Episodes
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BPR Full Show 08/20/19: The Millennial Vote
Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to ask our listeners how they feel about the Sen. Elizabeth Warren - Native American controversy. Washington Post Climate Reporter Steven Mufson explained how extreme climate change is hitting the United States, with temperatures especially heating up in New England. The start of the new school year is right around the corner and Andrea Campbell, president of the Boston City Council, discussed her education plan. Author Miles Howard spoke about his latest book, "The Early Voters: Millennials, in Their Own Words, on the Eve of a New America." Author Dan Albert talked about his latest book, "Are We There Yet?: The American Automobile Past, Present, and Driverless." CNN's John King gave the latest updates on the 2020 presidential campaigns. We opened the lines again, this time to ask our listeners about oversharing online, especially when it comes to posting photos of their children. -
BPR Full Show 08/19/19: Margery Holds A Poop Pen
Today on Boston Public Radio: WGBH's own Adam Reilly and Boston Globe reporter Frank Phillips provided a politics round table. WGBH News Analyst Charlie Sennott discusses President Donald Trump's role in Israel banning two Congresswomen from visiting the country on a political trip. Medical Ethicist Art Caplan discussed a new report that one in every 1,000 black men dies at the hands of police officers in America. We opened the lines to hear listeners' thoughts on an impending recession. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett G Price III joined us for another edition of All Rev'd Up, where they discussed Jay Z's new deal with the NFL. Industrial designer Garrett Benisch discussed his efforts to design products with sustainability in mind, including a pen made with ink from refined human waste. Inaugural poet Richard Blanco joined us for another edition of Village Voice. -
Boston Public Radio Full Show 08/16/19: Around And Around We Go
Today on Boston Public Radio: Former Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis spoke about his advocacy for the North-South rail link, as well as his views on the 2020 presidential race. Senator and 2020 presidential candidate Michael Bennet joined Jim, and guest host Shirley Leung, to speak about his candidacy. WGBH’s Emily Rooney quizzed our hosts on the Woodstock music festival. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh came on for “Ask the Mayor,” to take our listeners calls and questions. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko discussed algorithms that exist to detect hate speech online. WGBH’s Callie Crossley spoke about the backlash Jay-Z is facing after signing into a partnership with the National Football League. Revolving Museum founder Jerry Beck and high school teach Coraly Rivera talked about the “Poetry Museum” arriving in downtown Boston next week. -
Corby Kummer: The T-Bone Tax - Why Meat Might Cost More Money
Products that are deemed harmful, like cigarettes and alcohol, come with an added excise tax - dubbed the 'sin tax' - when consumers purchase them. Now Germany, and several Nordic countries, think it's time to add a sin tax on meat. The hope is that higher prices will disincentivize consumers from buying meat, specifically beef, that contributes to the worsening of climate change. Americans eat an average of over 200 pounds of meat a year, and cows contribute 41% of livestock greenhouse gas emissions. Food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio to discuss the meat tax and alternatives to beef. "There are many ways to get animal protein if you want animal protein, go ahead. But don't have it from the animals that are contributing so much more to greenhouse gases and methane emissions," he said. "In the U.S. there's lots of reasonably priced alternative protein. Let them eat those alternatives and save the climate." The meat tax wouldn't hurt consumers' wallets too hard, Kummer said, but would be in place to stir people's conscience. "This isn't going to make meat unaffordable, it's just going to say, 'Think again - this is terrible for the environment and for the future.'" By Hannah Uebele -
BPR Full Show 08/15/2019: Tax Holiday? Give Me A Break.
Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd discussed the latest political headlines. Todd is moderator of Meet the Press and political director for NBC News. We opened the lines to hear from listeners about whether they think there is a disconnect between the way government operates and the will of the people. Former Suffolk County sheriff and former public safety secretary Andrea Cabral discussed how Jeffrey Epstein's apparent suicide is casting a spotlight on how federal prisons are rife with violence, sexual harassment, and chronic under-staffing. Cabral is now CEO of Ascend. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed new MBTA cars on the orange line and the planned merger between Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts Health Plan. Paul Reville discussed the tuition hike at UMass and other education headlines. Reville is former secretary of education and a professor at Harvard University's Graduate School of Education, where he runs the Education Redesign Lab. Corby Kummer discussed a potential meat tax in Germany as the country reckons with the industry's environmental harm. Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. We opened the lines to discuss the sales tax holiday in Massachusetts. -
BPR Full Show 08/14/2019: Vacation, Staycation, Or Nocation At All
Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to ask whether you're skipping traveling during your vacation time off from work because it's too expensive. Pine Street Inn President Lyndia Downie joined us to discuss the aftermath of Operation Clean Sweep on Boston's homeless population. We spoke with medical ethicist Art Caplan about President Donald Trump's proposal to allow the importation of cheaper pharmaceuticals into the United States. WGBH Executive Arts Editor Jared Bowen shared his thoughts on the latest production of "To Kill a Mockingbird," which is now running on Broadway. We spoke with historian Nancy Koehn about Robert Kennedy's leadership style during his 1968 presidential campaign. WCRB's Brian McCreath and Celtic Sojourn's Brian O'Donovan joined us for a seasonal concert round table. -
BPR Full Show 08/13/2019: Are Moral Imperatives Affecting Your SoulCycle?
Today on Boston Public Radio: On Monday, the Trump administration announced it would be changing the way the Endangered Species Act is applied, significantly weakening it. We asked our listeners to share their thoughts on the decision. Trenni Kusnierek discussed the recent calls to boycott Equinox Fitness and SoulCycle due to the chairman of the company that owns both companies hosting a fundraiser for President Donald Trump. Kusnierek is an anchor and reporter for NBC Sports Boston. Ali Noorani discussed the Trump administration’s “public charge rule,” a policy that requires immigrants to be denied a green card if they are likely to use government benefit programs. Noorani is the executive director of the National Immigration Forum. We asked our listeners to discuss their techniques for being environmentally conscious in the modern world. John King discussed the latest developments in the 2020 presidential race. King is the chief national correspondent for CNN. Playwright Ryan Landry joined us to discuss how art under the Trump presidency. -
BPR Full Show 08/12/2019: An Apparent Suicide
Today on Boston Public Radio: Charlie Chieppo and Jennifer Braceras joined us for a political round table. Chieppo is principal of Chieppo Strategies and senior fellow at both Governing and Pioneer Institute. Braceras is a political columnist, director of the Center for Law & Liberty at the Independent Women's Forum, and a former Commissioner of the United States Commission on Civil Rights. We spoke with WGBH News Analyst Charlie Sennott about the resignation of US Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman, one of a string of resignations in President Donald Trump's cabinet. Pat and Tammy McLeod joined us to discuss their new book *Hit Hard: One Family's Journey of Letting Go of What Was -- And Learning to Live Well with What Is, *about their son's traumatic brain injury sustained while playing football. We opened the lines to take listener calls about the news that convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein apparently committed suicide while in jail. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III joined us for another edition of All Rev'd Up to discuss the legacy of late author Toni Morrison. Michael Maso, executive director of the Huntington Theater, discussed the theater's upcoming renovations. Media scholar Bob Thompson previewed this year's Emmy Awards in September. Thompson is founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture and a Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture at the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. -
Boston Public Radio Full Show 08/09/19: Run Away And Join The Circus
Today on Boston Public Radio: SoulCycle leadership has been found to throw fundraisers for President Donald Trump. SoulCyclers who don't support Trump now feel conflicted about where their money is going. We opened the lines to ask our listeners if morality affects their consumer habits. Sabine van Rensburg and Brin Schoellkopf of The 7 Fingers circus discussed their U.S. premiere of PASSENGERS opening at ArtsEmerson this September. WGBH's Emily Rooney spoke about troubles with the RMV in Massachusetts as well as Tucker Carlson's denial of white supremacy. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko spoke about 8chan, the site which the El Paso shooter allegedly posted an anti-immigration manifesto before killing 22 people. Lindsay Mis, executive director of Massachusetts Design Art & Technology, talked about the new public art installation in New Bedford called "Silver Current." Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung discussed why Massachusetts traffic congestion is hitting its limit. Three players from the Boston Renegades - Allison Cahill, Stephanie Pascual and Emily Beinecke - joined us for our weekly news quiz. The Boston Renegades are a women's tackle football team. -
Boston Public Radio Full Show 08/08/19: Laughter Is The Best Medicine
Today on Boston Public Radio: NBC News' Chuck Todd gave updates on the latest in national politics. Author Rebecca Traister talked to us about 2020 presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren's past as a professor. We opened the line to ask our listeners if they think Warren's career in the classroom helps on the campaign trail. Criminal justice analyst Andrea Cabral spoke about the Trump administration's stance on gun control. Mike Norton, behavioral economist at Harvard Business School, spoke about the healing power of humor in tragic situations. He also took calls from our listeners about how humor has helped them along the grieving process. WGBH science editor Heather Goldstone described the present day impacts of climate change. Medical ethicist Art Caplan explained why video games and mental illness are not to blame for mass shootings.
