Topic: Communication Trends

Cliff Stoll theorizes that the fax machine was killed by fraudsters who bombarded users with "crap," and predicts a similar fate for voice telephony. He argues that the rise of robocalling and scams is training people to stop answering their phones entirely. Stoll observes that Millennials already prefer texting over calling, and he believes the 150-year-old telephone system will slowly wither as people develop "immunological responses" to phone-based exploitation.

The hosts reflect on the "No Agenda" community, noting that many listeners discovered the show through the TWiT network. They discuss John Dvorak's recent departure from TWiT, attributing it to a shift in the network's direction toward "lifestyle" and "Apple-centric" content. Adam Curry praises Dvorak's legacy as a tech icon and expresses confidence in the show's independent future.

The concept of "communitarianism," or green communism, is introduced via an article by Nancy Levant titled "The United Shame of America." The theory suggests that citizens are entering into a state of voluntary servitude by allowing the government to manage their lives under the guise of environmentalism and social harmony.