Listen Now

The SF School Board is threatened with being recalled because after one year of Covid related lockdowns, the 127 public schools in the City are still closed to its' 59,000 students. The City is actually suing the School Board to compel them to re-open the schools in compliance with State Law. And their cancel culture antics of renaming 44 of our schools - Washington, Lincoln and Roosevelt were unacceptable to them - made San Francisco an international laughing stock when it was learned their "research" on the name change was nothing more than a sloppy Wikipedia search. Long suffering parents and voters are eager to bring about sweeping change to the School Board.    --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

Serial Entrepreneur and business coach Ed Rocha sets out a clear step by step strategy to take your gig, side hustle or past time from a concept to a profitable business. He practices what he preaches, having successfully launched three companies from concept to revenue generators. A silver lining of the Covid lockdowns is that many would be entrepreneurs have developed plans for a new business to meet demand from homebound clients - this podcast is for you and Ed Rocha is your man ! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

The 2016 vote by 52% of the UK electorate to leave the European Union came at the end of a contentious campaign where Social Media dominated. Targeted micro marketing crafted by firms like Cambridge Analytica foreshadowed even greater success for such Social Media strategies in the 2016 Trump victory over Hillary Clinton. Josh Hamilton explains how it happened and why such internet driven  political manipulation  is here to stay.  His book is a must read to stay up to speed on meta data driven political campaigns. Here's the link to Josh's book:  https://establishmentcivilwar.co.uk/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

While most of corporate America has been telecommuting to work from their homes for the last 11 months, that's about to change if Goldman Sachs' CEO David Solomon has his way. He views working from home as an aberration "that we're going to correct as soon as possible." He is a high profile executive whose opinions are closely followed in the corporate world. Today's episode focuses on the pros and the cons. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

The Biden Administration is seeking to revive negotiations with Iran on the 2015 Obama Administration deal. The Trump Administration abrogated the agreement in 2018. And since then Iran's foes in the Persian Gulf - Dubai, Bahrain and Qatar - have established diplomatic relations with Israel. Israel has said it would do anything to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons. Iran has sped up its nuclear fuel capability and is in breach of 3 covenants. But they desperately want the economic sanctions lifted.  Presidential elections in Iran take place in June: what will Biden do ? Revert to the Obama tack or stick with a tough approach ? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

California voters are especially testy these days as we enter our 12 th month of Covid lockdown. Not only is the Governor threatened with Recall over his handling of the crisis, but the San Francisco District Attorney is too, for being soft on crime and hostile to police as well as  School Boards. San Francisco's failure to open public schools while private and parochial schools have been in session since the Fall of 2020 is especially galling. Is California in for a sea change politically ? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

February is Black History Month when we celebrate and acknowledge the many accomplishments of African Americans throughout the history of the United States. In today's episode, successful Venture Capitalist Jonathan Speed, and a US military historian by avocation, walks us through the sweeping experience of African American service men and women during World War II. The courage, perseverance and dedication of the 2.5 million Black Americans who enlisted during the War is richly honored in today's podcast and dedicated in gratitude  for their service to our country.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

The Medical profession has aggressively adopted the video call and the Zoom meeting during the Covid lockdown. Over 25 million video doctor visits have taken place in 2020. But as this digital health revolution got underway, seniors have often been left behind because of digital illiteracy, no access to broadband internet or not having a smartphone or computer. A recent TeleHealth Summit in San Francisco addressed these issues and proposed some fixes. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

Ambassador Ric Grenell served as US Ambassador to Germany from 2018 to 2020. Subsequently he served as Acting Director of National Intelligence in 2020, a cabinet level post. A favorite of Donald Trump for his blunt and forthright speaking style, Sean Hannity and Representative Matt Gaetz  were pushing him to declare for Governor in the likely California Recall Election. He was coy, interested,  but would not take the bait. In today's podcast we will briefly profile him. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

The first week of February 2021 was not very good to the Governor of California. First, the Recall signature campaign was closing in on 1.4 million signatures with six weeks left before the deadline. Then two Republican candidates announced they would run against him in the Recall and a third one, an Independent was considering a run.  Finally the Recall campaign has raised $2.5 million. All that in the space of a week. But political fortunes can turn a dime. Here's our latest thrilling installment on the Perils of Gavin Newsom !. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

Labyrinth of the Wind is the critically acclaimed debut novel of Madhav Misra, our guest in the Meet the Author series.  Madhav takes us back in time to the late 1970s when Teheran, Iran was an international city, awash in petrodollars, governed by the autocratic Shah whose rule vacillated between westernization and brutal police state repression. Against this complex backdrop, Madhav weaves a love story entwined with 1970s terrorism, the last days of the Pahlavi Dynasty and the rise of fundamentalist Islam in Iran and throughout the Middle East. The Shah's obsession with Iran's great history still echoes with us today as the current regime struggles to create a homegrown nuclear arsenal. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

Labyrinth of the Wind is the critically acclaimed debut novel of Madhav Misra. Set in Teheran, Iran in the late 1970s as the Shah's regime is coming to an end and the fundamentalist Islamic Revolution of Ayatollah Khomeini is unfolding it is a complex story of a young expat's struggle to serve several masters. A fascinating look back to a Westernizing Iran awash in petrodollars and fabulous wealth but also poverty. And even the Shah wanted to build a nuclear capability for Iran over 40 years ago. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

San Francisco has been picked on by the East Coast press for decades. Of late, they have criticized us for our homelessness mess, high cost of housing, City Hall Corruption - I agree with them on that score - and the recent tech exodus to Austin, Seattle and points East because of the high cost of living. They seem to think we live in a Film Noir Warp. But San Francisco always bounces back. In fact the mythical Phoenix, rising from the ashes,  adorns our city flag. Don't count us out !   --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

With the recall petition against Governor Gavin Newsom having reached 1,200,000 signatures and only 300,000 more valid signatures of California voters necessary to qualify it for the ballot could California be ready for another celebrity Governor ? After all Arnold Schwarzenegger swept in to the 2003 recall election to replace Gray Davis. And even Ronald Reagan was chosen by Californians to lead the state with no elective office experience. Could Clooney or another high profile Hollywood star become Governor in 2021 ? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

Joseph R. Biden Jr. was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on January 20, 2021.  His predecessor Donald Trump did not attend the ceremony, but he left a letter of support for the incoming President in the Oval Office. Biden's 21 minute inaugural address spoke of unity and toning down political rhetoric. While new American Presidents enjoy a honeymoon with the voters, his challenge will be to forge links to the 74 million Americans who chose Donald Trump for President rather than him.  Fighting for national unity while the country goes through an impeachment trial of Trump to disqualify him from future political office, will be a tall order.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

As awful as 2020 has been been, 1968 was even more momentous with political assassinations, the Viet Nam War, the Prague Spring and Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia as well as major civil unrest throughout America. Amidst all these tectonic changes, a major political realignment occurred with segregationist  George Wallace winning four dependably Democrat states. And we even had a mini-Pandemic, the Hong Kong flu. 2020 also witnessed a major political realignment which is still underway. But the jury is still out whether it will be a populist or liberal realignment. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

The 17 mile trail that crosses San Francisco from the Bay in the South East corner of the City to Land's End in its' North West Corner,  cuts right through the heart of our 49 square miles of natural beauty.  It traverses urban gardens, solid neighborhoods, the Presidio, Golden Gate Park and leads you to the dramatic cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The brainchild of Bob Siegel a one time Peace Corps volunteer and college professor, the Crosstown Trail has become a top attraction during Covid gym shutdowns. It's also becoming an inspiration for cities as far afield as New York and Glasgow to create similar trails. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

The Siege of the US Capitol one week ago illustrated how US politics have become militarized under Donald Trump. Militias and their members were a visible presence at the infamous rally beforehand and at the storming of the Capitol. The Million Militia March scheduled for Inauguration Day January 20 will be met by 3000 National Guard troops if it turns violent.  A 7 foot high unscaleable fence now surrounds the Capitol. And Trump faces a second impeachment for inciting the riot. Yet his followers still back him. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

Air India initiated a new nonstop flight from San Francisco to Bangalore - 17 hours nonstop - over the North Pole. The crew was all female, Captain, First Officer, Navigator. The new flight will link San Francisco's Silicon Valley and India's Technology powerhouse Bangalore which are already Sister Cities. And the 2.7 million Indian immigrants to the United States are very successful. But China's clashes with the Indian Army last Summer and America's trade tariffs seem to be driving India and America into each others arms. Where is this three way relationship heading ? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message

The 25th Amendment permits the Vice President and a majority of the cabinet to declare a President unable to discharge the duties and powers of his office and replace him. Should Vice President Pence and the cabinet remove President Trump in the last 13 days of his term which expires January 20, 2021 ?  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/james-herlihy/message