“If anybody’s thinking about ordering one of Mabel’s apple fritters or cherry Danishes this morning, forget it,” Molly Whiteside told the guys the other morning when they gathered for their morning session. “That thunder storm this morning knocked out the power for an hour and she’s behind in her baking.”
    “Oh, I guess I did notice the power blink for a minute,” said Dave Winston. “With the big generator I’ve got because of the pig barn, I hardly think about it.”
    “Well nice to know your pigs get better treatment than our restaurant,” muttered Molly as she pulled out her order pad.
    “Maybe Mabel needs to get herself a generator for times like this,” Dave said.
    “Yeah, right, like that’s going to happen!” Molly shot back. “With the money she’s lost because of COVID and the wet weather that’s cut into our patio business, it’ll be years before she can afford a luxury like that. Right now she’s just trying to keep the lights on!”
    “Or not, in this case,” said Cliff Murray.
    After Molly took their orders and headed back to the kitchen, George Mackenzie noted that at least the power had only been off for an hour.
    “Yes, not like that situation down in the States where the Russian hackers messed up that gas pipeline and people couldn’t get gas for days,” said Cliff.
    “I hope Hydro One has better internet security than that company did,” said Dave. “Imagine how much ransom the hackers could get if they shut off electricity for Ontario for a few days.”
    “I was reading that they don’t even have to shut down huge companies like that,” said Cliff. “They’ve taken over the computer systems of hospitals and smaller businesses and won’t let them get access to their own data until they pay a ransom, which with smaller organizations might only be a few thousand dollars.”
    “Yeah, I read a while back that we’re all vulnerable,” said Dave. “This security expert said that even a tea kettle is a risk if it’s connected to the internet.”
    “Well, I figure I’m safe,” said George, confidently. “I don’t have a cell phone and I hardly spend any time on the internet.”
    “But what about that ‘smart’ toaster you were telling us that your wife bought – the one she can control with her phone?” Cliff asked.
    “Yeah, the Russians might burn your toast until you agree to pay them $500,” laughed Dave.
    “And your ‘smart’ TV,” said Cliff. “Maybe unless you pay them money, they’ll give you 24 hours a day of Vladimir Putin’s greatest speeches.”
    “At least it would be better than Trudeau’s!” grumbled George. “Now that I’d pay up fast to get rid of!”
    “Hey, what has Mabel told you guys about discussing politics in here!” warned Molly as she delivered their breakfasts.
    “It’s a sad thing when even your smart appliances make you feel dumb,” sighed George after Molly headed back to the kitchen. “I don’t even have kids around any more to save me.” 
    “Well none of us look too smart when we’re getting more and more things that are controlled remotely without having thought through what might go wrong,” said Cliff. “I mean imagine if Russian hackers took control of one of those auto-steering tractors when it’s supposed to be ploughing wheat stubble and ploughed down your soybeans instead! Multiply that a few thousand times and they could bring down the Canadian economy.”
    “Especially at this year’s bean prices!” said George.
    “Or those self-driving cars,” said Cliff. “Imagine the damage they could do if they took control of all those and made them run into each other – say even drive the wrong way on the 401!”
    “Huh, would anybody notice?” wondered George. “That kind of sounds like how I already feel when I drive on Toronto highways!”◊