KQED's Forum

“Show me the life hack you randomly saw one day, that is now an unconscious, standard practice in your life.” That’s the call to action Kelly Hurst posed on TikTok that has since gone viral with over 37,000 responses and millions of views. People have created ingenious shortcuts for all kinds of tasks, from using the car seat warmer to keep takeout warm to using the washing machine as an ice bucket for parties. Life hacks can be anything that saves time, effort or money and takes the friction out of your day. We’ll talk to Hurts and a panel of journalists and life hackers who will share the best (and worst) tips out there, and we’ll hear from you: What’s a life hack that you’ve adopted?Guests:Carly Severn, senior editor of audience news, KQEDJordan Calhoun, editor-in-chief, Lifehacker.comKelly Hurst, content creator, TikTok; host, The Life Bath podcastRoss Yoder, food and lifestyle editor, Buzzfeed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hollywood productions have gone dark after TV and film actors, represented by SAG-AFTRA, joined members of the Writers Guild of America on the picket line last week. Like the writers, actors are striking over compensation, residual payments and the use of AI to replace them. This is the first time in more than 60 years that both writers and actors have gone on strike simultaneously. We’ll talk about the impact of both strikes and the connections between them.Guests:Alissa Wilkinson, senior correspondent, VoxEric Haywood, writer, producer and director. His TV shows include "Empire" and "Law & Order: Organized Crime"Jonathan Handel, entertainment and technology attorney, TroyGould. He's also a journalist covering labor and entertainment for Puck.Kathryn Howell, president, SAG-AFTRA San Francisco-Northern California local; actress known for a wide range of character roles in film and TV, including "Criminal Minds," "The Zodiac" and "James and the Giant Peach." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In his latest article for The Atlantic, Sam Quinones writes that America’s shift toward treatment instead of jail time for drug abuse “is both well intentioned and out of date, given the massive street supplies of fentanyl and meth. It is failing just about everyone.” He argues that instead of waiting for addicts to voluntarily enter rehab, the legal system should force them to go. Quinones is a journalist who has covered the drug trade for over a decade and published two books on the subject: “The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth” and “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic.” We’ll talk about how to address the nation’s ever-more challenging drug crisis that we see playing out on our streets and in our families.Guests:Sam Quinones, journalist and author. His recent piece in The Atlantic is titled "America's Approach to Addiction Has Gone Off the Rails.” His books include "The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth" and "Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic."Vitka Eisen, president and CEO, HealthRIGHT 360, San Francisco's largest drug treatment provider Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keeping on top of bills and finances can be a challenge for anyone. But for older adults suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, dementia and other cognitive issues, things can get out of control fast. They may pay the same bills repeatedly, make impulsive purchases, or fall for online scams. And according to recent studies, financial mistakes can actually be an early sign of dementia. In this hour, we’ll talk about the latest research on memory problems and money, and how to protect your finances from cognitive decline.Guests:Duke Han, professor of family medicine, neurology, psychology and gerontology, Keck School of Medicine, USCMarti DeLiema, assistant professor, University of Minnesota, Twin CitiesSarah Boden, health and science reporter, WESA public radio in Pittsburgh Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Women’s World Cup kicks off on July 20 in New Zealand and Australia, and the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team is fighting to maintain its title. The team includes experienced vets like Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan and newcomers like 18-year old Alyssa Thompson and Trinity Rodman. The competition itself is fiercer than ever with new countries entering the field – just one indicator that women’s soccer is finding its footing among fans around the world. Despite broadcast bungles and time zone differences, the league and its players are finally getting their time in the spotlight, globally and here in the States. We’ll talk about the growth of women’s soccer, who to watch in the World Cup and the Bay Area’s new women’s soccer club, the Bay FC.Guests:Marisa Ingemi, sports writer, San Francisco ChronicleDanielle Slaton, co-founder, Bay FCTheo Lloyd-Hughes, freelance journalist reporting on NWSL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It has been a whirlwind few weeks for the tens of millions of Americans struggling with student loan debt. First, on June 30, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s debt cancellation plan. Since then, the administration has announced other plans to help borrowers, and more are in the works. But will they survive legal challenges? And what do the new programs mean for those buried in debt, with payments set to resume as soon as October? We’ll talk about the latest developments and what’s at stake for borrowers in California. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rossmoor community in Walnut Creek has a population of nearly 10,000 people aged 55 and older, its own newspaper, bus service and over 200 local clubs, making it feel like its own small town. Opened in 1964, Rossmoor is among the longest running, age-restricted communities in the country. It’s also the cornerstone of the 94595 zip code, which according to the San Francisco Chronicle, is the only zip code in the Bay Area with home prices near their all-time high, in contrast to the rest of the region where home prices are trending lower. We’ll take a look at the history of Rossmoor, why people want to live there and the current state of other developments like it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Riding a bike instead of taking a car is good for your health and for the planet. But in car-centric California, most people still rely on vehicles for daily trips like commuting to work. For cyclists in the state, that means getting around can be risky, especially when they’re asked to share a road with two-ton metal boxes that are often moving very fast. So what would it take to make cycling safer in California, and how can we improve the state’s biking infrastructure to encourage more riders? We explore those questions as part of Forum’s ongoing series “In Transit.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most prized objects in London’s Victoria and Albert Museum is a life-size wooden tiger automaton that bellows and roars as it chomps into the neck of a very unfortunate British soldier. Crafted in the late 18th century in Mysore, India, this fascinating creation is at the center of Tania James’ new novel of historical fiction “Loot.” The story follows Abbas, a 17-year old, the tiger’s creator, as he travels from India to Europe and encounters a Dickensian cast of characters from noblemen to foes and friends that are all part of this epic quest. As reviewers note, the novel offers a “wry awareness of the distorting function of racism and colonialism.” We talk to James about her book.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new exhibit at the Bedford gallery in Walnut Creek challenges our assumptions about what it means to see. “Sight Unseen” features the work of 13 blind photographers from around the world who use photography in very different ways. In describing his process Pete Eckert of Sacramento writes, “vision is so strong that it masks other senses, other abilities… I feel light so strongly that it allows me to see the bones of my skeleton as pulsating energy.” Scottish artist Rosita McKenzie said, “I sense the light on my face. I hear the rustle of the wind in the trees or smell the fragrance of the flowers in the air, and I think: I’ve really got to take this.” We’ll talk with the curator and featured artists from “Sight Unseen” about how sight-impaired people reveal the world as they see it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices