Topic: Smart Power

Appalachian Power is offering customers a $50 gift card to enroll in the "Take Charge" program, which allows the utility to remotely adjust home thermostats during peak demand periods. Participants receive an additional $25 annually for remaining in the program.

The EU's first measure for the energy crisis is "smart saving," which involves reducing electricity use during peak hours, typically between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM. Similar efforts are noted in California, where residents receive alerts to avoid using dishwashers and washing machines during high-demand periods. Critics argue these measures are manufactured and place an unfair burden on households.

Hillary Clinton defended her interventionist policy in Libya during the debate, labeling it "smart power at its best." She claimed European allies and "the Arabs" begged for US assistance to prevent a genocide by Muammar Gaddafi. The hosts criticize her for failing to answer questions about the inevitability of the Benghazi attack and her vague references to "the Arabs."

The National Geographic Channel is promoting a theatrical event titled "American Blackout," which depicts a total power failure in the U.S. caused by a cyber attack. The hosts compare this to a nearly identical drama aired on Channel 4 in the UK. They mock the technical inaccuracies in the trailers, such as characters using landline phones and watching news reports on television during a total grid collapse.

A massive power outage affected 1.4 million customers in Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. While officials blamed a transmission failure, the hosts speculate the cause could be solar flare activity or a "prepping" exercise to justify federal spending on a "smart grid," recalling past Enron-related energy scams.

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.

The Western Area Power Administration is set to borrow $3.25 billion from the U.S. Treasury as part of the 2009 Recovery and Reinvestment Act. IBM and GE are identified as primary recipients of smart grid grants, with IBM projecting a trillion networked things by 2010. The technology will facilitate the tracking of livestock and pharmaceuticals using RFID chips, which is framed as a solution to the "meat problem."

Google's involvement in smart grid technology and the appointment of Eric Schmidt to economic advisory teams suggest a move toward monitoring household energy consumption. Critics argue that "smart" appliances will be used for targeted advertising and total information awareness rather than just efficiency.

The hosts express skepticism regarding the $90 billion "smart grid" initiative included in the economic recovery plan. Adam Curry suggests the grid is a surveillance tool that will allow the government to monitor and control individual household devices. They speculate that the technology could be used to remotely shut off power to political dissidents or critics of the administration.