Clean Water Update: The Fight Against Forever Chemicals In Akron

Imagine getting a call late at night from someone telling you your child had been kidnapped, and will be killed unless you give up all your banking information. Would you do it?  Or, what if your "bank" fraud services department calls to let you know there's been some suspcious activity on your account, and they just need you to confirm a few facts before they can let you in on all the details. Of course, you figure because they say they're from your bank, and they sound like they're from your bank, and they have all kinds of private information only your bank would know, then; it stands to reason they're legit. Right? Wrong. Oh, so very, very, very wrong. Find out how and why. Listen to our conversation with avid Kennedy, who is the CEO of Cybersecurity Consulting Firm, TrustedSec. They provide cybersecurity services to companies worldwide, and they are headquartered in Fairlawn, Ohio.

What if you found out there are chemicals so toxic and dangerous that even just 10 barrels full of it could pollute all of Lake Erie? Well, it turns out; there are, and they're in our environment, pretty much everywhere–from your Teflon coated frying pan, to the grease-resistant pizza box sitting on your kitchen counter. Oh, and speaking of kitchen counters; you know that stuff you use to seal the granite  every year or so? Yeah, they're in that too. But, the type of chemicals that are used to makel those things, along with other ubiquitous and useful products like bandages, Scotchgard, and fire fighting foam; are exactly the type of chemicals known as PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances)  that are now regulated under new federal EPA guidelines that apply to public water supplies. They're known as "forever chemicals", because they do not break down in nature. Once they're out there; they're out there, and once they're our bodies, they can cause all kinds of very serious illness, such as kidney and testicular cancer, liver damage, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, and more. In addition, new investigative reporting shows the company that originally discovered them–3M–not only knew they were potentially deadly decades ago; they also purposely covered it up. As a result, they agreed to pay a $10.3 billion dollar settlement to water utilities nationwide. Here in Ohio; the State recently settled a lawsuit for $110 million dollars against three companies–Chemours, Dupont De Nemours, and Corteva– that dispersed these chemicals into the air and water from their  Washington Works facility along the Ohio-West Virginia border. So, today, we're both following up on a story we did late last year on what the City of Akron is doing to protect our drinking water supply from these dangerous chemicals, and learning about a new type of PFAS filter for tap water that consumers could use at home. Listen now, to our conversation with City of Akron City of Akron Utilities Technical Services Manager, Scott Moegling, and University of Akron Polymer Science Professor,  Dr. Sadhan C. Jana.

There's not a whole lot better than summertime in Ohio, when it comes to picnics in the park, hikes along the Cuyahoga river, and maybe even a cool dip in one of our many beautiful lakes. But this cool green serenity is at risk, as global climate change heats up the water, fosters toxic algal blooms, and hastens leaf decomposition, which in turn; fuels more global warming. The good news is, though, that there is something you can do to help fight back against that, in your own yard right now. It also just happens to be cheap, low-tech, and easy to accomplish without fancy lawn equipment, or an advanced degree in Biology. Of course, we are going to need somebody who actually does have an advanced degree in Biology to explain it all to us, and that's where our special guest, Dr. David Costello, from Kent State University, comes in. Listen now.

This week we're taking a look at a number of different ways that technology is affecting our children, our environment, amd the kinds of cars we drive. We'll also hear about how some communities in NE Ohio are trying to ban large scale wind and solar facilities, and why the rapidly expanding use of Artifiial Intelligence may mean the return to using nuclear power to produce electricity. Find out more. Listen now.

Although Wall Street Analysts, Stockbrokers, and Traders already use sophisticated computer programming to help them make what is in some case dizzyingly vast sums of money; rapidly developing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools could soon help them make even more. On the other hand; AI could also completely replace a lot of those jobs, leaving the people doing them today, out of work and wondering how to get back in the game. That in fact, is a scenario that is going to play out for billions of workers in all sorts of different fields over the next five to ten years, according to AI Developer, Professor, and Author, David Shrier. I talked to him last week about his new book “Welcome to AI: A Human Guide To Artificial Intelligence”, in which he predicts that within five to ten years; unemployment in the US and other countries could hit 30 to 50 percent. (To listen to that interview, click here). Obviously; that is not the kind of blow that the US, or any other economy could absorb without either buckling, or at least being severely crippled for time, without some sort of serious intervention. Shrier talked about the need for government to step in with a safety net solution, like Universal Basic Income (UBI) , and large-scale programs to retrain employees so they can work with, and not try to compete against, AI. With that in mind; I approached Kent State University Finance Professor, David Pelleg, about how they adapting to this new technology, so that when their students  graduate; they will have the kind of AI-related skills they need to grow and prosper, despite major job disruptions that lie ahead.

Imagine if the outrage Apple stirred up this week over the ad showing their super thin new Ipad Pro "crushing" images representing art and music, amplified billions of times over.  Imagine that instead of just crushing just digital images of human creativity, another tech creation; artificial intelligence, actually crushes our entire world economy, by eliminating 30 to 50 percent of all jobs, leaving millions of people, including today's top earners, in the dust, on the dole, and in despair. Then, imagine another reality, and in this one; all the boring bits of your job disappear, and you are left free to concentrate on the creative bits, with the time and freedom to innovate, and collaborate in new ways that could usher in a new age of prosperity. Now, imagine that you get to choose, but you have to do it right now. What would you do? How could you choose>? Who could you ask for help?  These are the kinds of questions that our guest today, David Shrier, attempts to answer in his new book, "Welcome to AI" A Human Guide to Artificial Intelligence". Find out more. Listen now. David Shrier is a globally recognized author and expert on technology-driven innovation. He is a Professor of Practice, AI and Innovation, at Imperial College Business School, cohead of the Trusted AI Alliance at Imperial College London, Academic Director of the Imperial College Centre for Digital Transformation, and Managing Director of venture studio Visionary Future. He previously held a dual appointment at MIT and the University of Oxford. Shrier has advised public companies, private enterprise, and more than a hundred governments on fields such as artificial intelligence, data analytics, and financial technology. In addition, he has launched multiple AI-based university spinouts.

This week our special guest has a special tie to the Akron community. University of Akron graduate, Dr. Greg Davis, who started his professional career as a Physics teacher at Stow High School, has been with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, since 2005. Currently their Principal Technologist; Davis has worked on a number of amazing projects, including the Juno spacecraft, three Mars landers, and Mars Pathfinder. Listen now, as we find out what's next in his fascinating career, and explore some of the mysteries of space, starting first with a conversation about the Webb Space Telescope.

All Akron residents can now apply to receive a free Amazon RING doorbell security camera, as part of the city's ongoing effort to increase neighborhood security. What started as a pilot program in three of the city's ten wards last year, has now expanded outside of just wards 3, 4, ad 5. City officials are using federal American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds to buy the cameras, and have allotted 300 per ward. This is in addition to the 400 originally given out to residents in four particularly high crime areas last year. Now, in order to fight crime, the free cameras come with some strings attached. When residents apply to receive one, they have to agree to terms and conditions, that include being willing to help police who may need to access some of the video footage captured by the cameras. Keep in mind when you listen to our interview with Akron City Council President, Margo Sommerville, that she says providing video footage for police is "entirely voluntary", but that is not exactly what the terms and conditions that are posted on the Akron City Council website indicate. They include: Applicant will timely create a RING account and will use his/her/their best efforts to notify the City and/or provide it with access to footage for law enforcement review suspected or actual criminal activity that does, or could, rise to the level of a felony. Applicant shall not in any way obstruct or object to the City’s request to review RING footage so long as the Akron Police Department reasonably believes it is necessary to the investigation of an actual or potential felony crimes. These conditions have not changed since the program began last year. However, the way that police can interact with citizens via the Neighbors app, that is used in conjunction with the RING cameras, has changed. Police used to be able to contact citizens in a selected area directly through the Neighbors app, and ask for them to send links to video from their cameras. That is no longer possible, though, because Amazon has disabled that feature, and now insists that police come to them with a warrant, or proof of exigent circumstances, if they want to access video that citizens don't supply to them voluntarily. But, while police cannot reach out to people for video through the app; they can still ask them for it directly, without going through the app. Akron Police Captain, Michael Miller explains, "The changes prevent us from sending a geo-notification to area residents, but they can still provide video links if they want. For example, if we are searching/canvassing an area and believe a crime occurred in a particular location, the homeowner can still send the police department a video link of any footage they captured. The goal all along was to enhance public safety and position us to solve crimes." With all that in mind, listen now, to my recent conversation with Akron City Council President, Margo Sommerville:

Now that President Biden has signed the bill Congress passed this week requiring the Chinese owners of the popular social media app, TikTok to sell to a US company within the next nine months, or face a possible ban; a lot more is at stake than than whether or not we can continue to can stare for hours at cute cat videos. The law, which was passed as part of a larger measure that renewed funding for war efforts in Ukraine and Israel, is a national security effort to ensure that the Chinese government cannot access the private data of US citizens. While Byte Dance, the company that currently owns TikTok, denies that is happening; there was enough concern on the part of an increasingly partisan and divided Congress to get the bill passed. But there are real world consequences to their action. All kinds of businesses, from solo entrepreneurs, to giant retailers, have found they can reach, engage, and profit from content they post on what has become the fourth most popular social network in America, currently used by more than 50% of the US population. So, what happens to them, if TikTok is no longer available, or it changes in a way that cuts them off to many of their followers? To find out, we talked to an expert on Social Media Marketing; University of Akron Associate Professor of Marketing, Dr. Alexa Fox. Listen now.

Imagine a future where virtually everything you touch is infused with Artificial Intelligence; not just your smart phone, but also your TV, your car, your air conditioner, the forklift at the factory where you work, and more. But that's not an imaginary scenario. According to the authors of the new book, "Fusion Strategy: How Real Time Data & AI will Power the Industrial Future"; that is exactly what is happening right now, and what will continue to happen on an ever increasing scale in the future. So, how can we get ready for it? What is ahead for individuals, for workers, and for business owners? Find out, as we discuss it with co-author, Dr. Venkat Venkatraman, who is a Professor of Management at Boston University.