Topic: Street Smarts

The Community Microgrid Initiative is being promoted as a way to decentralize the electric grid and integrate renewable energy sources like solar and wind. A pilot project in the Miller neighborhood of Austin, Texas, known as the Pecan Street project, uses smart meters to monitor home energy consumption every 15 seconds. Critics argue these microgrids are designed for total utility control over consumer appliances and air conditioning.

The intelligence of Donald Trump is debated, contrasting his public persona with his success as a billionaire. The discussion explores the American tendency to equate high net worth with high intelligence. Comparisons are drawn between the media's dismissal of Trump's intellect and their current treatment of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The Wall Street Journal reported that cyber spies have penetrated the U.S. electrical grid, a story the hosts characterize as a plant to secure stimulus funding for the "smart grid." The North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is identified as the source of the security warnings. Skepticism is expressed regarding why critical infrastructure is connected to the public internet at all.