The San Francisco Experience

We are a "deep dive" news podcast, for Americans who get their news from the Internet. Our mission is to give the listener succinct, fact based analysis both non-ideological and independent from a California, Silicon Valley perspective. Your host Jim Herlihy is a published author: his novel “Deceit and Dirty Money” is available on line. He served as President of the SF Public Library Commission 1992 - 1996. While working in Latin America, he was a stringer for The Economist, The Times and the BBC. Jim serves as a director on two SF sister city boards : Bangalore, India and Cork, Ireland.

Mayor Lurie's plan to upzone San Francisco faces an uphill struggle. Talking with Tim Redmond

The plan to upzone wide swaths of San Francisco, especially on the Westside of the City faces widespread opposition. Recalled Supervisor for District 4 Joel Engardio and State Senator Scott Wiener are major proponents of the plan. What happens next ?

10-02
31:34

The San Francisco Maritime Museum. Talking with CEO Darlene Plumtree.

The Maritime Museum along with the historic ships at Hyde Street Pier is part of the National Park that celebrates San Francisco's rich and deep maritime history. With Fleet Week coming up October 11th and 12th the Museum will be holding a viewing party at the pier to watch the Parade of Ships and the Blue Angels. Check Maritime.org website to buy your tickets.

09-23
24:12

Supervisor Joel Engardio loses the Recall Election. Talking with Albert Chow

San Francisco had never recalled an incumbent Supervisor, until September 16th, 2025, when Joel Engardio lost his seat on the Board of Supervisors. Preliminary results showed that 64.6 % of the voters in District 4 voted to recall him. Early into the evening, Engardio conceded the loss, but claimed that he was on the right side of history.Albert Chow is a resident, voter and small businessman in D4 and played a leading role in the Recall campaign.

09-17
25:59

Redux Americana: Atlanticism, the US and the Third Age of Global Conflicts. Talking with Alp Sevimlisoy.

NATO, the 76 year old defence pact of 32 countries that has weathered the Cold War, the Fall of the Berlin Wall, collapse of the USSR and liberation of Eastern Europe without firing a shot, faces new challenges: the Third Age. Renewed super power rivalry, the rise of populism and political disarray among liberal democracies, as well as European fears about US defense commitments, are angst inducing developments for Western security built around Atlanticism.

09-10
50:31

CryptoCurrency: Unraveling investment strategies for Crypto enthusiasts. Talking with Mukarram Mawjood.

Investing in Crypto is poised to take off since the Department of Labor has recently clarified its' ruling on cryptocurrency investing through 401k accounts. Learn what the risks and potential rewards are for this class of alternate investment are and whether it is an appropriate choice for you.

09-09
38:57

The Neptune Project and Sailing for Parkinsons: Talking with Skipper Tan Raffray, Bertrand Delhom and Amy Bridge.

Can Sailing as an athletic exercise help people with Parkinsons ? Listen to the episode to learn from Bertrand, a person with Parkinsons, about his experience sailing around the world in the Ocean Globe Race in 2023/24.

09-05
37:46

Artificial Intelligence meets Cybersecurity: Talking with Caleb Mattingly, Founder, Secure Cloud Innovations.

Cybersecurity is all about protecting computer systems, networks and data from digital attacks. Will Artificial Intelligence reduce the power of the hackers and bad actors or enhance it ?

09-04
29:33

Fireproofing your home during California Wildfire Season. Talking with Steve Hawks of the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety.

IBHS is the leading safety institution that establishes standards that are used in building standards particularly at risk for fire among other risks. With September and October being the peak of wildfire season in Northern California, Steve Hawks joins us to discuss improving building standards to mitigate wildfire risk.

09-03
29:05

Playback: Talking with author Carla Malden.

Carla Malden is an accomplished screen writer, novelist and memoirist. Among her literary works is the memoir "When do I Start", which she co-authored with her father, Academy award winning actor Karl Malden.

08-19
44:09

Artificial Intelligence meets Cybersecurity: a marriage made in heaven or hell ? Talking with Andrew Reddie.

Artificial Intelligence is shaping the future of Cybersecurity.Risk = Threat x Vulnerability x Consequence

08-14
45:59

Talking with World Business Academy CEO Rinaldo Brutoco

Rinaldo discusses the potential impact of tariffs on the corporate sector and the need to revamp the insurance industry before it collapses.

08-06
37:18

Commune, a documentary film. Talking with Jonathan Berman and Christian Ettinger.

The Black Bear Ranch was established as a commune in Summer 1968 by a group of young men and women from San Francisco. Located 318 miles North East of San Francisco in remote Siskyou County on 80 acres, it still exists. The re-mastered 2005 film was re-released in Summer 2025.

08-06
36:57

Speaking Up, Standing Strong: Confronting Anti-Semitism together. In conversation with Oleg Ivanov, Executive Director Stand with Us, Northern California.

Chabad of the Neighborhood, West Portal Avenue, San Francisco welcomed a live podcast discussion about Anti-Semitism at the historic Empire Theater, the home of Chabad of the Neighborhood. Rabbi Mendel Levin and Devorie Levin were our hosts for the evening.

08-01
56:59

The Comeback. The 2024 Elections and American Politics. Talking with co-author Jack Pitney.

The 2024 campaign and in particular the 57 days between Biden's disastrous debate June 27th and Harris' formal acceptance of the Democratic Nomination August 23 was one of the most tumultuous and consequential periods in modern Presidential history. The Comeback relates Donald Trump's unlikely return to the White House.

07-29
41:55

Analog Sun - a Fable. Talking with author Alex Woodard.

Adam has two addictions: drugs and digital technology. Robbed and finding himself in an alley without his smart phone, he is untethered from the internet and his self created reality. He stumbles into town and meets several characters on an involuntary road trip who show him a life and experiences beyond the digital world.

07-28
40:15

When it all Burns. Fighting Fire in a Transformed World. Talking with Jordan Thomas.

The Los Padres Hotshots are an elite corps of Wildfire Fighters - like Navy Seals - who race into California's wildfires with chainsaws, shovels and pick axes, to halt the advance of fires. As civilians flee the fire, Hotshots aggressively arrest the advance of flames by carving fire lines through the blazing forests and undergrowth. Wildfires have given way to Megafires.

07-24
44:14

Lotic AI: Artificial Intelligence meets Behavioral Science. Talking with CEO and Founder William Welser IV

While millions of Americans track their biometrics daily - steps, heart rate, blood pressure - how do we interpret that data and give it context ? Can we use it to improve the quality of our lives, and make better health decisions ? Lotic AI enables you to do that.

07-22
44:10

American Zealots. Inside Domestic Right Wing Terrorism. Speaking with author Arie Perliger.

Political violence in America is on the rise. As the Nation has grown more diverse through immigration, militant violence has grown. Attacks have targeted religious and ethnic minorities, law enforcement and have been perpetrated by anti government extremists, religious extremists and lone wolf shooters.

07-17
35:58

Apple in China. The Capture of the World's Greatest Company. An in depth interview with author Patrick McGee.

With a market Capitalization of $ 3.1 Trillion, Apple makes 500,000 iPhones everyday mostly in China. 90% of iPhones are produced there. Apple has built the world's most advanced electronic production supply chain in China, not America.

07-15
01:04:42

Space in the Bay Area. Research, Technology, Commercialization. Talking with Sean Randolph.

The Bay Area is home to a significant space industry. It benefits from the national labs located here, research universities and venture capital industry.

07-12
38:35

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