Here are the stories on Texas Standard for Thursday, May 23, 2024:
Amid ongoing cybersecurity crisis, workflows remain disrupted at Ascension hospitals
More than a week after the national hospital system Ascension experienced a ransomware attack, disruptions to operations are still ongoing. Unusual activity was first detected on multiple technology network systems Ascension uses on Wednesday, May 8. This included the electronic health records system, some phone systems and MyChart, which patients use to see records and contact their doctors.
Olivia Aldridge, who covers healthcare for our home station KUT News, joins the show with more.
What’s behind anti-birth control push on social media?
Social media sites like X and TikTok have recently seen an uptick in women posting about quitting the birth control pill. But according to data published in The New York Times, prescriptions for birth control pills are not actually declining at all right now – in fact, the opposite.
So where is all this online chatter against the pill coming from? Times reporter Alisha Hari-dasani Gupta joins the Standard with the story.
Where does your water come from? For some around Austin, the answer is MUD.
How do you get water in your home? For many Texans living in cities, the municipality owns and runs the water system.
But if you live outside the city limits, you might get your water from a well – or maybe from what’s called a Municipal Utility District. KUT News’ Kailey Hunt reports on MUDs and why they matter.
The latest developments in Big Tech’s AI arms race
Artificial intelligence is at the center of most conversations about tech these days. In May alone, announcements from Google, Microsoft and OpenAI have already kicked the competition up a notch, with Apple expected to weigh in next month.
Our tech expert Omar Gallaga has his finger on the AI pulse, and he joins the Standard today with the latest.
A Uvalde teacher inside Robb Elementary shares his story
Tomorrow marks two years since a gunman killed 19 students and two teachers at Robb Elementary. Over the past several days, we’ve heard from the parents and siblings of students killed, as well as other community members.
Arnulfo Reyes had been a teacher for 17 years and was in one of the classrooms the gunman entered. After he was injured in the shooting, he hasn’t gone back. But he’s still in Uvalde, and he shares his story today.
Susan Werner sings about Texas in new album ‘Halfway to Houston’
Texas isn’t Susan Werner’s home, but the Iowa native spends enough time here to have developed strong feelings about the place. The singer-songwriter’s latest album, “Halfway to Houston,” takes on the wide landscape of Texas.
She also stops along the way to namecheck H-E-B and to share a few thoughts on Texas politics. Susan Werner joins the Texas Standard today.
Consumer Reports documents the ‘pink tax’ on items sold to women
Last year Texas repealed the “tampon tax” on menstrual products. But when it comes to items geared toward women, there’s an ongoing pink tax in stores.
A Consumer Reports survey found that when it comes to things like razors or deodorants, those items marketed to women can be close to 50% more. Jodhaira Rodriguez surveyed these items for Consumer Report and joins us today with the findings.
All this, plus the Texas Newsroom’s state roundup and Wells Dunbar with the Talk of Texas.
