METROFOCUS: OCTOBER 31, 2019

GOOD-BYE GRIDLOCK ON 14th TREAT AT LEAST.

THE TRANSIT PLAN THAT'S ACTUALLY WORKING AND WHETHER WE CAN EXPECT TO SEE MORE OF THE SAME ACROSS THE CITY.

PLUS, NEW DETAILS ON BIKE LANES, FARE EVADERS AND THE MTAs MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR PLOON TO SAVE THE SUBWAY.

AND JOAN LUNDEN, THE JOURNALIST, AUTHOR AND FORMER 'GMA' CO-HOST TOLD THE WORLD ABOUT HER DIAGNOSIS FIVE YEARS AGO.

TONIGHT SHE SHARES THE INTIMATE DETAILS WITH AND VICTORY OVER THE DISEASE.

AND IT'S HALLOWEEN.

TONIGHT GHOULISH VAMPIRES, WEREWOLVES AND ZOMBIES ABOUND AS WE LOOK AT THE LORE, GORE, AND SCIENCE BEHIND YOUR FAVORITE MONSTERS.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE AS 'METROFOCUS' STARTS RIGHT NOW.

THIS IS 'METROFOCUS' WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA FLANAGAN.

'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES AND MERRYL TISCH, SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ, ROSALIND P. WALTER, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY --

> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO 'METROFOCUS.'

I'M JENNA FLANAGAN.

NEW YORK TRANSIT APPEARS TO BE ON THE CUSP OF A TRANSFORMATION.

TO START WITH, THERE IS THE $51.5 BILLION CAPITAL PLAN RECENTLY ANNOUNCED BY THE MTA.

THE PLAN SET TO KICK OFF NEXT YEAR IS THE LARGEST CAPITAL PLAN IN THE MTA'S HISTORY AND PROMISES TO INVEST BILLIONS IN THE CITY'S SUBWAYS, BUSES AND COMMUTER RAIL LINE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE DRAMATIC CHANGES TO COMMUTING IN NEW YORK THAT ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY SUCH AS THE RAPID EXPANSION OF BICYCLE LINES ACROSS THE FIVE BOROUGHS.

AN EXPANSION PUT INTO THE SPOTLIGHT DUE TO THE ALARMING RISE IN CYCLING DEATHS THIS YEAR.

ALSO A RENEWED FOCUS ON THE CITY'S BUS NETWORK, A COMPONENT THAT, ACCORDING TO TRANSIT ADVOCATES, HAS LONG BEEN UNDERSERVED.

THE RECENT SUCCESS OF THE 14th STREET BUS WAY PROGRAM, WHICH BANS CARS FROM MOST OF THE BUSY CROSSTOWN CORRIDOR, HAS OFFICIALS CALLING FOR MORE OF THE SAME.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING AROUND THE CITY EASIER SMOOTHER AND FASTER, THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF AMBITION.

BUT AS ALWAYS WITH NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT, THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS.

SO JOINING US NOW TO DECIPHER IT ALL IS VIN BAR OWN, TRANSFER REPORTER AT A.M. NEW YORK.

SO LET'S START WITH THE BIGGEST TOPIC AND THAT IS, OF COURSE, THAT BIG, BIG, BIG NUMBER, $51.5 BILLION.

RIGHT.

YEAH.

SO, YEAH, FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THAT IS THE SPENDING BLUEPRINT FOR THE MTA OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

EVERY FIVE YEARS THEY PUT OUT A SPENDING PLAN FOR ALL OF THEIR MAJOR NEW PROJECTS.

SO THIS ONE REALLY FOCUSES ON THE CITY.

THE MAJORITY OF THAT MONEY IS GOING INTO SUBWAY SYSTEM, GOING INTO THE BUSES IN TERMS OF NEW SIGNALS.

SO WE WILL BE REPLACING A MAJORITY OF THE OLD SIGNALS ON THE SYSTEM.

EVERYONE KNOWS, IS FAMILIAR WITH THE TERM SIGNAL FAILURE, RIGHT?

OF COURSE.

WE WOULD BE MODERNIZING THOSE SIGNALS WITH A COMPUTER EQUIVALENT.

AND WE'D ALSO BE SPENDING BILLIONS ON MAKING SUBWAYS MORE ACCESSIBLE.

BUT THERE ARE TWO BIG PROBLEMS, TWO BIG QUESTIONS I SHOULD SAY.

ONE IS WILL THE MTA GET THE FUNDING TO SUPPORT THE PLAN, AND, TWO, IS CAN THEY ACTUALLY GET THE WORK DONE IN A REASONABLE TIME IN FIVE YEARS.

OF COURSE.

AND JUST ONE MORE TIME FOR THE PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN, WHO IS GOING TO APPROVE THAT FUNDING?

WELL, IT'S GOING TO COME THROUGH A VARIETY OF SOURCES.

THE GOVERNOR IS EFFECTIVELY IN CONTROL OF THE MTA, RIGHT.

SO HE IS GOING TO PROVIDE -- HE PLEDGED TO PROVIDE 3 BILLION TOWARDS IT, HE IS ASKING THE CITY FOR 3 BILLION.

OF COURSE, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO PROVIDE A CHUNK OF THAT MONEY.

WE ARE NOT SURE WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION STANDS ON TRANSIT.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN FRIENDLY TO TRANSIT.

SO THAT'S A QUESTION MARK RIGHT NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

LET'S SAY MOVING ON FROM THE BUDGET THAT THEY PUT FORWARD TO DEMAND WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE MTA, OF COURSE, WE HEARD HE WAS GOING TO BE LEAVING, THEN HE SAID HE WAS COMING BACK AND STAYING.

WHAT'S GOING ON WITH HIM AND THE DIRECTION HE IS TRYING TO LEAD THIS ORGANIZATION?

THIS SEEMS TO BE REFLECTIVE OF A LARGER ISSUE AT THE MTA WHICH IS PEOPLE LIKE BUYFORD WHO IS ARE TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND MOVE THE MTA IN A POSITIVE -- IN A FORWARD MANNER.

THEY KEEP GETTING HELD UP IN THIS BUREAUCRACY THAT IS THE MTA, OUTSIDE PRESSURE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, THE TRANSIT PRESIDENT, ANDY BIFORD, WHO RUNS THE SUBWAYS AND BUSES SUBMITTED A LETTER OF RESIGNATION.

HE WITHDREW IT.

HE TOLD THE REPORTERS AND PUBLIC THAT HE HAD CONCERNS THAT WERE ADDRESSED.

WE NEVER GOT ANY DETAILS ON WHAT THE CONCERNS WERE.

BUT IT IS A BIG PROBLEM AT THE MTA WHERE THEY HAVE AMBITIOUS PEOPLE COMING IN, YOUNGER PEOPLE, PEOPLE LIKE BIFORD AT THE EFFECTIVE LEVEL WHO FEEL STYMIED AND STUCK.

OF COURSE WE HAVE SEEN ALMOST A TURNSTILE, IF YOU WILL, OF PEOPLE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, I GUESS PERHAPS GETTING EXHAUSTED BY THE SAME ISSUE.

BUT SO TO CONTINUE MORE WITH TRANSIT, OF COURSE THE BUSES.

THAT'S A REALLY BIG ISSUE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAID THE BUSES ARE UNDERFUNDED, THEY ARE PROBLEMATIC, TOO SLOW, ET CETERA, AND NOW WE HAVE BUS WAYS.

FIRST OF ALL, THE 14th STREET BUS WAY, WAS THAT REALLY AS SUCCESSFUL AS SOME ADVOCATES SAID IT WAS?

SO THE 14th STREET BUS WAY IS RELATIVELY NEW.

IT JUST LAUNCHED IN THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER.

SO FAR IT DOES ACTUALLY LOOK TO BE A BIG SUCCESS.

RIGHT NOW BUS SPEEDS HAVE INCREASED BY ABOUT 30%. RIDERSHIP HAS BUMPED UP.

SO IT SEEMS LIKE RIDERS ARE NOTICING IT.

I WAS ON THE BUS THE OTHER DAY AND A WOMAN SAID UNSOLICITED TO ME THAT IT WAS AMAZING.

I NEVER HEARD THAT WORD TO DESCRIBE THE BUS.

RIGHT.

SO IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING.

THE BIG QUESTION NOW IS WHETHER OR NOT THE CITY CAN MAINTAIN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF IT ONCE THEY START PULLING AWAY POLICE OFFICERS.

SO WE'LL FIND OUT IN A FEW MONTHS TIME ON THAT FRONT.

THEN YOU HAVE ADVOCATES AND SOME ELECTED OFFICIALS SAYING WE NEED DO THIS IN OTHER PLACES.

OF COURSE.

WE HEARD THAT FOR SOME BUSY CROSSTOWN THOROUGHFARES, CORRECT?

YES.

RIGHT NOW IT SEEMS LIKE THE MOST NATURAL PLACE IS TO GO FROM 14th STREET TO 34th STREET OR 42nd STREET.

THOSE WERE TWO STREETS FLOATED BY THE SPEAKER, CORY JOHNSON, AND THE BUS SYSTEM, IT MOVES 2 MILLION PEOPLE A DAY IN THE CITY.

IT'S NOTHING TO LAUGH AT.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT REALLY NEEDS INVESTMENT ESPECIALLY AS THE CITY TRIES TO MOVE TO BECOME MORE SUSTAINABLE, GET PEOPLE OUT OF CARS.

YOU NEED TO HAVE RELIABLE BUS AND SUBWAY SERVICE.

OF COURSE, SPEAKING OF GETTING PEOPLE OUT OF CARS, THE EXPANSION OF THE BIKE LANES.

NOW, WE ALSO HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN CYCLIST DEATHS IN THE CITY.

SO HOW IS THAT AFFECTING THE INSU URGENCY FOR MORE LBIKE LANES.

IT WAS A BIG COMPONENT OF THE VISION ZERO.

THEY MAKE THE STREET SAFER FOR CYCLISTS AND DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS AS WELL.

SO WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THIS YEAR IS AN UNFORTUNATE UPTICK IN CYCLING DEATHS.

THE CITY SEEMS TO BE BLAMING THAT ON A GROWING CYCLING RATE AND MORE INDUSTRIAL PARTS OF BROOKLYN WHERE A LOT OF THE FATALITIES HAVE OCCURRED, AND THEN ALSO AN INCREASE IN BIG VEHICLES AND TRUCKS MAKING DELIVERIES.

SO THEY HAVE, IN REACTION TO THIS INCREASE IN CYCLING DEATHS THIS YEAR, THEY HAVE PLEDGED TO INSTALL MORE PROTECTIVE BIKE LANES SEPARATED BY CARS OR BY BOLLARDS, PLASTIC BOL LARDS, UP FROM 20 MILES TO 30 MILES.

AND WE ARE WAITING TO SEE HOW THAT WORKS, IF THEY GET TO THAT 30-MILE MARK.

BUT THERE IS A LOT OF CONCERNS BIGGER THAN THAT AND THINK ABOUT BUILDING OUT CYCLE WAYS LIKE THE WEST SIDE GREENWAY OR THE EAST RIVER PATHS WHERE CYCLISTS ARE MUCH FARTHER SEPARATED FROM TRAFFIC.

THEY ARE NOT INTERACTING WITH THE TRAFFIC RALT ALL.

WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

COULDN'T LET YOU GO WITHOUT -- THAT WAS SOMETHING THE MTA WANTED TO FOCUS ON.

HOW BIG OF A PROBLEM IS THAT?

THE MTA, THEIR COLLECTION OF FARE VISION DATA IS STILL A LITTLE FLAWED.

IT SEEMS TO BE COSTING AROUND $225 225 MILLION A YEAR.

IT SEEMS TO BE GOING UP THIS YEAR ACCORDING TO THEIR STILTS.

THEY ARE TRYING TO CUT DOWN ON IT.

AND PART OF THAT PROCESS IS HIRING A HUGE NUMBER OF NEW POLICE OFFICERS.

500 NEW POLICE OFFICERS, PUTTING THEM IN THE SUBWAY SYSTEM, PUTTING THEM IN THE BUS SYSTEM TO POLICE THAT, TO POLICE OTHER SO-CALLED QUALITY OF LIFE PROBLEMS LIKE HOMELESSNESS AND THAT HAS BEEN A BIG -- THAT HAS BEEN A CONTROVERSIAL POINT AT THE MTA.

A LOT OF ADVOCATES FEEL LIKE ADDING COPS IS NOT THE ANSWER TO THESE PROBLEMS AND THE MTA IS TRYING TO WADE THROUGH THIS AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S THE RIGHT APPROACH BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING THROUGH A FINANCIAL CRISIS AT THE AUTHORITY RIGHT NOW AND ADDING COPS COSTS MONEY, TOO, JUST AS FAIR VISION COST THE MTA MONEY.

IT'S A DELICATE BALANCE.

WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE YOUR REPORTING AND HELPING US UNDERSTAND THIS DELICATE BALANCE FROM THE MTA AND HOPEFULLY LETTING US KNOW THAT OUR ABILITY TO GET AROUND THE CITY WILL BE A LITTLE BIT SMOOTHER.

AS ALWAYS, YES.

THANK YOU.

> ONE IN EIGHT WOMEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER DURING THEIR LIFETIME.

AND WHILE WE KNOW SOME OF THE REASONS FOR THE DISEASE, THE GENETIC CAUSES HAVE NOT BEEN VERY CLEAR UNTIL NOW.

ACCORDING TO TWO STUDIES PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNALS 'NATURE' AND 'NATURE GENETICS,' RESEARCHERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD DISCOVERED 72 PREVIOUSLY UNKNOWN GENE MUTATIONS THAT LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF BREAST CANCER.

THEIR FOUNDINGS MAY HELP IDENTIFY A SMALL PORTION OF WOMAN WHO ARE AS A THREE TIMES INCREASED RISK OF DEVELOPING THE DEADLY DISEASE.

THOUGH SCIENCE OFFERS HOME IN ONE DAY COMBATTING THE ILLNESS, FOR WOMEN LIVING WITH IT, IT IS A DAILY FIGHT FOR LIFE.

AND UNLESS YOU ARE A SURVIVOR, THERE ARE SIMPLY SOME THINGS ABOUT BREAST CANCER THAT YOU CAN'T KNOW OR UNDERSTAND.

FORMER 'GOOD MORNING AMERICA' HOST JOAN LUNDEN WAS DIAGNOSED IN 2014 AND HAS SINCE TAKEN THE FOREFRONT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST CANCER.

SHE IS NOW CANCER FREE AND READY TO TELL HER STORY OF SURVIVAL.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM, JOAN.

IT'S MY PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU.

IT'S AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU HERE.

SO, OF COURSE, WE ARE HUGE FANS AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE FOLLOWED YOUR STORY FROM WHEN YOU FIRST GOT YOUR DIAGNOSIS.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE ME BACK TO THAT MOMENT.

WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD THOSE TWO WORDS?

YOU KNOW IRK HAD DONE SO MANY INTERVIEWS OVER THE YEARS OF BREAST CANCER EXPERTS.

I KNEW THAT STATISTIC, ONE IN EIGHT WOMEN WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER DURING THEIR LIFETIME.

I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN MY FAMILY HISTORY.

TO BE VERY HONEST, I JUST WAS KIND OF NONCHALANT ABOUT IT.

I DON'T THINK I EVER INGESTED THE INFORMATION FROM ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CANCER EXPERTS THAT I INTERVIEWED IN A PERSONAL WAY LIKE THAT IT WAS REALLY GOING TO AFFECT ME.

SO I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED WHEN I HEARD THOSE WORDS.

AND BY THE WAY, I HAD A CLEAN 3D MAMMOGRAM THAT DAY.

WOW.

AND THEN I WALKED ACROSS THE HALL AND HAD AN YOULTRASOUND AN HEARD THOSE WORDS, YOU HAVE CANCER.

FROM THE OUTSET I FELT THIS COMPELLING NEED TO GO OUT AND EDUCATE WOMEN AND LET THEM HEAR MY STORY SO THAT THEY KNEW THAT THEY NEED TO FIND OUT IF THEY HAVE VERY DENSE BREASTS.

AND YOU CAN'T TELL IT JUST BY FEELING YOUR BREASTS.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU FIND OUT IN A MAMMOGRAM.

SO I HAVE JUST KIND OF BEEN OUT ON THE SPEAKING TRAILS EVER SINCE I WAS DIAGNOSED TRYING TO H HELP EMPOWER WOMEN WITH INFORMATION.

THAT'S HOW 'AT HOME WITH JOAN' CAME ABOUT, WHICH IS KIND OF A CLOSED COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE CAN COME IN, THEY CAN EDUCATE THEMSELVES, THEY CAN SOAK UP THE INFORMATION, AND I BELIEVE THAT IF WE SHARE OUR STORIES, THAT OTHER PEOPLE LEARN.

SO I INTERVIEWED A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND THOSE INTERVIEWS LIVE ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL AS, OF COURSE, INTERVIEWS WITH ONCOLOGISTS AND ONCOLOGY NURSES.

OF COURSE.

THAT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY CRUCIAL FOR PATIENTS TO HAVE A PLACE TO GO TO TO LEARN ALL THE QUESTIONS THEY NEED TO BE ASKING AND THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF THERAPIES THEY CAN GET.

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO BE THEIR OWN ADVOCATE?

THE GOOD NEWS IS RESEARCH IS BEING DONE AT SUCH AN AMAZING RATE, ANSWERS ARE COMING DOWN THE PIPE.

NEW TREATMENTS ARE BEING MADE AVAILABLE.

WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT IF YOU GET THIS DIAGNOSIS OR YOU ARE KIND OF HELPING SOMEONE WHO JUST GOT THIS DIAGNOSIS YOU NEED TO GET A COUPLE OF OPINIONS.

YOU NEED TO EDUCATE YOURSELF.

YOU NEED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR SPECIFIC DISEASE.

IN BREAST CANCER, FOR WOMEN IT'S VERY COMPLEX BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST ONE DISEASE.

IT'S DIFFERENT IN EVERY WOMAN.

SO IT MAKES IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO STUDY BREAST CANCER AND TO COME UP WITH ANSWERS.

BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IF YOU CATCH IT EARLY ENOUGH, BREAST CANCER, YOU HAVE A 99% CHANCE THAT YOU'LL SURVIVE IT.

THAT'S AMAZING NEWS FOR WOMEN TODAY.

AND I HOPE THEY HEAR THAT SO THAT MANY WOMEN DON'T WANT TO GET A MAMMOGRAM BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID OF THE ANSWER.

WHAT YOU SHOULD BE AFRAID OF IS AFRAID OF DYING.

TO ME KNOWLEDGE EMPOWERS US.

CERTAINLY IN THE HEALTH FIELD KNOWLEDGE REALLY EMPOWERS US.

DO YOU FEEL AT ALL AS THOUGH THE CONVERSATION AROUND BREAST CANCER SEEMS TO BE CHANGING?

WE HAVE SEEN SOME VERY PROMINENT YOUNG WOMEN COME OUT AND TALK ABOUT GETTING TESTED FOR THE BREAST CANCER GENE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE BEING VERY OPEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THEIR JOURNEYS THROUGH TREATMENT.

DO YOU FEEL AS THOUGH THAT'S HELPING WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE DEALING WITH THIS?

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU KNOW, IT USED TO BE THAT NOBODY TALKED ABOUT THIS.

IT ACTUALLY USED TO BE THAT DOCTORS SOMETIMES WOULDN'T EVEN TELL A WOMAN SHE HAD BREAST CANCER, WOULDN'T WANT HER TO LIVE WITH THE ANXIETY, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT ANYWAY, AND OFTENTIMES WOMEN WOULD LIVE WITH THIS SHAME BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS WRONG WITH YOUR BREASTS.

YOU KNOW, IT AFFECTS YOUR FEMININITY AND YOUR SENSIBILITY OF YOURSELF.

THANK GOODNESS THAT TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

AND TODAY IT IS OKAY TO TALK ABOUT IT.

THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE SENSE OF COMMUNITY AMONG BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS.

I NEVER USED TO REALLY TOTALLY GET IT.

I'D SEE THESE EVENTS WITH EVERYBODY WEARING PINK, BUT NOW I DO.

NOW I UNDERSTAND THE STRENGTH AND THE COMPASSION THAT IS WAITING THERE FOR YOU IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, YOUR TIME TO GO DOWN THAT PATH.

SO I'M A PART OF THAT NOW.

WHEN YOU FIND YOURSELF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF A LIFE-THREATENING DISEASE AS A SURVIVOR, I THINK IT'S KIND OF A NATURAL INSTINCT TO SAY, OKAY, YOU LET ME SURVIVE.

THANKS.

I'M GOING TO PUT MY HAND OUT AND I'M GOING TO HELP THE NEXT PERSON THROUGH.

AND THAT SEEMS TO BE ONE OF THE MOST CHALLENGING THINGS AS I UNDERSTAND IT WITH ANY KIND OF CANCER DIAGNOSIS, IS THE DAUNTING GAUNTLET OF LIKE WHAT COMES NEXT.

TREATMENT.

SECOND -- YOU KNOW, WHERE DO YOU GO?

WHO DO YOU GET YOUR OPINIONS FROM, ET CETERA.

SO HAVING A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO AND TALK ABOUT THAT SOUNDS SO CRUCIALLY IMPORTANT JUST FOR THE PATIENTS OWN MENTAL HEALTH.

AND I THINK I KIND HAVE -- I HAVE BEEN IN PEOPLE'S LIVING ROOMS FOR THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES.

YOU ARE A FAMILIAR FRIENDLY FACE.

AND I THINK THAT PLAYS A PART IN THIS THOUGH, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY CONSUME INFORMATION FROM ME A IN A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT WAY, WOMAN TO WOMAN, FRIEND TO FRIEND.

I WAS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM.

WE ARE KIND OF ALMOST FAMILY.

AND I THINK THAT IS PART OF IT.

AND SO I'M REALLY PASSIONATE ABOUT THIS ENDEAVOR OF MINE TO GO OUT AND EDUCATE NOT JUST WOMEN, BUT ANYONE DEALING WITH ANY CANCER DIAGNOSIS.

BUT 'AT HOME WITH JOAN' CAMPAIGN, IT PULLS IN STORYTELLING.

THAT'S WHAT I HAVE MADE MY LIVING DOING, IS TELLING PEOPLE STORIES.

AND SO IT'S VERY NATURAL THAT THEY HAVE ME GO OUT AND INTERVIEW PEOPLE FIGHTING CANCER AND SURVIVING CANCER FROM ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

SO WE KIND OF REPRESENT EVERYBODY.

ALL RIGHT.

LISTEN, JOAN LUNDEN, ON BEHALF OF WOMEN AND EVEN MEN, I SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING THAT PERSON TO COME FORWARD AND MAKE SURE THAT OTHERS KNOW WHAT TO ASK, HOW TO ASK, AND WHERE YOU CAN GO FOR THE INFORMATION.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND I HOPE EVERYBODY GIANTS ME WITH 'AT HOME WITH JOAN' DOT-COM AND BECOMES A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY.

♪ THERE IS SUPERSTITION

THE HAUNTING SEASON OF HALLOWEEN.

HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY VAMPIRES PREFER RED OR WHAT YOU WOULD DO IF YOU WERE ATTACKED BY A WEREWOLF OR ZOMBIE?

CAN YOU TELL IF THAT FOOTPRINT IN YOUR BACKYARD BELONGS TO BIGFOOT?

AND WHAT KIND OF DINOSAUR IS GODZILLA?

IF YOUR CHILD IS BOMBARDING YOU WITH THOSE QUESTIONS, WE CAN HELP.

'MONSTROUS: THE LORE, GORE, AND SCIENCE BEHIND YOUR FAVORITE MONSTERS' PROVIDES A FUN AND SOMEWHAT EDUCATIONAL DIVE INTO MONSTERS AND THE MACABRE THAT WILL SATIATE EVEN THE MOST VORACIOUS YOUNG READERS.

ITS AUTHOR CARLYN BECCIA IS HERE WITH THE DETAILS.

SO, FIRST, TELL ME WHAT WAS YOUR INSPIRATION BEHIND THIS FABULOUS BOOK?

WELL, I WAS THE KID WHO WAS SCARED OF EVERYTHING WHEN I WAS A CHILD.

SO I APPROACHED THIS BOOK ORIGINALLY EXAMINING THE SCIENCE OF FEAR.

WHY DO WE FEAR THE THINGS THAT WE DO?

AND IT TURNS OUT THAT FEAR IS A VERY PRIMAL INSTINCT.

THE MECHANISMS FOR FEAR HASN'T CHANGED SINCE OUR EARLIEST ANCESTORS.

SO I WANTED TO EMPOWER READERS TO LET THEM EXAMINE WHICH MONSTERS ARE REAL, WHICH MONSTERS ARE NOT, AND TO GIVE THEM SURVIVAL PLANS TO SURVIVE THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE.

WHAT HAPPENS IF A VAMPIRE ATTACKS AND YOU HAVE BLOOD LOSS.

AND ALL THESE SKILLS ARE THINGS WITH REAL LIFE WORLD EXAMPLES.

AND IN A WEIRD WAY, I KNOW WHAT TO DO IF THE MONSTER FROM UNDER MY BED COMES OUT TO GET ME.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SUGGESTIONS THAT PEOPLE OR READERS CAN GET FROM YOUR BOOK?

WELL, ONE OF MY FAVORITE SPREADS IS A PICTURE OF A SNARLING WEREWOLF, AND IT SAYS HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH A WEREWOLF SO YOU DON'T GET EATEN.

AND ALL OF THE TIPS IN IT ARE ACTUALLY THE SAME BODY LANGUAGE THAT DOGS USE.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF KIDS THAT ARE SCARED OF DOGS.

SO, YOU KNOW, A DOG WILL RAISE ITS TAIL AND IT WILL START WAGGING LIKE THAT.

THAT'S ONE OF THE -- AND THAT'S A SIGN OF AGGRESSION.

THAT MEANS IT'S ABOUT TO ATTACK.

A DOG WILL PIN ITS EARS FORWARD.

IT'S ABOUT TO LUNGE.

SO IT'S SORT OF A TONGUE-IN-CHEEK WAY TO SAY, OKAY, THIS IS IF A WEREWOLF IS ABOUT TO ATTACK, IT WILL DO THESE THINGS.

GUESS WHAT, KIDS?

IF A DOG DOES THAT, YOU ALSO BETTER STAND BACK.

OF COURSE.

NOW, DOES THIS MEAN IF A WEREWOLF COMES UPON ME AND I PERHAPS HAVE BACON IN MY POCKET, I CAN GET AWAY AND MAKE THE WEREWOLF VERY, VERY HAPPY?

BACON IS ALWAYS GOOD FOR WEREWOLVES.

JUST DON'T HAVE WOLF SPAIN ON YOU.

AGAIN, THESE ARE THE KIND OF HELPFUL HALLOWEEN DETAILS THAT I THINK COULD HELP ANYONE WITH A VIVID IMAGINATION.

NOT JUST KIDS.

YES, I HOPE SO.

THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN INTENTIONALLY SO THIS ISN'T JUST A CHILD'S READ.

LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT A CHILD AT HEART COULD ALSO APPRECIATE AND HAVE ON YIR BOOK SHEP.

THAT'S MY HOPE.

IN THE KING DKONG CHAPTER I TAL ABOUT THE SQUARE CUBE LAW AND WHY THAT MAKES KING KONG IMPOSSIBLE.

MY HOPE IS THAT I CAN MAKE MATH AND SCIENCE SO RIDICULOUSLY FUN THAT KIDS WILL LEARN THESE THINGS AND THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW IT.

THEY ARE JUST TRICKED BY IT.

OF COURSE, ADULTS AS WELL.

HOW MUCH BACK RESEARCH DID YOU HAVE TO DO ABOUT THESE MONSTERS AND THEIR ORIGIN STORIES TO PUT SOME OF THESE PIECES TOGETHER?

IT WAS SO MUCH RESEARCH.

IT WAS FIVE YEARS OF RESEARCH.

AND I ALSO HAD TO USE A LOT OF EXPERT READERS BECAUSE SOME OF THE SUBJECTS ARE A BIT OVER MY HEAD.

THE ZOMBIE CHAPTER TALKS ABOUT NEUROSCIENCE, WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE ZOMBIE BRAIN.

I AM NOT A NEUROSCIENTISTS.

I AM JUST A WRITER.

SO I HAVE TO CONSULT WITH THE PEOPLE.

THERE IS A LOT OF MEDICAL BACKGROUND.

I HAD TO CONSULT WITH PEOPLE IN MEDICAL FIELDS TO MAKE SURE I WAS GETTING IT RIGHT.

WHAT EXACTLY HAPPENS IF AN ARTERY IS PIERCED?

I NEED TO KNOW THOSE DETAILS.

I WENT TO CORONERS BECAUSE THERE IS A CHAPTER ON DECOMPOSITION VERSUS VAMPIRES, HOW TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE.

OF COURSE, THE ALL IMPORTANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE LIVING DEAD AND THE UNDEAD?

YES.

VERY IMPORTANT.

YOU NEED TO KNOW, KIDS.

IF YOU SEE THIS REDDISH BROWN FLUID AT THE CORNERS OF THE MOUTH, THAT COULD BE PUNCHED FLUID, NOT A VAMPIRE FEEDING.

SO THAT PERSON IS ACTUALLY DEAD.

YOU DON'T NEED TO WORRY.

THERE YOU GO.

A HELPFUL TIP FOR HALLOWEEN.

AND IT'S GREAT DINNER TABLE CONVERSATION, TOO.

OF COURSE.

AGAIN I AM WONDERING, EVEN AS I WAS SAYING CHILDREN OF ALL AGES CAN APPRECIATE THIS, BUT REALLY WHO IS THE TARGET AUDIENCE HERE?

THIS REALLY FEELS LIKE SOMETHING THAT THE EARLY TWEEN, 7, 8, 9, 10-YEAR-OLD WOULD JUST EAT UP?

THERE IS A SAYING THAT CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHORS WRITE THE BOOKS THEY WISH THEY HAD CHILDREN.

WHAT I MEAN BY THAT I WAS A CHILD THAT I DIDN'T GRAVITATE TOWARDS SCIENCE.

MY IDEAL READER THAT READER WHO SAYS I DON'T WANT TO LEARN ABOUT SCIENCE.

I DON'T WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE SQUARE CUBE LAW.

I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO LEARN ABOUT NEUROSCIENCE AND WHETHER BIGFOOT, THE ANTHROPOLOGICAL POSSIBILITIES OF BIGFOOT.

MY OBJECTIVE IS FOR THE READER TO MAKE THE SUBJECTS SO INTERESTING THAT THEY LEARN AND THEY ARE NOT REALIZING THEY ARE LEARNING BECAUSE EVERYONE LOVES MONSTERS.

OF COURSE.

I THINK WE PREFER THE ONES OF LORE AS OPPOSED TO IN REAL LIFE.

I'M WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY ONE STORY INTEREST EACH RESEARCHING THIS BOOK OR YOUR OWN HISTORY WITH MONSTERS THAT STAYS WITH YOU THE MOST, THAT'S YOUR FAVORITE?

YEAH.

SO THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

THE GOODZILLA CHAPTER WAS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.

I DIDN'T KNOW THE BACK STORY OF GOD GODZILLA.

I DIDN'T KNOW IT CAME OUT OF A REAL TRAGEDY OF THE ATOMIC BOMBS BEING DROPPED ON THE BIKINI ATOLL.

I WANTED THAT CHAPTER LAST BECAUSE IT SAYS TO ME MEN HAVE THE AMAZING ABILITY TO DESTRUCT.

WE ARE BEASTS INSIDE US.

WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE MONSTERS.

I THOUGHT IT WAS APROPOS INTO A MAYBE PHILOSOPHICAL WAY TO END, MAYBE THIS IS FALL OUT, THAT CO HAPPEN.

AND THESE CREATURES EXIST IN FOLKLORE.

OF COURSE, I DON'T WANT TO LET YOU GO WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING YOU DID THE ILLUSTRATIONS FOR THIS BOOK.

YEAH, THANK YOU.

TELL ME ABOUT THE PROCESS OF ILLUSTRATING THE WHOLE BOOK.

YEAH, THAT TOOK A LONG TIME, TOO.

I HAVE A STRANGE WAY OF WORKING.

SO WHAT I DO IS I WILL DO A SKETCH.

I WILL SCAN IT IN.

AND THEN I WORK DIGITALLY IN ADOBE ILLUSTRATORSER C COUNTRY AKTING VECTORS.

SO IT'S A THREE-LAYERED PROCESS.

YOU GET THE FLAT ART BUT A LITTLE BIT OF TEXTURE ADDED TO IT.

ALL RIGHT.

I THINK THAT HELPS MAKE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT CREATURES AND MONSTERS, IF YOU WILL, SORT OF POP AND COME TO LIFE IN A WAY THAT THEY DON'T NORMALLY IN AN ILLUSTRATED BOOK.

LISTEN, I THINK THIS IS SUCH A GREAT BOOK.

IT IS DEFINITELY A GOOD FRIENDLY USERS GUIDE FOR COMING THIS HALLOWEEN SEASON.

FOR ANYONE WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT MONSTERS AND HOW TO SURVIVE ATTACKS FROM THEM.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US ON THE PROGRAM.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

'METROFOCUS' IS MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES AND MERRYL TISCH, SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III, THE SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA PROGRAMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT ANTI-SEMITISM.

BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ, ROSALIND P. WALTER, BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG, AND BY --