The City is Burning Down

06/29/18 • 29 min

Keith Spencer is a cover editor, and Nicole Karlis is a news writer at Salon. They took vastly different paths to get to San Francisco, and have some strong perspectives on how the city can be saved.

Nicole arrived in San Francisco from the midwest where she studied journalism. She began her career in the Bay Area in tech, but her experience soured and she left for India. She returned to the city and her trip abroad shaped her views on what she wanted to do next. We learn about Nicole's journey to the Bay Area, and how her views have changed over time.

Keith is a fourth generation San Franciscan. He lives and breathes San Francisco. His relatives have seen the ups and downs of living here, and he could have followed multiple paths. We learn about why Keith ended up where he is, and what his perspective is on fixing some of the problems that ail the city.

Keith Spencer is a cover editor, and Nicole Karlis is a news writer at Salon. They took vastly different paths to get to San Francisco, and have some strong perspectives on how the city can be saved.

Previous Episode

Living in San Francisco Is Not Straightforward (Guest: Rick Marini, Entrepreneur, Investor)

Rick Marini moved to San Francisco from the East Coast and is living the Silicon Valley dream. He's a successful entrepreneur who has built a great life in a beautiful city. But the City is far from perfect. Rick talks about his views on San Francisco politics, what it's like to be a homeowner in a city where home ownership is unattainable by many, and what the future holds for San Francisco.

As it turns out, living here is not all that straightforward. What happens when someone overstays their welcome? What's it like raising kids here? There are plusses and minuses, and not everyone holds the same views.

Next Episode

Is San Francisco Really All That Great? (Guest: Antonio García Martínez - NYT Bestselling Author of 'Chaos Monkeys')

Antonio García Martínez is no stranger to controversy. He sold a company, was a key architect of Facebook's advertising products, wrote a bestselling book (which was critical of some of his old colleagues), and now lives in a yurt in Washington. Put lightly, he has some strong opinions.

García Martínez eloquently explains some of his own experiences in San Francisco, how he would solve some of the city's biggest problems, and how privilege doesn't insulate you from problems. The conversation bounces from subject to subject in frenetic style. We hear about García Martínez' upbringing in Miami, his time at Goldman Sachs, and his experience at Facebook. García Martínez finds himself - at times - in the position of defending his old employer (whereas in his book he comes off as critical of Facebook).

This is a must-listen interview.