Displaying items by tag: This Week in Tech with Jeanne Destro, Jeanne Destro, Destro, Tech, Technology, WAKR, 1590 WAKR, podcast

Ohio lawmakers are considering a request to allow consumers to buy what could be a dangerously radioactive chemical product, which is used for deicing snowy sidewalks and driveways.

Aqua Salina, which is made from recyled wastewater "brine" from oil and gas wells, is already used on highways as a deicer and dust suppresant in many states, including Ohio. But, the Northeast Ohio company that makes it, Nature's Own Source, LLC, wants to sell it to other consumers as well, and says it is safe.

That assertion, however, is disputed by a number of citizens, environmental groups, and some state officials, including the Director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

In a June 22, 2021 letter to the chairs of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and House Energy & Natural Resources Committee; ODNR Director, Mary Mertz expressed concerns about proposed regulatory changes that would result in her agency losing the ability to regulate oilfield wastes and tracking their flow, for example, into water supplies. Her conclusion: "HB 282/SB 171 does not ensure the protection of public health and safety or the environment." 

Whether or not the bills will advance out of the committees that have been considering it, and come to a full vote in either chamber is still up in the air.

Listen now to hear clips of testimony on both sides of the issue, as well as interviews with Ohio House Energy and Natural Resources Committee ranking member, 37th District State Representative Casey Weinstein (D) of Hudson, and former Athens County Commissioner, and current Ohio Brine Task Force Spokesperson, Roxanne Groff.

 

STATE REP CASEY WEINSTEIN

State Representative Casey Weinstein, (D) Ohio 37th District

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Roxanne Groff, Ohio Brine Task Force

Follow these links to learn more, and to follow the progress of House Bill 282, and Senate Bill 171.

Mertz letter 1

**Please note: This program is available as a podcast on Apple, Android, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Published in This Week in Tech

Imagine a world without plastic waste. 

It could happen, according to Assistant Professor of Polymer Science at the University of Akron Dr. Junpeng Wang. Listen now to find out more about his groundbreaking research on a new way to make and infinitely recycle plastic.

We'll also hear from MAGNET President and CEO, Ethan Karp, about thousands of good paying, high tech jobs that are open now in Northeast Ohio, KSS Robotics Director, Nathan Sterrett on the educational value of K-12 robotics competitions, and from Ohio Development Services Agency Director, Lydia Mihalik, on who won the recent TechOhio Startup Creativity Challenge.


DR. JUNPENG WANG

Dr. Junpeng Wang, Assistant Prof., Polymer Science, University of Akron

Ethan Karp Magnet

Dr. Ethan Karp, President & CEO, MAGNET

Lydia Mihalik smaller

Lydia Mihalik, Director, Ohio Department of Develoopment Services

 

Published in This Week in Tech

Will a big cyberattack one day lead to war between the US and another superpower?

That's a question US officials have been pondering for quite some time, and something that President Biden talked about recently, during a speech at the National Counter Terrorism Center.

Find out why, and listen as we connect the dots through a series of reports from CBS News and other sources, that show how the technology we have created to make our lives easier, more productive, and more enjoyable, is also being used to rob us of our money, our security, and our privacy.

Our special guest this week, is Radio Television Digital News Association & Foundation Executive Director, Dan Shelley, who talked to us about recent reports that military grade spyware has been planted on the mobile phones of world leaders, political activists, and journalists worldwide, and what that might mean not only for freedom of the press, but for freedom in general--for everyone.


Dan Shelley

Dan Shelley, Radio Television Digital News Association & Foundation Executive Director

 

Published in This Week in Tech

Show me the money!

Esports is big business now, and the University of Akron is making sure their students can prove they have what it takes to do the many jobs associated with it, by offering an Esports Business Certificate.

Find out why, with U-A Management professor, Dr. Seungbum Lee, and Esports Director, Nate Meeker. 


DR. SEUNGBUM LEE

Dr. Seungbum Lee, Professor, Management, University of Akron

NATE MEEKER UA ESPORTS

Nate Meeker, Director of Esports, University of Akron

 

Published in This Week in Tech

This week, how the same voice technology that powers your interactions with Siri and Alexa, also allows marketers to gather data about you like your age, weight, birth control use, and more.

Sound creepy? Well, it is, according to author, Joseph Turow, as he found out when he wrote his new book, "The Voice Catchers: How Marketers Listen In to Exploit Your Feelings, Your Privacy, and Your Wallet".

We'll also hear from Stark Area Regional Transit Authority Executive Director and CEO, Kirt Conrad, about why they're phasing out diesel, and expanding the use of Hydrogen fuel cells to power their buses. 


JOSEPH TUROW AUTHOR

Joseph Turow, Author

KIRT CONRAD SARTA

Kirt Conrad, Executive Director, CEO: SARTA

Published in This Week in Tech

After a series of extremely damaging ransomware attacks believed to have originated in Russia; US President Joe Biden warned Russian President, Vladamir Putin, that the US no longer views such attacks as just criminal activity; but now also as threats to our national security.

Then, just one day after that warning; the Russian hacker group believed to be responsible for it, REvil; suddenly disappeared from the web. How and why is still a mystery, but what is certain, is that damaging attacks like the ones they launched recently will continue-whether or not that particular group is to blame.

So, what can we do to protect ourselves?

I talked to two experts, including Computer Science Professor, Dr. John Nicholas, who teaches Cybersecurity at the University of Akron, and author, Thomas Parenty, who shares insights from his new book, "A Leader's Guide to Cybersecurity: Why Boards Need to Lead, and How to Do It.'

Parenty has 35 years of cybersecurity experience, including work for the US National Security Agency (NSA), where he focused on protecting global nuclear command and control networks from foreign cyber attack. 


JOHN NICHOLAS

Dr. John Nicholas, Computer Science Professor, University of Akron

Thomas Parenty

Thomas Parenty, Author

 

 

 

Published in This Week in Tech

Billionaire Richard Branson was all smiles, floating wieghtless aboard his Virgin Galactic Space Plane during its first, fully-crewed flight yesterday.

Jeanne Destro talked to CBS News Space Consultant, Bill Harwood, about the start of a new era in space exploration; Space Tourism

Are you ready to go? Listen now to find out how. 


Bill Harwood CBS

Bill Harwood, Space Consultant, CBS News

Published in This Week in Tech

The University of Akron's I-Corps program has helped launch a number of successful tech startups, turning big ideas into big profits through mentoring, focused market research, and award-winning business development support.

Find out how, with University of Akron Foundation Director, Elyse Ball.


Elyse Ball UA

Elyse Ball, University of Akron Foundation Director

Published in This Week in Tech

Wind and Solar power development in Ohio is now facing tighter regulation, as Ohio's Republican-controlled legislature this week approved adding an additional layer of government oversight to the site approval process, entirely along party lines. All of the Akron area's Democratic State Representatives, as well as Democratic Senator, Vernon Sykes, voted against it.

Now, County officials will have the opportunity to decide whether or not property owners, many of whom are farmers, will be allowed to install wind and solar production facilities on their land, before their application even gets the the state agency that was created specifically to do that type of work; the Ohio Power Siting Board. As a result; County Commissioners could ban wind or solar projects outright, or limit them to "energy development districts".

That extra layer of regulation, Senate Bill 52, faced a great deal of opposition from groups that are not normally politically aligned, including labor unions, enviornmental groups, farmers, and the business community.

Listen now to hear part of a recent Ohio House Public Utilities Committee hearing on the issue, as well as our interview with Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce Vice President for Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives, Brian Dicken, who explains why they opposed the bill, which is now on its way to Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine, for final approval.


BRIAN DICKEN TOLEDO CHAMBER

Brian Dicken, Toledo Chamber of Commerce Vice President for Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives

Published in This Week in Tech

Fairlawn Gig officials say a grass roots movement including more than 700 emails from their customers, convinced Ohio legislators to restore more than $250 million dollars in state funding for the expansion of high speed broadband into rural areas, and to drop plans to shut down municipal broadband.

Fairlawn Public Service Director, Ernie Staten says it is a big win for the city's municipal broadband service, Fairlawn Gig.

Listen now, to find out why:


ERNIE STATEN FAIRLAWN 2

 Ernie Staten, City of Fairlawn Director of Public Service

 

Published in This Week in Tech
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