WorldNow ™ with Jim Falk

The Wall Dancers: Searching for Freedom...on the Chinese Internet–A Conversation with Yi-Ling Liu

Shortly after the publication of her first book, author and journalist Yi-Ling Liu joined WorldNow to talk about how Chinese citizens navigate the web. Despite censorship, either self or dictated, and , the web continues to be a strong connector for people seeking to express their individualism while also building community. Yi-Ling, drawing on her unique background, shared her concern that governments and media foster stereotypes that hinder the relationship.
This conversation was recorded on Feb. 10 as a virtual book talk. Co-produced by the World Affairs of Connecticut, WorldNow is a benefit to members of World Affairs Councils across the country.  

The Trillion Dollar Defense Budget: A conversation with the Quincy Institute's Bill Hartung

In this show, William Hartung, senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, takes a hard, unvarnished look at the extraordinary growth of the U.S. defense budget. Now just under $1 trillion, President Trump is requesting a 50 percent increase for FY 2027—pushing defense spending to $1.5 trillion.
Hartung explains how, despite hopes to the contrary, the end of the Cold War led not to a peace dividend but to continued and accelerating military spending. He examines how consolidation within the defense industry, now dominated by five major corporations, has fueled cost overruns, reduced competition, and weakened accountability.
The conversation also explores the growing role of Silicon Valley–based defense startups, the influence and profitability of defense lobbying, and the surprisingly small impact the defense industry has on overall employment, despite frequent claims by politicians.
This program was recorded on January 21 for WorldNow with Jim Falk as a virtual book talk presented to members of World Affairs Councils across the country.

Remembering Pearl Harbor with author Steve Twomey

Steve Twomey is the author of "Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack." In addition to this podcast, I also produce and host The Forum, a weekly public affairs program on KSFR, Northern New Mexico's public radio station. For our December 8th show, I wanted to do a program commemorating the 84th anniversary of the surprise attack that drew the United States into WWII and Steve came highly recommended. 
I greatly enjoyed the book and the conversation with Steve and bet you will, too. I hope you will review the podcast and this episode. 

Inside The Economist’s The World Ahead: Tom Standage on Global Trends

On December 8, the editor of The Economist's "The World Ahead," Tom Standage joined me for what has become an annual conversation about the popular predictive issue. We began with Tom presenting his Top Ten Trends for 2026, followed by questions from the audience and concluded with a special treat where we played Hello All Stations, an original composition by Sebastopol, the alt-rock band. Tom is the drummer. I learned, too, that this is one of the two bands where Tom plays, the other being one made up of colleagues at The Economist. This interview was first aired for a live audience made up primarily of members of World Affairs Councils from across the country. It was produced and hosted by the World Affairs Council of Connecticut.

Gung-Ho - The Evans Carlson, the Untold Story - A conversation with author Stephen Platt

Originally broadcast on KSFR's The Forum Plus, UMass historian Stephen R. Platt shares the untold story of Evans Carlson — a WWII Marine commander, secret confidant of FDR, and pioneer of U.S. special forces. Drawing on exclusive access to Carlson’s family letters, journals, and military archives, Platt reveals a hero celebrated for introducing “gung-ho” to America but later vilified during the McCarthy era for his admiration of China. This conversation explores Carlson’s daring intelligence work, his quiet influence on Roosevelt, and his vision for a better U.S.–China relationship that might have changed history.

Trinity at 80: Fallout and the Future of U.S. Nuclear Policy (originally broadcast, KSFR's The Forum, July 14, 2025)

We speak with Lois Lipman, director of the documentary First We Bombed New Mexico, and Tina Cordova, the film’s heart and co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium. Together, they discuss the film’s impact and their decades-long advocacy for those harmed by nuclear testing and uranium mining. A hopeful development: the recently signed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” enacted on July 4, 2025, includes a temporary extension and expansion of RECA (the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act) to finally cover affected communities in New Mexico. The documentary is being updated to reflect this change, with a revised version expected later this year.
To bring the conversation into the present, we also speak with military strategist and Stimson Center senior fellow Christopher Preble. He offers insights into the state of nuclear deterrence today and whether the doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD) still holds. While acknowledging the need to modernize the U.S. arsenal, Preble questions whether the projected $1 trillion investment over the next 30 years is the wisest path forward. He also weighs in on the feasibility of “The Golden Dome,” a proposed missile defense system, arguing that given the geographic scale of the U.S. and other technical limitations, the concept remains impractical.
 

A Diplomatic Life Turned Deadly - Elisa Reid's Death on the Island

Eliza Reid, Iceland’s former First Lady, joins Jim Falk to discuss her debut novel — Death on the Island — a gripping murder mystery set against the dramatic backdrop of Iceland’s Westman Islands. Drawing from her own diplomatic experience, Eliza has created a compelling ensemble of characters, each with secrets to uncover as they find themselves isolated on the windswept archipelago. This interview was first aired on July 9, 2025 on KSFR's The Forum Plus. 

The Empty Vessel: A Conversation with Ian Kumekawa

 Dr. Ian Kumekawa, an Anniversary Fellow at the Center for History and Economics at Harvard, is the author of "Empty Vessel." Through the lens of a single barge, and its travels from the Falklands, Germany, to NYC's East River, Kumekawa exposes the underbelly of offshoring and its impact on the global economy.

Tracking the Path of a Lone Wolf across Europe with Adam Weymouth

Journalist, author Adam Weymouth's latest book, "Lone Wolf" is a fascinating story how over the course of several months he followed the path of Slavc, a European grey wolf, who journeyed from Slovenia to the Italian Alps. Weymouth, through candid interviews with people he met along the way, raises important questions about immigration, climate change and the delicate balance we as humans have with animals. This podcast was originally recorded for The Forum Plus on KSFR-FM.
The last minutes are bonus content.

Liberation Day or Economic Risk? Unpacking Trump's Trade Strategy

Originally broadcast on KSFR's "The Forum," guests Robert Holleyman, former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, and Edward (Ted) Alden, Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, discuss what has become the defining issue of Trump 2.0. To listen to other episodes of The Forum, go to KSFR.org