May 1, 2025 • 39 mins
We kicked off the program with four news stories we thought you'd like to know more about!
Dr. Steven Katz - President, American Association of Endodontists - says a survey from The American Association of Endodontists has revealed that Americans care deeply about the wellbeing of their teeth but still don’t take all the necessary steps to keep them healthy & why there is an irrational fear of dental professionals and procedures.
Neil Hammerschlag, Ph.D. - President, Atlantic Shark Expeditions - explained what could happen to Cape Cod if great whites disappear.
Is brown rice actually healthier than white rice? Teddy Amenabar – WaPo Reporter checked in.
President Trump signed executive orders to relax some of his 25% tariffs on imported automobiles and auto parts. John Vincent, senior editor for vehicle testing for U.S. News’ Autos, discussed.
Listen to WBZ NewsRadio on the NEW iHeart Radio app and be sure to set WBZ NewsRadio as your #1 preset!
Dr. Steven Katz - President, American Association of Endodontists - says a survey from The American Association of Endodontists has revealed that Americans care deeply about the wellbeing of their teeth but still don’t take all the necessary steps to keep them healthy & why there is an irrational fear of dental professionals and procedures.
Neil Hammerschlag, Ph.D. - President, Atlantic Shark Expeditions - explained what could happen to Cape Cod if great whites disappear.
Is brown rice actually healthier than white rice? Teddy Amenabar – WaPo Reporter checked in.
President Trump signed executive orders to relax some of his 25% tariffs on imported automobiles and auto parts. John Vincent, senior editor for vehicle testing for U.S. News’ Autos, discussed.
Listen to WBZ NewsRadio on the NEW iHeart Radio app and be sure to set WBZ NewsRadio as your #1 preset!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's night Side, Dan undoing Mazy Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Beg you, Dan Watkins, as we move into a Thursday
night edition of Nightside. We'll be here for the next
four hours, less a few minutes. We'll get you all
the way up until midnight. We will talk later on
tonight with a former Massachusetts state representative who spent some
years in federal prison some time, I should say in
(00:26):
federal prison for some campaign violations. It was complicated by
some addictions. And we'll be talking with former Massachusetts Representative
Dave Nangle Nangle and talk about not only what he
has learned from this cautionary tale, but how he hopes
(00:48):
to help people as a consequence of it. And then
later on tonight at ten o'clock, we will talk with
Larry and Scott Rubinstein, the WVZ Nightside car guys. So
it's May first, the driving season is about to get
underwagh and any questions you have about cars in any
shape or form, any vehicle, any model, any make. They
know more about cars than any two people I know.
(01:11):
My name's Dan Ray. I know myself pretty well, and
I also know Rob Brooks, the pronouncer, the producer of
this program. I do not know. Our first guest here
at the eight o'clock hour. His name is doctor Stephen Katz.
Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Doctor Katz. How are you
this evening?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Hi Dan, I'm doing great. Thanks for having me. You know,
we can just chat about cars if you like. I
like the idea of your guys coming on later. I'd
love to talk with them.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, I'll tell you six month seven two five thirty.
Give them a call. They know everything. But you are
the president of the American Association of Endo Dauntists, and
I believe that word endo dantist is from the Greek
which means inside the tooth. We're talking about taking care
(01:59):
of our teeth inside and outside. You have a message
from my listeners, because look, healthy teeth are just as
important as any other portion of your body to keep
healthy because it can have tremendous impact on us. What
(02:21):
is the primary message you want to impart to my
listeners tonight, our listeners to me.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Yeah, that's exactly right. So I am, as you said,
the president of the American Association of end Adonnas and Endomeans.
Within the tooth, end adonis perform root canal therapy and
related procedures to save the teeth. And it just so
(02:46):
happens that starting today is what we celebrate called Save
your Tooth Month, and in May each year, the American
Association of end Adonnas recognizes and Celli breaks are members
and champion the preservation of natural teeth and their quest
(03:07):
to improve oral health for all our patients. And I
think the message that we would like to impart is
that nothing feels, functions, or looks like our natural teeth do.
They are just so crucial for eating, for speaking, and
(03:28):
for smiling, and we all understand the value that that imparts.
But more importantly, what we learn now, as you said,
is that the teeth are associated with the overall health
of the body. So we know that if you have
a clean, healthy mouth, you have less likely chance of
(03:50):
having heart disease, you have better brain health, you have
better control of your sugar, and there's many other things
that I think will continue to discover about how important
it is to save your natural teeth.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
So one of the things that I want to address
with you is the word root, the phrase root canal.
I had a couple when I was very young, back
in the dark ages, and they were not pleasant experiences.
But as I understand it, you folks try to make
(04:26):
people understand that the fear of the current dentist is
quite different than maybe the first dentist all of us
were introduced to early on in our lives. How important
in your mind is the patience comfort with a procedure
(04:48):
as complicated as a root canal, and it does. It's
one of those words that no one ever wants to hear. Doctor.
I'm sure you have you understand what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Sure, sure, And oh, I mean, I don't know how
I could sum that up other than to say it's
crucially important when we treat patients as endodonists. I mean
that is primary that our patients are numb, that they
don't feel anything at all, and that it's a positive
(05:18):
experience for them. So I think the point you made
is really accurate and valid. A lot of patients have
had procedures in the past, and you know they were
potentially uncomfortable, and that keeps patients away from the dentist.
But the problem with that is the longer you stay
away from the dentist, the more likely that you're going
(05:41):
to have problems, and those problems become bigger problems, and
those teeth ultimately could need root canal and some of
them could actually be lost as well. So the thing
about seeing an end adonist is that we are experts
in the diagnosis and treatment of pain. We've been trained
extensively in anesthesia and how to make our patients comfortable. Additionally,
(06:06):
compared to the past, we have newer techniques, We have
newer technologies, and we have better local anesthesia. So all
of those things compounded can make for an experience that's
not any different than having a filling or even having
your teeth cleaned. It should really be completely painless.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah, I think it's really important. I had a dentist
as a young boy. It was a bad experience, and
I stayed away from the dentist for a while and
paid a price. I've had really good dental care throughout
my adult life. I was fortunate enough to have a
couple of great friends who became my dentist, and I
(06:50):
had to get over myself at a lot of I
think legitimate apprehensions, But again, I was a child in
the late nineteen fifties dealing with the dentist who they
would give you some he would give you Novacan, and
the next thing you felt was his knee on your
chest as the drill was going. And I was saying, like,
(07:13):
as an eight year old doc, shouldn't wait a little while. Oh, no,
it's no problem, And yeah it was. It was a
huge problem. So we have moved out of I don't
like to refer to the nineteen fifties as dark ages,
but I think we've gone way beyond the type of
care people received from dentists, you know, some fifty or
(07:34):
sixty years ago, and it's improved sprentially.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Yeah, and you're one hundred percent correct, And you know,
I'm just a few years behind you. Dan and I
experienced the same thing. And then later in life, I
ended up meeting a root canal and I went to
an end of Donnis and it was really a very
positive experience. I was in pain when I went there
(08:00):
and not feeling great, and he took care of that
and the procedure was painless. But I felt exactly the
same way. And that's what encouraged me to go to
dental school and ultimately to specialize in endodonics, was that experience.
So you are correct, it was very different. I'm not,
are you calling it the dark Agency. You know, it
(08:23):
was only fifty years ago, but you know, from a
tech now standpoint, we are so much further than we
were back then.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Yeah, I believe me. Sometimes I go to the dentist
and now who I have, and I walk out and
I say, it didn't hurt. Why did it hurt in
the old days? Anyway, I thank you for what you do,
and I thank you for your demeanor and your approach
because I know how important seeing your dentist, you know,
(08:55):
every six months, and getting your teeth cleaned and making
sure that they stayed clean because it presents, it prevents
problems going forward. I understand that there are millions of
Americans who have lost all of their teeth, and you
know that to me is a complete tragedy that many
Americans are walking around with all of most of their
(09:18):
teeth missing, because it's such an impact on the rest
of their life. As you said earlier, they don't smile,
they don't they're not able often to eat the food
they enjoy, and it is a deleterious effect on their lifestyle.
So thanks for joining us tonight, and thanks for clarifying
(09:39):
what antidontics can actually do. It's not a word we
should fear. It's a word that we should take advantage of.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
In the yep, exactly right. And if your listeners, you
don't should need root canal therapy, they can find us.
They don't need to come through their dentist. They could
just go to find my end adonis dot com and
find a specialist in their area that can take care
(10:08):
of the issues. And you know, you are correct. We
do see a lot of people walking around with our teeth,
but that's better than it used to be, so we
aren't getting our message out. And in addition to that,
if patients have not seen the dentist, it's never too late.
You can always start and we could save most of
their teeth and they can keep them for the rest
(10:30):
of their lives. So I don't want people to think that,
you know, they have to give up. They can go
to the dentist, get treatment and retain what they have.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Doctor Stephen Katz. Very great presentation, and I mean that seriously.
I was even apprehensive talking to you, but you have
put my mind at ease and hopefully a lot of
my listeners all up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Doctor
Stephen Katz, what's that website one more time with people
(11:00):
can go to if they need an answered Auntist.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yes, it's find my endidonist dot com.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Couldn't be easier. Couldn't be easier. Thank you so much,
doctor Katz. Look forward to talking again again.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, it was great to being on. Thank you so much. BOBBYE.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Welcome. When we get back, we're going to talk about
another problem, not well maybe a problem for us. We're
going to talk about Cape Cod and the great white
sharks that we've become accustomed to, and we're going to
talk with the president of the Atlantic Shark Expeditions, doctor
Neil Hammerschlog, and answer the question what would happen to
(11:37):
Cape Cod if the Great whites disappear. We'll be back
right after this on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
With us is doctor Neil hammas Schlog. He is a
the president of the Atlantic Shark Expeditions. First of all,
doctor Hammerschlag, tell us exactly what is it Atic Shock Expeditions.
Is this something that you're involved in professionally or can
people use the Atlantic Shock Expeditions and take trips out
to the briny deep and see some white shocks up
(12:10):
close and personal.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Hi there. Yeah, it's actually a bit of both. So
we do bring people out from the public to get
on a boat. They can view the sharks from the
boat or actually take the plunge in our shark cage
and get face to face on the waters of predators.
And it all supports research that we're doing out on
these sharks while.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
On the boat.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
All right, so now we know that you do get
up close and personal. So the question is, and I'm
going to ask you when did the sharks? When are
white sharks off the coast of the cave. I'm going
to go really to the fundamentals Initially, when do they
arrive and when do they depart for warmer waters?
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Yeah, so they're they're a bit like a like a snowbird.
So they spend the kind of summer and fall off
the cape, and then when the waters get cold, they
head back down south to over winter.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
So we're talking about, say the fourth of July to
the end of October. When will you see your first
white this year white shark off the cape.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
So I don't work in the cape. I work in
Nova Scotia, So I work in Nova Scotia, just a
bit north of the shelf of Maine, and so we
see sharks there coming in around July, August, September, but
it's slightly earlier off off the cape, so you can
probably expected to see that in June or right.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Okay, so they are migratory. That's great. So now my
question then is, and my producer says that there's a
story here sharks scientists show what may happen to cape
called if great whites disappear. I don't assume great whites
are going to disappear anytime soon. And our focus is
the cape because we're so familiar with the cape. What
(13:58):
would happen or what could cause cause white sharks to
no longer migrate up here, great whites to no longer
migrate up there? How significant of a change in water
temperature would we need some here in New England or
in the southeast Canada.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
Well, you'd actually be surprised these animals. And I don't
think it's going to be water temperature that would have
a dramatic effect. I mean the I think what we're
seeing in other place of the world is that these
sharks are long lived and they mature laid life and
they have very few offspring. So if there's a lot
of all of a sudden they start being captured in
(14:38):
fisheries and suffering or being killed some way, being removed,
they could quickly quickly disappear.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
So they need to So you're telling me, is they
need to be protected.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Yeah, I mean they Fortunately they are protected in the
US and in Canada. And what we're seeing is their
numbers are healthy. Right now they've increased and right now
they are healthy.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Great, it was not always that way. Was there a
period of time when Captain Ahab was running around that
the whites h.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
I mean, yeah, their numbers definitely dropped in January seventies,
eighties and nineties, where you know, at least the early
nineties until they are protected in the late nineties. But
in the seventeen and eighties, saw you know, these sharks
the numbers decline.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Okay, Now the next question that I have is, clearly
they're part of the ecosystem, a big part of the ecosystem.
Your sense is that right now they're in pretty good
shape in terms of numbers, and that they are replacing
(15:52):
the sharks are replacing themselves. What do we need to
not that we need to worry about things, but what
are you most concerned about in terms of making sure
that the great white sharks are welcomed and comfortable up
in your neck of the woods and down in our
neck of the woods by cape cod. What worries you
(16:13):
at night if anything?
Speaker 4 (16:16):
You know, you know, I think while animals can be
protected on paper, that doesn't always you know, come out
in reality. And so you know, there's a possibility that
these these sharks could be targeted by people, you know,
trophy hunters trying to catch the big one, you know,
get a set of jaws. They're being caught. They could
(16:36):
be caught, you know, unintentionally, you know, entanglement and things
like yeah, traps or lobster pots, and then you know
they could be killed, you know, when they leave protected
waters and being taken in international waters. So you know,
there's always that fear there.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
We have right now a part of about thirty whales
which are frolicking off of Cape cod, and that particular
species of whale only has about three hundred and fifty worldwide.
So there's been some cautions sent out on the last
day or so. According to the local newscast for anybody
(17:14):
who's out there on the water, particularly in the Cape
Cod Canal, to go no faster than ten knots, So
they don't, you know, run in and run their boats
and hurt someone. What is the estimate of the population
of great white sharks worldwide or North America? Does anyone
have their arms around how many of these beautiful fish
(17:39):
exist in our world?
Speaker 5 (17:43):
Not?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Really.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
There's some estimates that restarch To or Atlantic White Shark
Conservancy estimated in a study that there might be as
many as eight hundred individuals that have visited Cape Cod
in the last several years. Other areas, it seems like
most areas of world where there have been estimates, it
seems to be the number like up the Luck Australia
(18:07):
or New Zealand. The numbers seem to hover around a
thousand in various different locations. But in terms of the
total population size, that doesn't mean that's as many sharks
in one single time. That just needs like kind of
the whole population size.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I know that I believe it's out of woods hole
here down on Cape Cod. I believe that they were
able to get out and actually tag these sharks and
follow them. What their their migration pattern is and they
actually can almost name them. That's that's the how close
the research is that the relationships that develop between the
(18:44):
researches and the sharks. I'm sure it's something similar to
that where you are up in Canada. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Absolutely, we're trying to monitor, you know, through our research
and ecotourism. We're trying to get a handle on what
kind of the the population statuses and if it's stable, increasing, decreasing,
and also identify just areas that are important for these sharks,
because no one you have to protect the sharks, but
also the habitats are important. To do this, we try
(19:12):
to identify the individuals. We track the individuals and so
we can see like where they're, the places they like
to go, how frequently they go there, and if they
return there from your year.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Does the hamislide? Just one final question we follow during
the summertime shar activity. I'm sure you have that that
app on your phone as well. What's the average life
expectancy of a great white shark, you know, in our
in our part of the world. Is it twenty thirty
years or less or more.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
You're gonna be blown away? It's eighty years old, about
eighty years old to be their long lived species. That's
the thing is they only reach they only reach sexual maturity.
They only become adults when they're you know, close to thirty,
which is why you know. That means they don't reproduce
until they're in their thirties pretty much. So that's why
(20:05):
you know it doesn't take a lot of removals. If
you start pishing them out before they can reproduce, then
you know, can have detrimental impacts.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Great, well, look, doctor Hammerschlock, you have answered all my questions.
I thank you very much, President of Atlantic Shark Expeditions.
If there are some folks who are looking to visit you,
what's the website.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Well, yeah, we'd love that. We'd love to host you
on a case diving per science. It's Atlantic Shark e
XP dot com. Atlantic Shark exp dot com.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
That's perfect. It makes it simple, easier than to spell
expeditions Atlantic Shark e XP all one word dot com.
Doctor Neil Hamishlock, thank you very much for your time tonight.
I really enjoyed our conversation.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Thank you, You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
We had the news coming up at the bottom of
the hour and after that we're going to talk with
a reporter from the Washington Post about whether or not
brown rice actually is healthier than white rice, and the
way the question has been posed, I suspect we may
have a surprise for an answer. We'll find out on
the other side of the news at the bottom of
the hour.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
It's night signed Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
All right, we are delighted to welcome from the Washington
Post reporter by the name of Teddy and then a
mena bar. Have I gotten that name anywhere close close
to correct? Teddy?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Dead on, it's really fanatic having all right.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Well, thank you. The Teddy was pretty easy, that one
I got, uh, And you're right for the Post, and
we're going to talk about whether brown rice is actually
healthier than white rice. Is food your specialty or you're
a general assignment reporter and this investigative report is was
assigned to you or you came up with the idea?
Speaker 6 (21:53):
Yeah, So I've been reporting on contaminants and foods, specifically
having that lead and arsenic and I reported this story
with Anahad O'Connor, who is our food and nutrition columnist
and reporter, And so that's how we tackled both sides
of this question of you know, whether brown rice is
(22:18):
in fact healthier.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
So I believe that the story that you wrote concluded
that brown rice has more arsenic than white rice, But
is it still the better choice? I think that was
the headline.
Speaker 5 (22:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
Yes, there are some influencers on Instagram or TikTok who
you know, raised concerns about the level of arsenic in
brown rice. And it is true that brown rice, because
it has that brand, that outer layer, it does have
(22:55):
higher levels of arsenic than white rice. But you know,
really the folks we spoke with, so the researchers who
really study rice and rice patties and heavy metal contamination,
you know, they just said that for the average adult,
you would need to eat an excessive amount of brown
rice for this to be a concern. The one caveat
(23:16):
here that I do just want to stress is, you
know where the attention is. It is for babies and
toddlers who you know, rice based toddler food can you know,
really be kind of the first foods a small child
might be eating, And you just want to be conscious of,
you know, diversifying the types of grains that you're feeding
a small kid because they can be more, you know,
(23:39):
at risk of you know, having you know, too much
arsenic because they're smaller.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Okay, So my question is when we think about arsenic,
we think that arsenic is a poison like hemlock. How
does a arsenic find its way into rice, whether it's
brown or white? Is this just a function of nature?
Speaker 6 (24:03):
Yeah, this is This is I think the most fascinating
part of the reporting. So arsenic is particularly good at
getting into rice grain because of how we grow rice,
so rice patties. We flood fields and the soil isn't
exposed to oxygen. So the natural amount of arsenic that's
(24:26):
already in the soil converts to a more soluble form
of arsenic that the rice, the roots of the rice
plant absorb it. Actually, the rice actually thinks that this
is a nutrient and the arsenic goes through the roots
into the grain. And so that's why you have higher
(24:48):
levels of arsenic and rice than you do quina or
barley or wheat.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
So is rice And I'm not an expert, I'm not
an exp for an agriculture. Is brown rice and white
rice rice just a function of where it is grown?
Or are there rice patties that are developed to produce
(25:17):
a certain color of rice or or is it just
you know, it just so happens that in this particular
part of the world it mostly is brown in this
particular part of the world. How does that work? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (25:29):
Yeah, So you know, there are absolutely different species of rice,
and you know, different soils, even in the US are
going to have different levels of arsenic. So actually parts
of the southern southeast US deal more with arsenic in
(25:49):
the soil than say California. But to get to the
point of your question, the difference between white rice and
brown rice is just processing. So white rice is a
bread rice kernel that has been processed more to remove
that outer layer and strip it of that brown what's
(26:11):
called brand.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Okay, So so what you're saying is that a kernel
uh and maybe I hope the word colonel is correct.
A kernel of white rice, uh and brown rice is
essentially the same. When you take the the outer covering
off the brown, the brown, the colonel of brown rice
will look the same. Is That's what I think I'm
(26:33):
hearing you say.
Speaker 6 (26:35):
Yeah, yeah, that's correct. And they do some polishing too
to the white rice to give it that But yeah,
that's that's the process well.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
That's interesting. And this, this story that that you've worked
on with your colleague is a consequence of what some
people I guess who are not necessarily rice experts, have
theorized and and you and wanted to prove or disprove
what their theories were. That's what it sounds to me
(27:04):
was the genesis of the story. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (27:07):
Well, a lot of my job is what's the health
information people see online? And how can we report the facts,
how can we go to the experts to clarify or
to dig deeper? And so that was the case with
this one.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
So overall you were going to I think a unique position.
Overall the research that you did, does it confirm what
the Food and Drug Administration would know or are you
actually going deeper onto issues like this and perhaps others
(27:46):
that you've covered which are even more informed than what
our FDA knows about not only this product but other products.
Speaker 6 (28:00):
It's an interesting question. I would say that you know,
the SDA is definitely aware of arsenic in rice, and
it regulates the amounts of arsenic in rice cereals for
infants at a metric called one hundred parts per billion,
(28:26):
but it doesn't specifically have the same guidance for you know,
the white or brown rice we buy in the store.
Comparatively in the EU, there are you know, in the
UK there are more specific regulations for you know, the
(28:47):
rice you'd buy off the shelf.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
So that's all to say, you know, they're they're aware
of it.
Speaker 6 (28:52):
There is some regulation, but it's it's not as specific
as it is in the EU.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Last question, since since you're an expert in this field,
what is your take on the appointment of that the
American surgeon, doctor Martin McCarry out of Johns Hopkins as
the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. You know, again,
he's a surgeon. I'm trying to reconcile what his expertise
(29:21):
as a surgeon, uh will will will benefit the Food
and Drug Administration. I know he's a very smart guy.
I'm just curious if if you've looked at his background
and said, hey, it's a pretty good pick, or maybe
it's a pick that still has to be evaluated.
Speaker 6 (29:38):
You know, I have not you know, admittedly interviewed or
like spoken with people in or around the FDA about
I you know, my job is really more just to
keep reporting what we know about you know as the
SDA rolls out new regulations or the aged as rolls
(30:00):
out new announcements, like what's the broader context here? What
does the science say so far and so anyways? That
doesn't directly answer your question.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
That's right, Look, honest answer. I've asked a question. We
don't script questions. You do not have my questions at events,
but I couldn't pass on that opportunity. Teddy, Amanda bar
thank you so much. Love to have you back. It
was fascinating interview.
Speaker 6 (30:26):
Thank you, yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Very welcome. When we get back, President Trump has signed
an executive order to relax some of his twenty five
percent tariffs on imported automobiles and auto parts. We'll talk
about it with John Vincent, senior editor for Vehicle Testing
at US News Autos Team. Coming back on Night's Side
right after this.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
It's Night Side, Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Well, I think all of us have learned a lot
about tariffs in the last month or so. Someone who
knows a lot about tariff is my next guest, John Vincent. John,
welcome to Nightside. How are you, sir?
Speaker 5 (31:04):
I am good for you tonight.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
You're probably very sought after interview. These days, you're the
senior editor for vehicle Testing at US News Autos Teams.
This is a it's been a very interesting month. We're
now in May. A lot of us are thankful that
we're out of April. We do know that the President
imposed some tariffs on April second Liberation Day and stock
(31:27):
market went down around five or six percent across the board.
It has kind of clawed its way back, and now
the President seems to be relaxing some of his twenty
five percent tariffs on imported automobiles and auto parts. What's
going on?
Speaker 5 (31:43):
So they're relaxed, they're not gone, and they help certain
companies a whole lot more than other companies. Basically, what
they're doing is throwing the mestic auto companies a lifeline
so they have a little bit more time to you know,
create their new supplier pipelines in the Wes. You know,
(32:08):
building a factory isn't as simple as just building a building.
You have to develop all the supplier pipelines to serve
that factory and that's not easy to do or quick.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
So today, I don't know when he signed this order.
Was that this order signed today?
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Was it yesterday or yesterday.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Yesterday, okay, today, the stock market across the board seemed
to have a pretty good day. They've had. It's had
a lot of good days. Are you now, I know
you're not a stock market expert, but in view of
the impact that these tariffs had initially had on the market,
the turbulence of the early part of the month of April,
(32:51):
are you surprised that the market has come back this
quickly after such a down, downspike.
Speaker 5 (32:57):
You know, like you said, I am a little surprised
at how parts come back because we're not out of
the woods and the effects of these tariff shed and
we still don't know, you know, exactly how much they're
going to cost. The market hates uncertainty, and we still
have a lot of uncertainty out there.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
How tough is it going to be? It's It's one
thing to say if if a company, an automaker is
shipping in a car from that that's been produced made
in Mexico or Japan or wherever in its entirety, Okay,
you're going to hit it with the tariff. But as
I understand that a lot of the vehicles that are
(33:39):
made even here in the US are made with parts
that come from other countries around the world, so that
it's not going to be like either a zero percent
tariff or one hundred percent tariff on some cars. There's
going to be some percentage of the value of the
of the products in the car. How who is going
to decide that? And how difficult is it going to
(34:00):
You're going to have to have everybody walking around with
a calculator.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
So, yes, the math is going to be complicated, but
fortunately most of it is done already. There is an
index that comes out on a rolling basis that talks
about the American arts content on every car sold in
the US, and it's actually something that's included on the
minor ownly sticker, the windowstick you see the price on
(34:26):
the side of the car. There is no event US
built car there. The highest percentage is eighty five percent,
and it happens to be on two Tesla models, which
it's kind of funny because you're doct to pay any
tariffs if your car is built in Eighty five percent
(34:47):
of US parts kind.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Of worked out pretty well, fantastical.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
Well for someone funny where they found that number.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
I have no idea. You sound somewhat skeptical but I'm
not going to put you to the test of that skepticism.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
Ahead skeptical Okay.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
So so the question then is, uh, President Trump has
tried to sell this as a way to revitalize the
US car industry. I guess only time will tell, But
he's also tried to sell it as a way in
which companies that are producing high end products like automobiles.
(35:29):
And I can't think of a higher end product that
is that is sent into the United States that those
tariffs will anure to the benefit of the US treasury.
Is that So is that an aspect that we're overlooking
or is that overstated in terms of how much good
it will do From just a purely moneyful perspective.
Speaker 5 (35:52):
I think long term it's overstate a perfect perfectly don't
tariff collect any tax money because a tariff is designed
to make the products so expensive the consumers opt for
different products. So in that case, you know, those imports
stop and they don't collect tariffs. Unfortunately, unless you cut
(36:17):
off fifty percent of the auto indugury, they can't just stop,
you know, bringing cars in, consumers will see price increases,
whether the car is affected by directly affected by tariffs
or not they will see price increases because let's say
the MOTHS to c X five goes up by two
(36:39):
thousand dollars. I think Honda's not going to rate the
price of the Honda CRB by a thousand because they
have that much more room to compete.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Sure. Yeah, well, I think that corporations will take advantage
of the marketplace. I think is what you're saying. I mean,
that's intuitively what they do. I hope that that that
gets monitored so it's minimized, and I hope that consumers
are aware of it. And I know that you folks
will follow that. And information is normally sunlight is the
(37:12):
greatest disinfectant, but information is a great disincentive for any
of these games to be played. I look at supermarkets
right now and I see products that are have gone
up thirty forty percent, and I know what they are.
They're not complicated products. They're products that are produced in
the United States and on a very small level. I
(37:33):
think companies are taking advantage of the political atmospherics. And
I think that's what you're saying.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Yep. And when you look at the auto industry, the
automotive cycles take a lot longer than a four year
election cycle. By the time you cite a plant, get
that plant up and running, you know, it's taking more
than four years, and the cars built in that plant
will be more expensive because through robots, robotic tools that
(38:03):
work in that plant aren't made in America and they're
going to be subject to teriffs.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
Okay, So my question is then if this is not
going to innure as a as a short term political
benefit to President Trump. Most politicians are smart enough to
do things that are short term political benefits. I'm gonna
cut your taxes. I'm going to do this. I'm gonna
chicken in every pot whatever, a car in every garage.
(38:28):
Why do you think he's doing it? Do you think
he really believes this as a and as what he says,
or do you think he's just looking to to make
a statement and and create and leave a legacy.
Speaker 5 (38:42):
I think he's trying to leave a legacy. But I'm
you know, not going to get into, you know, what's
going on in his mind. I think a lot of
people are making a lot of money with the swings
in the stock market, which sounds simple, but you know,
I think there are a lot of smart people in
the white house, and I'm not sure that they're, you know,
(39:03):
ignoring the swings that they're seeing.
Speaker 2 (39:05):
Well, we should track that. That should be tracked. John,
We're flat out of time. Love to have you back
as this whole story develops throughout the summer and into
the fall. I hope you'd be kind enough to come
back with us. We don't again, we don't script questions here.
I'm asking you questions that I hope the questions that
are in the mind of my audience. And I appreciate
(39:26):
you being as honest and candid with your answers as
you were this evening, and hope to do it.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
We love to come back anytime.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
Thank you, John, appreciate John Vincent of US News their
Auto's team. When we come back, we are going to
talk with a former state representative. It's a cautionary tale,
but it's actually a story that I think is a
positive story despite what this state representative, David Nangel, went through.
We will explain when we come back.
It's night Side, Dan undoing Mazy Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Beg you, Dan Watkins, as we move into a Thursday
night edition of Nightside. We'll be here for the next
four hours, less a few minutes. We'll get you all
the way up until midnight. We will talk later on
tonight with a former Massachusetts state representative who spent some
years in federal prison some time, I should say in
(00:26):
federal prison for some campaign violations. It was complicated by
some addictions. And we'll be talking with former Massachusetts Representative
Dave Nangle Nangle and talk about not only what he
has learned from this cautionary tale, but how he hopes
(00:48):
to help people as a consequence of it. And then
later on tonight at ten o'clock, we will talk with
Larry and Scott Rubinstein, the WVZ Nightside car guys. So
it's May first, the driving season is about to get
underwagh and any questions you have about cars in any
shape or form, any vehicle, any model, any make. They
know more about cars than any two people I know.
(01:11):
My name's Dan Ray. I know myself pretty well, and
I also know Rob Brooks, the pronouncer, the producer of
this program. I do not know. Our first guest here
at the eight o'clock hour. His name is doctor Stephen Katz.
Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Doctor Katz. How are you
this evening?
Speaker 3 (01:30):
Hi Dan, I'm doing great. Thanks for having me. You know,
we can just chat about cars if you like. I
like the idea of your guys coming on later. I'd
love to talk with them.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, I'll tell you six month seven two five thirty.
Give them a call. They know everything. But you are
the president of the American Association of Endo Dauntists, and
I believe that word endo dantist is from the Greek
which means inside the tooth. We're talking about taking care
(01:59):
of our teeth inside and outside. You have a message
from my listeners, because look, healthy teeth are just as
important as any other portion of your body to keep
healthy because it can have tremendous impact on us. What
(02:21):
is the primary message you want to impart to my
listeners tonight, our listeners to me.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
Yeah, that's exactly right. So I am, as you said,
the president of the American Association of end Adonnas and Endomeans.
Within the tooth, end adonis perform root canal therapy and
related procedures to save the teeth. And it just so
(02:46):
happens that starting today is what we celebrate called Save
your Tooth Month, and in May each year, the American
Association of end Adonnas recognizes and Celli breaks are members
and champion the preservation of natural teeth and their quest
(03:07):
to improve oral health for all our patients. And I
think the message that we would like to impart is
that nothing feels, functions, or looks like our natural teeth do.
They are just so crucial for eating, for speaking, and
(03:28):
for smiling, and we all understand the value that that imparts.
But more importantly, what we learn now, as you said,
is that the teeth are associated with the overall health
of the body. So we know that if you have
a clean, healthy mouth, you have less likely chance of
(03:50):
having heart disease, you have better brain health, you have
better control of your sugar, and there's many other things
that I think will continue to discover about how important
it is to save your natural teeth.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
So one of the things that I want to address
with you is the word root, the phrase root canal.
I had a couple when I was very young, back
in the dark ages, and they were not pleasant experiences.
But as I understand it, you folks try to make
(04:26):
people understand that the fear of the current dentist is
quite different than maybe the first dentist all of us
were introduced to early on in our lives. How important
in your mind is the patience comfort with a procedure
(04:48):
as complicated as a root canal, and it does. It's
one of those words that no one ever wants to hear. Doctor.
I'm sure you have you understand what I'm saying.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
Sure, sure, And oh, I mean, I don't know how
I could sum that up other than to say it's
crucially important when we treat patients as endodonists. I mean
that is primary that our patients are numb, that they
don't feel anything at all, and that it's a positive
(05:18):
experience for them. So I think the point you made
is really accurate and valid. A lot of patients have
had procedures in the past, and you know they were
potentially uncomfortable, and that keeps patients away from the dentist.
But the problem with that is the longer you stay
away from the dentist, the more likely that you're going
(05:41):
to have problems, and those problems become bigger problems, and
those teeth ultimately could need root canal and some of
them could actually be lost as well. So the thing
about seeing an end adonist is that we are experts
in the diagnosis and treatment of pain. We've been trained
extensively in anesthesia and how to make our patients comfortable. Additionally,
(06:06):
compared to the past, we have newer techniques, We have
newer technologies, and we have better local anesthesia. So all
of those things compounded can make for an experience that's
not any different than having a filling or even having
your teeth cleaned. It should really be completely painless.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah, I think it's really important. I had a dentist
as a young boy. It was a bad experience, and
I stayed away from the dentist for a while and
paid a price. I've had really good dental care throughout
my adult life. I was fortunate enough to have a
couple of great friends who became my dentist, and I
(06:50):
had to get over myself at a lot of I
think legitimate apprehensions, But again, I was a child in
the late nineteen fifties dealing with the dentist who they
would give you some he would give you Novacan, and
the next thing you felt was his knee on your
chest as the drill was going. And I was saying, like,
(07:13):
as an eight year old doc, shouldn't wait a little while. Oh, no,
it's no problem, And yeah it was. It was a
huge problem. So we have moved out of I don't
like to refer to the nineteen fifties as dark ages,
but I think we've gone way beyond the type of
care people received from dentists, you know, some fifty or
(07:34):
sixty years ago, and it's improved sprentially.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Yeah, and you're one hundred percent correct, And you know,
I'm just a few years behind you. Dan and I
experienced the same thing. And then later in life, I
ended up meeting a root canal and I went to
an end of Donnis and it was really a very
positive experience. I was in pain when I went there
(08:00):
and not feeling great, and he took care of that
and the procedure was painless. But I felt exactly the
same way. And that's what encouraged me to go to
dental school and ultimately to specialize in endodonics, was that experience.
So you are correct, it was very different. I'm not,
are you calling it the dark Agency. You know, it
(08:23):
was only fifty years ago, but you know, from a
tech now standpoint, we are so much further than we
were back then.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Yeah, I believe me. Sometimes I go to the dentist
and now who I have, and I walk out and
I say, it didn't hurt. Why did it hurt in
the old days? Anyway, I thank you for what you do,
and I thank you for your demeanor and your approach
because I know how important seeing your dentist, you know,
(08:55):
every six months, and getting your teeth cleaned and making
sure that they stayed clean because it presents, it prevents
problems going forward. I understand that there are millions of
Americans who have lost all of their teeth, and you
know that to me is a complete tragedy that many
Americans are walking around with all of most of their
(09:18):
teeth missing, because it's such an impact on the rest
of their life. As you said earlier, they don't smile,
they don't they're not able often to eat the food
they enjoy, and it is a deleterious effect on their lifestyle.
So thanks for joining us tonight, and thanks for clarifying
(09:39):
what antidontics can actually do. It's not a word we
should fear. It's a word that we should take advantage of.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
In the yep, exactly right. And if your listeners, you
don't should need root canal therapy, they can find us.
They don't need to come through their dentist. They could
just go to find my end adonis dot com and
find a specialist in their area that can take care
(10:08):
of the issues. And you know, you are correct. We
do see a lot of people walking around with our teeth,
but that's better than it used to be, so we
aren't getting our message out. And in addition to that,
if patients have not seen the dentist, it's never too late.
You can always start and we could save most of
their teeth and they can keep them for the rest
(10:30):
of their lives. So I don't want people to think that,
you know, they have to give up. They can go
to the dentist, get treatment and retain what they have.
Speaker 2 (10:40):
Doctor Stephen Katz. Very great presentation, and I mean that seriously.
I was even apprehensive talking to you, but you have
put my mind at ease and hopefully a lot of
my listeners all up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Doctor
Stephen Katz, what's that website one more time with people
(11:00):
can go to if they need an answered Auntist.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
Yes, it's find my endidonist dot com.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Couldn't be easier. Couldn't be easier. Thank you so much,
doctor Katz. Look forward to talking again again.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
Yeah, it was great to being on. Thank you so much. BOBBYE.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Welcome. When we get back, we're going to talk about
another problem, not well maybe a problem for us. We're
going to talk about Cape Cod and the great white
sharks that we've become accustomed to, and we're going to
talk with the president of the Atlantic Shark Expeditions, doctor
Neil Hammerschlog, and answer the question what would happen to
(11:37):
Cape Cod if the Great whites disappear. We'll be back
right after this on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Boston's
news radio.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
With us is doctor Neil hammas Schlog. He is a
the president of the Atlantic Shark Expeditions. First of all,
doctor Hammerschlag, tell us exactly what is it Atic Shock Expeditions.
Is this something that you're involved in professionally or can
people use the Atlantic Shock Expeditions and take trips out
to the briny deep and see some white shocks up
(12:10):
close and personal.
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Hi there. Yeah, it's actually a bit of both. So
we do bring people out from the public to get
on a boat. They can view the sharks from the
boat or actually take the plunge in our shark cage
and get face to face on the waters of predators.
And it all supports research that we're doing out on
these sharks while.
Speaker 3 (12:33):
On the boat.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
All right, so now we know that you do get
up close and personal. So the question is, and I'm
going to ask you when did the sharks? When are
white sharks off the coast of the cave. I'm going
to go really to the fundamentals Initially, when do they
arrive and when do they depart for warmer waters?
Speaker 4 (12:53):
Yeah, so they're they're a bit like a like a snowbird.
So they spend the kind of summer and fall off
the cape, and then when the waters get cold, they
head back down south to over winter.
Speaker 2 (13:05):
So we're talking about, say the fourth of July to
the end of October. When will you see your first
white this year white shark off the cape.
Speaker 4 (13:15):
So I don't work in the cape. I work in
Nova Scotia, So I work in Nova Scotia, just a
bit north of the shelf of Maine, and so we
see sharks there coming in around July, August, September, but
it's slightly earlier off off the cape, so you can
probably expected to see that in June or right.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Okay, so they are migratory. That's great. So now my
question then is, and my producer says that there's a
story here sharks scientists show what may happen to cape
called if great whites disappear. I don't assume great whites
are going to disappear anytime soon. And our focus is
the cape because we're so familiar with the cape. What
(13:58):
would happen or what could cause cause white sharks to
no longer migrate up here, great whites to no longer
migrate up there? How significant of a change in water
temperature would we need some here in New England or
in the southeast Canada.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
Well, you'd actually be surprised these animals. And I don't
think it's going to be water temperature that would have
a dramatic effect. I mean the I think what we're
seeing in other place of the world is that these
sharks are long lived and they mature laid life and
they have very few offspring. So if there's a lot
of all of a sudden they start being captured in
(14:38):
fisheries and suffering or being killed some way, being removed,
they could quickly quickly disappear.
Speaker 2 (14:47):
So they need to So you're telling me, is they
need to be protected.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
Yeah, I mean they Fortunately they are protected in the
US and in Canada. And what we're seeing is their
numbers are healthy. Right now they've increased and right now
they are healthy.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Great, it was not always that way. Was there a
period of time when Captain Ahab was running around that
the whites h.
Speaker 4 (15:12):
I mean, yeah, their numbers definitely dropped in January seventies,
eighties and nineties, where you know, at least the early
nineties until they are protected in the late nineties. But
in the seventeen and eighties, saw you know, these sharks
the numbers decline.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
Okay, Now the next question that I have is, clearly
they're part of the ecosystem, a big part of the ecosystem.
Your sense is that right now they're in pretty good
shape in terms of numbers, and that they are replacing
(15:52):
the sharks are replacing themselves. What do we need to
not that we need to worry about things, but what
are you most concerned about in terms of making sure
that the great white sharks are welcomed and comfortable up
in your neck of the woods and down in our
neck of the woods by cape cod. What worries you
(16:13):
at night if anything?
Speaker 4 (16:16):
You know, you know, I think while animals can be
protected on paper, that doesn't always you know, come out
in reality. And so you know, there's a possibility that
these these sharks could be targeted by people, you know,
trophy hunters trying to catch the big one, you know,
get a set of jaws. They're being caught. They could
(16:36):
be caught, you know, unintentionally, you know, entanglement and things
like yeah, traps or lobster pots, and then you know
they could be killed, you know, when they leave protected
waters and being taken in international waters. So you know,
there's always that fear there.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
We have right now a part of about thirty whales
which are frolicking off of Cape cod, and that particular
species of whale only has about three hundred and fifty worldwide.
So there's been some cautions sent out on the last
day or so. According to the local newscast for anybody
(17:14):
who's out there on the water, particularly in the Cape
Cod Canal, to go no faster than ten knots, So
they don't, you know, run in and run their boats
and hurt someone. What is the estimate of the population
of great white sharks worldwide or North America? Does anyone
have their arms around how many of these beautiful fish
(17:39):
exist in our world?
Speaker 5 (17:43):
Not?
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Really.
Speaker 4 (17:45):
There's some estimates that restarch To or Atlantic White Shark
Conservancy estimated in a study that there might be as
many as eight hundred individuals that have visited Cape Cod
in the last several years. Other areas, it seems like
most areas of world where there have been estimates, it
seems to be the number like up the Luck Australia
(18:07):
or New Zealand. The numbers seem to hover around a
thousand in various different locations. But in terms of the
total population size, that doesn't mean that's as many sharks
in one single time. That just needs like kind of
the whole population size.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
I know that I believe it's out of woods hole
here down on Cape Cod. I believe that they were
able to get out and actually tag these sharks and
follow them. What their their migration pattern is and they
actually can almost name them. That's that's the how close
the research is that the relationships that develop between the
(18:44):
researches and the sharks. I'm sure it's something similar to
that where you are up in Canada. Yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:52):
Absolutely, we're trying to monitor, you know, through our research
and ecotourism. We're trying to get a handle on what
kind of the the population statuses and if it's stable, increasing, decreasing,
and also identify just areas that are important for these sharks,
because no one you have to protect the sharks, but
also the habitats are important. To do this, we try
(19:12):
to identify the individuals. We track the individuals and so
we can see like where they're, the places they like
to go, how frequently they go there, and if they
return there from your year.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Does the hamislide? Just one final question we follow during
the summertime shar activity. I'm sure you have that that
app on your phone as well. What's the average life
expectancy of a great white shark, you know, in our
in our part of the world. Is it twenty thirty
years or less or more.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
You're gonna be blown away? It's eighty years old, about
eighty years old to be their long lived species. That's
the thing is they only reach they only reach sexual maturity.
They only become adults when they're you know, close to thirty,
which is why you know. That means they don't reproduce
until they're in their thirties pretty much. So that's why
(20:05):
you know it doesn't take a lot of removals. If
you start pishing them out before they can reproduce, then
you know, can have detrimental impacts.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Great, well, look, doctor Hammerschlock, you have answered all my questions.
I thank you very much, President of Atlantic Shark Expeditions.
If there are some folks who are looking to visit you,
what's the website.
Speaker 4 (20:26):
Well, yeah, we'd love that. We'd love to host you
on a case diving per science. It's Atlantic Shark e
XP dot com. Atlantic Shark exp dot com.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
That's perfect. It makes it simple, easier than to spell
expeditions Atlantic Shark e XP all one word dot com.
Doctor Neil Hamishlock, thank you very much for your time tonight.
I really enjoyed our conversation.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Thank you, You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
We had the news coming up at the bottom of
the hour and after that we're going to talk with
a reporter from the Washington Post about whether or not
brown rice actually is healthier than white rice, and the
way the question has been posed, I suspect we may
have a surprise for an answer. We'll find out on
the other side of the news at the bottom of
the hour.
Speaker 1 (21:08):
It's night signed Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
All right, we are delighted to welcome from the Washington
Post reporter by the name of Teddy and then a
mena bar. Have I gotten that name anywhere close close
to correct? Teddy?
Speaker 3 (21:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (21:28):
Dead on, it's really fanatic having all right.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Well, thank you. The Teddy was pretty easy, that one
I got, uh, And you're right for the Post, and
we're going to talk about whether brown rice is actually
healthier than white rice. Is food your specialty or you're
a general assignment reporter and this investigative report is was
assigned to you or you came up with the idea?
Speaker 6 (21:53):
Yeah, So I've been reporting on contaminants and foods, specifically
having that lead and arsenic and I reported this story
with Anahad O'Connor, who is our food and nutrition columnist
and reporter, And so that's how we tackled both sides
of this question of you know, whether brown rice is
(22:18):
in fact healthier.
Speaker 2 (22:19):
So I believe that the story that you wrote concluded
that brown rice has more arsenic than white rice, But
is it still the better choice? I think that was
the headline.
Speaker 5 (22:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (22:33):
Yes, there are some influencers on Instagram or TikTok who
you know, raised concerns about the level of arsenic in
brown rice. And it is true that brown rice, because
it has that brand, that outer layer, it does have
(22:55):
higher levels of arsenic than white rice. But you know,
really the folks we spoke with, so the researchers who
really study rice and rice patties and heavy metal contamination,
you know, they just said that for the average adult,
you would need to eat an excessive amount of brown
rice for this to be a concern. The one caveat
(23:16):
here that I do just want to stress is, you
know where the attention is. It is for babies and
toddlers who you know, rice based toddler food can you know,
really be kind of the first foods a small child
might be eating, And you just want to be conscious of,
you know, diversifying the types of grains that you're feeding
a small kid because they can be more, you know,
(23:39):
at risk of you know, having you know, too much
arsenic because they're smaller.
Speaker 2 (23:44):
Okay, So my question is when we think about arsenic,
we think that arsenic is a poison like hemlock. How
does a arsenic find its way into rice, whether it's
brown or white? Is this just a function of nature?
Speaker 6 (24:03):
Yeah, this is This is I think the most fascinating
part of the reporting. So arsenic is particularly good at
getting into rice grain because of how we grow rice,
so rice patties. We flood fields and the soil isn't
exposed to oxygen. So the natural amount of arsenic that's
(24:26):
already in the soil converts to a more soluble form
of arsenic that the rice, the roots of the rice
plant absorb it. Actually, the rice actually thinks that this
is a nutrient and the arsenic goes through the roots
into the grain. And so that's why you have higher
(24:48):
levels of arsenic and rice than you do quina or
barley or wheat.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
So is rice And I'm not an expert, I'm not
an exp for an agriculture. Is brown rice and white
rice rice just a function of where it is grown?
Or are there rice patties that are developed to produce
(25:17):
a certain color of rice or or is it just
you know, it just so happens that in this particular
part of the world it mostly is brown in this
particular part of the world. How does that work? Yeah?
Speaker 6 (25:29):
Yeah, So you know, there are absolutely different species of rice,
and you know, different soils, even in the US are
going to have different levels of arsenic. So actually parts
of the southern southeast US deal more with arsenic in
(25:49):
the soil than say California. But to get to the
point of your question, the difference between white rice and
brown rice is just processing. So white rice is a
bread rice kernel that has been processed more to remove
that outer layer and strip it of that brown what's
(26:11):
called brand.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
Okay, So so what you're saying is that a kernel
uh and maybe I hope the word colonel is correct.
A kernel of white rice, uh and brown rice is
essentially the same. When you take the the outer covering
off the brown, the brown, the colonel of brown rice
will look the same. Is That's what I think I'm
(26:33):
hearing you say.
Speaker 6 (26:35):
Yeah, yeah, that's correct. And they do some polishing too
to the white rice to give it that But yeah,
that's that's the process well.
Speaker 2 (26:42):
That's interesting. And this, this story that that you've worked
on with your colleague is a consequence of what some
people I guess who are not necessarily rice experts, have
theorized and and you and wanted to prove or disprove
what their theories were. That's what it sounds to me
(27:04):
was the genesis of the story. Yeah.
Speaker 6 (27:07):
Well, a lot of my job is what's the health
information people see online? And how can we report the facts,
how can we go to the experts to clarify or
to dig deeper? And so that was the case with
this one.
Speaker 2 (27:25):
So overall you were going to I think a unique position.
Overall the research that you did, does it confirm what
the Food and Drug Administration would know or are you
actually going deeper onto issues like this and perhaps others
(27:46):
that you've covered which are even more informed than what
our FDA knows about not only this product but other products.
Speaker 6 (28:00):
It's an interesting question. I would say that you know,
the SDA is definitely aware of arsenic in rice, and
it regulates the amounts of arsenic in rice cereals for
infants at a metric called one hundred parts per billion,
(28:26):
but it doesn't specifically have the same guidance for you know,
the white or brown rice we buy in the store.
Comparatively in the EU, there are you know, in the
UK there are more specific regulations for you know, the
(28:47):
rice you'd buy off the shelf.
Speaker 5 (28:49):
So that's all to say, you know, they're they're aware
of it.
Speaker 6 (28:52):
There is some regulation, but it's it's not as specific
as it is in the EU.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
Last question, since since you're an expert in this field,
what is your take on the appointment of that the
American surgeon, doctor Martin McCarry out of Johns Hopkins as
the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. You know, again,
he's a surgeon. I'm trying to reconcile what his expertise
(29:21):
as a surgeon, uh will will will benefit the Food
and Drug Administration. I know he's a very smart guy.
I'm just curious if if you've looked at his background
and said, hey, it's a pretty good pick, or maybe
it's a pick that still has to be evaluated.
Speaker 6 (29:38):
You know, I have not you know, admittedly interviewed or
like spoken with people in or around the FDA about
I you know, my job is really more just to
keep reporting what we know about you know as the
SDA rolls out new regulations or the aged as rolls
(30:00):
out new announcements, like what's the broader context here? What
does the science say so far and so anyways? That
doesn't directly answer your question.
Speaker 2 (30:10):
That's right, Look, honest answer. I've asked a question. We
don't script questions. You do not have my questions at events,
but I couldn't pass on that opportunity. Teddy, Amanda bar
thank you so much. Love to have you back. It
was fascinating interview.
Speaker 6 (30:26):
Thank you, yeah, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (30:29):
Very welcome. When we get back, President Trump has signed
an executive order to relax some of his twenty five
percent tariffs on imported automobiles and auto parts. We'll talk
about it with John Vincent, senior editor for Vehicle Testing
at US News Autos Team. Coming back on Night's Side
right after this.
Speaker 1 (30:48):
It's Night Side, Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
Well, I think all of us have learned a lot
about tariffs in the last month or so. Someone who
knows a lot about tariff is my next guest, John Vincent. John,
welcome to Nightside. How are you, sir?
Speaker 5 (31:04):
I am good for you tonight.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
You're probably very sought after interview. These days, you're the
senior editor for vehicle Testing at US News Autos Teams.
This is a it's been a very interesting month. We're
now in May. A lot of us are thankful that
we're out of April. We do know that the President
imposed some tariffs on April second Liberation Day and stock
(31:27):
market went down around five or six percent across the board.
It has kind of clawed its way back, and now
the President seems to be relaxing some of his twenty
five percent tariffs on imported automobiles and auto parts. What's
going on?
Speaker 5 (31:43):
So they're relaxed, they're not gone, and they help certain
companies a whole lot more than other companies. Basically, what
they're doing is throwing the mestic auto companies a lifeline
so they have a little bit more time to you know,
create their new supplier pipelines in the Wes. You know,
(32:08):
building a factory isn't as simple as just building a building.
You have to develop all the supplier pipelines to serve
that factory and that's not easy to do or quick.
Speaker 2 (32:20):
So today, I don't know when he signed this order.
Was that this order signed today?
Speaker 3 (32:24):
Was it yesterday or yesterday.
Speaker 2 (32:27):
Yesterday, okay, today, the stock market across the board seemed
to have a pretty good day. They've had. It's had
a lot of good days. Are you now, I know
you're not a stock market expert, but in view of
the impact that these tariffs had initially had on the market,
the turbulence of the early part of the month of April,
(32:51):
are you surprised that the market has come back this
quickly after such a down, downspike.
Speaker 5 (32:57):
You know, like you said, I am a little surprised
at how parts come back because we're not out of
the woods and the effects of these tariff shed and
we still don't know, you know, exactly how much they're
going to cost. The market hates uncertainty, and we still
have a lot of uncertainty out there.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
How tough is it going to be? It's It's one
thing to say if if a company, an automaker is
shipping in a car from that that's been produced made
in Mexico or Japan or wherever in its entirety, Okay,
you're going to hit it with the tariff. But as
I understand that a lot of the vehicles that are
(33:39):
made even here in the US are made with parts
that come from other countries around the world, so that
it's not going to be like either a zero percent
tariff or one hundred percent tariff on some cars. There's
going to be some percentage of the value of the
of the products in the car. How who is going
to decide that? And how difficult is it going to
(34:00):
You're going to have to have everybody walking around with
a calculator.
Speaker 5 (34:03):
So, yes, the math is going to be complicated, but
fortunately most of it is done already. There is an
index that comes out on a rolling basis that talks
about the American arts content on every car sold in
the US, and it's actually something that's included on the
minor ownly sticker, the windowstick you see the price on
(34:26):
the side of the car. There is no event US
built car there. The highest percentage is eighty five percent,
and it happens to be on two Tesla models, which
it's kind of funny because you're doct to pay any
tariffs if your car is built in Eighty five percent
(34:47):
of US parts kind.
Speaker 2 (34:49):
Of worked out pretty well, fantastical.
Speaker 5 (34:52):
Well for someone funny where they found that number.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
I have no idea. You sound somewhat skeptical but I'm
not going to put you to the test of that skepticism.
Speaker 5 (35:02):
Ahead skeptical Okay.
Speaker 2 (35:06):
So so the question then is, uh, President Trump has
tried to sell this as a way to revitalize the
US car industry. I guess only time will tell, But
he's also tried to sell it as a way in
which companies that are producing high end products like automobiles.
(35:29):
And I can't think of a higher end product that
is that is sent into the United States that those
tariffs will anure to the benefit of the US treasury.
Is that So is that an aspect that we're overlooking
or is that overstated in terms of how much good
it will do From just a purely moneyful perspective.
Speaker 5 (35:52):
I think long term it's overstate a perfect perfectly don't
tariff collect any tax money because a tariff is designed
to make the products so expensive the consumers opt for
different products. So in that case, you know, those imports
stop and they don't collect tariffs. Unfortunately, unless you cut
(36:17):
off fifty percent of the auto indugury, they can't just stop,
you know, bringing cars in, consumers will see price increases,
whether the car is affected by directly affected by tariffs
or not they will see price increases because let's say
the MOTHS to c X five goes up by two
(36:39):
thousand dollars. I think Honda's not going to rate the
price of the Honda CRB by a thousand because they
have that much more room to compete.
Speaker 2 (36:48):
Sure. Yeah, well, I think that corporations will take advantage
of the marketplace. I think is what you're saying. I mean,
that's intuitively what they do. I hope that that that
gets monitored so it's minimized, and I hope that consumers
are aware of it. And I know that you folks
will follow that. And information is normally sunlight is the
(37:12):
greatest disinfectant, but information is a great disincentive for any
of these games to be played. I look at supermarkets
right now and I see products that are have gone
up thirty forty percent, and I know what they are.
They're not complicated products. They're products that are produced in
the United States and on a very small level. I
(37:33):
think companies are taking advantage of the political atmospherics. And
I think that's what you're saying.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
Yep. And when you look at the auto industry, the
automotive cycles take a lot longer than a four year
election cycle. By the time you cite a plant, get
that plant up and running, you know, it's taking more
than four years, and the cars built in that plant
will be more expensive because through robots, robotic tools that
(38:03):
work in that plant aren't made in America and they're
going to be subject to teriffs.
Speaker 2 (38:08):
Okay, So my question is then if this is not
going to innure as a as a short term political
benefit to President Trump. Most politicians are smart enough to
do things that are short term political benefits. I'm gonna
cut your taxes. I'm going to do this. I'm gonna
chicken in every pot whatever, a car in every garage.
(38:28):
Why do you think he's doing it? Do you think
he really believes this as a and as what he says,
or do you think he's just looking to to make
a statement and and create and leave a legacy.
Speaker 5 (38:42):
I think he's trying to leave a legacy. But I'm
you know, not going to get into, you know, what's
going on in his mind. I think a lot of
people are making a lot of money with the swings
in the stock market, which sounds simple, but you know,
I think there are a lot of smart people in
the white house, and I'm not sure that they're, you know,
(39:03):
ignoring the swings that they're seeing.
Speaker 2 (39:05):
Well, we should track that. That should be tracked. John,
We're flat out of time. Love to have you back
as this whole story develops throughout the summer and into
the fall. I hope you'd be kind enough to come
back with us. We don't again, we don't script questions here.
I'm asking you questions that I hope the questions that
are in the mind of my audience. And I appreciate
(39:26):
you being as honest and candid with your answers as
you were this evening, and hope to do it.
Speaker 5 (39:30):
We love to come back anytime.
Speaker 2 (39:31):
Thank you, John, appreciate John Vincent of US News their
Auto's team. When we come back, we are going to
talk with a former state representative. It's a cautionary tale,
but it's actually a story that I think is a
positive story despite what this state representative, David Nangel, went through.
We will explain when we come back.
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