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Need An Armed Guard? There's An App For That

Your unbiased daily news brief

Author

James Kratch
February 21, 2025

Good Friday morning. Germany goes to the polls on Sunday; here is a look at what to expect. Have a great weekend!

In Today’s Brief

  • Alabama: Police scandal

  • Mexico: Firm response

  • McConnell: Retirement announcement

  • Amazon: Overtakes Walmart

  • 4 Nations: Canada wins

... and more

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Top Tips

1) ‘Uber with guns’

Your own Secret Service is now a few clicks away.

  • The news: A rideshare service that provides armed security has launched in Los Angeles and New York. Protector operates with law enforcement and military veterans; users can book one or more guards and even arrange a motorcade. An investor dubbed the service "Uber with guns."

  • More details: The service is far more expensive than your typical Uber or Lyft ride. There is a minimum five-hour booking commitment and a single guard is $100 an hour. Users can also determine the guards' wardrobe prior to pickup. Protector said it hopes to expand to Miami, San Francisco and Washington in the future.

  • Big picture: Protector said its service makes it easier for people to hire affordable private security if they cannot afford a full-time protection detail. It also potentially addresses an untapped market for one-off corporate needs; the app's launch was reportedly accelerated after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was assassinated in Manhattan without any security.

2) Wag the DOGE

President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk haved floated the idea of big payouts for taxpayers. Many are skeptical.

  • Catch up: James Fishback, a Wall Street investor, proposed that 20% of the Department of Government Efficiency's $2T federal spending cuts goal be sent to U.S. households in the form of $5K "dividend" checks. Musk and the president have since appeared to embrace the idea; Fishback claims it will motivate citizens to report government fraud and waste.

  • Fine print: Musk and DOGE would actually have to cut $2T in spending to have the money for the payouts. The controversial CEO previously said that number was an aspiration and may not be achievable. And DOGE critics say the results of Musk's slashing approach have been greatly exaggerated as it is.

  • Big picture: Economists say the payouts are unlikely for myriad reasons, including the impossibility of actually cutting $2T in spending and inflationary concerns. There is also the legislative component; Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has already downplayed the idea while still praising Musk.

3) License to film

It was a shakeup, not stirred in Hollywood.

  • The news: Amazon MGM Studios has gained creative control of the James Bond franchise after launching a new joint venture with siblings Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson, who co-owned the iconic series with the production house. The Broccoli family has had creative control for over 60 years; Amazon got distribution rights in 2022 when it bought MGM.

  • What it means: The Bond franchise is one of the biggest and most successful in cinematic history, but the Broccolis have always limited the scope of how the IP was used. Amazon will likely aim to turn the franchise into a multi-platform content juggernaut on par with how Disney utilizes Marvel characters and Star Wars -- television series, prequels, spinoffs, et cetera.

  • Big questions: When is the 26th and next Bond film coming? And who will play the secret agent after Daniel Craig, the most recent actor to play Bond, retired from the role? Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was already crowdsourcing following the announcement; a new film is believed to be in the works, but no timetable is known.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

  • An Alabama grand jury called for a small-town police force to shut down. The panel found "a rampant culture of corruption" inside the Hanceville Police Department; the agency's chief and four officers were indicted on a variety of charges, including evidence mishandling and drug-related offenses (More)

  • Key evidence will be permitted in the University of Idaho quadruple murder case. A judge ruled police did not violate bsuspect Bryan Kohlberger's constitutional rights by hiring a genetic investigation firm to identify leads before his arrest (More)

  • No deported illegal migrants are currently held at Guantanamo Bay, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Officials said 177 Venezuelan nationals were repatriated via Honduras; a 178th detainee is now at a domestic facility (More)

World News

  • Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her nation will not tolerate U.S. military action on its soil. The State Department designated several Mexican drug cartels and Latin American gangs as foreign terrorist organizations; American officials and other experts have downplayed the possibility of an invasion or airstrikes (More)

  • A Romanian official said Russia asked the U.S. to withdraw NATO troops from Eastern Europe. National Security Advisor Mike Waltz said Ukraine needs to "tone it down" regarding recent criticism of President Trump amid talks with the Kremlin (More | More)

  • Israel accused Hamas of violating the Gaza ceasefire deal. Israeli officials said the terrorist group failed to turn over a woman's body as promised and returned a corpse that did not match any known hostage (More)

Political News

  • Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell will not seek re-election next year. The 83-year-old Republican was the longest-serving party leader in Senate history; he has battled health issues and butted heads with President Trump in recent years (More)

  • New York Gov. Kathy Hochul will not remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams "at this time," but pledged increased oversight. She said voters should determine the embattled leader's fate; he will seek re-election later this year (More)

  • Trump will reportedly fire the U.S. Postal Service board and absorb the agency into his administration. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced his resignation earlier this week; the Commerce Department would be in line to assume oversight (More)

Business & Markets

  • Major indexes closed lower yesterday. The Dow Jones dropped 450 points (Dow -1.01%, Nasdaq -0.47%, S&P 500 -0.43%).

  • Amazon surpassed Walmart in revenue for the first time in Q4. The retail giant is still projected to generate more total revenue in the upcoming fiscal year, but the e-commerce behemoth is gaining ground (More)

  • Celsius will buy rival energy drink maker Alani Nutrition for $1.8B. The combined company is expected to produce about $2B in sales; Celsius' share price was up over 30% after trading hours (More)

Entertainment & Sports

  • Canada rallied to beat the U.S. in the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off final. The Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid scored the game-winning goal in overtime for a 3-2 victory in Boston (More)

  • ESPN and Major League Baseball will end their broadcast deal after the upcoming season. The network reportedly wanted the league to accept a lower rights fee; MLB expressed frustration with the quality of ESPN coverage (More)

  • A former Spanish soccer official was convicted of sexual assault after kissing a player without consent following the 2023 Women's World Cup final. Luis Rubiales was fined over $10K by Spain's High Court and must stay away from the victim; he said he would appeal (More)

Quick Hitters

  • Big Relief: This will hopefully be the last asteroid update for a while. NASA now says there is a 0.28% chance a football field-sized space rock hits Earth in 2032 after the odds clocked in as high as 3.1% earlier in the week.

  • New Idea: The malva nut has been used to make herbal tea for centuries. Scientists now believe the plant, found in Asia, may also have potential as a sustainable medicinal source.

  • Go Deep: The recent rash of airplane crashes may have you fearing your next flight. But while things feel unsafe, the data indicates the skies are as friendly as ever.

  • Take Note: Make sure you wash your car this winter. Yes, it may seem silly, but ice, snow and road salt can cause significant damage to your vehicle.

  • Life Hack: It can be surprisingly easy to improve your social life. These habits and strategies can make a major difference.

Google asks this strange interview question. Almost everyone gets it wrong.

Looking Ahead …

The race to determine Florida's next governor may be over before it started. President Trump endorsed Rep. Byron Donalds to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis yesterday, almost two years before Election Day 2026 and before any candidate announced their intentions. The show of support makes Donalds the overwhelming early favorite.

Question of the Day

Who was the best James Bond?

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Yesterday’s results:

Trivia: The Pentagon is the world's second-largest office building. What is the biggest?

The answer is the Surat Diamond Bourse in India; it holds about 65K workers.