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Ransomware Gang REvil Strikes Again Hitting Thousands of Businesses and Demanding $70 Million Jul 07, 2021

Show notes

The Russian ransomware gang REvil has struck again, this time taking out thousands of businesses in what is called a supply chain attack. This is a step above what ransomware attacks usually look like that only target one entity. The main target was IT services company Kaseya which is how the hackers were able to infiltrate other computer systems. Lily Hay Newman, senior writer at Wired, joins us for how REvil did it and the $70 million they want to restore service.

Next, the Delta Covid-19 variant continues to cause worry among public health officials especially in places like Wyoming where only 32% of people are fully vaccinated and big events are taking place like a 10-day rodeo set to start later this month. Hospitals are also seeing a rise in younger patients infected with this variant. Julie Wernau, health and science reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how this variant is gaining ground among the unvaccinated.

Finally, our body odor can reveal a lot of details about our health and also plays a role in attraction. Single people could actually even smell different that married people. In one study of smelly t-shirts, single people’s BO smelled stronger than married men’s BO, with the thought being that men in relations ships and that have children have lower testosterone and therefore different body odor. William Park, senior journalist at BBC Future, joins us for how smell plays a role in how much we like each other.

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How Opening Sidewalks to Businesses During the Pandemic Shut Things Down for Disabled Users Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

One of the bright spots that helped restaurants and businesses make it through the pandemic was the ability to extend out onto sidewalks and streets. It helped them continue to do business while indoor activities were restricted and in many areas these changes are being made permanent, but for disabled citizens, these changes can make sidewalks feel like obstacle courses. Calls are now being made for "mini equality impact assessments" which notify business owners of reasonable adjustments that can be made to provide better accessibility. John Surico, contributor to Bloomberg CityLab, joins us for how "open streets" impacted disabled users.

Next, the demand for mental healthcare has overwhelmed supply for most of the pandemic, and in some places like Massachusetts, the need for those services is critical. If traditional hospitals and treatment centers don't have available space for mental health services, some may need to go to the ER in what is known as emergency room boarding for psychiatric patients. These types of stays have risen between 200% and 400% in Massachusetts during the pandemic and ERs are not equipped for this type of treatment. Martha Bebinger, healthcare reporter at WBUR, joins us for what to know and one girl's 17-day stay in an ER.

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Trump Organization Charged With Tax Crimes Jul 05, 2021

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Prosecutors have charged the Trump Organization with a 15 year scheme to defraud the government and also charged its CFO, Allen Weisselberg, with grand larceny and tax fraud. These indictments are the first in the long running investigation into Donald Trump’s finances and business dealings. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for these charges, Liz Cheney being named to the committee investigation the Capitol insurrection and the Supreme Court ruling on Arizona voting laws.

Next, be careful when you see your favorite influencers and personalities promoting cryptocurrency. With all the hype around crypto right now, many are promoting “alt-coins” or “meme-coins” and unfortunately they are often tied to what are known as pump and dump schemes. Influencers pump up the altcoins in their networks, the value rises for a very short period of time, major investors dump the coins when it hits their peak, and everyone else is left with these crypto coins worth nothing. Matt Binder, reporter at Mashable, joins us for the shady world of influencers promoting cryptocurrency.

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WEEKEND EDITION- COVID-19 Vaccine May Give Lasting Immunity, Workers Return to Work as Unemployment Benefits End, mRNA Technology Could Be Used for Cancer Treatment Jul 04, 2021

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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WEEKEND EDITION- Bill Cosby Freed From Prison, Red Flags in Florida Condo Collapse, LAPD Fireworks Explosion Injures 17 Jul 03, 2021

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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Planned Detonation of Illegal Fireworks in LA Ends in Huge Explosion, 17 Injured Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

Leading into the 4th of July weekend it’s important to be safe when dealing with fireworks. You will most likely be seeing some illegal fireworks going off near you, but in South LA, the explosion came for the LAPD. Responding to a tip, cops found 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks at one home including other “improvised explosive devices.” Those were put into a special chamber to be detonated when an unexpected explosion occurred, injuring 17 people and damaging nearby cars and homes. Steve Gregory, reporter for KFI News in Los Angeles, joins us for what happened with this unexpected blast.

Next, there is a lot of talk about infrastructure lately as the Biden administration tries to get a bill passed and one of the big questions being debated is how to pay for it. But why does it cost so much to build things in America? When it comes to mass transit and roads, we just don’t build enough and are out of practice. Every time a new project comes along it’s like starting from scratch. There is also the complexity of working across multiple jurisdictions and bottlenecks at every step of the process. Jerusalem Demsas, policy reporter at Vox, joins us for why the U.S. gets very little for what it builds.

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Bill Cosby Is Released From Prison as His Sexual Assault Conviction Was Overturned in Surprise Ruling Jul 01, 2021

Show notes

In a surprise ruling for many, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned Bill Cosby’s sexual assault conviction, paving the way for him to be immediately released from prison. He is already home. The justices ruled that since the previous prosecutor said he would not charge Cosby in exchange for testimony in a deposition, any further prosecution would be barred. Lou Shapiro, criminal defense attorney and legal analyst, joins us for what to know about the ruling.

Next, we are seeing record temperatures in the Pacific Northwest and an early start to wildfire season causing concern for local officials and the Biden administration. In response officials are planning to roll out measures designed to lower the risk of these fires and also raise the pay for federal wildland firefighters in the hopes of retaining them at the end of the season. Andrew Freedman, climate and energy reporter at Axios, joins us for how we are preparing for wildfire season.

Finally, the champ has been dethroned. No longer can Los Angeles claim it has the worst traffic, a title it has held since 1982. Now, the New York-Newark region has the worst traffic distinction with people spending over 494,000 hours stuck in traffic. Los Angeles dropped off the top spot all because of the pandemic and stay-at-home orders. Jordan Mendoza, reporter at USA Today, joins us for more.

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Rescue Efforts Continue at Champlain Towers South Condo, Red Flags About Structural Integrity Raised in 2018 Jun 30, 2021

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The search continues for unaccounted people at the Champlain Towers South Condo in Florida as we hear of more red flags that were raised about the building going back to 2018 and even just two days before it collapsed. An engineering consultant indicated in a 2018 report that concrete damage would multiply exponentially over the years, despite residents being told the building was in good shape. Elisha Fieldstadt, reporter at NBC News, joins us for some of the building warning signs.

Next, car dealers are selling more vehicles above the sticker price as demand continues to remain high while supply is low. Dealers are loading cars with extra additions and in some cases charging 10,000 over MSRP. Nora Naughton, auto industry reporter at the WSJ, joins us for why dealers are selling cars for so much, the short answer… is because they can.

Finally, the Arizona ballot audit could be backfiring on Republicans as polls continue to show that half of voters oppose it, with independent voters opposing it by 18 points. The counting is done for now, but next comes the report which is expected to be partisan. The polls however do show that voters in AZ might not want Biden to run for a second term. Marc Caputo, national political reporter at Politico, joins us for why there is opposition to the audit.

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mRNA Vaccines Are Likely to Provide Immunity From Coronavirus for Years, Study Finds Jun 29, 2021

Show notes

A new study has some good news for the lingering question about how long immunity lasts after being vaccinated. The mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna set off a persistent immune reaction in the body that could protect against the virus for years. The study suggests the most people immunized with mRNA vaccines might not need booster shots, unless the virus and variants evolve too much. Apoorva Mandavilli, reporter at the NY Times, joins us for more.

Next, U.S. forces in Syria came under rocket fire a day after the U.S. launched airstrikes against militias backed by Iran in Iraq and Syria. The U.S. airstrike was described as a defensive attack after seeing an uptick in drone strikes from the militias. These new Iranian-made drones can be capable of evading U.S. surveillance and defenses. Courtney Kube, national security correspondent at NBC News, joins us for the latest military actions in the area.

Finally, we are seeing people leave unemployment rolls faster in states that have cancelled enhanced unemployment benefits than in those keeping them in place. Businesses are still having a tough time attracting workers and keeping them from quitting, and many suspected that workers were still reluctant to go back into the workforce because of these extra benefits. Eric Morath, labor and economics reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how people are looking for jobs now that unemployment benefits are ending.

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After Vice President Harris went to the U.S./Mexico border last week, former President Trump is also making a trip Jun 28, 2021

Show notes

Vice President Harris went to the U.S./Mexico border last week, former President Trump and a group of House Republicans are also making a trip. Ginger Gibson, deputy Washington digital editor at NBC News, joins us for this, a bipartisan framework agreed upon for infrastructure, and how election attacks continue to persist in Michigan and Arizona.

Next, some hopeful news on the treatment of cancer. The same mRNA technology that is used in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines could be used to help treat cancer. Karen Weintraub, health reporter at USA Today, joins us for how mRNA tech is being used for more than Covid.

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