5 chapters across the catalog
A technical guide explains how to disable the GPS and alarm systems on Bird rental scooters by drilling into the main control box. By installing a $50 bypass board available on eBay, an individual can effectively convert a rental unit into a private electric scooter. The hosts provide this information as a theoretical "post-collapse" survival skill rather than an endorsement of theft.
Elon Musk has delayed plans for SpaceX's first private moon tourists until at least late 2019. The hosts also discuss the "plague" of electric scooters and Bird bikes in urban areas, criticizing the behavior of millennials in traffic. They suggest a "thumbs-down" gesture as a more effective and confusing alternative to flipping off other drivers.
Amazon Expansion and the Death of Retail in Austin
Amazon announces the expansion of same-day delivery services in Austin, Texas, which the hosts link to the decline of traditional retail on 2nd Street. Dvorak reveals that several "news" clips played earlier were actually from 2011, demonstrating that the same technological and political issues have remained stagnant for six years. They discuss the high cost of electric bikes and the "industrial espionage" paranoia at local tech campuses like Samsung.
Manoj Bhargava, the billionaire creator of 5-Hour Energy, develops a "Free Electric" hybrid bike designed to provide 24 hours of electricity from one hour of pedaling. Bhargava pitches the bike as a solution for the 1.3 billion people living without power. The hosts mock the concept as a form of "slave labor" where the poor must pedal to power their homes.
Juiced Riders, Electric Utility Bicycles, Hipster Culture
Tora Harris of Juiced Riders is "de-douched" after donating and sharing information about his electric utility bicycle startup. The hosts examine the design of the bikes, noting their high payload capacity and integrated frames. However, the conversation quickly turns to the high cost of such items and their appeal to "hipster douchebags."
