Boston Public Radio

As the longest government shutdown in U.S. history enters its fifth week, the future of federal food assistance remains uncertain.

Rev. Irene Monroe said the film, which is about the relationship between a black pianist and his white driver and bodyguard, is overly reliant on the trope of the "white hero."

Poet Richard Blanco highlighted his favorite works by poet Ada Limón, which are united by a common theme of searching for meaning in "seeming oblivion."

Healey said she is “actively reviewing” the existing policies and procedures that surround the reporting of cases of sexual misconduct.

After Barack Obama left Office, Pete Souza made sure he still remained a part of the national dialogue.

Richard Blanco, the nation's fifth inaugural poet, shared poems that seize on the changing of the seasons as an opportunity to reflect on death, rebirth, and the passage of time.

Meat, dairy and eggs have been challenged by alternative plant-based products that mimic the taste and texture of animal products. Now, a company called Atomo Molecular Coffee is trying to create the perfect cup of joe without using the coffee bean. Why would brewing a cup of coffee without the beans be a good idea? Coffee bean production largely contributes to deforestation, food writer Corby Kummer said on Boston Public Radio Thursday. "It is to prevent the environmental destruction that clear-cutting forests to grow coffee causes," Kummer said. "Farmers all across Central and South America, and even Africa and Vietnam, take these great rainforests and clear-cut everything. They're creating all sort of environmental destruction that lasts for decades. The land dries out, it becomes unproductive, but they're just producing coffee as a cash-crop in the meantime," he said. Atomo hasn't yet made it completely clear how they're producing coffee bean-less coffee, Kummer said. "What's unclear is how they are copying coffee's molecular makeup to create this substance that they say baristas can't tell the difference in blind taste tests," he said.

Chuck Todd discussed President Donald Trump's recent accusations against Jewish Americans and other political headlines. Todd is Moderator of Meet the Press, host of Meet the Press Daily on MSNBC, and the Political Director for NBC News. We opened the lines to get listener opinions on the prospect of a Rep. Joe Kennedy III run against Sen. Edward Markey for his seat. Andrea Cabral discussed criminal justice reform plans of presidential candidates Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Bernie Sanders. Cabral is a former Suffolk County Sheriff, former secretary of Public safety, CEO of Ascend. Ali Noorani discussed a sweeping lawsuit against the Trump administration over poor medical care in immigration centers. Noorani is Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. Food writer Corby Kummer discussed the rise and fall of seafood kingpin, the Codfather. Boston Globe columnist Alex Beam discovered ASMR and shared its wonders with Margery Eagan and Jared Bowen. Jonathan Alsop of the Boston Wine School tasted us on some Croatian wines, and discussed how climate change is affecting wineries.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the lines to ask our listeners: Should younger generations set our moral compass? John Huet and John Phillips, the creative duo behind The Uncornered Photo Documentary Project, spoke about their project on the Boston Common. Homeland security expert Juliette Kayyem discusses President Donald Trump's changing stance on gun reform. Rupa Shenoy, reporter for The World, joined to discuss her multi-part series on slavery. TV expert Bob Thompson explained the CBS-Viacom merger. Naturalist Sy Montgomery talked about two gay penguins in the Berlin Zoo trying to hatch an egg of their own, and other animal-related headlines. Celtic Sojourn's Brian O'Donovan and harpist Maeve Gilchrist previewed the first annual Rockport Celtic Festival.

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.

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.