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#cox Internet
carrie-jean-fowler · 2 years
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How to Activate Your Cox Cable Box in 4 Easy Steps
Activating your Cox Cable is easy and quick. With a few simple steps, you can enjoy all the features of your Cox cable services. In this article, we will discuss how to activate your Cox Cable and what to expect before and after activation. We will also discuss some use cases of the Cox Cable activation process so you can get the most out of your service.
Step One: Locate the Cable Box
The first step in activating your Cox cable box is to locate the box. Depending on the type of cable service you have, you may need to locate the Digital Cable Adapter (DCA) or the Set-Top Box (STB). The DCA and STB look similar and are usually about the size of a small DVD player.
To locate the cable box, check around your television for any cables that might be connected to the TV. If you have an HDTV, you may find a single coaxial cable going from the wall to the back of the television. If this is the case, then the cable box should be located near the TV and plugged into this cable.
If you don't see a cable connected to the TV, then check around your home for any other devices that may be connected to your cable service. The cable box could be located near a DVD player, gaming console, or VCR. If you can't find the cable box, try calling your local Cox office and they can help you locate it.
Once you've located the cable box, move on to Step Two: Connect the Power Cord.
2) Step Two: Connect the Power Cord
Once you have located your Cox cable box, the next step is to connect the power cord. This cord should be included with the cable box when it arrives. You will need to plug the power cord into an electrical outlet or surge protector. Make sure that the outlet is not controlled by a wall switch, as the power may be interrupted if it is. Once the power cord is plugged in, you should see a light on the front of the cable box indicating it is receiving power.
Now that your cable box is connected to power, you can move on to connecting the coaxial cable. This is the cable that runs from the wall to your cable box. If you are replacing an existing box, then the existing coaxial cable should already be connected to your wall and ready to plug into the back of the new box. If you are setting up a new box, you will need to run a coaxial cable from the wall to the back of the new box. Make sure that the cable is properly connected at both ends and then proceed to Step Three.
3) Step Three: Connect the Coaxial Cable
The coaxial cable needs to be connected after you've found the cable box and connected the electricity. The primary cable connecting your cable box to the wall socket will be the coaxial cable. The "Cable In" port on the rear of your Cox Cable Box is where you should first place one end of the coaxial wire. The second coaxial cable end should then be inserted into the wall outlet. Use the proper connection type for your Cox Cable Box (F-type or RCA, for example).
Take the other end of the coaxial wire and place it inside the splitter if you're using one. Your wall outlet should be directly linked to the splitter. The other end of the splitter should then be connected to your television or modem using a different coaxial wire.
Once your cable box is connected to your wall outlet, turn on your television or modem and make sure that they are properly connected. If everything is connected correctly, you should now be ready to activate your Cox Cable Box.
Read also : Cox Bill Pay
4) Step Four: Activate the Cable Box
The last step to get your Cox cable box up and running is to activate it. This process is simple, but will vary depending on the type of box you have.
For an HD Box:
If you have an HD box, then all you need to do is connect it to a power source and turn it on. Once the box is powered on, you’ll need to press the “Cox” button on the remote and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the activation.
For an SD Box:
If you have an SD box, then all you need to do is plug the power cord into the wall outlet and switch the power on. You’ll then need to press the “Power” button on the remote, followed by the “Menu” button. After that, you’ll be taken to the setup screen, where you’ll select “Activate Cable Box.” Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the activation.
Now that you’ve activated your Cox cable box, you can start watching all your favorite shows and movies in no time!
Cox Customer Support
If you have any problem with the Cox connection or other services of Cox We offer the best customer service, You can contact the customer support team either by phone or email and are guaranteed a response within 24 hours. Furthermore, the customer support team is available 24/7 for any urgent matters that require immediate attention. Our goal is to ensure that customers get the help they need in a timely and professional manner. We offers a range of Cox Support services including technical support, billing assistance, and account management.
How long does it take for Cox to activate?
Cox usually activates your cable box within an hour of connecting the necessary cables. However, if you are experiencing any delays in activation, it is best to call Cox customer service for assistance. Generally, you can expect the activation process to take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. It all depends on how many steps have been completed and the equipment that is being used.
Once you have connected the necessary cables, you will need to call Cox customer service to activate your cable box. The customer service representative will guide you through the activation process and help you get your cable box up and running as quickly as possible.
In some cases, Cox may need to send out a technician to ensure that the cable box is properly installed and activated. If this is required, it may take up to 24 hours before the box is fully activated and ready to use.
No matter what the activation process requires, you should always be sure to check with Cox customer service or technical support if you are having any difficulties activating your cable box. They are available to provide assistance and get you up and running with your Cox Cable TV services in no time.
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garr9988 · 1 year
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How powerful is Cox Internet? So powerful, that one day in the future and not right now if you do buy it, you’ll be able to use a device that doesn’t exist yet to do something that isn’t possible yet.
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lilbirbtrying · 1 year
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The "cox internet" tag should be full of righteous hatred for Cox Communications, not ads.
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Why Cox is the Best Streaming Service?
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Cox is one of the best streaming services in Santa Clarita. Not only does it have a great selection of channels, but it also offers an excellent user interface and a variety of features that other services don't have. we'll discuss why Cox is the best streaming service and why you should consider switching to it. We'll also highlight some of its key benefits and advantages. So, if you're looking for a great streaming service, Cox is worth considering.
Cox is the best streaming service because it offers a wide range of channels and options for TV lovers. You can watch live or recorded TV, and even choose to rent or own your favorite shows and movies. Plus, Cox's DVR is top-notch, letting you record up to four shows at once and store up to 500 hours of programming. With its easy-to-use interface and great features, Cox is head and shoulders above the competition. Don't wait - get Cox today!
Cox offers the best streaming quality
If you're looking for the best streaming quality, Cox is the best option. With crystal-clear HD picture quality and no buffering issues, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite shows and movies without interruption. Plus, Cox offers thousands of On Demand options and great deals on cable TV packages. So, if you're looking for a quality streaming experience, Cox is the right choice.
According to a recent study, Cox offers the best streaming quality of all the major providers. This may come as a surprise to some, as Cox is often overshadowed by giants like Comcast and Verizon. But the numbers don't lie: Cox's network is faster and more reliable than any other provider tested. If you're looking for the best streaming experience, Cox is your best bet.
Cox has a wide variety of channels to choose from
Cox provides its customers with a variety of channels to choose from. This gives customers the ability to find the perfect channel lineup for their needs. Whether you are looking for your favorite sports teams, news programs, or sitcoms, Cox has something for everyone. You can also customize your package by adding premium movie and sports channels. This makes it easy to get the exact programming that you want. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up today and start enjoying your favorite shows!
Cox allows you to watch TV on multiple devices
Cox is one of the best streaming services around because it allows you to watch TV on multiple devices. You can watch live and On Demand content on your computer, tablet, or phone. Plus, there are no contracts or commitments so you can cancel at any time. Cox also has a great selection of channels including local and national networks. Ctvforme.com and start watching TV on your schedule!
Cox is one of the best streaming services around because it allows you to watch TV on multiple devices. You can watch live TV on your phone, computer, or tablet, and you can also record shows and save them for later. Plus, Cox offers a wide selection of channels so you can find the perfect show to watch. Whether you're a fan of sports, comedy, or drama, Cox has something for everyone. So, if you're looking for a great way to watch TV, Cox is the best option available.
Cox provides excellent customer service
Are you looking for a great streaming service with excellent customer service? Cox is a perfect choice! With speeds up to 300 Mbps, Cox provides some of the fastest streaming services around. Not only is their customer service top-notch, but they also have one of the most expansive channel lineups in the industry. Plus, with no contracts or installation fees, Cox is easy and convenient to use. Give them a try today and see for yourself how great they are!
Cox is one of the best online streaming service providers in terms of customer service. Cox's representatives are always willing to help, and they take care of their customers. If you have any problems with your service, Cox will do what it can to fix it as soon as possible. Additionally, Cox offers a great selection of channels and features that are sure to please everyone in the family.
Cox is affordable and easy to use
When it comes to finding the best streaming service, Cox is a great option. It's affordable and easy to use, making it a perfect choice for anyone looking for an easy way to watch their favorite shows and movies. Plus, Cox offers a wide variety of channels and content, so you're sure to find something that interests you. Whether you're new to streaming or just looking for a new provider, Cox is worth considering.
Cox cable is the perfect streaming service for anyone looking for an affordable, easy-to-use option. Cox's simple interface makes finding your favorite shows and movies a breeze, and its low monthly price is hard to beat. Whether you're a new cord cutter or been streaming for years, Cox is sure to have something for you. Plus, with no contracts or equipment rentals required, it's the perfect choice for budget-minded viewers.
Cox is the best streaming service for your needs
If you're in the market for a new streaming service, Cox is worth considering. With its wide selection of channels and great features, Cox is sure to meet your needs. Plus, its affordable pricing makes it a great value for your money. So, if you're looking for quality entertainment, Cox is the best streaming service for you!
Cox is the best streaming service for your needs. With a wide variety of channels and options, Cox has something for everyone. Whether you're looking for live sports, news, or family entertainment, Cox has you covered. Plus, with no contracts or monthly fees, Cox is the perfect choice for budget-minded consumers. So, what are you waiting for? Call today and start enjoying your favorite shows and movies without breaking the bank.
Do you have any queries about Cox's services? Call us at (855) 675-0510 today!
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Why Cox is the Best Streaming Service?
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Cox is one of the best streaming services in San Bernardino. Not only does it have a great selection of channels, but it also offers an excellent user interface and a variety of features that other services don't have. we'll discuss why Cox is the best streaming service and why you should consider switching to it. We'll also highlight some of its key benefits and advantages. So, if you're looking for a great streaming service, Cox is worth considering.
Cox is the best streaming service because it offers a wide range of channels and options for TV lovers. You can watch live or recorded TV, and even choose to rent or own your favorite shows and movies. Plus, Cox's DVR is top-notch, letting you record up to four shows at once and store up to 500 hours of programming. With its easy-to-use interface and great features, Cox is head and shoulders above the competition. Don't wait - get Cox today!
Cox offers the best streaming quality
If you're looking for the best streaming quality, Cox is the best option. With crystal-clear HD picture quality and no buffering issues, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite shows and movies without interruption. Plus, Cox offers thousands of On Demand options and great deals on cable TV packages. So, if you're looking for a quality streaming experience, Cox is the right choice.
According to a recent study, Cox offers the best streaming quality of all the major providers. This may come as a surprise to some, as Cox is often overshadowed by giants like Comcast and Verizon. But the numbers don't lie: Cox's network is faster and more reliable than any other provider tested. If you're looking for the best streaming experience, Cox is your best bet.
Cox has a wide variety of channels to choose from
Cox provides its customers with a variety of channels to choose from. This gives customers the ability to find the perfect channel lineup for their needs. Whether you are looking for your favorite sports teams, news programs, or sitcoms, Cox has something for everyone. You can also customize your package by adding premium movie and sports channels. This makes it easy to get the exact programming that you want. So, what are you waiting for? Sign up today and start enjoying your favorite shows!
Cox allows you to watch TV on multiple devices
Cox is one of the best streaming services around because it allows you to watch TV on multiple devices. You can watch live and On Demand content on your computer, tablet, or phone. Plus, there are no contracts or commitments so you can cancel at any time. Cox also has a great selection of channels including local and national networks. Ctvforme.com and start watching TV on your schedule!
Cox is one of the best streaming services around because it allows you to watch TV on multiple devices. You can watch live TV on your phone, computer, or tablet, and you can also record shows and save them for later. Plus, Cox offers a wide selection of channels so you can find the perfect show to watch. Whether you're a fan of sports, comedy, or drama, Cox has something for everyone. So, if you're looking for a great way to watch TV, Cox is the best option available.
Cox provides excellent customer service
Are you looking for a great streaming service with excellent customer service? Cox is the perfect choice! With speeds up to 300 Mbps, Cox provides some of the fastest streaming service around. Not only is their customer service top-notch, but they also have one of the most expansive channel lineups in the industry. Plus, with no contracts or installation fees, Cox is easy and convenient to use. Give them a try today and see for yourself how great they are!
Cox is one of the best online streaming service providers in terms of customer service. Cox's representatives are always willing to help, and they take care of their customers. If you have any problems with your service, Cox will do what they can to fix it as soon as possible. Additionally, Cox offers a great selection of channels and features that are sure to please everyone in the family. You can't go wrong signing up for Cox!
Cox is affordable and easy to use
When it comes to finding the best streaming service, Cox is a great option. It's affordable and easy to use, making it a perfect choice for anyone looking for an easy way to watch their favorite shows and movies. Plus, Cox offers a wide variety of channels and content, so you're sure to find something that interests you. Whether you're new to streaming or just looking for a new provider, Cox is worth considering.
Cox cable is the perfect streaming service for anyone looking for an affordable, easy-to-use option. Cox's simple interface makes finding your favorite shows and movies a breeze, and its low monthly price is hard to beat. Whether you're a new cord cutter or been streaming for years, Cox is sure to have something for you. Plus, with no contracts or equipment rentals required, it's the perfect choice for budget-minded viewers.
Cox is the best streaming service for your needs
If you're in the market for a new streaming service, Cox is worth considering. With its wide selection of channels and great features, Cox is sure to meet your needs. Plus, its affordable pricing makes it a great value for your money. So, if you're looking for quality entertainment, Cox is the best streaming service for you!
Cox is the best streaming service for your needs. With a wide variety of channels and options, Cox has something for everyone. Whether you're looking for live sports, news, or family entertainment, Cox has you covered. Plus, with no contracts or monthly fees, Cox is the perfect choice for budget-minded consumers. So, what are you waiting for? Call today and start enjoying your favorite shows and movies without breaking the bank.
Do you have any queries about Cox's services? Call us at (855) 675-0510 today!
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duftvonregen · 1 year
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meep-meep-richie · 11 months
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Pain😭💔
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farfromstrange · 1 year
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GUESS WHO FINALLY GOT HER WI-FI BACK!
Me, that’s right.
Which means I can start writing again, and I won’t be MIA for much longer. Thank you all for being so understanding. I can’t wait to catch up on all that I’ve missed and interact with you all again.
Putting a read more now for those who don’t want to read this little life update.
Uni starts in less than two weeks, and I’m pretty nervous about how that’s going to affect the time I have to write because I’ve already got a reading assignment and I’m way behind on that. But anyway, I’ll find time. I’ve been gone for so long, I need to get back into it. And it’ll help me get through Uni if I write a lot in my free time. I’m majoring in English and minoring in sociology, after all.
So, I’m going to watch the Eras Tour Movie tonight, which means I’m obviously not going to be able to write tonight, but tomorrow’s Saturday and I’ve got no plans, so I’m definitely getting back to it then. And I’ll see what I can do about Kinktober because my fingers are ITCHING.
AND I finally finished my wall, for those of you who care. Call me interior designer for fangirls because I really am proud of my own work this time around.
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There’s still space for me to continue the wall of fame, so obviously it’s going to grow
And I’ve got another one.
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I tried my absolute best to make the apartment 100% ME. And it worked, I think.
Anyway, I’m about to leave, and since I haven’t made any new friends in this city, I hope meeting fellow Swifties and sharing friendship bracelets will get me some contacts around here. It can’t hurt to try and socialize a bit, right?
I made SO MANY bracelets because I had no Wi-Fi and was stuck with the old criminal minds DVD’s I still got lying around here, but I have to say, it’s been kind of refreshing as well. I feel like a caveman, but not in a bad way. I didn’t use as much social media and I got creative a lot more, so that’s a good thing, I guess. It was a forced retreat, but it felt like one nonetheless.
I’ve got a whole ring of friendship bracelets and I hope to a God I don’t believe in that I’m allowed to take them into the theater or I’m gonna be sad.
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Anyway, here’s a picture of my outfit because I feel like I’ve slayed with that.
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I’ve been gone for so long, I hope you guys appreciated my little life update. And if not, I’m sorry for bothering you with this on your dash.
More news about my writing and everything else concerning this account coming tomorrow when I’ve finished going through all my notifications and drafts, and then I’ll make a post to tell you guys more about what’s to come and when to expect it.
Until then, I love you, take care of yourselves, and I’ll see you soon!
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giac222 · 5 months
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hypaalicious · 1 year
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My internet was out for a week & this is my survival story.
No deadass I was kinda struggling 😭
But at the same time, I learned a lot about how social media is absolutely affecting my brain chemistry and it’s enlightening.
I’ve often had to take breaks from certain platforms whenever I find myself overwhelmed. But I always had an escape to like, other media.
When I ghosted FB for years, I took solace in Tumblr.
When I got burned out on fandom stuff on Tumblr, I ditched it for Twitter.
Whenever Twitter gets to be too annoying, I just scroll on Reddit.
But this was the first time in many moons that I had absolutely NO access to any of my vices. 🥲 Worst part was not having access to my besties on Discord, I felt so isolated and restless and bored. I depend on Twitter as like, my news station as well so there was a lot of FOMO on my shoulders. I was just sitting in the house like
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I’m an asocial introvert but being absolutely cut off from the world at the safe distance I already kept it was brutal.
But, I went back to reading. I absolutely tore through Jacqueline Carey’s newest release in a day. I picked up an Astrology book I’ve had forever and read through that. I spent my time doing more chores or just… not having constant stimulus. I was still anxious because I couldn’t talk to my besties and also work on my VN stopped cause the team was waiting on ME to catch up 😩 But…
I’m calmer, overall. I feel less polarized and combative mentally. I have a lot to catch up on but it’s not as overwhelming in my head as it usually is. I feel like despite all my attempts at trying to get to a deeper understanding of astrology by following knowledgeable astrologers, I got more of a breakthrough NOT being pelted by a thousand astro opinions a day. Reading Carey’s book absolutely reignited my love for Terre d’Ange and adult writing in general; she has such a mastery over words I’ve only been able to grasp like ONCE in my life. I was all up in Joscelin’s story like
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You really don’t notice how much you’re not being challenged in your reading until someone with her skill runs you over and you thank her for the privilege, LMAO!
I’m scrolling on Twitter now and feel detached from it in a way that’s good, I think. Being constantly informed is a double edged sword and I’m TRULY understanding how just… very reactionary social media is even when you follow people/topics that mean well. It literally cannot be healthy to absorb the knee-jerk takes and think pieces people make all the time, even if it shows me a perspective on issues I hadn’t considered.
It’s sad that my eternal fight with Cox internet forced me to take a sabbatical but I’m thankful for it. I need to be more disciplined and make my own planned absences from social media because I feel better not being constantly plugged in and doom scrolling. Idk how I’m gonna wrestle my ADHD to comply but ima figure it out, lol.
I guess this ramble is a reminder to take breaks from this hellsite and any other form of social media. It seems like nbd when you’re jumping from a YouTube video to IG to Tiktok all in the span of maybe 20 minutes and have been doing that for years. You don’t notice when you’re being overly influenced. You think cause you’ve curated your feed very well that you’re not stressed, especially when there’s extreme examples of unwell people on display to reassure you that you’re doing just fine by comparison.
Bestie, no you’re not. 😭 You’re drowning in stimulus and giving yourself no time to sit in stillness and find YOURSELF outside of all of the noise. Detox from all that and see how far you’ve REALLY come.
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latinthusiast · 2 months
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real fucking talk the worst thing about being an adult is that every single service you try to use will at least once try to see if you'll accidentally pay them an extra like $100 for no reason, and the only way to fight it is to contact them once they send your bill like a month after the fact and tell them "hey when you gave me this service you told me I wouldn't be paying this extra fee, can you remove it from my bill" and they go "oh sorry, yeah"
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kanon-byrnhildr · 3 months
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(base used: https://www.deviantart.com/zanenthy/art/F2U-Free-to-Use-Base-04-914260594)
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first art post and first time using a base
this will be one of many posts (although most of them will be posting my old paper art since that's how i primarily draw
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paeinovis · 7 months
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IM GOING TO FUCKING KILL COX INTERNET
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rraaaarrl · 1 year
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i really think that if my internet goes down during peak working hours because the company "needs" to do "maintenance" during said peak working hours (9 to 5ish) then they should fucking deduct those hours or whatever from my monthly bill because hey guess what fuckos I need an internet connection to do my fucking job, like what the fuck am I paying you for. But then it wouldn't be 🇺🇸MURICA 🇺🇸unless you were getting ripped off by megacorporations now would it?!
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poorlittlevampire · 1 year
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wifi and cable went out 😐 not expected to be foxed till after 11 😐
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The idea that public investment in infrastructure serves democratic goals fell out of favor in the U.S. in the 1980s. Leaders insisted that private investment reacted more efficiently to market forces whereas government investment both distorted markets and tied up money that private investment could use more effectively. In fact, the dramatic scaling back of public investment since then has not led to more efficient development so much as it has led to crumbling infrastructure and its exploitation by private individuals. 
In late July the New York Times noted that since 2019, billionaire businessman Elon Musk has steadily taken over the field of satellite internet, infrastructure that is hugely important for national security. In just four years Musk has launched into space more than 4,500 satellites—more than 50% of all active satellites. This means that Musk’s Starlink is often the only way for people in places hit by disasters or in war zones to communicate. 
On Thursday, excerpts from a forthcoming biography of Elon Musk by historian Walter Isaacson revealed that Musk “secretly told his engineers to turn off [Starlink] coverage within 100 kilometers of the Crimean coast” after learning that the Ukrainian military was sending six small drone submarines packed with explosives at the Russian naval fleet based in Crimea. After talking to Russian leaders, who said they would respond with nuclear weapons—later events suggest this was a bluff—Musk shut off Starlink, the drone submarines lost the connectivity they needed to find their targets, and the weapons simply washed ashore.
According to Isaacson, Ukrainian officials begged Musk to turn the coverage back on, but he refused, saying that Ukraine “is now going too far and inviting strategic defeat.” He told U.S. and Russian officials that he wanted Starlink to be used only for defense. Then he offered a “peace plan” that required Ukraine to give up territory to Russia and reject plans to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Later, he again disabled Starlink coverage in the midst of a Ukrainian advance.
Isaacson portrays Musk as frustrated by being dragged into a war. “Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars,” Musk told Isaacson. “It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes.” Since the story broke, Musk has defended his unwillingness to be in the middle of a war. 
But Mykhailo Podolyak, a top advisor to Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, pointed out on Musk’s own social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that the same Russian fleet Musk protected went on to fire missiles at Ukrainian cities, killing civilians, including children. Russia is also attacking Ukraine’s infrastructure for exporting grain, which threatens the price and availability of food in Africa.
The privatization of the functions of government in the U.S. has given a single man the power to affect global affairs, working, in this case, against the stated objectives of our own government. Republican leaders eager to push that privatization have made their case by turning voters against taxes, although the tax cuts put in place since 1981 overwhelmingly benefited the wealthy and corporations, permitting a few individuals to amass fortunes: Forbes, for example, estimates Musk’s net worth at $251.3 billion.
On Friday the Internal Revenue Service announced that increased federal funding under the Inflation Reduction Act and the help of artificial intelligence will enable a new push to go after 1,600 millionaires who owe at least $250,000 and 75 large businesses with assets of about $10 billion apiece that owe hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes. 
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said the plan “goes to the heart of Democrats’ effort to ensure the wealthiest are paying their fair share.” It also goes to the heart of the idea that billionaires must not be able to impose their will on the rest of us by virtue of their monopolization of key aspects of our infrastructure. Still, Republicans continue to argue for private investment according to market forces. Opposing taxes and the government programs they fund, they have clawed back as much of the new funding for the IRS as they have been able, and they continue to call for more cuts. 
This week, as a fight over funding the government by the end of the month looms, the implications of the parties’ different visions of government could not be clearer. 
LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN
HEATHER COX RICHARDSON
Sept 10, 2023
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[ref :: Musk Shut Down Ukrainian Attack After Chat with Russian Official] ::
Elon Musk got caught with his hand in the national security cookie jar, sabotaging or blocking a major Ukrainian military operation after conversations with a Russian government official.
Now let’s unpack this.
Last month I wrote about the rise of the global oligarchs and I made particular mention of Elon Musk. Even if you set aside the various things you may not like about Musk he has amassed a degree of economic power that is novel and dangerous in itself even if he had the most benign of intentions and the most stable personality. More than half the operating satellites in the sky are owned and controlled by him. Overnight we finally got confirmation of something that has long been suspected or hinted at but which none of the players had an interest in confirming. Last September Musk either cut off or refused to activate his Starlink satellite service near the Crimean coast during a surprise Ukrainian drone attack on the Russian Navy at anchor at its Sevastopol naval port.
Ukraine has made extensive use of naval drones. But it at least sounds like this was supposed to be a massed attack that would have done extensive damage to the Russian Navy and the naval port itself and thus seriously degraded Russia’s ability to launch missile attacks against Ukraine. In other words, it doesn’t sound like this was just any attack, though the details are sketchy.
On its face you might say, they’re Musk’s satellites and he’s in charge of who gets to use them and how. But of course it’s not that simple. It’s a good illustration of how Musk’s economic power has crept into domains that are more like the power of a state.
Starlink is a network of satellites providing robust internet connectivity without reliance on any ground infrastructure. This is critical in Ukraine since the ground infrastructure has all been degraded or destroyed. Starlink is owned by and made possible by the launch capacity of SpaceX, Musk’s space launch company, which is currently the sole means the U.S. has to launch satellites into space.
Musk made business and financial decisions that, under our economic system, entitles him to the vast profits of SpaceX. But he didn’t create it on his own. The company was built on the back of U.S. government contracts. In essence the U.S. government fronted the money to build SpaceX by awarding it contracts that made its business viable. Musk and SpaceX are also U.S. military contractors. That comes with a big set of responsibilities and restrictions.
Raytheon isn’t at liberty to sell its high tech weaponry to Russia or China if the price is right. These contractors are legally and financially bound into the U.S. national security apparatus. So is Musk and SpaceX. Or at least they’re supposed to be. A critical part of this story is that Musk took this action after conversations with an unnamed Russian government official which, Musk claimed, led him to worry the attack could escalate into a nuclear conflict.
Of course the threat of escalation has hung over the Ukraine war from the beginning. Countless civilian and military officials in the U.S., Europe and across the globe have been analyzing and trying to manage that risk for 18 months. We should take Musk’s claim about fears of nuclear escalation with a huge, huge grain of salt. There are many other threats and inducements that could have come up in these conversations. But let’s assume for the moment that’s what the Russian official told him. It’s simply not Musk’s judgment to make. That’s not only the case as a matter of basic democratic accountability and national security law. Musk is the last person you’d want making such a decision. He’s a mercurial weirdo whose views visibly change by the day in reaction to whoever is giving him the most comments love on Twitter. His national security thinking is at best juvenile and fatuous. The idea that such a call was Musk’s to make is as absurd as it is terrifying.
Let’s imagine a more generous to Musk scenario.
Maybe that Russian official said to Musk: Turn off your satellites over our naval base or we will start shooting down your satellites. In technical terms that is not an idle threat. You might say, well, war’s hell, Elon. But he might reply, was the U.S. government prepared to reimburse me for the satellites and disrupted service contract fees that I incurred not for any sane business reason but to advance U.S. national security interests?
That’s a good question and I’m not sure I know what the answer is. In fact, I suspect there is no answer. The whole situation is one that mixes and matches private sector and national security in very scrambled ways. And Musk who is someone who pushes every envelope and is more than happy to use his money, domestic celebrity and control of a critical communications hub to wreak havoc with any U.S. government that calls him to account. Let’s not forget that it was just after these events that Musk suddenly started advocating his personal ‘peace plan’ on Twitter — which surprisingly seem to match all of Russia’s demands.
Let me be clear that I don’t think that last scenario is what happened. But we don’t know that it didn’t. My point in discussing that possibility is to illustrate the fact that it’s not just that Elon Musk sucks, which he does. The whole situation sucks. You simply can’t have critical national security infrastructure in the hands of a Twitter troll who’s a soft touch for whichever foreign autocrat blows some smoke up his behind. But that’s what we have here.
As I said above, we’ve known or suspected for a long time that stuff like this had happened. Musk revealed at the time that he’d been talking with Russian officials. Indeed, at one point he said he had spoken to Putin himself on more than one occasion during this period. But we shouldn’t take anything he says at face value. The U.S. hasn’t wanted to get into this publicly because they don’t want a public spat with Musk. (This is the subject of Ronan Farrow’s recent piece in The New Yorker.) This applies even more to Ukraine which still relies on as much Starlink access as it can get. In response to these latest revelations the Ukrainians’ gloves seem to have come off. One of President Zelensky’s top advisors went off on Musk on Twitter last night essentially arguing that Musk personally has blood on his hand for all the subsequent attacks launched from those ships and facilities into Ukraine.
We need to learn more details about just what happened here. A congressional investigation wouldn’t be a bad idea. But we know enough to see that a guy in charge of a lot of critical technology the U.S. relies on is happy to cut deals with the other team.
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