Morning Media Summary
Tech:
The World is Full of Interesting Things:
“That’s the name of a brilliant slideshow created by Google’s Creative Labs. You’ll find a lot of interesting HTML5 apps, iPhone apps, visualization tools, 3D projections, art projects, creative YouTube videos, crowdsourcing services and many other interesting things.”
Researchers one step closer to ‘bootless’ computer:
“Physicists at the University of California, Riverside have made a breakthrough in developing a “spin computer,” which would combine logic with nonvolatile memory, bypassing the need for computers to boot up.”
What if We Ran Universities Like Wikipedia?:
“A silly question? Maybe. But the analogy, made by a speaker at the Educause conference here today, reflects a recurring theme at this year’s event: Do our university bureaucracies still make sense in the era of networks?”
Google Willing To Help Record Labels Combat Music Piracy, But It’ll Cost Them:
“If the record labels want Google to help them find links to infringing content; it’ll cost them. As much as $5 per thousand queries, say new reports. It costs money to provide services to aid the labels in their ‘war on piracy’ and Google plans to recoup every penny. After all, they have operating costs too. But, to be a viable solution to the labels, this service would have to not end up costing them several million dollars a year, which it would. Critics are crying foul, saying that Google profits from piracy no matter what anyone does. Their ads run on pirate sites. They want to charge to search for the links to pirate sites.”
Facebook: Congressmen Sent You A Message:
“The co-chairmen of the House Bipartisan Privacy Caucus, Edward Markey (D-Mass) and Joe Barton (R-TX), have sent the Facebook CEO a letter seeking answers in the wake of another round of user privacy concerns, according to the Wall Street Journal. The latest incident, which was revealed on Monday, involved Facebook applications transmitting users’ personal identifying information to dozens of advertising and Internet tracking companies.”
Spanish agency sues Google over Street View:
“Spain’s data protection authority said Monday it has filed a suit against Google for allegedly capturing data from Internet users when it collected photos for its Street View service.”
Global Warming / Environment / Energy:
In Kansas, Climate Skeptics Embrace Cleaner Energy:
““Don’t mention global warming,” warned Nancy Jackson, chairwoman of the Climate and Energy Project, a small nonprofit group that aims to get people to rein in the fossil fuel emissions that contribute to climate change. “And don’t mention Al Gore. People out here just hate him.””
‘We Are Destroying Life on Earth,’ UN Conference Claims:
“A U.N. biodiversity conference aims to address a simple problem: “We are destroying life on Earth,” said the head of the U.N. Environment Program.”
Team to investigate central China coal mine gas leak:
“China’s top work safety watchdog said the State Council, the Cabinet, has approved to set up a work team Tuesday to investigate a major coal mine gas leak that killed 37 people in the central Henan Province.”
Insurance / Gambling:
State court to weigh cards in poker case:
“The running battle over whether poker is a game of luck or skill heads to the S.C. Supreme Court Tuesday, and the state’s top judges will determine if the public should be allowed to shuffle up and deal in the privacy of their own homes.”
Health / Safety:
Canada declares Bisphenol A Toxic:
“Canada has become the first country in the world to declare as toxic Bisphenol A, a compound used in many consumer products, despite opposition by the chemical industry.”
Citing health care law, Boeing pares employee plan:
“Aerospace giant Boeing is joining the list of companies that say the new health care law could have a potential downside for their workers.”
Economics:
From Obama, the Tax Cut Nobody Heard Of:
“It is not a rhetorical question. At Pig Pickin’ and Politickin’, a barbecue-fed rally organized here last week by a Republican women’s club, a half-dozen guests were asked by a reporter what had happened to their taxes since President Obama took office.”
It’s Official… Obama Has Now Borrowed $3 Trillion:
“That didn’t take long. The Obama administration has now borrowed $3 trillion, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. But look what we have for it… 9.6% unemployment and a record national deficit.”
Brazil calls for fairer share from genetic resources:
“Delegates from nearly 200 countries are gathered in Nagoya, Japan, for a two-week U.N. meeting to fight rapid losses in plant and animal species from the destruction of forests, rivers and reefs that are vital to livelihoods and economies.”
AP wonders: Why isn’t our very productive Congress more respected by voters?:
“If you’re wondering why this story feels familiar, it’s because Politico already wrote it three months ago vis-a-vis Obama and his “achievements.” It’s as true now as it was then — the Democrats certainly have done a lot with their majority. And yet, somehow … voters seem unhappy.”
Can You Name the Greatest President of the Past 100 Years?:
“It’s tempting to say that Ronald Reagan was the best U.S. president of the past century, and I’ve certainly demonstrated my man-crush on the Gipper. But there is some real competition. I had the pleasure yesterday of hearing Amity Shlaes of the Council on Foreign Relations make the case for Calvin Coolidge at the Mont Pelerin Society Meeting in Australia.”
National Debt Up $3 Trillion on Obama’s Watch:
“New numbers posted today on the Treasury Department website show the National Debt has increased by more than $3 trillion since President Obama took office.”
Legal:
U.S. Pushes to Ease Technical Obstacles to Wiretapping:
“Law enforcement and counterterrorism officials, citing lapses in compliance with surveillance orders, are pushing to overhaul a federal law that requires phone and broadband carriers to ensure that their networks can be wiretapped, federal officials say.”
Trial Lawyers Sticking With Democratic Party:
“Trial lawyers are holding steady as one of the Democratic Party’s biggest sources of campaign contributions, providing a cushion for the party as it struggles to maintain control of Congress in the midterm elections.”
Court will hear appeal of ex-AG to stop lawsuit:
“The Supreme Court will consider an appeal by former Attorney General John Ashcroft to throw out a lawsuit seeking to hold him personally responsible for improperly arresting a Muslim U.S. citizen after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”
Labor:
Progressives Like Soft Money, Too: SEIU Dumps $100K Into Third-Party Account “For (D8 Supe Candidate) Mandelman”:
“If politics were like the high school prom, third-party spending accounts are the fat ugly kid whose out-of-town parents have an unlocked liquor cabinet: nobody professes to like him, but come 2 a.m., everyone’s over at his house quaffing Peachtree schnapps and Triple Sec.”
Morning Bell: Big Government’s Government Union Firewall:
“Indications are that the Progressive Movement is headed for a crushing defeat two weeks from now. Political analysts Stu Rothenberg and Charlie Cook both peg the number of competitive House races at around 100. Separately, both analysts are also predicting Democrats will lose between 45 and 60 seats (39 are needed to switch control of the House). Striking back against the electorate’s small government fervor, AFL-CIO Political Director Karen Ackerman penned a strategy memo last week claiming “Union Voters are the firewall for candidates that support working families.””
Mark Hemingway: Unions are so desperate for tax-paid pension bailout:
“When it comes to accounting, the devil is in the details. A new Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) rule taking effect in December requires greater transparency for union pension plans and threatens to bankrupt organized labor.”
Union shill-in-chief: The empire of right-wing special interests is striking back:
“From yesterday’s mega-rally in Ohio, the clip doesn’t capture it but this tool is now warning about Republican fearmongering in virtually the same breath as he’s doing his heavy-breathing routine about shadowy money flowing in from conservative PACs. I wonder if the hypocrisy of that is something he’s aware of and happy to wallow in or if his own messianic ego blinds him to it.”
France’s Sarkozy: We’ll crack down on protests:
“French President Nicolas Sarkozy is pledging to crack down on “troublemakers” attacking police at protests against a proposed higher retirement age.”
Transportation/ Land Use:
Street crossing, urban density slow high-speed rail in New England:
“Washington is spending US$8 billion in federal stimulus money to establish high-speed rail corridors nationwide. But in populated areas of New England where city streets and railroad tracks intersect and trains must negotiate curves, hills and tunnels, travel at speeds as high as 240 kilometres per hour (150 mph) are out of the question.”