EPISODE · Jul 21, 2026 · 10 MIN
H3 , Segment 1 - Callers debate data center impacts and OTC Ivermectin access in Tennessee.
from The Charlie James Show Podcast
In this segment of The Charlie James Show, radio host Charlie James takes calls from listeners addressing localized community concerns and broader national trends. A caller named Billy from Spartanburg defends local data center development as a critical step in maintaining technological competitiveness with China, though Charlie questions the burden placed on local residents regarding noise, pollution, and lack of government transparency. The conversation transitions to caller Eric from Pickens, who shares his frustrating experience attempting to buy over-the-counter Ivermectin in Tennessee, highlighting retail refusal and regulatory confusion. Finally, Patrick from Pickens calls to warn about impending electricity and water rate hikes driven by the high resource consumption of new data centers.
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Full Transcript Charlie James: And welcome back to the program. Glad to have you along on this Tuesday afternoon. Let's go to Billy in Spartanburg. Billy, what's on your mind? Billy: Hey Charlie, just talking about those data centers in Spartanburg. Charlie James: Yeah. Billy: You know, I'm... I'm for 'em. Charlie James: Okay. Billy: You know, we got... Here's... Here's my question, is like, you know, who is the greatest adversary right now that we got? Charlie James: China. So, so now, that... That... So this is going to be your talking point. You're going to say, "If we don't build these data centers, China's going to." Billy: Well, that's right. Charlie James: Okay. Well, who... Who would be... Well, let me ask you something... Well, hold on, let me ask you something. Who would be the number one group of people that would spread that information? Billy: I don't... I don't know. I mean... Charlie James: The... The data center industry? Billy: Yeah, that could be so, but here's the thing: I think that AI is going to change the way we live—it already has. I think it's going to be the number one weapon used in the future, and I also think that if we don't develop some kind of infrastructure, then we're going to be, you know, left in the dirt. Charlie James: Well, if that's the case, then don't you think the Pentagon should be building these data centers? Billy: Well, they're fighting a war right now, ain't they? (laughs) Charlie James: I mean in general. Billy: Well, I'd like that, but I mean, sometimes the industry's got to step in. I mean, in World War II, we had all those car manufacturers, they stepped up, they built stuff. You know, it wasn't the Pentagon building all those factories, you know, we already had those in place. Charlie James: But let me ask you this. So, so you live near a data center, they fire up those gas turbines, and you've got that winding 24/7. Um, are you so enthusiastic about them then? Maybe... Maybe... Maybe... No, no... No! I... If you were smelling diesel exhaust 24 hours a day, are you for it then? Billy: Well, let me tell you right now, Charlie, I live next to the Wellford Dump with the eternal flame, so I smell crap every day. Charlie James: So now wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute! When you moved there, was the Wellford Dump already there? Billy: It was. Charlie James: So you knew what you were getting into. This data center is being forced... You know, it's like moving next to a pig farm and complaining about the smell. These people in Spartanburg, they're having this basically forced on them. Billy: Well, I reckon so. But, I mean, that's a good point. That's a good point. Charlie James: So, that's... That's... And they've been... There wasn't quite enough transparency in all of this with the data centers. County council should have been far more transparent. And listen, Billy, I appreciate it, thank you. But here's the thing, I mean... We're hearing, and you are going to hear more. There... There was a... There was a... And I forget which state it was in, uh... But it was not Colorado. Um, but they built a data center on or near the Colorado River. And they said, "We are not... We promise you, we are not going to be drawing water from the Colo- the Colorado River." So everybody's like, "All right, you promise?" "We promise." Pinky... Pinky promise? Pinky promise. We're not going to draw any water from the Colorado River. Okay, we will approve this if you do not draw water from the Colorado River. Well, guess what's going on right now? They've now filed a lawsuit to allow them to draw water from the Colorado River! I've got story after story of these... These... I mean, there was one uh... Um... Uh... Data center that they built that they said, "All right, we're going to fire up these diesel generators, but it's just going to be temporary. Just going to be temporary." I don't say that a year is temporary. These diesel generators have been going for over a ...
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H3 , Segment 1 - Callers debate data center impacts and OTC Ivermectin access in Tennessee.
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