Friday☕️

17 Jan 2025 — 6 min read

Trending:

Steak ’n Shake announced that by the end of February 2025, it will transition to using 100% beef tallow for frying across its restaurants. This move reflects a return to traditional cooking methods that emphasize quality and flavor. Beef tallow, once a standard in frying, is known for its ability to produce crispier textures and richer taste compared to seed oils. Steak ’n Shake aims to meet growing consumer demand for better, more natural ingredients.

For decades, the food industry moved away from natural fats like beef tallow in favor of seed oils and heavily processed alternatives, which were marketed as healthier but are now linked to negative health outcomes. Recent studies and shifting perspectives are driving a broader return to natural ingredients, as seen in the FDA’s bans on harmful substances like red dyes. Steak ’n Shake’s decision reflects a wider trend of reevaluating food production, signaling a return to what worked in the past. This cyclical shift underscores the growing preference for authenticity and natural ingredients in the pursuit of healthier, more sustainable eating.

Economics & Markets:

Geopolitics & Military Activity:

Environment & Weather:

Security & Privacy:

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has banned GM and its subsidiary OnStar from sharing driver data with insurers and data brokers for the next five years. This decision comes after revelations that GM collected detailed driving information, including location and driving habits, through its OnStar Smart Driver program. This data was then shared with brokers and insurance companies, often leading to higher premiums for drivers without their knowledge or consent.

This case sheds light on a much larger, hidden industry of data sharing. Many companies collect personal data and sell it to brokers, who then distribute it to other businesses for purposes like marketing, adjusting insurance rates, or other uses. Most people are unaware of how their data is being shared or used, raising concerns about privacy and transparency. The FTC’s action against GM highlights a growing push for accountability in how companies handle and share sensitive information.

Yesterday, CISA, DARPA, OUSD R&E, and the NSA released the “Closing the Software Understanding Gap” report, warning that outdated methods for analyzing software leave critical U.S. systems vulnerable to cyber threats. While the U.S. remains the leader in cyber capabilities, China’s heavy investments in understanding software have given them a dangerous advantage in exploiting vulnerabilities. This growing threat underscores the urgent need for action.
The report urges the U.S. to develop advanced tools to analyze software behavior, implement third-party certifications to ensure secure software development, and integrate artificial intelligence to identify risks more effectively. It also highlights the need for better scrutiny of software supply chains to prevent compromises and reduce vulnerabilities. By addressing these issues, the U.S. can protect critical systems, such as energy grids and transportation networks, from cyberattacks and maintain its leadership in cybersecurity.

Space:

Yesterday, SpaceX launched its seventh Starship test flight, marking a mixed success. The Super Heavy booster executed a successful return, landing back at the launch site using the Mechazilla chopstick arms on the launch tower, demonstrating impressive reusability. However, the Starship spacecraft, meant to continue into orbit, suffered engine failures during ascent. This caused it to lose control and disintegrate over the Atlantic near Turks and Caicos, with debris visible from the islands and leading to temporary flight diversions in the area.
Super Heavy booster catch video:

SpaceX will now analyze the failure, refine the Starship design, and move forward with a new iteration for the next test. Each Starship launched is an upgraded version, incorporating lessons learned from previous flights. The booster’s reliability is already becoming clear, as it has consistently landed successfully. The focus is now on achieving the same level of reliability for the Starship spacecraft. Once both components are perfected, SpaceX will be closer to realizing its vision of creating a fully reusable Starship.

Yesterday, Pakistan’s space agency, SUPARCO, launched its first locally developed Earth Observation Satellite (EO-1). The launch took place at China’s Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre using a Chinese Long March 2D rocket, which is known for placing satellites into low Earth orbit. The EO-1 satellite will help Pakistan monitor natural resources, manage disasters, and plan cities. It will also provide important images and data to improve agriculture, build infrastructure, and environmental monitoring, making it a major step forward for Pakistan’s space program.

Science & Technology:

Yesterday, Anduril Industries, a cutting-edge defense technology company, announced it will build its first hyperscale manufacturing facility, Arsenal-1, in Columbus, Ohio. The company is investing around a billion dollars of its own money into the project, which will create over 4,000 jobs, making it the largest single-job creation project in Ohio’s history. Arsenal-1 will focus on producing advanced autonomous defense systems, with production set to begin in 2026.

Anduril is disrupting the defense industry by building products first with its own funds and then selling them, unlike traditional contractors who pitch ideas, secure contracts, and build later. Their lineup includes revolutionary systems like the Anvil (anti-drone tech), Fury (stealth drone), Sentry (AI watchtower), and Dive-LD (autonomous submarine). This product-first approach allows them to deliver ready-to-use solutions to clients like the U.S. Navy, Air Force, and Special Operations Command, positioning Anduril as America’s next defense prime and transforming the way defense technology is developed and deployed.

Statistic: