Episodes
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BPR Full Show 6/18/2019: Ed Asner Roasts Jim
Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines and asked listeners about the controversy over the U.S. Women's Soccer Team celebrating its high-scoring win against Thailand. Is criticism of the team sexism in action? Trenni Kusnierek, reporter and anchor at NBC Sports Boston, weighed in on that and other sports headlines. Kade Crockford, director of the Technology for Liberty Program at the ACLU of Massachusetts,** **talked about the launch of the ACLU’s campaign to regulate facial recognition technology. Lawyer Ruth Greenberg, the head of the compassionate release pop-up clinic at Boston University, discussed why the state's Department of Corrections is failing to grant more terminally-ill prisoners compassionate release. Legendary actor Ed Asner of "Up" and "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" shared his new play, "God Help Us." John King, CNN's Chief National Correspondent and host of "Inside Politics," updated us on the latest national news. It's the 80th anniversary of "The Wizard Of Oz." Joining us with his reflections was Ryan Landry: playwright, lyricist, actor and founder of the Gold Dust Orphans theatrical company. -
Grocery Store Robots Could Change The Way We Shop
If you shop at grocery stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania or New Jersey, then you may have met Marty the Robot taking care of a clean-up on Aisle 4. But food writer Corby Kummer told Boston Public Radio that he thinks this technology has alternative motives. -
BPR Full Show 6/17/2019: Did You Hear Jim Won An Emmy?
Today on Boston Public Radio: We went over the latest political headlines with analyst Charlie Chieppo and former NAACP of Massachusetts president Michael Curry. Charles Sennott, executive director of The GroundTruth Project, discussed rising tensions with Iran and the latest updates on the shooting of Red Sox legend David Ortiz. We opened up the lines and asked our listeners: With the Red Line yet to bounce back after a nasty derailment last week, what will it take to fix the beleaguered MBTA? Do our leaders have enough of a sense of urgency on this issue? Food writer Corby Kummer looked at the robots invading our grocery stories and the new marketing ploy Kraft is using to get kids to use salad dressing. On “All Revved Up,” Reverend Irene Monroe and Reverend Emmett Price discussed a police incident in Phoenix that is raising red flags. Daniela Lamas, a pulmonary and critical care physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and a staff writer for the medical TV drama “The Resident,” explains how she sometimes gets to write the endings for TV that she wish would happen in real life with her patients. Television expert Bob Thompson looks back on the 25th anniversary of OJ Simpson’s famous white Bronco chase. -
BPR Full Show 6/14/2019: This Turtle's On Fire
Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened up the lines and asked you about a statue of Myrtle the Turtle that’s making waves in Boston. Residents complain the bronze statue gets too hot in the sun during the day and is dangerous for children to play on. Should it stay or should it go? We talked to comedian Hannah Gadsby, creator of the Netflix special Nanette, about her new show coming to Boston. Sue O’Connell, host of “The Take,” discussed the turtle statue and other happenings around town. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh took our questions and yours for a full hour on “Ask the Mayor.” Raphael Bob-Waksberg, creator of “Bojack Horseman,” shared his new collection of short stories, “Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory.” Callie Crossley, host of “Under the Radar with Callie Crossley,” looked at the cultural impact of Ava DuVernay’s new documentary about the Central Park Five. Our Friday News Quiz featured two architects, Eric Robinson and Kevin Deabler, who are partnering with affordable housing developer Community Builders and thePine Street Inn to build what will be Boston’s largest complex of permanent supportive housing forthe homeless. -
BPR Full Show 6/13/2019: To Socialism Or Not To Socialism
Today on Boston Public Radio: A recent poll shows that millennials and generation Z are embracing socialism. We opened the lines to hear listeners' thoughts on Sen. Bernie Sanders putting Democratic socialism front and center in his campaign. Playwright Melinda Lopez discussed her adaptation of the 1934 play "Yerma," a meditation on motherhood, running at the Huntington Theater Company through June 30. Andrea Cabral, former Suffolk County Sheriff, former secretary of Public safety, and CEO of Ascend, joined the show to discuss the recent return to convict-leasing programs for the agricultural sector. We spoke with NBC Sports Boston reporter Trenni Kusnierek about the Boston Bruins' big loss in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Wednesday night. Former Secretary of Education Paul Reville broke down a recent U.S. News and World Report rankings of Boston schools. Reville is also a professor at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education where he runs the Education Redesign Lab. Poet Richard Blanco shared some original poetry in honor of Father's Day. Artist Rob Gibs and curator Kate Gilbert discussed a new art installation in Roxbury. -
BPR Full Show 6/12/2019: Miss Crispy
Today on Boston Public Radio: The MBTA is having a full-on meltdown, with two train derailments taking place over the course of a few days. We opened up the lines and asked listeners: Is it time to raise taxes to fix the beleagured transit system? Should children be able to make their own medical decisions about vaccines? Medial ethicist Arthur Caplan weighed in on the ongoing debate. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem discussed the president’s attempt to block Congress from accessing documents about the 2020 Census citizenship question. Boston Globe business columnist Shirley Leung talked about the Raytheon - United Technologies merger. Are face scans at airports a privacy trap? Tech writer Andy Ihnatko explained. Author and Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam discussed the untimely (or timely?) death of the friendship tree gifted to President Trump from French President Emmanuel Macron. Art curator Pedro Alonzo discussed the upcoming public art installation New Horizon, which features a reflective hot air balloon that will travel across Boston. -
The USDA Downplayed Good News About An Obama-era School Nutrition Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has good news about the state of the country's school lunch programs, but it didn't do much to broadcast it. Food writer Corby Kummer explained on Boston Public Radio. -
BPR Full Show 6/11/2019: Derailments and A-pike-alypse
Today on Boston Public Radio: President Donald Trump has tapped Ken Cuccinelli to head the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Joining with his analysis was Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum as well as the author of "There Goes the Neighborhood: How Communities Overcome Prejudice and Meet the Challenge of American Immigration." A new poll says that 60% of voters believe the state is not adequately funding education — and that they're open to paying more taxes and reallocating funds to help districts that need it. We opened up the lines and asked listeners: Do you agree? From multiple derailments on the MBTA to the coming "A-pike-alypse," we discussed all things transit with Jim Aloisi and Chris Dempsey. Aloisi is former state transportation secretary, a member of the TransitMatters board, and a contributor to Commonwealth Magazine. Chris Dempsey is the director of Transportation for Massachusetts and a former assistant secretary of transportation. Is Trump playing chicken with chicken farmers? Corby Kummer weighed in. Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, senior editor at The Atlantic, and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. Historian Nancy Koehn discussed the anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. Koehn is an historian at the Harvard Business School where she holds the James E. Robison chair of Business Administration, and her latest book is "Forged in Crisis: The Power of Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times." Joining us on the line to go over the latest political headlines was John King, CNN's chief National Correspondent and host of "Inside Politics." Is California the killjoy of travel? Their state legislature is close to outlawing travel-sized toiletries as a way of cracking down on plastics. We opened up the lines and asked listeners: Can you live without your mini shampoos and soaps? -
BPR Full Show 6/10/2019: 2020, Criminal Justice, and Cookbooks
Today on Boston Public Radio: We talked about all things with politics with WGBH reporter Adam Reilly and UMass political science professor Erin O’Brien. Television expert Bob Thompson discussed the return of “Big Little Lies” and other highlights from the small screen this week. We were joined by Atara Rich-Shea and Mallory Hanora of CourtWatch MA, a grassroots group that observes arraignments daily in Suffolk County municipal courts and advocates for criminal justice reform. Charles Sennott, founder of The GroundTruth Project, discussed the shooting of David Ortiz in the Dominican Republic and other international news. On “All Revved Up,” Reverend Irene Monroe and Reverend Emmett Price looked at the controversial plans to hold a so-called “Straight Pride” parade in Boston this summer. Annie Copps, a chef, instructor, and author, discussed this year’s Readable Feast, a festival for regional cookbook writers. Then we opened up the lines and asked our listeners: What are your favorite cookbooks? -
BPR Full Show 6/7/2019: Return Of The Spicy Jared
Today on Boston Public Radio: It seems like just yesterday that Joe Biden was against the Hyde Amendment. Oh wait…that’s because it was *yesterday. We opened up the lines and asked you about Biden’s change of heart, but also more broadly about how you feel when people you know *change their minds. Then we examined a species on the verge of extinction: the American diplomat. Author George Packer shared his new biography of Richard Holbrooke, “Our Man.” Emily Rooney, host of Beat the Press, shared her famous list of observations and frustrations. Food writer Corby Kummer explained what it is about working in an office that turns people into snack fiends. Boston Globe business reporter Shirley Leung looked at the slew of store closings in Harvard Square. Tech writer Andy Ihnatko explained YouTube’s new anti-harassment policies. Will they be enforced? Former U.S. ambassador to Spain and Andorra Alan Solomont and Susan Lewis Solomont, author of “Lost and Found In Spain,” faced off on our Friday News Quiz.
