Episodes
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BPR Full Show 10/3/19: Incessant Humanity
Today on Boston Public Radio: MSNBC’s “Meet The Press" moderator Chuck Todd discussed the latest news regarding the House impeachment inquiry. We opened the lines to hear from callers: in light Dallas police officer Amber Guyger's guilty murder verdict, what are your thoughts on forgiveness? Former Suffolk County Sheriff and Secretary of Public Safety Andrea Cabral discussed the guilty verdict for former Dallas police officer Amber Guyer, and the sympathy she received from both the judge and brother of her victim. Husband and wife acting duo Chris Cooper and Marianna Leone, along with director Dan Habib, discussed their latest film, “Intelligent Lives,” which will air on GBH’s WORLD Channel later in October. Paul Reville, Former Secretary of Education and head of Harvard’s Education Redesign Lab, discussed a federal judge’s ruling on Harvard admissions. -
BPR Full Show 10/2/19: Dorian Recovery, Vape Uncertainty
Media maven and BPR contributor Sue O’Connell spoke on a federal judge’s Tuesday ruling in a case calling Harvard’s admission practices into question. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem discussed the latest national headlines surrounding President Trump and Ukraine, as well as hurricane recovery effort in the Bahamas. Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum forum, discussed a surge of immigration cases being processed as criminal cases under the Trump administration. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed the future of the Affordable Care Act, along with vape manufacturer JUUL’s new CEO. WGBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen talked about the films “Joker” and “Ad Astra,” as well as “Passengers,” a contemporary circus production currently playing at Boston’s Cutler Majestic Theater. Progressive writer Miles Howard and Politico’s Stephanie Murray discussed challenges to Sen. Ed Markey’s campaign ahead of his upcoming Senate race against Rep. Joe Kennedy. -
Corby Kummer: Texas Meat Manufacturers Sold Inferior Meat To Prisons Across The Country
Meat company West Texas Provisions, Inc sold over $1 million of degraded meat to 32 prison institutions in 18 states. The meat was marketed by West Texas Provisions as USDA approved, when in fact no such inspection was held. The meat packing plant also violated ground meat standards by adding whole cow hearts into their products. Food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Tuesday to explain why this violates health and ethics standards. "They paid no attention to food safety for meat that went into prisons and [West Texas Provisions] would send people in the night, when the inspectors weren't there, to cut up the heart valves and put them in," he said. "This kind of contempt treats people as second class citizens, as if they aren't really people." This kind of health abuse only adds to the unjust treatment that prisoners face, Kummer said. "It is part of the whole movement in this country to treat prisoners as animals, as refuse and as members of society who don't deserve any kind of humane treatment," he said. "This is defeating the whole purpose of the correctional system, which is trying to get people back into society, because how do they expect these people to want to be productive members of society when they've been abused in prison?" Kummer is a *senior editor at The Atlantic*, an award-winning food writer, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition and Policy. -
BPR Full Show 10/01/19: Mustachioed Mutts
Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to ask our listeners about the impeachment inquiry against President Donald Trump. NBC Sports Boston's Trenni Kusnierek spoke about college athletics in California. ACLU of Massachusetts' Matt Segal discussed their lawsuit against the city of Boston to release more information about "Operation Clean Sweep." Food writer Corby Kummer talked about eating insects and McDonald's roll out Beyond Meat burgers in Canada. Martin Smith discussed his latest FRONTLINE documentary, "The Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia." CNN's John King spoke about the latest updates regarding impeachment. Playwright Ryan Landry discussed if Judy Garland is still a gay icon. -
BPR Full Show 09/30/19: Scandals Abound
Today on Boston Public Radio: WGBH News Political Reporter Adam Reilly and Experience Magazine Editor Joanna Weiss discussed the latest headlines in national politics, from impeachment to the 2020 election. Charlie Sennott, WGBH News Analyst, discussed international news, including the one year anniversary of journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder by Arab officials, and a potential no-confidence vote of UK Prime Minister Boris Johnston. TV expert Bob Thompson discussed the the latest in television, including Netflix’s "The Politician" and the final season of Amazon’s "Transparent". Irene Monroe and Emmett Price, hosts of WGBH’s All Rev’d Up, discussed a recent scandal for Harvard’s President Lawrence Bacow, who likened an update of donor rules to the ratifying of the 13th Amendment. WGBH News Reporter Craig LeMoult discussed his recent series on previously misunderstood health risks associated with life near high-transportation areas, like highways and airports. -
BPR Full Show 09/27/19: Houses & Homes
Today on Boston Public Radio: Raj Chetty, Harvard Economist, discussed his research into housing vouchers and their value in bringing people out of the poverty cycle. Emily Rooney, host of WGBH News' Beat the Press, joined to give her weekly list of fixations and fulminations. Richard Trethewey and Jeff Sweenor from NECN’s This Old House discussed their show’s upcoming season premier, and took restoration questions from listeners. Shirly Leung, Boston Globe Business Columnist, discussed the impact of Gov. Charlie Baker’s vaping ban on Massachusetts vape shops. Under The Radar host Callie Crossley discussed the new Downton Abbey movie, as well as a recent scandal involving $1 million dollars to charity and racist tweets. Jason McCool and Somerville Mayor Joseph Curtatone stopped by for the weekly news quiz -
BPR Full Show 09/26/19: Greening Our City
Today on Boston Public Radio: Boston Medical Center physician and Massachusetts state Rep. Jon Santiago discussed the impact of the opioid crisis on Boston communities, and his thoughts on addressing it. Dr. Aaron Bernstein, pediatrician at Harvard's School of Health, discussed the effects of climate change on young people's health, and its potential influence on their climate activism. Steve Hoffman, chairman of the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission, spoke about Massachusetts' growing recreational pot industry and the future of vaping in Massachusetts. We opened the lines to callers to hear their thoughts on Thursday’s House Intelligence Committee’s hearing. -
BPR Full Show 09/25/19: Sufficiently Bad
Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines to callers to discuss House Democrat’s impeachment inquiry into President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. Sue O’Connell, political analyst for NECN, discussed President Trump's statements about LGBTQ rights at the UN General Assembly, as well as conservative media's response to Greta Thunberg's U.N. Climate address. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayeem discussed the newly released memo of President Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky, as well as the president’s recent speech at the U.N. General Assembly, and how the Bahamas is struggling to recover from hurricane Dorian. Art Kaplan, an expert in medical ethics, discussed the ethical implications of face transplants, as well as Massachusetts’ temporary ban on the sale of vaping products. Alex Beam defended his controversial opinion that funerals are better than weddings. -
BPR Full Show 09/24/19: A Very Happy Young Girl
Today on Boston Public Radio: Massachusetts Sen. President Karen Spilka discussed the timeline of the state’s hands-free driving bill, as well as upcoming changes to the state’s education investments. NBC Sports Boston Anchor Trenni Kusnierek spoke about Antonio Brown’s departure from the New England Patriots, along with the broader issue of rape culture in the U.S. Climate change activist Bill McKibben discussed Greta Thunberg’s U.N climate address, as well as Ed Markey’s environmental legacy in light of his upcoming Senate race against Rep. Joe Kennedy. Food writer Corby Kummer discussed food-conscious religious communities’ relationship to the imitation meat industry. Political writer Robert Kutner spoke about his new book, The Stakes: 2020 and the Survival of American Democracy. CNN’s Chief National Correspondent John King discussed President Trump’s Ukraine scandal, as well as Elizabeth Warren’s climbing support in early polls. -
USDA Relocation Is Part Of Trump's 'War On Science,' Says Corby Kummer
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expected to relocate to Kansas City, Missouri at the end of this month. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue says the move will save millions of dollars, but many see it as a purposeful attack on USDA researchers. Food writer Corby Kummer joined *Boston Public Radio *on Tuesday to speak about the consequences the relocation will have on the USDA and climate research. "This is one of the great tragedies of the Trump administration," he said. "These researchers have been compiling the statistics of crop yield, weather patterns, and productivity for animals, but they're "too science-y," they have bad news about climate and the Trump administration has waged a war on science." Purdue has set an ultimatum to it's researchers: relocate or give up your job, Kummer said. "This was one of the agencies that had the respect of the world, and is now being shredded and decimated." Two-thirds of its current employees will be unable to relocate, according to the USDA. Purdue did this intentionally to get rid of researchers, Kummer said. "The move is meant to knock researchers out and get rid of those who were giving them bad news about the climate."
