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Time Is Money

Sep 1, 2024 • 6 min read

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CENTCOM Activity
Starlink T-Mobile Partnership

Week Recap:

Assembly Bill 1840, recently passed by the California State Senate, expands housing assistance to undocumented immigrants by allowing them to access up to $150,000 in state-supported down payment assistance. This bill amends the "California Dream for All" program, traditionally limited to low and moderate-income first-time homebuyers, to include undocumented immigrants who meet specific criteria, such as being first-time, first-generation homebuyers with a taxpayer identification number (ITIN) or social security number.
Elon Musk recently announced on X that SpaceX’s Starlink will provide emergency services access to mobile phones globally. He stated, "After thinking it through, SpaceX Starlink will provide emergency services access for mobile phones for people in distress for free. This applies worldwide, subject to approval by country governments. Can’t have a situation where someone dies because they forgot or were unable to pay for it." This service ensures that everyone, regardless of their location or financial situation, can access emergency help when needed.
Nvidia recently reported its earnings, surpassing Wall Street analysts expectations. The company also gave a positive outlook for the upcoming quarter, forecasting higher revenues than anticipated. Specifically, the company reported earnings of 68 cents per share, adjusted for certain costs, which was better than the expected 64 cents per share. Nvidia also generated $30.04 billion in revenue, beating the predicted $28.7 billion.
French authorities have recently charged Pavel Durov, the founder of the messaging app Telegram, with serious criminal offenses, including facilitating drug trafficking, money laundering, and the distribution of child sexual abuse material through his platform. Durov, whose platform boasts over 950 million active monthly users, was arrested on August 27th in France while returning from Azerbaijan. Although he was released on bail, he is prohibited from leaving the country. French officials cited Telegram's alleged failure to comply with judicial requests as a significant factor in bringing these charges.
Ford Motor Company has recently become the latest major U.S. corporation to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This shift comes as part of a broader trend where companies across various industries are reevaluating their DEI commitments in response to evolving external pressures, including legal and political factors. Ford's changes include withdrawing from certain external diversity rankings and refocusing its employee resource groups on professional development rather than social advocacy.
Brazil recently blocked access to X after Elon Musk refused to comply with a court order from Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes. The order demanded the removal of over 140 accounts accused of spreading disinformation and hate speech, particularly from far-right figures who were seen as undermining Brazil's democracy. Moraes viewed the content on these accounts as a significant threat, especially in the context of political unrest following Brazil's 2022 elections, and believed that their continued presence on X could destabilize the country further.
As of August 2024, U.S. inflation has moderated to 2.89%, down from the peak of 9.06% seen in June 2022. This decline follows the Federal Reserve's aggressive actions, including raising interest rates and tightening the money supply to counteract inflationary pressures. The Federal Reserve aims to bring inflation closer to its 2% target, which is considered optimal for price stability and economic growth.

CENTCOM Activity:

In the past few days, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces, in collaboration with Iraqi Security Forces, carried out a significant operation in Western Iraq on August 29th. This joint raid targeted ISIS leaders and operatives, resulting in the deaths of 15 heavily armed members of the terrorist organization. These individuals were equipped with weapons, grenades, and explosive suicide belts, highlighting the serious threat they posed. The operation was meticulously planned and executed, ensuring there were no civilian casualties.
By eliminating these key figures, CENTCOM aimed to disrupt ISIS’s ability to organize and carry out attacks, thereby weakening the group's influence and operational capabilities in the region. In addition to their actions in Iraq, CENTCOM has also been actively engaged in countering threats in Yemen. Over the past few days, CENTCOM forces successfully destroyed multiple Iranian-backed Houthi missile systems and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Houthi-controlled areas. These systems were identified as immediate threats to U.S. and coalition forces, as well as to merchant vessels operating in the region.
Despite the significant progress made in recent years, ISIS remains a persistent and dangerous threat, with the potential to regain strength if not continually suppressed. Similarly, the aggressive actions of Iranian-backed groups like the Houthis pose ongoing challenges to regional security. By targeting and neutralizing these threats, CENTCOM is working to ensure that the progress made against these adversaries is not reversed and that the region remains stable and secure.

Starlink T-Mobile Partnership:

Starlink and T-Mobile recently announced a major expansion of their partnership, focusing on the deployment of Starlink satellites equipped with Direct-to-Cell technology. This initiative is designed to provide T-Mobile customers with mobile connectivity in areas that are currently out of reach for traditional cellular networks, such as remote rural regions and open oceans. The service will initially offer text messaging capabilities, with plans to expand to full voice and data services by 2025, pending regulatory approval.
The goal is to eliminate mobile dead zones, allowing customers to stay connected anywhere they can see the sky, using their existing mobile devices. This new partnership builds on their earlier "Coverage Above and Beyond" initiative launched in 2022. While the initial collaboration focused on planning and exploring how to integrate T-Mobile's spectrum with Starlink's satellite network, the latest development takes significant steps toward implementation. The new phase involves active satellite launches and preparation for service rollouts, marking substantial progress from the initial conceptual stages.
The implications of this partnership are significant for the broader telecommunications industry. It positions T-Mobile and Starlink as pioneers in global connectivity, potentially setting a new standard that other carriers like AT&T and Verizon will need to match. For Starlink, this collaboration expands its influence beyond internet services, establishing it as a key player in the mobile communications industry. This could lead to a major shift in how telecommunications services are provided globally, with satellite technology playing a more central role.

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