
748: Lone Rat
The Perseid meteor shower on August 16, 2015, coincides with widespread reports of GPS signal interference and Google Maps routing failures. While atmospheric activity is cited as a potential cause, the decline in mapping reliability is increasingly attributed to undisclosed vendor changes and a lack of transparency from Google. Meanwhile, a massive computer glitch at the Leesburg, Virginia air traffic control center grounded thousands of East Coast flights, exposing critical vulnerabilities in the $2.1 billion ERAM automation system. Political tensions escalate as Donald Trump proposes using billionaire dealmakers Carl Icahn and Henry Kravis to renegotiate trade terms with China. In the Democratic primary, speculation grows regarding Joe Biden entering the race as Hillary Clinton faces scrutiny over a private email server and a golf course meeting between Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. FBI Director James Comey has introduced the term lone rat to rebrand domestic terrorists while calling for encryption in motion to allow law enforcement access to Silicon Valley data. Additionally, the third Greek bailout is criticized as a mechanism for Germany to acquire infrastructure assets through the KFW bank. Audrey Hepburn faces a modern character critique as a gold digger in a re-evaluation of the cinematic classic Breakfast at Tiffany's. NBC reporter Richard Engel is noted for adopting a high-energy sales cadence reminiscent of infomercial legend Billy Mays during serious news dispatches. The program also explores the absurdity of Al Roker attempting a homemade McRib on The Today Show and the deployment of 96 million shade balls in a Los Angeles reservoir.



















