Brian Shactman discusses the benefits of having pets, particularly dogs, in the household, especially during stressful times like finals week. Cheryl Morgan, a pet therapy professional, explains the "Pause to Relax" program at UConn, where therapy dogs visit the library during finals to help students de-stress. The program, which started in 2010, has grown significantly and is managed by Kate Fuller. Certified therapy dogs, like Cheryl's golden retriever Comet, participate in the program, which also includes visits to hospitals and schools. The Tales of Joy organization supports these efforts, and interested individuals can find more information on their website.
Brian Shactman and Erik Semmel discussed various tech topics, including Blue Origin's mistake with a satellite launch, which resulted in an off-nominal orbit and a recall of Casely's Power Pods due to overheating issues. They also covered the global PC market, which saw a 3.2% year-over-year growth in Q1, despite challenges with RAM and hard drive shortages. Data centers are attracting tax abatements, with 14 states failing to disclose tax shortfalls. Finally, Amazon's Fire Stick now only supports approved Amazon apps, limiting third-party app side-loading.
Brian Shactman discusses National Volunteer Month with Alex Steele, a forensic psychologist and Big Sister to Destiny through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut. Alex, who recently earned her doctorate, has been mentoring Destiny since before COVID-19, initially connecting through their shared interest in soccer. Alex highlights Destiny's recent achievements, including being Student of the Month and maintaining straight A's. This weekend, Alex will be honored as Big Sister of the Year at Big Night, an event celebrating the program's success. Brian encourages listeners to get involved by visiting ctbigs.org.
