Stephen Dubner

I asked Sullivan what he thought of New York Mayor Eric Adams' war on rats and the recent rat summit. Typically, I try to ignore what mayors say about rats. He was indicted not long after. Do you think that was a coincidence or no? Do you think the rats have the pull to make that happen?

I asked Sullivan what he thought of New York Mayor Eric Adams' war on rats and the recent rat summit. Typically, I try to ignore what mayors say about rats. He was indicted not long after. Do you think that was a coincidence or no? Do you think the rats have the pull to make that happen?

I asked Sullivan what he thought of New York Mayor Eric Adams' war on rats and the recent rat summit. Typically, I try to ignore what mayors say about rats. He was indicted not long after. Do you think that was a coincidence or no? Do you think the rats have the pull to make that happen?

When Sullivan talks about Eric Adams drowning rats in beer, he is referring to an idea that Adams promoted in 2019 when he was borough president of Brooklyn. This involved an Italian rat trap called an echo meal. It is baited with nuts or seeds. A rat, upon entering, drops through a trap door into a vat filled with a green alcohol based solution.

When Sullivan talks about Eric Adams drowning rats in beer, he is referring to an idea that Adams promoted in 2019 when he was borough president of Brooklyn. This involved an Italian rat trap called an echo meal. It is baited with nuts or seeds. A rat, upon entering, drops through a trap door into a vat filled with a green alcohol based solution.

When Sullivan talks about Eric Adams drowning rats in beer, he is referring to an idea that Adams promoted in 2019 when he was borough president of Brooklyn. This involved an Italian rat trap called an echo meal. It is baited with nuts or seeds. A rat, upon entering, drops through a trap door into a vat filled with a green alcohol based solution.

Say what you will about Eric Adams as an elected official. He's got a lot of problems at the moment. And by the time you hear this, he may have been shoved out of office. But he could never be accused of flip-flopping on rats. Shortly after he was elected mayor in 2022, he signed into law a rat action plan. It included four key components. Rat-resistant trash containers. More timely trash pickups.

Say what you will about Eric Adams as an elected official. He's got a lot of problems at the moment. And by the time you hear this, he may have been shoved out of office. But he could never be accused of flip-flopping on rats. Shortly after he was elected mayor in 2022, he signed into law a rat action plan. It included four key components. Rat-resistant trash containers. More timely trash pickups.

Say what you will about Eric Adams as an elected official. He's got a lot of problems at the moment. And by the time you hear this, he may have been shoved out of office. But he could never be accused of flip-flopping on rats. Shortly after he was elected mayor in 2022, he signed into law a rat action plan. It included four key components. Rat-resistant trash containers. More timely trash pickups.

the creation of rat mitigation zones and a crackdown on rats around construction sites. Here's what one city council member said at the time. Today, we declare that rats will no longer be the unofficial mascot of New York City. This rat action plan, of course, required a rat czar in the person of Kathy Karate. And she explained that a major focus of the plan is to cut down the rat's food supply.

the creation of rat mitigation zones and a crackdown on rats around construction sites. Here's what one city council member said at the time. Today, we declare that rats will no longer be the unofficial mascot of New York City. This rat action plan, of course, required a rat czar in the person of Kathy Karate. And she explained that a major focus of the plan is to cut down the rat's food supply.

the creation of rat mitigation zones and a crackdown on rats around construction sites. Here's what one city council member said at the time. Today, we declare that rats will no longer be the unofficial mascot of New York City. This rat action plan, of course, required a rat czar in the person of Kathy Karate. And she explained that a major focus of the plan is to cut down the rat's food supply.

If you have never visited New York City, it may surprise you to learn that most trash is simply left out for pickup on the sidewalk in big plastic bags. As Karate says, trash used to be put in metal cans with lids. During a sanitation strike in 1968, those cans overflowed with tons of loose trash and newly invented plastic bags came to the rescue.

If you have never visited New York City, it may surprise you to learn that most trash is simply left out for pickup on the sidewalk in big plastic bags. As Karate says, trash used to be put in metal cans with lids. During a sanitation strike in 1968, those cans overflowed with tons of loose trash and newly invented plastic bags came to the rescue.

If you have never visited New York City, it may surprise you to learn that most trash is simply left out for pickup on the sidewalk in big plastic bags. As Karate says, trash used to be put in metal cans with lids. During a sanitation strike in 1968, those cans overflowed with tons of loose trash and newly invented plastic bags came to the rescue.

Plastic was also quieter and much lighter, which made the returning sanitation workers happy. There was just one problem. Rats had an easy time chewing through the plastic. So what's the new plan?

Plastic was also quieter and much lighter, which made the returning sanitation workers happy. There was just one problem. Rats had an easy time chewing through the plastic. So what's the new plan?

Plastic was also quieter and much lighter, which made the returning sanitation workers happy. There was just one problem. Rats had an easy time chewing through the plastic. So what's the new plan?

And here's the person who can tell us more about that.

And here's the person who can tell us more about that.