The Leonard Lopate Show

Toxic Mold

An upstate New York librarian claims that her MCS (Multiple Chemical Sensitivity) was caused by exposure to mold at the library where she worked. She's now so ill she can barely leave her house. Today industrial hygienist Monona Rossol and Dr. David C. Straus explain why some mold can be so toxic, and whether you should be concerned about your workplace. Ms. Rossol is also founder and president of Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety, Inc., and Dr. Straus is Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Texas Tech University.

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Be Near Me: A Novel from Scotland

Scottish author Andrew O'Hagan's novel Be Near Me is about the life and losses of a Scottish-born, Oxford-educated Catholic priest. Be Near Me was Booker-longlisted and has just been published in the US for the first time.

Be Near Me is available for purchase at amazon.com

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Backstory: Bush in Albania

When President Bush visited Albania earlier this month, he received a hero's welcome there that’s become unusual these days. The Balkan country is one of the staunchest allies of the US. On today's Backstory, Nicole Itano of the Christian Science Monitor explains why Albanians are so pro-American.

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Backstory: The Alternative Energy Bill

Congress is working on an energy package that will include the first raise of fuel economy standards since 1983…but it also could give subsidies to the coal industry to explore the use of liquid coal as an alternative fuel. We’ll look into what this energy package will do, who it will benefit and its potential impact on the environment. Leonard talks to Vijay Vaitheeswaran, an energy correspondent for the Economist.

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