIn the fifth and final part of the Living on Lockdown series, I explore how and where we get our news on Covid 19 over the rest of the lockdown. With a historic perspective and quotes from Queen Elizabeth II and Henry Kissinger.2020-04-0523 min
The San Francisco ExperienceLiving on Lockdown: the Art of online board games, gaming and social interactivity.Social isolation can lead to depression and loneliness. Today’s episode provides an alternative, to let you interact online through games, house parties and group movie watching at a distance.2020-04-0422 min
The San Francisco ExperienceLiving on Lockdown: the Art of Delivery and Takeout Dining and Grocery Shopping.In this episode we review 6 apps for takeout and delivery services from restaurants. Best practices for grocery shopping.2020-04-0321 min
The San Francisco ExperienceLiving on Lockdown: The Art of the Urban Hike.Urban Hiking is the fastest growing trend in Hiking. It brings the same hiking energy to a CityScape and is a great way to accomplish your cardio fitness goals. Several hiking apps are reviewed.2020-04-0216 min
The San Francisco ExperienceLiving on Lockdown: the Art of Managing your 401kThe first in our series of podcasts to help you get through your home confinement during Lockdown. We focus on retirement savings in your 401k account and introduce online resources you can access.2020-04-0117 min
The San Francisco ExperienceLiving in Lockdown: Don’t let a crisis go to waste.Sharing best Social Lockdown practices from San Francisco, the city that is pioneering how to socially isolate and distance, with a big assist from Social Media.2020-03-3131 min
The San Francisco ExperienceCovid 19 - Did early Lockdown and Social Distancing in San Francisco pay off ?Comparison of early flight bans from China on San Francisco’s low rate of Covid 19 versus New York’s open European flights. Social Distancing Policies and Europe’s varied approach to Social Lockdown and Distancing.2020-03-3132 min
The San Francisco ExperienceVertigo, Alfred Hitchcock 1958In this episode I discuss the greatest film of all time, Vertigo, as judged by the British Film Institute in 2012. Set in 1957 San Francisco, it is a technicolor travelog of the City by the Bay. It provides a magnificent physical backdrop to the dark and brooding themes of deceit, obsession, unrequited love and insanity as depicted by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay was adapted from the French novel “D’entre les morts.” (From among the dead.) written by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac.2020-03-2916 minThe San Francisco ExperienceThe San Francisco Experience (Trailer)2020-03-2700 min