Topic: Power Lines

A donation from Sir Hank Scorpio, a newly qualified power line technician in Ontario, leads to a discussion about the challenges of the apprenticeship. Another donation comes from Richard Force in Zug, Switzerland, which is identified as "Crypto Valley" due to its high concentration of blockchain companies.

A critique of emergency management highlights the failure to shut off the power grid and gas lines in burning neighborhoods, which exacerbated the fires. Reports indicate gas was pouring out of destroyed homes at full tilt, creating massive flames while residents struggled with electric garage doors that would not open during power outages.

Four firefighters in Kentucky were injured when their aerial ladder got too close to a power line during an Ice Bucket Challenge event for a college marching band. The electricity arced, leaving one firefighter in critical condition and causing a local power outage. This incident highlights the physical dangers associated with the viral trend beyond its psychological implications.

The discussion explores the vulnerability of the US power grid to EMP attacks, citing an article about Chicago being a potential target. Curry argues that the push for a "smart grid" is actually a defensive measure against EMP weaponry, which can permanently damage commercial computers and power lines. They discuss the ease of creating such weapons and their alleged use in previous conflicts like the Iraq War.