The Callie Crossley Show Podcast

The Callie Crossley Show 2/6/12

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Minding the Achievement Gap

Good teachers can increase a student’s chances of going to college, decrease the chances of students becoming teenage parents, and perhaps most remarkably— increase a student's earnings over a lifetime, according to a new study by Harvard University and Columbia University. Clearly, our education system is critical to the health of our nation. So, what can be done to make comprehensive education reform a priority for policy makers?

We want to hear from you: leave a comment on our Facebook page. Was there a teacher who made a difference in your life for the better? Parents, what are you seeing in the classroom? What needs to be done to make education a priority with our policy makers?

GUESTS:
John Friedman, assistant professor of public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, co-author of "The Long-Term Impacts of Teachers"
Arun Ramanathan, executive director of the Education Trust-West

Closing the Opportunity Divide

An estimated five million youths in this country have not advanced beyond a high school education. They are not employed, nor do they have the opportunity to enroll in postsecondary education. Year Up is set on reversing this opportunity divide. Through a one year immersion program, Year Up gives urban youths the education and skills that they need to pursue a professional career and higher education.

GUEST:
Casey Recupero, executive director of Year Up Boston

The Callie Crossley Show 2/3/12

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Week in Review

We hit the rewind button on the week’s news, with a focus on local headlines. From police discrimination in East Haven, Conn. and new developments in the works for Roxbury, to two Latino stars facing off in Super Bowl XLVI, we'll cover this week's local news.

GUESTS:
Marcela Garcia, editor of El Planeta
Howard Manly, executive editor of the Bay State Banner

Ragtime

We look at the latest in pop culture, from Jerry Seinfeld and Ferris Bueller's Super Bowl ads, to the passing of Soul Train legend Don Cornelius.

GUESTS:
Rachel Rubin, Chair of the Department of American Studies at UMass Boston
Thomas Connolly, professor of English at Suffolk University

The Callie Crossley Show 2/2/12

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Big Men on Campus

We’re looking at race relations by way of the new book, Fraternity, by Diane Brady. In the wake of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination in 1968, Rev. John E. Brooks, an educator at the College of the Holy Cross, decided the college needed to recruit black students. Among the 20 black students Brooks recruited were Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, NFL wide receiver Eddie Jenkins, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Edward P. Jones, Wall Street executive Stanley Grayson, and defense attorney Ted Wells. "Fraternity" is a story of trust, with Father Brooks as the unifying force, who– to this day- is a mentor to these men. In the words of Ted Wells, the men were in college to learn the skills that would “destroy a sick society’’ and replace it with one dedicated to liberty and justice for all.

GUESTS:
Diane Brady, journalist for Bloomberg BusinessWeek, author of "Fraternity"
Eddie Jenkins, former NFL wide receiver, chief diversity and civil rights officer for MassDOT
Arthur Martin, College of the Holy Cross graduate (‘70), founder of the Black Student Union at Holy Cross

The Callie Crossley Show 2/1/12

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 EST

Political Roundtable

It’s all things politics, from the State House, to the White House. We discuss Mitt Romney’s big win in the Sunshine State, the latest developments surrounding “t hree-strikes” legislation on Beacon Hill, and all the other political headlines along the way.

GUESTS:
Kelly Bates, executive director of the Access Strategies Fund
Kevin Peterson, founder of the New Democracy Coalition
Marvin Venay, executive director of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Democratic Legislative Caucus

The Callie Crossley Show 1/31/12

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Boston’s Piano Bars: A Sometime Thing? Say It Isn’t So
We’re paying tribute to Boston’s piano bar scene and the great American Songbook. From Diamond Jim’s Lounge at the Lenox Hotel to the dark paneled Oak Room at the Copley Plaza Hotel—the piano bar has been the stomping ground for sweethearts and celebrities—and the stopping ground for piano greats like Dave McKenna and Gladys Troupin. Now, this throwback to another era is in peril. The Oak Room is undergoing massive renovations and the fate of its legendary piano bar is unknown. Other hotels—from the Ritz, to the Four Seasons-- have already shut down their ebony and ivory acts. This hour, we keep the piano bar alive with Ron Della Chiesa as our guide and pianists Jane Potter and Robert Baughman at the bench.

GUESTS:
Ron Della Chiesa, WGBH Radio host, Classical New England, author of Radio My Way: Featuring Celebrity Profiles from Jazz, Opera, the American Songbook and More
Jane Potter, pianist, associate professor at Berklee College of Music. Potter performs around the country and internationally with jazz groups, and as a soloist- including gigs like her eight-year run at the Oak Room in the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel.
Robert Baughman, adjunct piano instructor at Phillips Academy in Andover the Groton School in Connecticut. Baughman has performed at many of Boston’s legendary piano bars, such as the Ritz Hotel, Boston Harbor Hotel, the Charles Hotel, the Four Seasons Hotel, Lily’s Café in Faneuil Hall, the Top of the Hub, and the Oak Room at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel.

The Callie Crossley Show 1/30/12

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Boston Mayor Kevin White
Kevin White, the four-term Mayor of Boston who led the city from 1968 to 1984, died Friday at the age of 82. He was known as a liberal reformer. Hailed as the hero who turned the hub into a contemporary metropolis. White will also be forever associated with an incident that has stained the city: the 1974 court order to desegregate schools. This watershed moment was followed by months of racial violence –dozens of people were injured, neighborhoods erupted with protesters hurling slurs, and stones, at buses full of black children. It was a turbulent tie time that marked Boston as a racist town.

This hour we look at how Mayor White managed these racial tensions, the challenges that he faced, and how the desegregation of schools affected his political career.

GUESTS:
Kenneth Guscott, president of Boston's NAACP Branch, 1963-1968
Bill Owens, former Massachusetts State Senator
Ted Landsmark, president of the Boston Architectural College. Landsmark was attacked by anti-busing protestors in Boston City Hall Plaza in 1976.

The Callie Crossley Show 1/27/12

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

*Sue O'Connell guest hosts

Week in Review
We hit the rewind button on the week’s news, with a focus on local headlines. From the fate of “three strikes” legislation to a State Representative's intent to once again kill a medical marijuana legalization bill: we’ll cover this week’s local news.

GUESTS:
John Ruch, editor of the Jamaica Plain Gazette
Peter Kadzis, executive editor of The Boston Phoenix
Seth Daniel, reporter for Independent News Group, which includes the Revere Journal

Ragtime
We look at the latest in pop culture, from Pat Sajak drinking behind the wheel to Downton Abbey’s uptown soirees.

GUESTS:
Rachel Rubin, Chair of the Department of American Studies at UMass Boston
Thomas Connolly, English professor at Suffolk University

The Callie Crossley Show 1/26/12

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

*Alicia Anstead guest hosts

Going into the Red
We’re talking about "Red", now playing at the SpeakEasy Stage Company in Boston through Feb. 4. "Red" is a play about the abstract expressionist, Mark Rothko. Set in Rothko’s New York studio in the late 1950’s, "Red" places a the troubled, aging Rothko alongside his young, idealistic assistant. The play zooms in on Rothko’s commission to design murals for the Four Seasons restaurant in the new Seagram Building. The end result is a series of murals, painted in a gloomy palate of reds. For Rothko, red is literally the color of lava, lobsters, atomic flashes, and arterial blood. Symbolically, red is about being alive, red hot, and relevant. Rothko dreads the dimming of his red flame as a new generation of artists burst onto the scene. "Red" is about Rothko’s struggle to postpone the blackness of extinction. It’s about artistic integrity, and the dynamic relationship between the artist and his work.

GUESTS:
Stephen Coit: primarily a portrait painter, Mr. Coit’s work is on display in many private homes and institutions with the largest collection owned by Harvard University
Thomas Derrah: a mainstay on the Boston theatre scene for more than 25 years, Derrah's list of credits include more than 100 productions with the American Repertory Theater, including an award-winning turn last season in the one man show "R. Buckminster Fuller: The History and Mystery of the Universe". Derrah portrays legendary abstract expressionist painter Mark Rothko in the SpeakEasy Stage Company production of "Red".
David R. Gammons: no stranger to the art world- having studied painting, photography, and sculpture while an undergraduate at Harvard- Gammons has since become one of Boston’s most sought-after directors, with credits that include such varied and award-winning productions as "The Hotel Nepenthe", "Titus Andronicus", and "RED".
Ruth Fine: curator of special projects in modern art at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. She is the lead author of the Rothko works on paper catalogue raisonné.

The Callie Crossley Show 1/25/12

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

*Sue O'Connell guest hosts

State of the State of the Union
We review last night’s State of the Union address with a focus on how it’s positioned President Barack Obama for the 2012 presidential race. We’ll also look at what Obama’s chances are for re-election in the context of the current GOP contest.

GUESTS:
Dorie Clark: founder and CEO of Clark Strategic Communications
Fergus Cullen: public affairs consultant, former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, editorial page columnist for the New Hampshire Union Leader.

Meet the Candidate
We talk with third party presidential candidate, Laurence Kotlikoff. The Boston University professor of economics is best known for his alarming assessment of the nation’s financial heath. It’s his economic expertise that he says sets him apart from the rest of the pack. As a presidential hopeful, he’s running to reverse the policies that drove us into our current financial quagmire. Economists are running Greece and Italy. Could this be what the U.S. needs?

GUESTS:
Laurence Kotlikoff, third party presidential candidate, professor of economics at Boston University, author of Jimmy Stuart is Dead

The Callie Crossley Show 1/24/12

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

*Sue O'Connell guest hosts

BU Biolab
We explore the pros and cons of the controversial National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories at the Boston University Medical Center (a.k.a.: the BU Biolab) in Boston's South End. Does the prospect of job creation and the millions of research dollars the lab could bring to the city outweigh the threat of housing deadly germs? Weigh in by calling 877.301.8970 during the show, or leave a comment on our Facebook page.

- WGBH News reporter Toni Waterman took a tour of the BU Biolab earlier this month.
- Last week, Greater Boston's Emily Rooney spoke with Klare Allen, a community activist who runs SafetyNet, a Roxbury organization that opposes the BU Biolab.

GUESTS:
Stephen Smith, city editor for The Boston Globe, covered the BU Biolab in his former role as public health reporter for The Boston Globe.
John Murphy, interim director of the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories at Boston University Medical Center
Barton Kunstler, social entrepreneur working in the alternative energy industry in Massachusetts. He wrote about the BU biolab for the Huffington Post. He's also written about the impact of new technologies of future weaponization and warfare for the National Intelligence Council.

The Callie Crossley Show 1/23/12

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Ernest Shackleton: A Role Model for Today's Leaders?
We’re talking about leadership, with a look at what today’s CEO's, politicians, and military officials can learn from explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. In 1914, Shackleton and his crew set out on an Antarctic crossing that faced one disaster after the next. First, their ship was trapped in pack ice and buckled under pressure. Then, the 28 men on board were stranded on an ice floe, which broke in two. Alone in the world's most unforgiving environment, they faced snowstorms, subzero temperatures, and starvation. But, two years after setting sail, Shackleton saved his entire crew. A century later, we find ourselves in a situation where disaster strikes again and again. In a world where turbulence is the norm, can our leaders learn something from Shackleton’s ability to contain chaos and manage fear?

GUESTS:
Nancy Koehn, historian at the Harvard Business School. Read her recent piece on Shackleton here.
Stephanie Barczewski, professor of history at Clemson University, author of Antarctic Destinies: Scott, Shackleton and the Changing Face of Heroism

69° SOUTH
We get a preview of the upcoming production of "69° S" at ArtsEmerson. It's a theatrical take on Sir Ernest Shackleton’s 1914 trans-Antarctic expedition.

GUEST:
Robert Orchard, executive director of ArtsEmerson at Emerson College

The Callie Crossley Show 1/20/12

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Regional Week in Review
We hit the rewind button on the week’s news, looking at it through a regional lens, from the Bay State, to the Ocean State, to the Granite State. On Cape Cod, we look at one of the largest dolphin strandings ever in the region. In Providence, Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee makes promises to business leaders that may chafe the 99 percent. In the Granite State, Republicans and Democrats are at odds over photo ID laws.

GUESTS:
Robert Whitcomb, vice president and Editorial Page editor of the Providence Journal.
Paul Pronovost, editor of The Cape Cod Times.
Arnie Arneson, New Hampshire TV & radio commentator.

Ragtime
Today we look at the latest in pop culture: from TV chef Paula Deen's diabetes, to 90-year-old Betty White's new TV show.

GUESTS:
Rachel Rubin, Chair of the Department of American Studies at UMass Boston.
Thomas Connolly, professor in the Department of English at Suffolk University.

The Callie Crossley Show 1/19/12

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Chinese New Year
Today we’re getting a jump start on the Chinese New Year- the most important holiday in Chinese culture. Next Monday marks the first day of the Lunar New Year and with it, no end of celebrations in Boston. With Tony Yee, the president of Boston’s Chinatown Main Street as our guide, we’ll get a tour of the upcoming events—from the Chinese New Year Flower Street to the Chinese New Year Parade.

GUEST:
Tony Yee, president of Chinatown Main Street

An Eater's Manual to Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year is steeped with tradition and many of the customs are associated with food. With self-described Chinese food geek Lilly Jan leading the way, we’ll explore the symbolism and meaning associated with holiday fare.

GUEST:
Lilly Jan, local chef instructor

Boston Wine Expo
It’s time to dust off your wineskins and polish your flagons. The Boston Wine Expo is in full swing. We’ll look at what this yearly event offers everyone, from the wine aficionado to the ambivalent wine drinker.

GUEST:
Jonathan Alsop, founder of the Boston Wine School

The Callie Crossley Show 1/18/12

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Should the Gov. Strike Down "Three Strikes"?
In November, the Massachusetts legislature passed what's been dubbed "three strikes" legislation. The idea is to keep habitual offenders imprisoned for longer sentences, with no likelihood of early release and parole. Supporters say "three strikes" gives the state more leverage to come down hard on career criminals, but opponents say it's costly and that it unfairly affects people of color. Now, with the Senate and House bills in committee and heading to Governonr Deval Patrick's desk soon, we look into how this has played out in other states, and whether it's right for Massachusetts.

We want to get your take on "three strikes." Do you want to see this law passed? Would you feel safer? Do you think this would hit communities of color harder than others? Leave a comment on our Facebook page.

GUESTS:
Les Gosule, a supporter of "three strikes" legislation. In 1999, his daughter was murdered by a career criminal
Marc Mauer, executive director of The Sentencing Project in Washington, D.C., former consultant to the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Institute of Justice.
Bruce Tarr, State Senator from Gloucester, voted in favor of the Senate bill to institute a "three strikes and your in" policy in Massachusetts.
Rev. George Walters-Sleyon, director of the Center for Church and Prison in Dorchester

The Callie Crossley Show 1/17/12

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Balancing the MBTA's Budget
The MBTA is literally and figuratively going off the rails. With endless repairs, and a budget deficit that reaches into the hundreds of millions of dollars, the looming question is how to get the T back on track. The MBTA brought forth two proposals this month- both of which include service cuts and fare hikes. The proposals would affect all T riders, especially seniors, disabled, and students. The Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation (and former MBTA general manager) Richard Davey said in a live web chat today that the proposals are not a definite and they are looking to the public to come up with solutions. How might a fare increase and service cuts affect you? Do you have any cost-cutting solutions you think the MBTA should consider? Call us during the show: 877.301.8970, or leave a comment on our Facebook page.

GUESTS:
Kyle Cheney, reporter for State House News Service
Jonathan Davis, acting MBTA general manager
Lizzi Weyant, staff attorney for MASSPIRG

The Callie Crossley Show 1/13/12

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Friday, January 13, 2012

Week in Review
We’ll look at local headlines, from the fight on Beacon Hill to veto the three-strikes bill, to Boston’s NAACP President Michael Curry’s long to-do list.

GUESTS:
Howard Manly, executive editor of the Bay State Banner
Marcela Garcia, managing editor of El Planeta

Ragtime
We look at the latest in pop culture: from puzzle master Will Shortz’s fightin’ words to some real life drama for Downton Abbey.

GUESTS:
Rachel Rubin, Chair of the Department of American Studies at UMass Boston
Thomas Connolly, professor of English at Suffolk University

The Callie Crossley Show 1/12/12

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Thursday, January 11, 2012

The Mass Film Tax Credit
From blockbuster movies and TV pilots, to commercials and indie flicks, more studios have been looking to the Bay State for shooting locations and plot inspiration. One reason for the recent boom may be a tax credit allowing studios cut their tax burden while filming here. Proponents of the tax credit say it's caused a precipitous climb in big-name movies such as the films "R.I.P.D." and "Donny's Boy" currently in production in Massachusetts. Detractors say taxpayers are being asked to pay for a credit that's being repackaged by brokers and sold to third parties unrelated to the film industry. The state is looking to attract more films, TV series, commercials, attention, and jobs. Today we'll hear about how it's doing, and where we go from here.

GUESTS:
Todd Wallack is a reporter for The Boston Globe. He wrote a piece on Massachusetts' film tax credits program.
Lisa Strout is film commissioner for Massachusetts, and she's in charge of bringing films, commercials and television series to the state. She is the former film commissioner for New Mexico, where she oversaw the shooting for such films as "Cowboys and Aliens", "No Country for Old Men" and "The Avengers".

Tinsel Townies
The Massachusetts tax credit is certainly one incentive that draws big screen biz to the Bay State but there are other reasons to make films here. From our architectural variety, geographic diversity, and neighborhoods that range from high class to high crime, we look at all the perks the Commonwealth has to offer a film crew.

GUEST:
Garen Daly, film critic

The Callie Crossley Show 1/11/12

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

New Hampshire Insiders
The Granite State has spoken. Yesterday's New Hamshire primary put Mitt Romney at the head of the pachyderm pack, with Ron Paul in second and Jon Huntsman a distant third. Does this set the dynamic for the rest of the GOP contest, or will there be more surprises down the row? We sort through yesterday's ballot box in our latest edition of New Hampshire Insiders.

GUESTS:
Arnie Arnesen: radio and TV commentator based in Concord, NH
Fergus Cullen: public affairs consultant, former chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, and an editorial page columnist with the Union Leader.

Bread & Roses Strike Centennial
One hundred years ago, 25,000 mill workers took to the streets in Lawrence, Mass. in demand of better pay and working conditions. It was the first strike of its kind in America- one that became a major turning point in American history. We discuss why the Bread and Roses Strike of 1912 was so memorable, and what impact it has on the 99% today.

GUEST:
Robert Forrant: professor of history and labor studies at UMass Lowell and co-director of the Center for Family, Work and Community. He chairs the Bread & Roses Centennial Committee. You can catch him tonight at the Boston Public Library, where he'll be talkingabout the Bread & Roses Strike from 6 to 7:30 p.m.

LINKS:
The Bread and Roses Centennial kicks off 1/12 at the Everett Mill in Lawrence at 9 a.m. For more information check out the Bread & Roses Centennial website.

The Callie Crossley Show 1/10/12

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Reclaiming the Wampanoag Language
Everything about a culture can be found in its language, according to some anthropologists. So, what happens when a language becomes dormant?

Since 1993, linguist Jessie Little Doe Baird, of Mashpee, Mass., has been working to reclaim the Wampanoag ancestral language, which had been dormant for six generations. Jessie's work enabled the Womapnoag language to become the first American Indian language to reclaim itself with no living speakers. In 2010, she was awarded a MacArthur "Genius" Grant for her work reviving her native tongue, and now there’s a documentary that captures her life’s work in progress.

View a clip from "We Still Live Here" a documentary film by Makepeace Productions about the Wampanoag Language Reclamation Project:

GUESTS:
Jessie Little Doe Baird is the founder and director of the Wôpanâak Language Reclamation Project. In 2010, Jessie won a MacArthur “Genius” grant for her work on reviving her native tongue.
Noam Chomsky is a world-renowned linguist and a professor emeritus in the Department of Linguistics and Philosophy at MIT.

The Callie Crossley Show 1/9/12

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Vermont Fights Back
Hurricane Irene arrived in the last weekend of August, 2011. Projected to be the once-in-a-generation hurricane, it slowed to a tropical storm and sputtered briefly over land before ratcheting up again. By the time Irene got to Vermont, she brought heavy rains that caused extreme flooding, washed out bridges and roads, stranded thousands and sent the state into high alert. Vermont hadn't seen a storm like it since 1927.

Even as Irene bore down on southern Vermont, crews were springing into action. Plans were devised, stranded residents rescued, roads closed and rerouted, buildings repurposed and state command posts established to deal with the aftermath. Even Google pitched in with up-to-the-minute state roadmaps. Now, much of the wreckage has been cleared and the state continues its clean-up efforts. We'll hear how Vermont is dealing with this once-in-a-generation storm.

GUESTS:
Sue Minter is Vermont's newly appointed "recovery czar," in charge of overseeing all aspects of recovery from Tropical Storm Irene. She was formerly the Deputy Secretary of the Vermont Transportation Department.
Candace Page is a reporter for the Burlington Free Press. Her series Hard Lessons of the Tweed chronicles the fight of the town of Stockbridge against the forces of Tropical Storm Irene.
Reverend Peter Plagge, administrator of the Waterbury Good Neighbors Fund.

Dean Mary Watzin, of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont

Bourbon Coffee
Bourbon Coffee began in Kigali, Rwanda in 2007 as a market for Rwanda's coffee farmers to export to roasters around the globe without getting charged exorbitant fees. Since then, it's blossomed into a tight-knit network, a series of cafes in New York City, Washington, D.C., London - and now, Cambridge - all linked back to Rwanda's coffee growers. As Bourbon Coffee has grown, so has Rwanda, a country once torn apart by violence and genocide but now teeming with new residents, a new sense of purpose, and hope.

GUESTS
Bosco Munga is the owner of Bourbon Coffee

The Callie Crossley Show 1/5/12

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Navigating the 24-Hour New Cycle
We’re ringing in the New Year with a look at our enduring fascination with the new. Adapting to new circumstances is so crucial to our survival that our "love of the new" is hardwired into our brains. But, in the 21st century it’s hard to distinguish the new things that we need to master in order to survive from the novelties that are causing chronic distraction. This is the subject of Winifred Gallagher’s latest book: New: Understanding the Need for Novelty and Change.

We talk with Gallagher about the history of adapting to new things, from the Age of Reason to today’s Digital Revolution. We also look at what we need to do in order to effectively steer through this world of nonstop information and constant change.

Where do you place yourself on the spectrum of neophila - the tendency to like anything new, and seek out novelty? Do you love new adventures, new gadgets? Or does change scare you? Do you prefer to live a more 19th or 20th century lifestyle? Let us know at our Facebook page.

GUESTS:
Winifred Gallagher, author of New: Understanding our Need for Novelty and Change. Catch her at the Brookline Booksmith tonight at 7 p.m.

The Callie Crossley Show 1/4/12

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

Politics Roundtable
It’s all things politics, from the State House to the White House. The Corn State has crowned Mitt Romney the GOP candidate, but he barely wedged in this win. Rick Santorum’s near-victory is not only a boon to his campaign but it’s a win for retail politics. While politicians go full throttle on the road to the White House, voters could face roadblocks as more states pass voter ID legislation. Stateside, Senator Scott Brown is not only positioning himself as the underdog candidate, he’s boasting his bipartisan cred. On the local front, the new year marks a fresh term for our city councilors. From Beantown to the Beltway we’ll talk through it all on our political roundtable.
GUESTS:
Kelly Bates, Executive Director, Access Strategies Fund
Kevin Peterson, Founder, New Democracy Coalition
Marvin Venay, Director, Massachusetts Black Legislative Caucus

The Callie Crossley Show 1/3/12

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 EST

The Filene's Pit
Four years ago, the original Filene's Basement department store was closed and the building was demolished to make way for big-money development. Four years on, the location is still a gaping hole. We talk today about the history of the site, why progress has been slow and how life can be breathed back into Downtown Crossing.
GUESTS:
Anthony Flint, fellow at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy

Thomas Grillo, real estate editor for the Boston Business Journal

Voices from the Basement
Before the hole, there was the store. Boston's Filene's Basement resided in Downtown Crossing for 100 years. It was the brainchild of Edward and Lincoln Filene, a place where people from all walks of life could go for deep discounts on high quality goods. Voices from the Basement is a look back at that century of service - a documentary about the customers and employees who passed through the doors of the iconic downtown department store.
GUESTS:
Michael Bavaro and Sue Edbril, executive producers of the film Voices from the Basement.

The Callie Crossley Show 12/21/11

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

It’s Beginning to Sound a Lot Like (Quirky) Christmas
We’re rocking around the Christmas tree today with an hour devoted to Christmas music. Songs like 'Silent Night' and 'Silver Bells' have long captured the Christmas spirit, but today we’re paying tribute to these treasured tunes with a twist. For more than 20 years, WGBH's Mike Wilkins has been curating an eclectic catalogue of Christmas songs. We’re not talking 'Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer'. These are rarefied recordings, remakes, and remixes- from The Mexacali Brass Band’s re-jiggering of 'Jingle Bells' to the Klezmernauts kicking rendition of 'Good King Wenceslaus'. From marching bands, to the Moog Synthesizer, Tiny Tin to the Theremin, we’re decking the airwaves with cornball, oddball, crazy and zany tunes.

Guests:
Mike Wilkins, WGBH sound engineer and Christmas music cataloguer

The Callie Crossley Show 12/20/11

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

Keeping Up with Tayari Jones
We talk with novelist Tayari Jones. Born in the south, Jones has been "fast defining middle-class black Atlanta the way Cheever did Westchester," according to the Village Voice. Though Jones hasn’t lived in Atlanta for years, it’s where she grounds her work. As she puts it, when it comes to American culture, the urban south is where the rubber hits the road. We'll talk with Jones about her latest book, Silver Sparrow, along with the power of place, Jones’ insane love for Toni Morrison, and her latest work, which she’s researching at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University.

Guests:
Tayari Jones, novelist whose latest work is Silver Sparrow

The Callie Crossley Show 12/19/11

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

Charitable Giving
'Tis the season of giving, and we talk with two experts about the best ways to give this holiday season.

Guests:
Paul Schervish, Director of the Center of Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College
Ken Berger, CEO of Charity Navigator

Christmas Films for the 99 Percent
From "It’s a Wonderful Life" to "Gremlins", we look at the Hollywood hits that portray a more humble holiday affair. The recurring theme in all these films is no matter how poor you are, you’ll have a rich Christmas by finding faith in fellow humans.

Guests:
Garen Daly, film critic

The Callie Crossley Show 12/16/11

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

Week in Review
We’ll look at local headlines, from Harvard University’s examination of it’s own role in slavery to the reaction felt in Lawrence after it was announced that the state was taking over the school system.

Guests:
Howard Manly, executive editor of The Bay State Banner
Marcela Garcia, managing editor of El Planeta

Ragtime
Today we look at the latest in pop culture: From Meryl Streep breaking the age barrier, to pop culture enemies coming together to wage war on a common foe: Twilight.

Guests:
Rachel Rubin, chair of the Department of American Studies at UMass Boston
Thomas Connolly, professor of English at Suffolk University

The Callie Crossley Show 12/14/11

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

Beantown's Mean Streets
We'll talk about Boston’s hit men and hoodlums. In their new book, The Boston Mob Guide, authors Beverly Ford and Stephanie Schorow explore the city’s criminal underworld.

Guests:
Stephanie Schorow, Boston-based journalist
Beverly Ford, Boston-based journalist

Vampires and Harvard
"Breaking Dawn", the latest movie release based on author Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series, has grossed hundreds of millions of dollars in theaters all around the world. True Blood, an HBO series based on a vampire book series by Charlaine Harris, has racked up legions of fans, not to mention Golden Globe and Emmy wins. So why all this fuss about some tragically attractive, light-averse and blood thirsty protagonists?

That's what Sue Weaver Schopf set out to find out. Her class at Harvard Extension picks apart our unyielding fascination with the undead, tracing the myth back thousands of years, across books, poetry, film and TV. We talk to her about the very first vampires all the way up to Anne Rice and Edward Cullen.

Guest:
Sue Weaver Schopf, associate dean for the Master of Liberal Arts program at the Harvard Extension School. She teaches a class called "The Vampire in Literature and Film," which traces the history of vampires from their first historical incarnations up to "Twilight" and "True Blood".

The Callie Crossley Show 12/13/11

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

New Hampshire Insiders

We’re in a New Hampshire State of mind this hour, taking in the colorful palate of presidential candidates. Newt still has a firm grip on his front runner status. Could he be the Gingrich who steals the New Hampshire primary? Meanwhile, John Huntsman won’t give up. He’s launched a statewide leadership team, fortified with 140 supporters. Could his granite state game plan make him the unlikely winner? And Mitt Romney, having waged a $10,000 bet with Gov. Rick Perry, has fully exposed his inner one percent. He’s now trying to peddle his everyman cred, relaying the hardships he endured as a young missionary in France. Can the 99 percent afford to buy into his new image? We’ll look at all these headlines and more with our New Hampshire Insiders.

Guests:

Arnie Arnesen, a radio and TV commentator based in Concord
Fergus Cullen, a public affairs consultant, former chairman of the NH Republican Party, and an editorial page columnist with the NH Union Leader

Pup Culture
It’s another edition of pup culture, with a focus on holiday-proofing your dog.

Guest:
Syndicated columnist Ask Dog Lady Monica Collins

The Callie Crossley Show 12/12/11

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 00:00:00 EST

Jobs for Veterans

Unemployment for veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars sits around 12.1 percent right now. Estimates for female soldiers are higher, and for young returning vets, unemployment rates could be as high as 30 percent. Any way you look at it, those numbers are well above the civilian unemployment rate of 8.6 percent, and could get worse as soldiers come home from Iraq this month.

Pres. Barack Obama recently signed on to the Vow to Hire Heroes Act - which offers benefits and incentives for hiring service members - and Massachusetts and other states declared November Hire-a-Vet month. Today we'll find out about those initiatives, as well as the challenges returning veterans face in finding jobs and getting back to civilian life.

Guests:
Colleen Barber works for the VA Medical Center in Boston. She's a vocational counselor to veterans and active duty members looking for employment or transitioning back to the civilian workforce.
Wilford Corey leads the Massachusetts chapter of Hire Patriots. The service matches up out-of-work veterans with same-day jobs in the community. He's also a military veteran who served as an armor crewman for the US Army.
Lt. Governor Tim Murray is Chair of the Governor's Advisory Council on Veterans Affairs. Along with Governor Patrick he has spearheaded Massachusetts' November Hire a Veteran program.

Boston Symphony Orchestra's Rachel Childers

Rachel Childers is the first female brass player hired by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in its 130-year history. Childers won an audition earlier this year and is now the orchestra's Second Horn player.