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Boston Globe
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Boston Globe
‘The right thing to do.' White Stadium supporters talk up advantages of city's rehab plan.
Some held signs: 'Build it for the students!' 'Repair the ruins! Restore the Park!' 'BPS Parents for Franklin Park!' Advertisement The news conference is the latest development in the saga about the White Stadium rebuild, which has become a political football in the ongoing mayoral race. Last month, Boston He Wu rejected that claim, saying the $170 million number 'does not reflect anything that's grounded in reality,' though she acknowledged it is based on an internal, 'worst-case' cost projection. Advertisement The plan for the stadium has been met with mixed reaction locally. Proponents have lauded the badly needed improvements to the facility, which had fallen into disrepair, and access for Boston Public Schools student-athletes and the Franklin Park community, as well as the positive impact of a women's professional soccer team playing in a public facility. But there also has been plenty of pushback from opponents who say a professional soccer stadium is not the right fit for the location. They have concerns about the impact of the project on the park and the surrounding areas. On Wednesday, proponents of the stadium rebuild reiterated what they considered to be advantages of the plan, while portraying the opposition to it as small, vocal, and well-financed. 'We are really frustrated by the negative attention that this project has been getting, and we believe it's a very small group that is against the project,' said Christine Poff of the Franklin Park Coalition. 'A very loud group. very wealthy and very well funded.' She was referencing the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, a nonprofit park stewardship group that in recent weeks continued its legal challenge of the project, filing a notice of appeal with Massachusetts Appeals Court. In front of the stadium Wednesday, Nancy Lessin, who has lived nearby on Park Lane since the late 1980s, took exception to Poff's characterization of the opposition to the plan. 'I'm funded by nobody,' said Lessin, who has four grandchildren in the city's public schools and walks her Australian labradoodle, Tigger, at least twice a day in the park. Advertisement Lessin has ongoing environmental, health, and security concerns about the construction project, she said. 'There are many, many issues,' she said. 'I don't want to be characterized as someone who doesn't want things for the Boston public schools. I do.' Lessin disagreed with the notion that the city was transparent regarding the project, saying city officials have failed to answer questions of her regarding the stadium overhaul for months. 'The city has been not transparent at all,' she said. 'Not at all.' Poff, who pointed out there were about 60 community meetings regarding the White Stadium project, responded: 'I've had a different experience.' She also dismissed an alternative proposal supported by the conservancy that would see White Stadium refurbished into a The conservancy, in a statement, said it was proud to stand with a number of other groups, including the NAACP Boston, 'who support a significantly more affordable, fully-public stadium renovation that would meet the needs of BPS students and the community, without the many flaws of a massive new private soccer stadium.' 'Experts agree that a high school stadium should not cost anywhere near $100 million, and our community deserves a truly public stadium renovation that respects the state's strong environmental protection laws,' read the statement. 'With Boston Legacy playing their first season at Gillette Stadium, there is still ample time to collaborate on a better path forward.' At Wednesday's news conference, Rickie Thompson, president of the Franklin Park Coalition, called the ongoing proposal to renovate the stadium 'the right thing to do.' Thompson walks the park every day and said the planned overhaul of the stadium that allow it to play host to a professional women's soccer team would bring with it economic benefits to a part of the city sorely needs it. Advertisement Jacob Bor, who also serves on the Franklin Park Coalition board of directors, said the deal for the new stadium includes 'major wins' community, including funding mechanisms that will help maintain and preserve the park, increased public and school access to the space, and a schedule that will protect and respect big annual events held in the park such as Juneteenth and a kite and bike festival. A refurbished White Stadium could 'uplift' the entire park, he said. 'This is a park that's received very low public investment for over 50 years,' he said. Tony DaRocha, a retired Boston Public Schools teacher and local track coach, concurred, saying White Stadium has not been kept up. 'Why,' he asked, 'should our kids be deprived of facilities that are world class?' Danny McDonald can be reached at
Khaleej Times
9 hours ago
- Health
- Khaleej Times
I've heard receipts are toxic. Is it safe to touch them?
Q: I've seen claims online that paper receipts contain toxic chemicals. Should I avoid touching them? In a video on TikTok, Dr. Tania Elliott, a social media influencer with a medical background, grasps a Whole Foods receipt with a large pair of wooden tongs. 'Don't touch this,' she says, explaining that most paper receipts contain a 'toxic' chemical called bisphenol A, or BPA, which is easily absorbed through the skin and linked to health issues such as infertility, hormone imbalances and certain cancers. Such claims are made all over the internet. And many of them are not totally wrong, experts say. Until recently, most paper receipts in the United States did contain BPA, a known hormone disrupter, and skin exposures have been linked to fertility issues, insulin resistance and more. But over the past decade, BPA has largely been phased out and replaced with a different chemical, bisphenol S, or BPS. We know much less about BPS, such as how it might affect the body and what exposure levels may be safe, said Nancy Hopf, an industrial toxicologist at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. The risk associated with handling paper receipts quite likely depends on many factors, including how often and for how long you touch them. Here's what we know. What chemicals are used? Most paper receipts are printed on a type of paper called thermal paper, which is coated in dyes and chemical developers that react with heat to create a printed image. 'Sometimes, the thermal coating feels like powder on the backside of the receipt,' Hopf said. That thermal coating used to contain BPA. BPA mimics estrogen, a hormone that interacts with many cells throughout the body, including those in the reproductive system and the brain, said Andrea Gore, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Texas at Austin. 'It can trick the cell into thinking that it's bound to an estrogen when, in fact, it's bound to this artificial chemical,' Gore said. That could, at least in part, lead to a range of downstream effects, including insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and infertility. Most major US retailers began replacing BPA with BPS about a decade ago. A 2023 study of 571 paper receipts collected from 24 states concluded that just 1% of those receipts contained BPA — whereas 85% contained BPS. We don't know if BPS is safer than BPA, but there is mounting evidence that BPS also mimics estrogen, in ways that could cause similar health effects, particularly those related to reproduction, Gore said. When pregnant mice are fed BPS at levels comparable to what humans are typically exposed to each day, researchers have found that their female offspring have a harder time getting pregnant and have fewer babies compared with pregnant mice not fed BPS. In a 2019 study of 1,841 pregnant women in China, scientists found that those with the highest levels of BPS in their urine were 68% more likely to develop gestational diabetes than those with the lowest levels. California health officials recently listed BPS as a reproductive toxicant for men and women. Other mouse studies have linked BPS ingestion to obesity, and studies in children have found that those with more BPS in their urine tend to have higher markers of insulin resistance and issues with their blood vessels. 'There is very strong evidence and also strong confidence that both these chemicals are contributing to health disorders,' Gore said. Should you worry about your exposure? We know that both BPA and BPS are absorbed through the skin and are associated with higher risks of health problems, Hopf said. And although it would be difficult to prove that handling paper receipts directly causes those issues, there is enough evidence to recommend avoiding them and other products containing those chemicals, Jonathan Martin, a toxicologist and professor at Stockholm University, wrote via email. Neither BPS nor BPA is absorbed instantly, so you shouldn't worry too much about touching a receipt for a few seconds or even a few minutes. 'It takes a good couple of hours before it gets in,' Hopf said. If you work in a retail business, wearing nitrile gloves can minimize your exposure. And when shopping, know that the dust from thermal receipts can linger on your hands for hours, Hopf said, so wash them as soon as you can. But don't use hand sanitizer, Martin said — 'this will only enhance the absorption of BPA or BPS across the skin.' We also know that the amount of skin that's exposed matters, so hold the receipt with the tips of your fingers, and don't leave it lying around where its dust might shed onto your clothes or purse, or where small children might find it. Throw the receipt away as soon as you're done with it. Alternatively, Gore said, you can opt out of paper receipts altogether and get an electronic receipt when offered. 'I figure I'm protecting myself,' she said, 'but I'm also thinking about the cashier who's handling thousands of receipts each day.'
Business Upturn
a day ago
- Automotive
- Business Upturn
Force Marketing and automotiveMastermind® Announce Strategic Data Partnership to Activate Untapped Digital Channels with Enriched Buyer Propensity Data
Atlanta, July 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Force Marketing, a leading provider of data-driven, omnichannel marketing solutions for the automotive industry, has announced a strategic data partnership with automotiveMastermind. This collaboration leverages automotiveMastermind's proprietary buyer propensity data and segmentation capabilities to give Force customers the ability to unlock new opportunities across digital channels that were previously inaccessible, enabling dealers to expand audience reach, increase engagement, and drive measurable results. Through this partnership, automotiveMastermind enhances dealers' first-party data with its advanced BPS® (Behavior Prediction Score) and segmentation processes. By identifying high-value prospects, dealers can optimize audience targeting for maximum marketing impact. Force Marketing brings this enriched data to life with its proprietary Customer Data Platform (CDP), Audience IQ. It gives exclusive access to dealers to activate campaigns across key digital channels—including paid search, Meta, display, online video, connected TV (CTV), and streaming audio. Combining this cutting-edge technology with industry-leading creative, strategic marketing planning and extensive client performance data, Force Marketing has developed a fully-optimized marketing system designed to deliver transformative results. 'This partnership is revolutionary for automotive dealers,' said John Fitzpatrick, CEO at Force Marketing. 'For the first time, we're able to integrate automotiveMastermind's enriched buyer propensity data into a comprehensive digital marketing framework. This is about unlocking strategic access to a powerful dataset and activating it across untapped digital channels. With Force's proprietary CDP, Audience IQ, we're making this seamless and delivering it directly to dealers in a way that drives meaningful results and measurable growth.' 'As a certified digital partner for 12 OEMs and counting, we understand the complexity dealers face in staying 'on program' while choosing the right partner for their group,' said Fitzpatrick. 'Integrating automotiveMastermind's powerful data into program-compliant digital advertising gives dealers a clear competitive edge. It's a smarter, more strategic way to localize efforts and win in today's market.' The true highlight of this partnership lies in the union of two trusted dealer vendor partners working together to enhance dealership outcomes at no added cost. In a market crowded with brands collaborating with OEMs and dealers, this partnership signals a new era of synergy. By aligning their efforts, Force Marketing and automotiveMastermind are setting a standard for optimizing results and creating shared value for dealerships. 'There isn't enough of this happening in auto today,' added John Fitzpatrick. 'This is the new world. We work together.' Proven Performance Metrics Over the past three months, Force Marketing and automotiveMastermind have tested this partnership across 10 dealers, driving measurable success: Paid Search Campaigns (Premier Automotive Group): Reduced cost per conversion by 59% and lowered the CPC by 42%. Performance Max Campaigns (Premier Automotive Group): Enhanced targeting led to a 13% drop in cost per conversion. Streaming Media (10-Dealer Pilot): When applying the enriched data with ConnectedTV placements, the pilot group realized a 19% lift in sales demonstrating the impact of strategic data ramping, household targeting, and optimized creative strategies These results validate the strength of combining automotiveMastermind's enriched data with Force Marketing's dynamic marketing system. Force Marketing's Competitive Edge By integrating automotiveMastermind's data, technology and marketing with Force Marketing's digital marketing expertise, dealers can unlock a powerful combination of enriched data, tailored campaign strategies and high-performing creative assets. The partnership goes beyond simply executing campaigns—it delivers a fully optimized system designed to maximize every dollar spent on digital marketing. 'Dealerships utilizing Mastermind's technology platform know the significant advantages of data-driven, hyper-targeted, one-to-one marketing. Our partnership with Force Marketing, a company that shares our commitment to data-driven marketing strategies, empowers dealerships to access a comprehensive suite of digital and multi-channel marketing solutions, all backed by the same Actionable Intelligence™ from automotiveMastermind,' said Aaron Baldwin, CEO of automotiveMastermind. 'This partnership enables dealerships to leverage the best of automotiveMastermind and Force Marketing to deploy hyper-targeted audiences across a multi-channel ecosystem, which has been proven to enhance effectiveness. Together, we are bringing this powerful advantage to our dealer partners, elevating their marketing efforts overnight,' added Aaron Baldwin. About Force Marketing Founded in 2006, Force Holdings, LLC is a leading marketing technology provider to the automotive industry whose family of brands includes: Force Marketing, WeDrive Automotive and Gulf States Marketing (GSM). Headquartered in Atlanta with over 100 team members strategically positioned all over the U.S., the Force Family of Brands focuses on partnering and fostering relationships with dealers and OEMs nationwide to maximize ROAS, speed to market and improved lifetime customer value metrics. More information about Force Marketing's comprehensive suite of tech-enabled products can be found at For more information about this partnership, visit Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Malaysia Sun
a day ago
- Business
- Malaysia Sun
Indonesia sees 14 pct surge in foreign tourist arrivals in May 2025
JAKARTA, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia recorded a sharp increase of 14.01 percent year-on-year in foreign tourist arrivals, reaching a total of 1.31 million visits in May 2025, Statistics Indonesia (BPS) announced on Tuesday. "Most foreign tourists came from Malaysia at 18.26 percent, followed by Australia at 11.31 percent and Singapore at 9.68 percent," said Pudji Ismartini, deputy for distribution and services statistics at BPS, during a press conference. The main entry point for foreign tourists in May was I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport in Bali, primarily visited by travelers from Australia, India, and China, partly driven by events such as the Bali Spirit Festival and the Bali Training Ultra trail run. Other major entry points included Soekarno-Hatta Airport in Tangerang, Hang Nadim Airport in Batam, Juanda Airport in Surabaya, and Kualanamu Airport in North Sumatra. In contrast, domestic tourist trips in May climbed by 17.81 percent year-on-year to 97.67 million trips. Cumulatively, from January to May, foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia reached 5.63 million, up 7.44 percent compared to the same period last year, while domestic tourist trips in the same period totaled 508.67 million, an increase of 16.13 percent year-on-year.
Boston Globe
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Wanted: An exam school admission system that can stand the test of time
The city has tweaked that system every year over the past six school years, often in response to problems revealed the previous year. Advertisement While this experimentation has been well-meaning, the uncertainty needs to end. An admission system that's this hard to understand and changes in seemingly arbitrary ways isn't transparent. Students and families don't really know what to expect, and the changes are starting to have unintended consequences by souring families on the schools and the district. Get The Gavel A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. Enter Email Sign Up One can say it shouldn't matter — admission to an exam school shouldn't be of such pivotal importance — but until the rest of Boston's high schools are up to snuff, whether a student gets into an exam school is a make-or-break question for many Boston families. Now, Mayor Michelle Wu and Superintendent Mary Skipper are pushing a new set of changes. The administration has presented the School Committee with three options, all of which would address some of the unfair aspects of the current system. But, crucially, the administration also recognizes that endless tweaks have become a problem in and of themselves. District officials realize they need to 'craft a policy designed to remain stable for multiple years,' as a Advertisement So whether the School Committee members accept one of the three options Skipper gave them, or combine elements of the three plans to come up with their own, the important thing is for the School Committee to pick a plan and stick with it. The problem with the old system is that, while it was enviably straightforward, it was easily gamed: Savvy parents knew which private schools would give their kids straight As and could hire tutors to help kids master the material for the Change began about a decade ago. First, the district changed the test used to one that more closely tracks the BPS curriculum. Then, during the pandemic, it briefly stopped considering the test at all, admitting students solely on grades. As the pandemic eased, it instituted the current system of bonus points and tiers. Students still submit grades and test scores. But then bonus points are added if they meet one of several criteria; by far the most common bonus points are those awarded if a student is applying from a high-poverty school. Students are also no longer admitted based on a citywide competition: They only compete against other applicants from their tier. The district divides the city into four (initially eight) geography-based socioeconomic tiers, each of which is allocated a number of seats based on its population of school-age kids. Advertisement The changes have made the schools more diverse — at a price. One unintended consequence has been that in at least one year, The city responded by putting school-based bonus points on a sliding scale depending on the students' tier — making the system even more complicated and raising questions about how exactly the district is coming up with the bonus points and how empirically valid they could really be if they change this often. There is also some evidence that the policy changes may be pushing families away. Fewer students are applying to exam schools overall, and some who do apply but who don't get an invitation elect to leave the district. In the 2024-25 school year, according to the district, only 54 percent of seventh-grade applicants who didn't get an exam school seat stayed in BPS. Between 60 and 80 BPS students leave the district every year because they don't receive an exam school seat. All three of Wu and Skipper's proposals would end school-based bonus points (while retaining other kinds of bonus points, such as for students who are homeless). Two of three would also create a citywide admission window — something One of the three proposals would change the way seats are allocated to the four tiers. Instead of basing the allocation on the number of school-age kids in each tier, it would be based on the number of applications from that tier — so that the acceptance rate would be virtually the same in each tier. Advertisement According to the district's projections, any of the three proposals would have only a slight impact on the school's racial demographics. Getting rid of school-based bonus points is the most important change the committee can make, because it would do the most to simplify the process and would remove the part that feels the most subjective and arbitrary (Why 10 points? Why 4 points?). Stepping back, there is no perfect way to measure the 'smartest' kids, especially kids in sixth grade, and no admission system that won't leave some applicants disappointed. But as long as the district chooses to operate selective schools at all, the pathways should be clear, predictable, and open to all. The changes Wu and Skipper have suggested would move the district in that direction. But the real achievement will be when the committee doesn't have to consider a new batch of changes every year. Editorials represent the views of the Boston Globe Editorial Board. Follow us
