Now Da US Government Has Problems With Da Fields of Nightmares

I'll leave it up to da TruthTellers on this one, so let's take an opinion poll:

Question - Who do you feel would have da most knowledge, rationality, common sense, and judgment when it comes to an issue of engineering that could possibly become a health issue?

(a) An expert in Public Relations and career politician.
(b) A lawyer who specializes in "Automobile Accidents; Slip and Fall" cases.
(c) A 30-something guy who lives with his wife, and mommy & daddy.
(d) An experienced and respected engineer with over 20 years of experience.

Well, peasants, if you picked D - you're wrong! True, this person has all da experience and knowledge you'd ever need, in addition to a plethora of studies that raised more "Red Flags" about crumb rubber than da People's Republic of China. But, in da end, da Public Relations expert, da lawyer, and da farmer/money "expert" whose office is above his garage - they all knew better.

That's why last week, see no evil, hear no evil, and looking evil held a celebration and ribbon cutting to open Manalapan's Field of Nightmares, a crumb rubber athletic field that even a former mayor traveled from his Florida exile to attend.

Ah, but if you're waiting for da caveat, you won't have to wait for long. Even as da former township committee man and current reputable engineer Anthony Gennaro sounded his concerns, which fell on deaf ears, da City of New York, da State of Connecticut, and a number of other towns, cities, states, and nations showed concerns so serious they even banned da same type of field Manalapan was welcoming with both open arms and over $5.6 million of taxpayer money!

Now, another bunch of folks who apparently to da Manalapan Township Committee, know about as much about health issues as da Township Committee knows about winning lawsuits, is stepping up to da plate and saying they too have concerns.

You probably have never heard of this small and apparently inconsequential government agency. It's called da ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY!

DaTruthSquad has uncovered a report by da EPA that says their "scientists are worried that they don't have enough information about potential health risks from chemicals in the rubber material, which is popular because it decreases playground injuries and is low maintenance and weatherproof."

The report cites an internal report which states da EPA is now doing a study "of air, water and surface samples at four fields and playgrounds that use recycled tires. The study was prompted by other research suggesting potential hazards from repeated exposure to bits of shredded tire that can contain carcinogens and other chemicals, according to the documents. The EPA scientists cited gaps in scientific evidence, despite other reviews showing little or no health concern. They urged their superiors to conduct a broad health study to inform parents on kids' safety."

Other examples:

In Danbury, Connecticut, a health warning was placed at a crumb rubber field by da city's own health department!

There are still ongoing concerns about staph infections and other bacterial issues, that you can read about.

And, then there's da New York study that showed temperatures in da shade on a field were 86 degrees, but in da middle of da field in direct sunlight, temperatures reached 160 degrees!!!!!

Why in da world would they do this, when da lawyer, PR wizard, and farmer/offoce-on-top-of-da-garage guy all said it was OK?

Apparently, Manalapan's Trio of Trouble" know more than da City of New York, which has gone as far as banning more crumb rubber fields like Manalapan's due to their health concerns, and also da Denver EPA office came to da same conclusion.

FYI - Da Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility is demanding a "full blown" study into crumb rubber tires used for these fields.

However, da Manalapan Trio of Trouble can feel safe that a group is on their side. A group called Da Synthetic Turf Council says crumb rubber fields don't come with health risks.

Gee, whiz, daTruthSquad can now sleep safer at night.

DaTruth is, thanks to da Trio of trouble, da money is spent, and even if da worst happens and these da field has to close, Manalapan taxpayers probably won't recoup a dime because they were warned by a former elected official (Gennaro) and at least one Citizen Activist.

What Manalapan should now do is shut down da field, pending da EPA report and its findings. This should done for all da Manalapan kids and familys, and "For All da People."

DaTruth is, asbestos was once known as da "magic mineral." People were told it was safe as mother's milk. We were also told dumping chemicals was safe, until cancer clusters formed.

So, Manalapan residents, thanks to da Trio of Trouble have paid millions of $$$$$$$ for a field that da EPA is looking into, and other places have banned.

Is da field safe? It possibly could be, or maybe it isn't. Tests and more studies will need to be done, and are being done now.

Did Manalapan jump da gun and approve something without all da facts being known? Maybe that's a question best suited to ask da Manalapan Township Committee.

DaTruth is, it bears a striking appearance that a number of quote "improvements" were made in da time leading up to da Queen's political aspirations to become a State Assemblyperson. This "Field of Nightmares" is one of them. Millions of $$$$$$$$ have been spent to increase da size of a park, while no effort is being given to improving da town's business infrastructure (or lack thereof). That is a main reason da people of Manalapan pay a larger majority of local municipal taxes than other towns, like Freehold and others. Because of Manalapan stalling and delaying da Village, Monroe is off to da races building their own "Village" on da same road Manalapan's "Village" would have been built on, right near da Manalapan border so Manalapan residents can subsidize Monroe taxpayers. Marlboro has been building a bigger business base, and da Freehold Mall has expanded (so they can handle Manalapan shoppers).

But, at least Manalapan has what they don't -- a crumb rubber field that generates about enough income to pay bus fare from Manalapan's vacant Value City to da Shoppes of Old Bridge.

And that's daTruth.