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NightSide News Update

Aug 15, 202436 min
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Episode description

Boston’s ongoing fight against potholes! with John Hancock – Boston Globe Senior News Room Developer

Trump keeps dancing as artists get outraged over his use of their songs! with John Rizvi – Lawyer/The Patent Professor

How To Stop Second-Guessing Yourself. Retraining Your Brain to make better choices with Dr. Judith Orloff - author of the new book, The Genius of Empathy, a leading Psychiatrist in the field of Empathy and a member of the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Staff

Can The Classroom Make Students Sick? with David Steinman – Consumer Advocate & Investigative Journalist who focuses on environment and health

Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio!

Transcript

Speaker 1

It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ, Boston's news radio.

Speaker 2

Cool. I don't like that news about the Patriots. If that's true, Judah was a great is a great player. And unless there's something that they know that we don't know, I don't know them. Pay them man the money he's he deserves it. My name's Dan Ray. Uh, little sports commentary there, so no problem at all. Uh. We are here not to talk about sports, but to talk about a variety of issues, a variety of issues. In the first hour, we'll be talking with four different guests tonight.

Once again, we have a Dan and Rob doing double duty back in the control room. So when you call in tonight after nine o'clock. At nine o'clock, by the way, we'll be speaking with Congresswoman Laurie trahan She represents the third congressional district here in Massachusetts, and we will continue to talk about the Stewart healthcare crisis and how it's

going to impact potentially three hospitals in hurt district. So we'll talk with Lori Trehanne, and then later on tonight a peace in the Boston Globe today, which is really interesting journalism in which the Boston Globe has called on the carpet Governor Healy and the Healthy administration over the lack of transparency dealing with questions about the emergency shelter situation here in Massachusetts, and really a very interesting journalistic piece by The Globe today in which they they dug

deep into the into the records as far as they could go. But we'll talk about that sometime after we spoke. We speak with congress Congresswoman Laurie Trahan. Right now, we're gonna speak with John Hancock. No, not that John Hancock, another modern day John Hancock, who is the Boston Globe senior news room developer, John Hancock. I'm thrilled to speak with you because I've never actually spoken to someone who has the name John Hancock.

Speaker 3

How are you? How good? How are you?

Speaker 2

I think at one point the Red Sox had an outfielder who didn't play many years. I think his last name was Hancock. He was a left handed hitter. I think sometimes in maybe the seventies or early eighties. You don't recall that that player, do you b any chance? No?

Speaker 3

Sure don't. Unfortunately, playing with.

Speaker 2

That name playing for the Red Sox, you think it would have been a perfect match but didn't work out. But so you're the senior newsroom developer at the Boston Globe. I'm unfamiliar. What does that mean? What do you do as the senior newsroom developer if I could ask? Sure?

Speaker 3

So, I work on a lot of our digital projects, our larger projects that we do where we have some sort of special web web presence. Our newsroom development team works on building those out, and then we also work a lot on data. We do a lot of graphics for all of the all of the newsroom, and a lot of times we'll do stories based on that data. I had a piece right before the finals how this Celtics teams compared to other great Celtics teams in the past.

So we'll work on we'll take data and we'll make stories out of it.

Speaker 2

Well, that's great, uh, and and some I think that the graphics in the Globe have really gotten better over the last few years in terms of trying to explain something. There was a very interesting graphic on the front page of the Globe today. It's a what and then it's looked like obviously a lot of a lot of words were redacted, but when you read what the state won't say about the shelter crisis. It was a very effective

top of the fold graphic. I don't know if you had anything to do with that one, but it's certainly caught my eye this morning, that's for sure. You more importantly are doing some graphics dealing with Boston potholes. I figured the pothole season here in Boston or in New England was about over, but I guess it's not.

Speaker 3

Well, it's you know, it's a year long thing. But you are you are right in that aspect in one and that for the most part, pothole season in Boston tends to be the first four months of the year. Based on data that we've looked at from pothole requests in the Boston three to one one system, more than half of all the requests that they get for pothole repairs happened in the months of January through March.

Speaker 2

Well, you know what's interesting about potholes is that I believe that if you hit a pothole and you do damage to your car, and you can prove, however, you can prove that that you do damage to your car, that some cities in towns are willing to at least consider whether or not that pothole which damaged your car they should be responsible for. Are you aware of that or.

Speaker 3

No, I'm just I'm not aware that's a policy in Boston or not. But I have heard that there are other cities that will compensate drivers, as said, if they can prove that that pothole is responsible for the damage to their car.

Speaker 2

So, what's the status of potholes in Boston. Obviously, we're in Old City. We have extremes in temperature. Sometimes we get below zero and sometimes we get above ninety. And I assumed that, and and there's a lot of big, heavy trucks that that Roma City streets. What's the status here in Boston?

Speaker 3

We Yeah, all the all of the traffic and weather are all be contributing factors to potholes so far. So we looked at data going back to twenty fourteen on a year by year basis on a number of requests that the city gets to repair those potholes in twenty

twenty four. This year we're just under eighty eight hundred requests, which is seventy four percent of the total that twenty twenty three had, which was just short of twelve thousand, so I think in twenty twenty three was a little less than the thirteen thousand or so that the city

had in twenty twenty two. My guess is that because you know, we get a majority of those potholes in the first four months of the year, that the pace will slow down as the year goes, as the rest of the year plays out, and we'll probably finish about where twenty twenty three and twenty twenty two were.

Speaker 4

Well.

Speaker 2

Of course, last winter correct me if I'm wrong, was a filling mile winter. We didn't have a lot of big no big snowstorms that I remember. Is that a factor too? Do you think in the diminution potholes this year?

Speaker 3

Absolutely? For sure. You know a lot of times what you'll a lot of what you'll see is, you know, water gets in the cracks in the street, that water freezes, and when it freezes it expands, so it pushes that out a little bit. When it falls that the material is loosened up, and then traffic just kind of wears it away. The more of those freeze fall cycles you have, the more you know it's going to contribute to you having a greater number of potholes and then construction in

the city and traffic are also contributing factors. We saw in twenty and twenty twenty one the number of pothole requests dipped below ten thousand for the first time since twenty sixteen, and a lot of that had to do, we assume with COVID and they're being less traffic in those years. So as the pandemic ended in traffic picked back up, we saw those numbers climbed back up in twenty twenty two.

Speaker 2

So my last question is, is there any indication to you in the studies that you've done that there are more potholes in one section of Boston or or or as they spread pretty evenly.

Speaker 3

So we took a look at the three one one request data for the repair has the neighborhood that it is that the pothole is appearing in. We found that Dorchester and the Austin Brighton in Downtown financial district make up a little more than a quarter of all requests for the city. Obviously, Dorchester is one of the bigger neighborhoods, as is the Austin Brighton area. Downtown has a lot of traffic, so that kind of plays out with what we would expect if there be more area and more traffic,

that you're going to have more potholes. All that is to say is that, in addition to that, just because the city gets a request for pothole repair, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's a pothole that they're responsible for. Sometimes those potholes are on private property and it would be the owner's responsibility to repair it. Sometimes those potholes peer around utility castings, and then in that case it's the utility company that is responsible for repairing it.

Speaker 2

So I've learned that there's a lot more to the pothole dilemma, the pothole problem than meets the eye. And I appreciate John Hancock. By the way, I have double checked I was right. The Red Sox did have an outfielder who had your last name. Gary Hancock played here in the late seventies and into the early eighties, here for about four seasons, and over that time he had a little bit of an impact here, did better work playing for Oakland than he did for the Red Sox.

But there was indeed an alfielder who played for the Red Sox in the late seventies and eighties. His name was Gary Hancock. I don't know if he's a relation or not, but I wanted to be aware of it. I just remember the name in the back of my mind and I had to finish the play here and double check to make sure it's correct.

Speaker 3

Okay, thank you.

Speaker 2

Thanks much. John Hancock, not the original, but Boston Globes John Hancock. We're very happy that he joined us tonight. He's the senior newsroom developer. When we get back, we're going to talk a little music, well not really, We're going to talk about Donald Trump's the music that has played at Donald Trump campaign events, and there's some controversy here. Some of the musicians are not happy that their music

is being associated with the Trump campaign. We'll talk with patent professor, an attorney's been here before, John Risby about where this story may eventually go back on Nightside right after this break on a Wednesday night. It is halfway through the week.

Speaker 1

Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.

Speaker 2

All right, I want to talk now about this. This is not politics, but in most political campaigns, candidates they like to identify with a popular music, songs that make people get up and dance. But sometimes those artists don't like to be associated with the candidates who have chosen their songs with us. As John Risvey, he's a lawyer, he's called the patent professor. We're really talking about copyright law here, Professor Risvey. Welcome back to Nightside, Hawaii.

Speaker 5

Yeah good, it's always a pleasure to be here. Thank you.

Speaker 2

It's interesting, I guess according to the article that I read, Donald Trump uses the Village People's YMCA song a lot. He comes out and kind of dances of that. They have not raised, as I understand that a complaint, but other artists have. What's going on?

Speaker 5

Yeah, so, I mean surprisingly they did complain in twenty sixteen when he used it back then, but I mean this time we haven't heard anything. I don't know if it's that we haven't heard a complaint yet, but I you know, certainly that's unusual.

Speaker 2

But well, I hope the artists haven't passed on to the big YMCA in the sky.

Speaker 3

Yeah.

Speaker 5

The fact that it's surprising to not get a complaint, it seems because there's just so many that have stepped forward this time, because when they get a complaint, typic what happens is the politicians will switch and move on to something else. But in the case of Donald Trump, he's had complaints from Phil Collins, Elton, John Guns n' Roses, Prince Tom. I mean, it's Ceylon beyond. The list just goes on and on.

Speaker 2

The state, the state. I think if I'm not mistaken of Isaac Hayes, Isaac obviously having in the state himself, has passed on.

Speaker 5

Yeah, yep, exactly.

Speaker 6

Uh.

Speaker 5

But you know too, in all fairness, this is not something unusual just to Donald Trump. But like Bruce Springsteen, uh sent a season desist to Ronald Reagan for use of Born in the USA.

Speaker 3

Like the.

Speaker 5

George Bush has received cease and desists for Bobby mcferran's Don't Worry Be Happy. Uh, Bob Dole has received them. This is not unusual. Unfortunately, it's not. Uh, it's something that you know, it's against the law. It's not it's a violation of copyright law. And it keeps happening. And there's you know, part of the issue.

Speaker 2

With Professor I'm seeing a pattern here. I think you said Bruce Springsteen was upset with Ronald Reagan. Others were upset with George Bush, Bob Dole, Donald Trump, have any of the Democratic presidential campaigns have had a complain about I mean, Bill Clinton used to use the song, you know, but you know, keep thinking about tomorrow. I remember every time I was at a Clinton event back in the nineties that that that's that was a Stevie Nick song, if I'm not mistaken.

Speaker 5

Yeah, So I mean, in fairness, though I guess I may have. I gave a lot of examples that were Republican candidates, but Obama was received deceased and assist from Sam Moore for hold On, I'm coming. So it's not exclusively Republican candidates. But but artists in general are are leaning towards the Democratic ticket, right, so that there's going to be, you know, there are going to be I guess some party lines regarding music in copyright in frenchmen

who complains and when? But it hasn't been exclusively Republicans, but I will give you you you're right, it's been pretty you know, certainly in favor of Republican candidates getting being under the tail end of eating.

Speaker 2

The opposition to it might be the way to think about it. It's really interesting. Remember I think it was Michael Jordan when he was asked about not endorsing some Republican candidate who was running for office, or endorse I should say a Democratic candidate over Republican, he said something like, well, Republicans by sneakers too. So if you would think that, you know, some of these artists might be delighted that

their songs are being resurrected some basis. I mean, YMCA has to put out a record in a long time. If that group, the village people haven't put out a record, I don't think in a long time.

Speaker 5

Yeah, so I don't. It's and that's I think you hit the nail on the head. It's not just an economic concern because even if the you know, the politicians would pay licensing fees, the licensing fees are our pennies in the grand scheme of things, compared to the costs of their campaign. So it's not that they're not asking permission because they don't want to pay the licensing fees.

That's not it. Part of it is if you you know the the old adage that it's easier to ask forgiveness, uh than permission if you ask permission, and they pretty much know the answer is going to be No, then then you really look bad if you go ahead and do it anyway. So I think they've taken the route of let's not ask permission, let's go ahead and do it. If we receive a cease and desist, we will, uh in some cases switch to a different artist. But unfortunately

in other cases they just they just continue anyway. And uh, that's that's what's concerning to me as a intellectual property attorney I do patent, trademark and copyright law. Is that that it's just it's just blatant infringement. In a lot of cases, this isn't fair use. This isn't a situation where uh, they're they're making political statements using the music. That's actually using the music which should be licensed, and

they're not licensing the rights. They're not paying, uh, but they're not asking permission either.

Speaker 2

So let's let's assume that Donald Trump is an example. He's pretty litigious. Let's assume that he said, well, you know, I'm going to pay whatever the the nominal fee is to be able to use Bruce Brings. Would the artist then be basically foreclosed from from any sort of legal action or over that.

Speaker 5

No, No, because it's not just uh, yes, you do have to pay the fee, but it's not just the fee. You have to get permission. And for some of these artists, they don't really care about the licensing fee so much as alienating their fans, because certainly, if their music is played at a Trump campaign, a lot of fans are going to assume, oh that, you know, the Bruce Spring

springten is a is a Trump fan or whatnot. They're going to assume an affiliation, and the loss of their fan base could be substantially more than the pitdly small amount of licensing fees they might get for playing the song at a at a campaign. And remember it's all these are not long term licensing, uh you know, a money stream that's going to continue for years. In November,

it's all over. So it's not something that oh, you know what, let's go ahead and give them permission because we're going to have a steady stream of income for the next several years. No, it's just a really short blip, but their lost stand base might be forever sure, and it might quarter be associated with a politician they don't want to have anything.

Speaker 6

To do with.

Speaker 2

Well, of course with Donald Top he will always have kid Rock. Hey, Professor Risby, thank you so much. Always great to talk to you though, always an enjoyable experience.

Speaker 5

Thanks so much, it is I love it. Thank you so much.

Speaker 2

You bet you have a great night. All right. When we get back here on Night's Side, right after the news break at the bottom of the hour, we're going to talk about a little bit of maybe of a more serious issue, and that is how to stop second guessing yourself. Going to talk with doctor Judith Orloff. She has a new book out which she's going to talk about, did you Genius of Empathy? Practical Skills to heal your

sensitive self? Back on nights Side six one, seven, four, ten thirty is the number, but don't dial that until after nine o'clock. My name's Dan Ray. It's a Wednesday night, Wednesday night, August fourteenth. We are coming to the middle of August. Ladies and gentlemen, of the summer is slowly but surely starting to slide by. That is not a good feeling for us here in New England. Back on Nightside right after this.

Speaker 1

It's Night Side with Boston's News Radio.

Speaker 2

Our next guest is doctor Judith Orloff. She has written a new book, The Genius of Empathy. She's a leading psychiatrist in the field of empathy and a member of the UCLA Psychiatric Clinical Staff. Doctor Orloff, Welcome back to Nightside. But I understand that the forward of your new book, The Genius of Empathy was written by the Dali Lama. How'd you get to Dali Lama to write a forward? Are you in the Ai Lama buddies? And what's the deal?

Speaker 6

Well, one of the really most important and sentences that Dali Lama has is increasing empathy and compassion. That's you know, his mission and that's what's important to him. So I just submitted the book and he read it and he said I want to do the forward to it. So it was, you know, big honor, and it really emphasizes, you know the importance of a life that is based on empathy and intuition, which is which is his and

it's you know, he's a role model for me. And so I'm just really happy to have gotten that forward.

Speaker 2

Okay, I'm sure the Dalai Lama has never second gainst the second guest himself, but most of us second guests ourselves in many different ways. We look at our GPS, Am I am I taking the right GPS? If I have, I put the right address in here. Sometimes even you go back and you lock the door when you leave the Did I really lock that? I mean? Is that the sort of second guessing you're talking about? Are you

talking about the more serious second guessing? When I don't know, you either leave a job or you take a job buyer's regret tell us. But when you say second guessing, exactly what you mean.

Speaker 6

Second guessing refers to everything you just said. It could be a more minor incident, or it can be really, you know, a huge one in terms of you doubting

yourself and the decisions that you make. And that's why it's important to trust your intuition, which is the still small voice inside that will tell you the truth about things, and not to second guess yourself and not to wave even if other people have different opinions, Because people have lots of opinions, they have a lot of unsolicited advice

that they give. And it's important in terms of empathy to trust yourself, to have empathy with yourself and trust that little voice inside that's saying, don't get into that business deal. This is not going to turn out well, and then your mind by say, oh, but you're getting so much money from it, but your intuition is saying no, don't go there.

Speaker 2

Okay, so there, okay. So how do you distinguish intuition and mind. It sounds to me like unless what you're saying is unless you're really confident in certain because I got to assume every big decision we make in life, whether it's getting married, ivan children, picking a college to go to, whatever it is, you have to have those moments of self doubt. Isn't that what's normal for most people? I mean? Or is it people supposed to say, I know what I want to buy. I want to buy

that car. That's the only type. There are people like that, But I think most of us say, well, yeah, I like that car, but I kind of like that car too. Is that not just part of being human to do always sort of second guess yourself or am I way on face?

Speaker 6

Well, it's being human doubting yourself, you know. And part of what I'm trying to teach people in the book is how to get more of a clarity about what they want and to have more faith in themselves. In terms of listening to your intuition, because I tell you when I haven't listened. Let's say I've gone ahead with something in my life. Maybe it was a relationship, you know, maybe it was something else, and I didn't listen to that voice saying don't do this. Now, this isn't going

to be good for you. And the voice in me that says I want to do it, I want this to happen, it never turned out well, and so people cannot listen. But it won't turn out well. And if you want a life that's based more on self confidence, we're never always confident. Of course, you're making a good point, but we can try to get to the point where if we get a gut feeling about something and it says don't go there, we at least think about it, you know, as opposed to just walking into the lions den.

Speaker 2

Okay, so let me ask you this. There's a concept called analysis paralysis where certain people can never make a decision even at a restaurant, you know, do they want the big scollops or do they want the pasta carbon whatever? And some people you can ask people, what do you want to have for dinner? I don't know. Is this the is this the opposite of this analysis paralysis, the opposite of people who you know who don't follow their instinct or is this actually a form of analysis paralysis?

Speaker 3

Uh?

Speaker 6

Yeah, Well in the book I talk about the importance of not overthinking because people can really.

Speaker 2

Analysis which is which is analysis paralysis?

Speaker 6

I guess absolutely absolutely, where you just overthink something and then you never know what you even feels right to you anymore. But what I want to emphasize, and the genius of empathy is to let's say you don't know what feels right. Let's say you're lost. Let's say you are you have analysis paralysis. What do you begin listening to if you want to start in the beginning of

trusting yourself. Now, trust your gut feeling that the feeling that comes up that will you know, tell you the truth about things, because I'm sure you've been in situations and you can feel something inside saying this is fantastic or this you know doesn't it's not on the app and up, I have a feeling about this that they aren't telling the truth. Most people have that sense, but

you have to trust it. A second. Guessing yourself means that you don't trust it and it's the process of wanting to get more self confident regardless of what other people will says. If you're dependent on other people's opinions all the time, it's going to drive you crazy. You have to know what feels right to you and follow that as much as possible.

Speaker 2

Okay, so my last question, and let me go back to the Dalai Lama. Obviously he's a manual and great morality, so I'll bring it all the way round. Are we talking about here a little bit of moral conscience as well?

Speaker 6

Or absolutely well. I believe that making a life that is based on empathy rather than hatred and polarization and bitterness is a sense of morality. It's like saying, I'm going to take the higher path, the higher good, and I'm going to believe in it, and I'm going to believe that it's a good thing. I believe in compassion, I believe in empathy. I believe in trying to find it even when it seems impossible.

Speaker 4

You know.

Speaker 6

That's what I'm suggesting, is to really decide where you're coming from and who you want to be and begin to develop that more.

Speaker 2

Okay, very interesting conversation. I enjoyed this conversation. I hope my question didn't drive you totally crazy, but thank you so much too. The book is the genius of empathy, practical skills to heal your sensitive self. And I'm sure this book must be available everywhere.

Speaker 6

Yes, and it's on my website, which is Dr Judith Orloff R l O s F dot com.

Speaker 2

Perfect. Thank you so much, Doctor Orloff. Enjoyed. We have a great night. Good night.

Speaker 6

Okay.

Speaker 2

Now when we get back in just a minute or two, we're going to talk about this sort of a back to school issue. Can the classroom make students sick? Go to talk with David Steinmann, who's a consumer advocate, investigative journalist who focuses on environmental health. Stay with us. This is WBZ in Boston. You're listening to WBZ on ten thirty. If you don't get us on the radio for whatever, so you can always get us on the internet. All you have to do is go to the WBZ News

Radio on the iHeartRadio app. Pretty easy. Back on Nightside right after this.

Speaker 1

Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.

Speaker 2

Delighted to be joined by David Steinman. He's a consumer advocate, investigative journalist who focus who focuses on environment and health. And we're talking today about tonight about the idea of kids getting back to school, and we'd like to think that kids are in safe environments. But David Steinman has a new book entitled Raising Healthy Kids Protecting Your Children from Hidden chemical Toxins, and I guess some of this might be involved with heading back to school. Can you

pull this to get this concept together for us? David? How are you?

Speaker 4

Oh? Sure, good evening. It's great to be on your show tonight. But that chapter is called the New School Rules because the fact is that you do have to be really aware of the environmental hazards at your school,

and particularly in Massachusetts. You know, I was just doing some research, for example, on the lead in drinking water, and what Boston Public Health Public School says is that all parents were notified if their school water samples were above fifteen parts per billion, and then they say, quote, if you are not notified by a child's school, no

action is needed. And that's just not true because if the water has thirteen, fourteen, even ten or five parts per billion of lead, you, as a parent do need to take action?

Speaker 2

Okay, So let me stop you for a second, let me ask you. Okay, So I assume they didn't pick fifteen parts per billion out of the air. I assume they're they're relying upon some government guideline.

Speaker 4

Correct, Yeah, that's true, the e p A.

Speaker 2

Okay, fair enough, Okay, And we think about the e p A. So if if the would you saying here is that the the city of Boston, the Public School Department, has an obligation to go beyond what the e p A considers if not safe, at least tolerable circumstances or standards. Is that what I'm hearing you say?

Speaker 3

Yeah, I think that they that the better way. Now.

Speaker 4

Fortunately, if your child is in a DPS school, you can get the water testing results for your school, and you should request them. What I'm saying is a consumer advocate and someone who is dealing strictly with health and most EPA standards are really compromises, you know, they're really compromises, Like we have forever chemicals in our drinking water at schools too, and they're very dangerous. And EPA has never banned any of them, though they have limits on how

much is safe. But these limits are just based on the practicality that there's going to be some in the water. Now, that doesn't mean you have to accept it as a parent, that doesn't mean you have to accept.

Speaker 2

What's going to have it. So let's assume, hypothetically, using this example, that you get a letter from the school and they say, all the water is safe. We've tested it. It's you know, they're fewer than fifteen parts per billion, Okay. And let's assume that a parent says, well, send us what the study is, and they send us study and they come up with some figure of let's say six or seven parts per billion. What options do the parents have at that Joine at that.

Speaker 4

Point, Well, the first thing is to be informed, and you know, and each individual can make decisions about if they think ten pbb is safe based on the evidence, working as a consumer advocate and in the legal field, that much water and that high level of what is really not safe if you're for your child whose brain is really developing. You know, this is preschool, early the early years, when the brain is really in its most

active state of cognitive development. So but if what I suggest in the book is parents should form a Green Team for their classroom or for their middle school for their children, and look at the school holistically. It's not

just water. But in the case of water, if their child's water supply does have lead, you can use your own filtered water from your home, which you can produce much more, it's inexpensively than bottled and have your child take kid take their own bottled water to school from a stainless still flask, and that's a much safer alternative.

Speaker 2

What are some of the other dangers in school? Obviously we've talked a lot about water. Are there other dangers in school in terms of I don't know, you know, the inks that are used to print products, the crayons or the pencils that are distributed. I mean, you really have to be an environmental hawk when you think about the number of items that are going to come into your son or daughter's possession while they're in school.

Speaker 4

Oh yeah, Actually, there's probably about nine big, big things to know about school. But I'll just give you a second. A lot of parents send their kids to school in uniforms, yes, and most of those school uniforms will say they're stain or water resistant, which means they're loaded with us forever chemicals which are absorbed through the skin and cause kidney

cancer and infertility. So, as a parent who's sending their kids to school or maybe wearing a school uniform, maybe it's an athletic uniform, you know, as a parent, you really don't want them wearing that kind of stuff and you should demand of the school that alternatives are provided that are stain and water resistant, free from stain and water resistant chemicals like the forever chemicals that are so to interust our kids. And those are being sold now

because people are becoming more aware. So you know, that would be another one, another thing to but but there are other things too. For example, what parents might not think a lot about is the kind of turf that their kids play their athletics on. You know, we've replaced so much grasples synthetic turf.

Speaker 2

Yeah, yeah, boy, I'll tell you You've got to have a lot of gumption as a parent to to to assert the concerns that legitimate concerns that you've identified, because I think that in most instances, the school we're going to look at that individual parent and say, you know, what do you what do you want us to do? We're not gonna We're not going to change the football field. It's September. And if if your kid doesn't want to

play football, then don't have him played football. I mean that that's going to be a difficult spot for a parent too, in the in their in their efforts to protect their child, to assert a claim. Is are there any tips in your book which can guide people as to how to handle that sort of situation.

Speaker 4

Well, that you bring out such a great point. You can't move some things overnight. Fortunately, because more people are becoming aware of its, schools are becoming less reluctant to go to artificial turf. But honestly, there are some sports like soccer where the rate of cancer among goalies who are on the ground all the time on artificial turf are quite high. And I'd get my kid out of that, I really would. I kept them to take up another sport.

Speaker 2

Yeah, well yeah, I mean, obviously parents can make those decisions. But the kid really wants to be a soccer goalie, that's going to be it's going to be a bit of a fight.

Speaker 3

Yeah, I have to be.

Speaker 4

You have to organize a green team at the school and work with the administration to make these changes right, because you're right, some of them are institutionalized.

Speaker 2

So raising healthy kids, protecting your children from hidden chemical toxins. That's available, I'm sure of bookstores and also on Amazon. Correct, it is all right, David, Thank you so much for your time tonight. Interesting conversation. I enjoyed it very much.

Speaker 4

Have a great night, thanks Dan.

Speaker 2

When we come back to be talking with Massachusetts congress Woman Laurie Trehan about the Steward healthcare crisis and how it's impacting her communities as well. Coming back on Nightside right after this

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