This week Zorba and Karl discuss how children’s food pickiness may be pre-disposed, and they talk about why black women are more likely to undergo unnecessary C-sections. Plus, they share […]

DNA tests are uncovering family histories. In some cases they're also revealing mixed bloodlines and the buried history of slavery. For African Americans, this can be emotionally-charged. What do you do when you find out one of your direct ancestors was a slave owner? And does it open the door to new conversations about racial justice and social healing?

Original Air Date: March 10, 2018

Guests:

Alex Gee — Erin Hoag — Annette Gordon-Reed — Anita Foeman

Interviews In This Hour:

How Do You Know Ruben Gee? — Searching for America's Racial History in a Graveyard — Uncovering America's Buried History: The Story of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings — Changing Our Conversation About Race Using Genetic Testing

Further Reading:

"Black Like Me" podcast

The BlackStar Companies, LLC announced the launch of a new business division called BlackStar SIPs. BlackStar SIPs is the company’s latest entry into sustainable, cost-efficient and high-performance construction solutions for residential, commercial and government clients.

Dimitris Spiliadis’ great-grandfather once owned a hotel in Constantinople, which was lost when the Turks invaded the magnificent and historic city (now known as Istanbul).

New black Gridstone Gypsum Ceiling Panels raise the bar for spaces that demand both style and durability. Perfect for restaurants, hotels and other commercial interiors, the black panels combine striking aesthetic appeal with the practical benefits of straightforward installation and low maintenance.

Modern Design Meets Durability for Commercial Spaces

Canterbury, England — Many people returning to work after the death of a loved one don’t receive adequate support from their employer, according to a study from Canterbury Christ Church University.

Washington — A “fundamental shift” is needed in the mining industry’s approach to coal dust exposure to help mitigate a surge in black lung disease among underground coal miners, according a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

State College, PA — Using a 3D device on a microchip that mimics the behavior of human lungs, researchers from Penn State University will use a $400,000 grant from NIOSH to study the effects of nano-scale coal dust on the lungs of underground miners, the university has announced.

Washington — Proposed legislation that would ease access to health care and other benefits for coal miners who have black lung disease is advancing in the House.

Washington — A new law permanently restores a recently expired excise tax rate increase on coal production, which will help fund health care and other benefits for coal miners who have black lung disease.

Morgantown, WV – Despite robbery-related violence being the leading cause of death in the retail industry, many Texas convenience store owners fail to take precautions that could prevent robberies and protect workers from violence, according to a new NIOSH study.

Parkland parent Andrew Pollack is launching School Safety Grant, a new organization that awards security technology solutions in school districts across America with the objective of saving response time and lives in an emergency. 

Chicago — A group of researchers is calling for an increase in occupational health and safety research focused on Indigenous people.

Saratoga, CA — It’s still an issue: A recent survey of women in the construction industry found that gender-appropriate personal protective equipment and maternity-friendly safety equipment is lacking on jobsites.

Portland, OR — Older workers feel more stress than their younger colleagues when employers don’t provide the support and resources necessary for employees to do their jobs well, results of a recent study from Portland State University suggest.

San Diego — More than 4,600 coal miners have developed the most severe form of black lung disease since 1970, with nearly half of the cases emerging after 2000, according to a recent study from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Chicago — Physicians contracted by mine operators to review chest X-rays of coal miners who file “totally debilitating disease” workers’ compensation claims with the Department of Labor’s Federal Black Lung Program may have a bias strongly related to financial conflict of interest, researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago suggest.

Charlottesville, VA — Coal miners with black lung disease commonly face various mental health issues, including thoughts of suicide, results of a recent study conducted by researchers from the University of Virginia show.

Washington — Proposed legislation would create funding for health care and other benefits for coal miners who have black lung disease by extending, for 10 years, a recently expired excise tax rate increase on coal production.

Chicago — The lung tissue of contemporary coal miners contains higher levels of respirable crystalline silica dust than was found in miners of past generations – which may explain an ongoing surge in cases of the most severe form of black lung disease, researchers at University of Illinois Chicago say.

Triangle, VA — United Mine Workers of America President Cecil Roberts is calling on Congress to advance proposed legislation that would ease access to health care and other benefits for coal miners who have black lung disease.

Washington – A rule listed on the Department of Labor’s spring 2014 regulatory agenda is intended to address problems with the administration of the Black Lung Benefits Act, through which miners receive compensation for disabilities related to pneumoconiosis – also known as “black lung” disease.

Washington — In an effort to detect cases of black lung disease, NIOSH will offer free, confidential health screenings for current and former coal miners in Indiana and Texas.

Washington — Fully operational Positive Train Control technology “would have intervened” to stop a fatal Amtrak passenger train derailment in which crew members were inadequately trained and tested on various aspects of a new route, the National Transportation Safety Board has concluded after its investigation into the December 2017 incident in DuPont, WA.

Ann Arbor, MI — Despite being regularly exposed to biohazards, fewer than 3 in 10 solid waste and recycling workers receive training on infection prevention, results of a recent study show.

Blackline Safety is an industry leader in lone worker monitoring solutions for every industry, location and job. Our global monitoring solutions are highly customizable to meet the needs of each lone worker scenario. We continuously work to bring new innovations and capabilities into our mainstream service offerings for our customers.

Click here for more information from Blackline Safety

We’ve got your back. Loner® solutions from Blackline Safety enable personnel to work alone with remote monitoring. Includes automatic and manual incident detection and alerting, communications, and location technology. If an injury, health event, or physical assault occurs, monitoring personnel makes a difference – in real-time – even if the employee is unconscious and indoors.

Click here for more information from Blackline Safety

Whitewater, WI – One-third of residential construction contractors who participated in a recent study said their firms lacked written safety programs, according to researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Blackline Safety Corp., a Calgary, Alberta-based supplier of connected safety technology, recently promoted Sean Stinson to president. With this appointment, Stinson assumes the leadership of Blackine Safety’s software and professional service offerings, and will continue to lead all of the revenue-generating activities, including sales, customer success and channel management.

Blackline Safety Corp., a technology leader driving innovation in the industrial workforce through the Internet of Things, has expanded the manufacturing capacity at its Calgary, Alberta, headquarters. The expanded manufacturing area now spans more than 11,850 square feet on the main floor – a 49% increase in space.

Blackline Safety Corp., a Calgary, Alberta-based connected safety technology provider, has a new chief financial officer.

Revolutionize your employee safety program with safety monitoring by Blackline GPS! New industrial-quality indoor location technology, coupled with person-worn Loner^® safety monitoring devices, empowers a pin-point emergency response to incidents. Real-time safety alerts include automated man-down and True Fall Detection^®, plus manual requests for help. It is intrinsically safe for hazardous environments.

Click here for more information from Blackline GPS

The Loner Bridge System by Blackline is the first safety monitoring solution that functions in remote areas and outside of cell coverage. This system will automatically send an alert to monitoring personnel and nearby team members in the event of an emergency – even if the employee is unconscious or incapacitated.

Click here for more information from Blackline Safety

Black ice – which can be almost invisible – forms when the air temperature is warmer than pavement, which causes moisture to rapidly freeze and create a thin, transparent layer of ice on the roadway.

Although it can form on any road and “sneak up on you,” the National Weather Service says black ice frequently is found on roads that lack exposure to sunlight or are lightly traveled.

Also known as coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, black lung is a “job-related disease caused by continued exposure to excessive amounts of respirable coal mine dust,” NIOSH says.

Bozeman, MT — Industries in which workers are prone to sleep loss should develop and adopt policies that prioritize sleep to ensure better daytime function and well-being, researchers say.

The Loner Safety Monitoring Device provides instant emergency alerting accompanied by real- time location information, allowing organizations to exceed worker safety regulations. The Loner SMD will automatically send an alert to monitoring personnel in the event of an emergency or incident – even if the employee is unconscious or incapacitated.

Washington — Democratic lawmakers have renewed their push to ease access to health care and other benefits for coal miners who have black lung disease.

Washington — Aiming to identify cases of black lung disease in current and former miners, NIOSH will provide free, confidential health screenings in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Washington — Easing access to health care and other benefits for coal miners who have black lung disease can help remedy a “devastating” development in the mining community, Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) says.

The makers of the HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® brand combined the two flavors within a single bite in its latest limited-time flavor offering, HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Ranch Bacon. 

The makers of HORMEL® BLACK LABEL® Bacon bring expertise to the partnership with CINNAMON TOAST CRUNCH™ — an iconic cereal from General Mills with a cult-like following.

An in-vivo animal study revealed that aged black garlic extract (Pharmactive Biotech Products, S.L. ABG10+®) containing S-allyl-cysteine (SAC) and polyphenols could help promote vascular health. 

An in vivo animal study revealed that aged black garlic extract (Pharmactive Biotech Products, S.L. ABG10+®) containing S-allyl-cysteine (SAC) and polyphenols could help promote vascular health. ABG10+, a Nutraingredients Asia Award-winning proprietary black garlic extract formulation, demonstrated that supplementation with this unique compound could help maintain proper cardiovascular function, balance lipids, and decrease the risk of atherosclerosis.

Powered by BRCC’s proprietary Black Rifle Energy™ Blend, these drinks are crafted with naturally sourced caffeine that delivers a punch in attention-grabbing packaging.