ADAM: I’M ADAM REILLY.

TONIGHT ON "GREATER POLITICS" THOUSANDS OF NEWSPAPERS HAVE CLOSED ACROSS THE U.S. AND HALF THE COUNTRY DOES NOT HAVE A SINGLE LOCAL NEWS SOURCE.

HOW CAN WE KEEP LOCAL JOURNALISM ALIVE?

I WILL TALK WITH ONE OF THE AUTHORS OF "WHAT WORKS IN COMMUNITY NEWS."

U.S.

AIRLINE SAY SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS WILL HELP THEM HIT ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050 BUT A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS OTHERWISE.

SOME TEST RESULTS, FLORIAN ALLROGGEN --GERARD QUINTANAR FOUND SOLACE IN AN UNLIKELY SOURCE, HIS STORY AHEAD.

IT HAS BEEN A ROUGH YEAR FOR THE NEWS BUSINESS, HUNDREDS OF JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN LAID OFF ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

FROM THE L.A. TIMES TO THE WALL STREET JOURNAL TO THE WASHINGTON POST, AND THOSE OF THE NATIONAL OUTLETS.

ACCORDING TO THE STUDY FROM NORTHWESTERN, 25 HUNDRED NEWSPAPERS HAVE CLOSED SINCE 2005, MORE THAN A QUARTER OF THE PAPERS IN THE COUNTRY, AND MORE THAN HALF OF ALL U.S.

COUNTIES HAVE LOW OR NO ACCESS TO LOCAL NEWS.

IT IS A PROBLEM MY NEXT GUEST ATTACKS IN THE BOOK, "WHAT WORKS IN COMMUNITY NEWS."

CO-AUTHOR, DAN KENNEDY, JOINS ME NOW.

HE IS A JOURNALISM PROFESSOR AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY.

AND A FORMER COLLEAGUE OF MINE.

EXCELLENT TO SEE YOU.

DAN: GOOD TO SEE YOU.

ADAM: GIVE VIEWERS EXAMPLES OF OUTLETS IN MASSACHUSETTS HAVE EITHER DIED COMPLETELY OR WITHERED AWAY OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST FEW YEARS.

DAN: THE BEST EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE WEEKLY PAPERS THAT WERE OWNED BY THE GANNET NEWSPAPER CHANGE IN EASTERN AND -- IN EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS.

THEY HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF THE WEEKLY NEWSPAPER BUSINESS, AND WEEKLIES ARE WHAT DRIVES SMALL-TOWN COVERAGE.

ADAM: ARE THESE THE OLD COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER COMPANIES?

DAN: ABSOLUTELY.

WITHIN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY HAVE CLOSED OR MERGED SEVERAL DOZEN PAPERS.

THEY TELL PEOPLE THEY ARE DOING IT ONLINE BUT THEY ARE NOT.

IF YOU GO TO THEIR WEBSITE, YOU WILL LIKELY GET NEWS FROM ANYWHERE IN THE REGION EXCEPT YOUR HOMETOWN.

THAT WOULD BE THE PRIME EXAMPLE.

ADAM: WHEN I SEE THOSE PAPERS, YOU SEE ONE COMMUNITY PAPER HAVING COVERAGE FROM SOMEWHERE THAT IS A 45 MINUTE DRIVE AWAY.

DAN: ABSOLUTELY.

GANNET HAS SKELETAL STAFFING THESE DAYS.

ADAM: YOU AND YOUR CO-AUTHORS RIGHT THAT THIS ATTRITION HAS BEEN DRIVEN BY HEDGE FUND FIRMS, WHY ARE ENTITIES LIKE THAT KEEN ON ACQUIRING AND RUNNING PAPERS LIKE THIS IF THE PAPERS THEMSELVES STRUGGLE TO TURN A PROFIT AND STAY AFLOAT?

DAN: FIRST OF ALL, THERE WERE REAL PROBLEMS IN THE NEWSPAPER BUSINESS.

CRAIGSLIST, GOOGLE AND FACEBOOK HAVE HOLLOWED OUT THE ADVERTISING THAT WAS THE BASE OF NEWSPAPER REVENUES FOR GENERATIONS.

WHAT ALAN AND I ARGUE -- ELLEN AND I ARGUE IS WITH THAT MONEY TAKEN OFF THE TABLE, NEWSPAPERS ARE STILL BRINGING IN SOME REVENUES.

THAT MONEY COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO INVEST IN THE FUTURE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO INVEST IN A BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.

INSTEAD, THE COMPANY SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME IN AND GRAB THOSE SHRINKING REVENUES, CUT THE NEWSROOMS AND ENRICH THEIR SHAREHOLDERS, AND PAY DOWN DEBT.

ADAM: IT SEEMS LIKE IT WORKS WELL FOR THAT UNFORTUNATELY.

I SHOULD ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE BECAUSE THE BOOK IS PACKED WITH EXAMPLES OF NEW ENTITIES OR EXISTING ENTITIES THAT TRANSFORMED THEMSELVES, THAT FOUND A WAY TO SURVIVE AND THRIVE IN THIS BLEAK CLIMATE.

ONE OF THE OUTLETS YOU FOCUS ON, AND YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING TO THE GUY WHO RUNS IT, THE NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT.

WHAT IS THE NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT, AND HOW HAS IT EVOLVED?

DAN: THE NEW HAVEN INDEPENDENT IS ONE OF THE FIRST DIGITAL NONPROFIT WEBSITES COVERING A COMMUNITY.

IT WAS THE PRINCIPAL SUBJECT OF A BOOK I WROTE 10 YEARS AGO CALLED "THE WIRED CITY."

THE REASON WE WENT BACK, FIRST OF ALL, THE PIZZA.

ADAM: [LAUGHTER] DAN: SECOND OF ALL, WHEN I WAS REPORTING ON THE INDEPENDENT 10-15 YEARS AGO, YOU HAD A SMALL ALL-WHITE STAFF COVERING A COMMUNITY THAT HAS A LARGE POLITICALLY ENGAGED BLACK COMMUNITY, LATINO COMMUNITY, AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE DOING A GOOD JOB GIVEN THOSE LIMITATIONS BUT THOSE ARE REAL LIMITATIONS.

A FEW YEARS AFTER THAT BOOK CAME OUT, THE INDEPENDENT LAUNCHED A LOWER POWER COMMUNITY RADIO STATION.

THE SIGNAL IS SO WEAK THAT MOST PEOPLE LISTEN TO IT ONLINE.

THEY HAVE ABOUT 40 HOSTS, ALMOST ALL OF THEM PEOPLE OF COLOR.

THEY HAVE AN AMAZING MORNING HOST, WHO DOES TWO HOURS OF INCREDIBLE RADIO EVERY MORNING.

SHE FREE ASSOCIATES, SHE INTERVIEWS AUTHORS, ARTISTS, POLITICIANS.

IT HAS GIVEN "THE INDEPENDENT" A DIFFERENT FEEL, MORE DIVERSITY.

ADAM: THAT IS FASCINATING.

DAN: IT SERVES NEW HAVEN IN WAYS IT WAS NOT ABLE TO DO BEFORE.

ADAM: ANOTHER AL THAT YOU FIND INSTRUCTIVE AND FASCINATING IS "THE COLORADO SUN."

DAN: WHAT ATTRACTED ME TO "THE SUN," THEY HAVE ADJUSTED TO DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY SEE COME UP.

THIS NORMALLY TAKES ME 10 MINUTES TO EXPLAIN.

I WILL GIVE YOU THE SPEED VERSION.

WHEN THEY FIRST STARTED -- BY THE WAY, 10 PEOPLE WHO LEFT "THE DENVER POST" BECAUSE OF THE CUTS, THEY BEGIN THINKING THEY WOULD BE SUPPORTED BY CRYPTO IN SOME WAY AND PUBLISHED ON THE BLOCK CHAIN.

AND YOU LAUGH, THEY DID GET SOME CRUCIAL STARTUP MONEY OUT OF THAT BEFORE THE SCHEME FELL APART THE WAY ALL THINGS CRYPTO DO.

THEIR NEXT STEP WAS TO FORM A PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION, WHICH IS A FOR PROFIT.

END THEY ALSO WORKED WITH A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION SO THAT FOUNDATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS COULD DONATE TO THE NONPROFIT, AND SUPPORT CERTAIN TYPES OF PUBLIC INTEREST JOURNALISM AT "THE SUN."

THAT IS A FAIRLY TYPICAL MODEL.

THEN, FINALLY, THEY HAVE GONE FULLY NONPROFIT.

IT IS A GREAT STORY ABOUT A GROUP OF PEOPLE NOT ONLY DOING GREAT JOURNALISM, BUT THEY SEE OPPORTUNITIES OPEN.

STACY OLD OPPORTUNITIES FADE AWAY.

AND THEY MOVE QUICKLY.

ADAM: THAT GETS DIRECTLY TO THE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK, YOU SAY THE BOOK IS AN ANTI-MANIFESTO.

MY ASSUMPTION WOULD BE AS YOU LOOK AT THESE EXAMPLES, AND YOU TALK TO INDIVIDUALS ACTIVE IN THIS SPACE, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT EMERGE.

AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT?

NIMBLENESS WOULD BE ONE OF THEM?

DAN: NIMBLENESS, ABSOLUTELY.

THE OTHER THING IS, MOST OF WHAT WE LOOKED AT OUR NONPROFIT AND DIGITAL ONLY, BECAUSE THAT SEEMS TO BE THE EASIEST WAY TO GO, GET SOME MONEY, DO THE JOURNALISM.

HOWEVER, WE LOOKED AT LEGACY NEWSPAPER, "THE STAR TRIBUNE" IN MINNEAPOLIS.

ADAM: I READ THAT ONLINE.

DAN: WE LOOKED AT A LARGE PUBLIC TELEVISION OPERATION IN NEW JERSEY THAT MERGED WITH THE PUBLIC POLICY WEBSITE THAT IS STARTED.

YES, NIMBLENESS AND BEING WILLING TO MOVE WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE IS VERY IMPORTANT, BUT ONE OF THE OF THE THINGS WE LIKE TO SAY IS ANYTHING CAN WORK, AND ANYTHING CAN FAIL.

A LOT OF IT DEPENDS ON VISIONARY LEADERSHIP AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.

ADAM: I WOULD THINK THAT IS TOUGH TO COME BY.

DAN: IT IS, INDEED.

ADAM: A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS YOU TALK ABOUT RELIANT ON THE LARGESS OF GRANTMAKING ORGANIZATIONS THAT WANT TO DO CIVIC WORK.

IS THAT ESSENTIAL TO SUCCEED IN THIS SPACE?

DAN: IF YOU ARE NONPROFIT, YES, ABSOLUTELY.

THERE ARE SOME PROJECTS, THEY ARE NONPROFITS, IT HAS BEEN A SLOG, THEY DO NOT HAVE THOSE BIG FUNDERS, SO THEY GET SUPPORT FROM VOLUNTARY CONTRIBUTIONS FROM READERS LIKE YOU.

THEY DO EVENTS.

THAT CAN BE A BUSINESS.

THEY DO UNDERWRITING, WHICH IS ADVERTISING.

A LOT OF THEM ARE DEPENDENT ON A FEW BIG FUNDERS.

ADAM: WE HAVE ABOUT A HALF MINUTE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION, WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF LOCAL OUTLETS IN THE BOSTON AREA DOING THE KIND OF STUFF YOU WRITE ABOUT?

DAN: SINCE THE GANNET IMPLOSION, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF PROJECTS LAUNCHED.

ONE I WANT TO MENTION OR I WILL BE IN TROUBLE IS ELEN’S -- ELLEN’S PROJECT, BROOKLINE.NEWS.

IT IS A NONPROFIT, SHE IS THE COFOUNDER, THEY HAVE AN ACTIVE BOARD, A PROFESSIONAL PAID EDITOR.

THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RAISE MONEY, AND THEY ARE DOING A TERRIFIC JOB.

ADAM: I FEEL LIKE ANYTIME I PICK UP A PAPER, I AM LEARNING ABOUT SOME NEW ORGANIZATION DOING THIS KIND OF WORK.

WHICH IS UPLIFTING.

FOR ANYONE WHO SAYS, I WOULD TELL MY KIDS NOT TO GET INTO JOURNALISM, THE BOOK IS A LOT OF FUN TO READ, WELL WRITTEN AND ORGANIZED.

CONGRATULATIONS.

DAN KENNEDY, AWESOME TO SEE YOU.

NEXT UP, AIRPLANE EMISSIONS HAVE SKYROCKETED OVER THE PAST DECADE, RESPONSIBLE FOR 4% OF ALL DRIVERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE, AND EMISSIONS WILL TRIPLE BY 2050 ACCORDING TO THE U.N.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS ORDERED U.S.

CORPORATIONS TO ADDRESS, SAYING THEY HAVE TO REACH NET ZERO EMISSIONS BY 2050.

AIRLINES SAY THEY ARE ON TRACK THROUGH SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL, BUT ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT, THAT GOAL IS HIGHLY UNREALISTIC.

SOME OF THE FUELS THE AIRLINES ARE CALLING SUSTAINABLE ARE NOT, IN FACT.

ONE OF THE REPORT’S CO-AUTHORS, CHUCK COLLINS, AND FLORIAN ALLROGGEN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MIT LAB FOR AVIATION & THE ENVIRONMENT, SENIOR STRATEGIC ADVISOR, DEPARTMENT OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.

CHUCK COLLINS, YOUR REPORT IS PESSIMISTIC AND IT COMES TO THE CURRENT VIABILITY OF SUSTAINABLE AIRLINE FUELS.

WHAT ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT FINDINGS?

CHUCK: WE REALLY TRIED TO DIG INTO THIS FOR A NONSCIENTIFIC READER.

THERE IS A LOT OF CLAIMS ABOUT SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS.

WE SHOULD BE SKEPTICAL.

SAFS MEANS ABOUT AS MUCH AS NATURAL FOOD.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS.

WE CONCLUDE FOUR THINGS, ONE IS THAT SOME SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS WILL NOT REDUCE EMISSIONS.

SECOND, THE ABILITY TO SCALE THIS TO THE CURRENT LEVELS OF AVIATION LET ALONE FUTURE GROWTH PROJECTIONS ARE HIGHLY UNREALISTIC.

THE THIRD CONCERN, WHO WILL PAY FOR THIS?

IT WILL BE BILLIONS AND TRILLIONS OF INVESTMENT, WHICH BRINGS US TO THE BIGGEST CONCERN, THE TRADE-OFFS.

IS THIS THE BEST USE OF PUBLIC SUBSIDIES OF LAND THAT WILL BE USED FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS?

IS THIS THE BEST INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF DE-CARBONIZING OUR ECONOMY?

IT IS RELEVANT BECAUSE IT THE FAA REAUTHORIZATION PROCESS IS THIS WEEK.

THE NEW SAF CREDIT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED, SO WE ARE ABOUT TO SPEND BILLIONS, AND THE QUESTION IS, DO WE WANT TO GO DOWN THIS ROAD ALL THE WAY?

ADAM: DR. ALLROGGEN, WHAT IS YOUR ANSWER TO CHUCK’S QUESTION?

FLORIAN: I THINK IT IS A ROAD WE HAVE TO GO ON BECAUSE AN AIRCRAFT BUILT TODAY IS GOING TO FLY IN 2050 BECAUSE THAT IS THE LIFETIME OF AN AIRCRAFT.

WE NEED A FUEL THAT DRIVES THIS AIRCRAFT IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY WITH A LOWER CARBON FOOTPRINT.

CHUCK HAS A POINT.

THERE ARE SAFS THAT ARE BETTER AT REDUCING THE CARBON FOOTPRINT AND SAFS THAT ARE WORSE.

WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT IT IS THAT WE PRODUCE, AND WE HAVE TO LOOK WITH CLIMATE -- ZERO CLIMATE IMPACT.

ADAM: I TRIED TO GIVE MYSELF A CRASH COURSE ON THIS WORLD YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT, THE EXTENT OF DIFFERENT SAFS.

IT STRUCK ME AS A DIZZYING ARRAY OF OPTIONS.

I SAW AN LG BASED SAF.

DR. ALLROGGEN, ARE THERE PARTICULAR SUSTAINABLE AIRLINE FUELS THAT SHOW SPECIAL PROMISE THAT MIGHT HELP?

DR. ALLROGGEN: THAT IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION, IF YOU LOOK AT IT FROM A SUSTAINABILITY PERSPECTIVE, THE PLACE WHERE WE SHOULD START OUR FUELS THAT USE WASTE RESIDUES, THINGS WE ARE PRODUCING ANYWAYS IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTORS.

WHAT WE THROW AWAY WE MAY NOT BE USING.

THE PROBLEM WITH THAT IS WE KNOW THIS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO GET US TO THE SCALE WE NEED TO MAKE ENOUGH SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS, SO WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT REALISTICALLY CAN WE ACHIEVE IN THE AGRICULTURAL SECTORS TO MAKE BIOFUELS, AND IF THAT IS NOT ENOUGH, WHICH MAY BE TRUE, WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT WHERE DOES THE CARBON COME FROM IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY TO HELP US MAKE THESE FUELS?

DO WE HAVE TO GET IT FROM THE ATMOSPHERE DIRECTLY?

ADAM: ONE THING I REMEMBER IS WHEN THE DISCUSSION FOCUSES ON PLANT-BASED SUSTAINABLE AIRLINE FUELS, THERE ARE MASSIVE OPPORTUNITIES -- I SHOULD NOT SAY OPPORTUNITY COSTS -- THERE ARE BIG, WHAT IS THE ECONOMICS TERM, EXTERNALITIES THAT COME FROM RAMPING UP A FUEL BASED ON CORN.

TELL ME ABOUT THOSE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD BE ATTACHED TO EXPANDING GROWTH OF CERTAIN PLANTSS.

-- CERTAIN PLANTS.

CHUCK: LOOKING AT THE LIFECYCLE IMPACT OF VARIOUS TYPES OF FUEL SOURCES, SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CORN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE SHOULD FACTOR IN IS THE CLEARING OF LAND.

HOW MUCH LAND?

WILL THERE BE TRADE-OFFS IN TERMS OF FOOD?

WORLD RESOURCE INSTITUTE SAID TO MAINTAIN OUR PROJECTION OF GROWTH IN FUEL, WE WOULD HAVE TO USE ALL THE LAND CURRENTLY USED FOR CORN PLUS 20%.

THAT IS WHERE -- IT IS NOT SCIENTIFICALLY OR TECHNOLOGICALLY POSSIBLE.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO SAY THERE ARE SMART PEOPLE TRYING TO THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR VIABLE SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS -- IT IS STEPPING BACK AND ASKING LARGER POLICY OR TRADE OF QUESTIONS FOR EXTERNALITY QUESTIONS.

WILL WE CUT DOWN TREES TO GROW JET FUEL, OR CROPS FOR JET FUEL?

THAT IS WHERE IT MIGHT UNDERCUT OUR LARGER GOALS AROUND DECARBONIZATION.

IF WE USE ANIMAL FATS AND BIO PRODUCTS, SHOULDN’T WE PRIORITIZE GROUND TRANSPORTATION?

ELECTRIFICATION QUESTION MARK OTHER DECARBONIZATION NEEDS THAT AFFECT MORE PEOPLE?

WE SEE THE PRIVATE JET LOBBY PUSHING, SAYING OUR ANSWER IS SAFS.

OUR VIEW IS THE PRIVATE AVIATION SHOULD PAY ITS REAL COSTS, ITS ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COSTS FOR STARTERS.

WE ARE SUBSIDIZING PRIVATE JETS AND THE AVIATION SECTOR GENERALLY AS TAXPAYERS.

DO WE WANT TO KEEP DOING THAT COMPARED TO OTHER GOALS TO REDUCE EMISSIONS?

ADAM: I’M CURIOUS GIVEN THE RESEARCH YOU DO, DO YOU BELIEVE GOVERNMENT FUNDING AND GOVERNMENT INCENTIVES ARE NECESSARY TO PUSH THE SEARCH FOR SAFS THAT MIGHT WORK WELL FORWARD, OR CAN THE INDUSTRY, THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY BE TRUSTED ON ITS OWN TO DRIVE THAT SEARCH IN COLLABORATION WITH PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES AT M.I.T.?

DR. ALLROGGEN: THIS IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND A LOT OF IT COMES BACK TO THE QUESTION OF HOW WE AS CONSUMERS ACT.

WE LOOK FOR THE CHEAPEST PRICE.

WE KNOW SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUEL WILL BE MORE EXPENSIVE.

WITHOUT A POLICY INCENTIVE IN THAT MARKET, HOW DO YOU GET THE CUSTOMER TO PAY THAT PREMIUM?

THAT IS THE CRUX OF THE QUESTION.

WE ARE LOOKING AT A NASCENT INDUSTRY AT THE VERGE OF SCALING UP.

WE KNOW IT HAS A LOT TO LEARN AS WE PRODUCE MORE OF THESE FUELS OVER TIME.

THAT CAN HELP US BRING COSTS DOWN.

THAT MAY BE A CASE FOR INITIAL SUBSIDIES MAY HELP US GET TO THESE COSTS, AND WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION, HOW CAN WE CREATE THE DEMAND FOR A PRODUCT THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL POSITIVE BENEFIT, AND AT THE SAME TIME WILL COST THE CUSTOMER MORE.

WE KNOW IT IS NOT WHAT THEY LOOK FOR.

ADAM: IT IS A FASCINATING TOPIC.

I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT IT, SO THANK YOU FOR FILLING ME AND OUR REVIEWERS IN.

CHUCK, IF PEOPLE WANT TO SEE YOUR REPORT, WHERE DO THEY GO?

CHUCK: GO TO THE INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES.

CHECK OUT AND ASK -- EXPLORE THESE QUESTIONS, THEY ARE REALLY INTERESTING.

A REVIEW IS, WE WILL HAVE TO FLY LESS IF WE WANT TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS, AND NOBODY IS SAYING THAT.

WE HAVE TO DIAL DOWN OUR AVIATION CONSUMPTION, STARTING WITH PRIVATE JETS.

ADAM: IT IS GOING TO BE A TRICKY CASE TO MAKE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

CHUCK COLLINS AND FLORIAN ALLROGGEN, THANK YOU FOR TALKING US THROUGH THIS.

FINALLY TONIGHT, GERARD QUINTANAR WAS AT THE TOP OF HIS CAREER WHEN HE GOT A CALL FROM HIS DOCTOR THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.

HE EXPLAINS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT, AND HOW GRABBING CHINESE FOOD ONE DAY HELPED HIM NAVIGATE IT ALL.

WE BRING YOU THIS STORY AS A PARTNERSHIP WITH HIS SHOW.

GERARD: IT IS 2009, I’M GETTING MY REGULAR HAIRCUT, AND I NOTICE MY RIGHT EYELID IS DROOPING.

I AM 47 YEARS OLD.

FATHER TO TWO YOUNG CHILDREN, HUSBAND TO A STAY-AT-HOME MOM.

AND A DIRECTOR OF A LARGE ENGINEERING FIRM.

LIFE IS BUSY BUT GOOD.

AS I LOOK AT MY REFLECTION, I KNOW THIS DROOPING EYELID COULD BE THE SIGN OF A RARE PROGRESSIVE DISEASE THAT RUNS IN MY FAMILY.

MAYBE I’M JUST TIRED, I THINK.

I TRIED TO IGNORE IT.

OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS, IT DOES NOT GO AWAY.

I KNOW THERE IS A TEST FOR THE DISEASE BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS TESTED YEARS BEFORE.

I TALKED TO MY DOCTOR, WHO ORDERS THE TEST.

SIX VIALS OF BLOOD ARE DRAWN AND SENT OFF TO A LAB.

HE GIVES ME A CALL AT WORK A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER ON A BUSY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

HI, GERARD.

I WANT YOU TO KNOW I HAVE YOUR TEST RESULTS.

YOU MAY WANT TO COME IN.

WITH THAT, I PRETTY MUCH KNOW THE ANSWER.

WHEN I GET TO HIS OFFICE, HE CONFIRMS IT.

POSITIVE.

I’M STUNNED.

EVEN WHEN YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT IS COMING, IT HITS DIFFERENT WHEN A DOCTOR SAYS IT.

YOU HAVE MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY, HE SAYS.

HE ADMITS HE DOES NOT KNOW MUCH ABOUT THE DISEASE BECAUSE IT IS SO RARE.

IT AFFECTS ABOUT ONE IN 100,000 PEOPLE WORLDWIDE.

THERE IS NO CURE.

AND I KNOW THIS DROOPING EYELID IS THE LEAST WORRISOME OF THE SYMPTOMS I WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

I GO HOME AND HAVE DINNER WITH MY FAMILY.

I READ BOOKS TO MY KIDS AS THEY FALL ASLEEP.

I GO DOWNSTAIRS AND TELL MY WIFE THE NEWS.

SHE IS AN ENGINEER AS WELL, SO WE KEEP THE DISCUSSION FAIRLY HIGH LEVEL AND PRAGMATIC.

AND AFTER A LITTLE WHILE, WE AGREE WE SHOULD SLEEP ON IT.

I DO NOT SLEEP THAT MUCH THAT NIGHT.

I LAY AWAKE MULLING OVER WHAT THIS DIAGNOSIS WILL MEAN FOR MY FAMILY AND ME.

I GET UP IN THE GREAT LIGHT OF DAWN, AND I LOOK THROUGH MY BUREAU FOR AN ENVELOPE THAT CONTAINS MY FATHER’S TEST RESULTS.

I FIND IT AND PUT IT IN MY COMPUTER BAG.

I GET DRESSED, THINKING WORK WILL BE A GOOD DISTRACTION.

AROUND LUNCHTIME, I GO TO THE CAFETERIA WERE SEVERAL ENTRÉES ARE OFFERED.

I OPT FOR CHINESE FOOD AND PLACE MY ORDER TO GO, AND GRAB A FORTUNE COOKIE FROM A LARGE WICKER BASKET ON MY WAY OUT.

EATING MY LUNCH IN THE SOLITUDE OF MY OFFICE, I REMOVE THE ENVELOPE FROM MY COMPUTER BAG AND UNFOLD THE PAPERS WITH MY FATHER’S RESULTS.

I PLACE MY RESULTS NEXT TO HIS.

THE NUMERICAL MARKERS THAT INDICATE THE SEVERITY OF THE MUTATIONS ARE IDENTICAL.

I GLANCE OVER AT THE FORTUNE COOKIE SITTING ON MY DESK, AND BACK AT THE RESULTS.

NOW, I HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT OF FORTUNE COOKIES AS A NOVELTY, NOTHING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

BUT TODAY I REALLY WANT TO KNOW WHAT THAT FORTUNE SAYS.

I UNWRAPPED THE COOKIE AND CRACK IT OPEN.

EMPTY.

THE COOKIE IS EMPTY.

IN ALL MY YEARS OF EATING CHINESE FOOD, I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED AN EMPTY FORTUNE COOKIE, AND TODAY IT SEEMS LIKE A BAD SIGN.

WHAT A WEEK I AM HAVING.

I CLOSE MY EYES AND SLUMPED DOWN IN MY CHAIR.

I’M EXHAUSTED, AND THIS DIAGNOSIS IS JUST A NEW FORM OF STRESS.

FOR YEARS I PRACTICED TECHNIQUES FOR MANAGING STRESS, AND MAINTAINING A POSITIVE STATE OF MIND.

THIS COULD BE AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THOSE TECHNIQUES TO WORK.

I SLOWLY OPENED MY EYES AND I LOOK AT THE COOKIE PIECES, AND I TRIED TO IMAGINE HOW THIS EMPTY FORTUNE COOKIE COULD BE THE SIGN OF SOMETHING GOOD.

SLOWLY, THOUGHTS OF GRATITUDE COME TO MIND.

HOW FORTUNATE MI -- AM I TO GET MY DIAGNOSIS AT MY AGE AT THE ONSET OF SYMPTOMS.

HOW FORTUNATE AM I TO PLACE MY RESULTS NEXT TO MY DAD’S AND SEE THAT THEY ARE IDENTICAL.

I KNOW EVERYTHING HE WENT THROUGH FROM WHEN HE WAS MY AGE TWO WHEN HE PASSED AWAY FROM THE DISEASE.

-- TO WHEN HE PASSED AWAY FROM THE DISEASE.

HOW MANY PEOPLE GET A PREVIEW OF WHAT IS TO COME?

IT IS SCARY BUT IT IS ALSO A GIFT.

RIGHT THEN, I DECIDE TO MAKE MOST OF THE TIME I HAVE LEFT.

I PUSH THE PIECES OF COOKIE ASIDE AND TAKE OUT A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER.

WITH SCISSORS, I CUT OUT SMALL FORTUNE SIZED PIECES, AND I COMMIT TO START EACH DAY BY WRITING MY OWN FORTUNE.

NOW, THESE ARE NOT FORTUNES THAT ARE GRANDIOSE, NOR ARE THEY TRIVIAL, BUT I TRY TO MAKE THEM PREDICTIVE OF SOMETHING GOOD THAT MAY HAPPEN ON THAT SPECIFIC DAY, AND ON MANY DAYS THEY COME TRUE.

BUT THAT IS NOT ACTUALLY THE POINT.

THE POINT IS I BELIEVE THEY ARE MORE LIKELY TO COME TRUE BECAUSE I WRITE THEM WITH INTENTION AND HOPE.

SOME SAY YOU WILL FIND A FUNNY STORY TO BRING HOME TO YOUR FAMILY TONIGHT, OR, YOU WILL INSPIRE A YOUNG LEADER WHO HAS TAKEN ON A CHALLENGING ROLE.

WHEN THE CALL FOR STORYTELLERS WENT OUT, I WROTE MYSELF A FORTUNE THAT I WOULD BE SELECTED TO STAND ON THIS STAGE AND TELL YOU THIS STORY TONIGHT.

TODAY, THE FORTUNE IS FOR YOU AND I LIKE, IT SIMPLY READS YOU WILL WRITE YOUR OWN FORTUNE TODAY.

THANK YOU.

ADAM: YOU CAN CATCH MORE "STORIES FROM THE STAGE" MONDAYS, AND FRIDAYS HERE ON B GBH.

THAT IS IT FOR TONIGHT, WE WILL BE BACK TOMORROW, THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

I’M ADAM REILLY.

GOOD NIGHT.