Boston Public Radio Podcast

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Self-Pouring Alcohol Bill Expected To Pass In Connecticut Jun 10, 2021

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Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio on Thursday about self-pouring alcohol machines and legislation.

“Connecticut is about to allow these self-pour alcohol machines,” he said. “You’ve all seen the vending machines, especially from Coca-Cola, that pre-mixes your drink and you pick exactly what you want, and that’s a huge innovation in the soft drink industry. This is the same thing for alcohol and cocktails.”

Currently, Connecticut is one of just five states, including Massachusetts, where self-pour alcohol machines are not permitted to be used.

“As far as I can tell, the only place where it’s legal in Massachusetts is behind a lock and key with a valid ID for bartenders at a casino,” Kummer said. “But it might be coming here sooner.”

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: All Dressed Up with Nowhere to Go Jun 09, 2021

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Today on Boston Public Radio:

Dr. Tina Opie discusses the rise of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) trainings in the corporate world, and explained how companies can foster more inclusive work environments. She also shares her thoughts on whether it’s time to retire dress codes mandating strict business attire. Dr. Opie is an Associate Professor in the Management Division at Babson and the founder of Opie Consulting Group.

Next, we talk with listeners about the return to office dress codes, post-pandemic.

Juliette Kayyem updates us on the release of a Senate report on the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, explaining how threats were not taken seriously by law enforcement agencies. She also talks about the ransomware attacks on the Colonial Pipeline and the Steamship Authority. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Art Caplan shares his thoughts on the potential for herd immunity in the U.S., and vaccine hesitancy among 18-24 year-olds. He also discusses the FDA’s approval of Aducanumab, a treatment for Alzheimer’s. Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine.

Shirley Leung talks about her recent column on disparities among Asian Americans, and grocery chain Roche Bros. outsourcing delivery drivers. She also discusses Roger Lau’s appointment as deputy executive director of the Democratic National Committee. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe.

Jonathan Gruber weighs in on the GOP governors cutting unemployment aid, and whether unemployment benefits are causing a labor shortage. Gruber is the Ford Professor of Economics at MIT. He was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts health-care reform and the Affordable Care Act, and his latest book is "Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth And The American Dream."

We wrap up the show by asking listeners about unemployment benefits, and Republican politicians’ claims that these benefits disincentivize work.

BPR Full Show: Zooming Along Jun 08, 2021

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Today on Boston Public Radio:

Saraya Wintersmith talks about the firing of Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White for alleged domestic violence. Wintersmith covers Boston City Hall for GBH News.

Then, we asks listeners whether they’ve lost trust in law enforcement due to recent scandals facing the Boston Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police.

Trenni Kusnierek updates us on COVID-19 precautions at the Tokyo Olympics, and the NFL’s decision to end the use of “race-norming” to assess athletes’ brain injuries. She also talks about golfer Jon Rahm’s withdrawal from the PGA TOUR Memorial Tournament after testing positive for COVID-19. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor.

Carol Rose explains her concerns behind a surveillance network proposal that would connect nine communities across Greater Boston, and how the pandemic highlighted the need for the passage of the VOTES Act. Rose is the Executive Director of the ACLU of Massachusetts.

Brian Moskwetah Weeden discusses his plans for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, and the effects of environmental degradation on tribal lands. He also talks about calls for reparations for Native Americans. Moskwetah Weeden is the Chair of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council.

Next, we talks with listeners about whether they would become more engaged if more events were held on Zoom, post-pandemic.

John King shares his thoughts on how Sens. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) decision to vote against Democrats’ voting rights bill could impact President Joe Biden’s agenda, and audio of a 2019 phone call in which Rudy Giuliani asked Ukrainian officials to investigate conspiracy theories about President Biden. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m.

BPR Full Show: Keeping It Cool Jun 07, 2021

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Today on Boston Public Radio:

EJ Dionne updates us on the latest political headlines, from former President Donald Trump’s speech at the North Carolina Republican Convention to Sen. Joe Manchin’s (D-WV) statement that he would not support Democrats’ voting rights bill. Dionne is a columnist for The Washington Post and a senior fellow at The Brookings Institution. His latest book is "Code Red: How Progressives And Moderates Can Unite To Save Our Country.”

Next, we talk with listeners about Sen. Manchin (D-WV) and bipartisanship in Congress.

Charlie Sennott weighs in on Israeli politicians’ agreement to form a new government, and Vice President Kamala Harris’ trip to Guatemala and Mexico. He also talks about a chemical cargo ship that burned for two weeks before sinking off the coast of Sri Lanka. Sennott is a GBH News analyst and the founder and CEO of The GroundTruth Project.

Douglass Williams talks about what the past year has been like for his South End restaurant MIDA, and the recent opening of a second MIDA location in Newton. Williams is the chef and owner of MIDA, which is in Boston’s South End and in Newton.

Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett G. Price III share their thoughts on reparations for the damage done during the Tulsa massacre, and how Black Americans think about death. Monroe is a syndicated religion columnist, the Boston voice for Detour’s African American Heritage Trail, and a visiting researcher in the Religion and Conflict Transformation Program at the Boston University School of Theology. Price is an executive director of the Institute for the Study of the Black Christian Experience at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Together, they host GBH’s All Rev’d Up podcast.

We end the show by asking listeners whether air conditioning at the office could draw them away from working from home.

BPR Full Show: The Sky's the Limit Jun 04, 2021

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Today on Boston Public Radio:

We start the show by opening the phone lines, talking with listeners about whether they’re reassessing their relationships as we emerge from the pandemic.

Sue O’Connell explains how LGBTQ activists are challenging Boston Pride to diversify its board, and the nationwide debate over involving police in pride. She also talks about George P. Bush announcing his run for attorney general in Texas. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and the South End News, as well as NECN's political commentator and explainer-in-chief.

Emily Rooney shares her thoughts on a government report which found that there was no conclusive evidence that unidentified aerial phenomena were alien spacecraft, but could not identify what the UFOs were. She also previews tonight’s Beat the Press. Rooney is the host of Beat the Press, which you can watch Friday nights at 7 p.m.

Next, we ask listeners if they would swim in London’s Sky Pool.

Yamiche Alcindor discusses her experiences covering former President Donald Trump and his administration, and her friendship with the late journalist Gwen Ifill. She also talks about her new role as the moderator of Washington Week. Alcindor is the moderator of Washington Week. She is also the White House correspondent for PBS NewsHour, and a political contributor for NBC News and MSNBC.

Callie Crossley talks about Facebook's decision to suspend former President Trump for two years, and shares her thoughts on a veteran’s mic getting cut off during a Memorial Day speech in which he acknowledged Black people’s role in the creation of the holiday. Crossley hosts GBH’s Under the Radar and Basic Black.

BPR Full Show: Flights of Fancy Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:

Chuck Todd updates us on the latest political headlines, from former President Donald Trump shutting down his blog to his claims that he’ll be reinstated as president in August. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News.

Then, we ask listeners what pandemic hobbies and behaviors they’re giving up.

Andrea Cabral walks us through Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White’s termination hearing, and discusses Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kyrsten Sinema’s (D-AZ) defense of the filibuster. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and Massachusetts secretary of public safety. She’s currently the CEO of the cannabis company Ascend.

Corby Kummer discusses calls for the Massachusetts legislature to extend pandemic-era cocktails to-go and caps on delivery service commissions. He also talks about the ransomware attack against meat packer JBS. Kummer is the 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.

Andy Ihnatko talks about the new Apple iPad, and Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s lawsuit against Google on claims that they deceptively and unfairly tracked users. Ihnatko is a tech writer and blogger, posting at Ihnatko.com.

We end the show by talking with listeners about multiple airlines barring in-flight alcohol due to unruly passengers.

Consequences Of Cyberattack On World's Largest Meat Producer Jun 03, 2021

Show notes

Food writer Corby Kummer spoke with Boston Public Radio on Thursday about the cyberattack against JBS, the world’s largest meat processing company.

“Plants were closed down because they were unable to schedule workers and it interrupted the entire supply chain,” he said. “The idea that you’ve got cattle and need a slaughterhouse to be open to continue the supply chain, that’s being broken and it can impact farmers as well as raise meat prices.”

The result of this cyberattack could cause waste, Kummer noted. “Probably these slaughtered animals are not going to meat, just euthanized, and buried the way the supply chain disruptions of the early pandemic did last year,” he said. “It’s dangerous to be subject and this vulnerable to a cyberattack.”

BPR Full Show: Respect Your Selfie Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:

We begin the show by talking with listeners about searching for childcare services as they return to the workplace.

Art Caplan talks about Moderna’s application to the FDA for approval of its vaccines. He also shares his thoughts on the Supreme Court hearing of a Mississippi case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, and the International Olympic Committee requiring athletes to sign COVID-19 waivers for the 2021 Tokyo Games. Caplan is director of the Division of Medical Ethics at the New York University School of Medicine.

Juliette Kayyem discusses the increase in ransomware attacks in the wake of hacks on the Colonial Pipeline, JBS, and the Steamship Authority. She also talks about ocean safety for the summer. Kayyem is an analyst for CNN, former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and faculty chair of the homeland security program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Shirley Leung speaks about the lack of child care accommodations offered to returning City Hall employees, and a survey that found that one in four Massachusetts companies plan on requiring employees to get vaccinated. Leung is a business columnist for the Boston Globe.

Chuck Wexler shares his thoughts on how the Boston Police Department could be reformed, arguing that the department should look at how it handled its corruption in the 1970s. Wexler is the executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), and a former member of the Boston Police Department.

Jared Bowen highlights the latest in arts and culture, including Shelter Music Boston’s “Voices from the Land,” “Go Pixel Yourself” at the CambridgeSide Galleria, and “chekhovOS” at Arlekin Players Theatre. Bowen is GBH’s executive arts editor and the host of Open Studio.

We wrap up the show by talking with listeners about selfie culture.

BPR Full Show: Weekend Warriors Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

Today on Boston Public Radio:

Acting Mayor Kim Janey discusses the investigation into Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White, and Northeastern University’s plans to build a 25-story dorm and classroom space in Roxbury. She also answers listeners’ questions during “Ask the Acting Mayor.”

David Leonard speaks about the reopening of the Boston Public Library, and explained how their operations changed throughout the pandemic. He also shares which genres library patrons gravitated to during quarantine. Leonard is president of the Boston Public Library.

Trenni Kusnierek discusses Naomi Osaka’s decision to withdraw from the French Open following her comments on post-match press conferences, and the arrest of a Boston Celtics fan for allegedly throwing a water bottle at Kyrie Irving. She also shares her thoughts on calls to cancel the Tokyo Olympics. Kusnierek is a reporter and anchor for NBC Sports Boston, and a weekly Boston Public Radio contributor.

Ken Gloss talks about how The Brattle Book Shop adapted during the pandemic, from offering curatorial services to continuing house calls for rare and antiquarian books. Gloss is the proprietor of The Brattle Book Shop, one of America's oldest book stores. He also appraises books.

John King discusses Texas Democrats’ responses to GOP legislation that would restrict voting rights in the state. He also updates us on the status of President Joe Biden’s infrastructure bill. King is CNN's Chief National Correspondent and anchor of "Inside Politics,” which airs weekdays and Sunday mornings at 8 a.m.

We end the show by talking with listeners about Massachusetts dropping COVID restrictions over Memorial Day weekend.

BPR Full Show: Favorite Conversations, Part II May 31, 2021

Show notes

We're on tape today, replaying some of our favorite conversations, which includes:

Ron Chernow joins Jim and Margery to talk about his biography, GRANT
Harvard Business School's Michael Norton discusses his latest research, which looks at what is more valuable to people, saving money of saving time
Author Karl Ove Knaussgard discusses his book, Autumn
Patti Smith discusses why she considers herself a writer above all of the other talents. It’s the subject of her memoir, Devotion (Why I Write)
Salman Rushdie discusses his novel, The Golden House
Sy Montgomery and Elizabeth Marshall Thomas discuss their book, Tamed and Untamed: Close Encounters of the Animal Kind

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