Morning Media Summary
Tech:
With IE judgment expiring, Microsoft files antitrust complaint against Google:
“Nearly a decade after settling an antitrust case regarding the bundling of Internet Explorer with Windows, Microsoft is on the verge of putting the case behind it for good and is pursuing antitrust claims of its own against Google’s dominant search engine.”
Advertisers and Publishers Adopt and Implement Do Not Track:
“Mozilla’s Do Not Track privacy feature in Firefox provides users more control over online behavioral tracking. Two developments bring it closer to being respected by industry.”
Google Will Face Privacy Audits For The Next 20 Years (GOOG):
“Google has reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over Buzz, a social blogging service that the company introduced through Gmail last year.”
Global Warming / Environment / Energy:
Antarctic breakup makes ocean absorb more CO2 ‘Global implications for climate research’, says US gov:
“Some cheerful news on the climate change front today, as US government boffins report that ice breaking off the Antarctic shelves and melting in the sea causes carbon dioxide to be removed from the environment. This powerful, previously unknown “negative feedback” would seem likely to revise forecasts of future global warming significantly downwards.”
Insurance / Gambling:
‘UK Loses out through irrational gambling laws’:
“The UK is potentially missing out on billions of pounds of investment through its over-regulation of the gambling industry.”
Health / Safety:
Stink bug epidemic spreads as 33 U.S. states now report infiltrations of the smelly pest:
“Few of us ever come to terms with the idea of bed bugs infesting their house and home.”
Economics:
Fed Official Sees Rates Inching Up This Year:
“The president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank said Thursday the Fed may need to increase short-term interest rates by year’s end if underlying inflation rises as he anticipates.”
Bosses at bailed-out Fannie, Freddie were paid millions:
“Regulators have approved generous executive compensation at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the taxpayer-backed mortgage finance giants, with little scrutiny or analysis, according to a report published Thursday by the inspector general of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.”
Barack Obama: Losing $84 billion big success:
“Barack Obama has some ‘splaining to do about taxpayers’ profitable “investment” in General Motors. It turns out the president is imagining things.”
Legal:
Wis. Judge to look at how union law was passed:
“Having declared that Wisconsin’s divisive union law isn’t really a law yet, a judge was set to return to one of the underlying questions dogging the measure—whether Republicans violated the state’s open meetings law during the frenzied run-up to passage.”
Labor:
NY garment workers union leader charged with financial misconduct by parent union, SEIU:
“The Service Employees International Union has filed charges of financial misconduct against the New York-based head of its garment workers affiliate.”
Unions deploy money and muscle in Battle of Wisconsin:
“If you own a business in southern Wisconsin, you might have received a letter from the Wisconsin State Employees Union, Council 24 of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees. Union leaders want you to join them in opposing Gov. Scott Walker’s budget plan, with its limits on collective bargaining for public workers. To show you’re on labor’s team, the letter asks you to display a sign in your business saying you “support workers rights.””
Cross Plains Woman Charged With Sending Death Threats to Lawmakers:
“A 26-year-old woman was charged Thursday with two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts accusing her of making email threats against Wisconsin lawmakers during the height of the battle over Gov. Scott Walker’s budget-repair bill.”
Transportation/ Land Use:
NM group seeks comment on eminent domain rules:
“The New Mexico Renewable Energy Transmission Authority is soliciting public comments on its proposed procedures for using the power of eminent domain to acquire property for building electric transmission lines.”
‘More trains’ with high-speed rail:
“Train frequencies could almost double at some towns if the Government’s HS2 high-speed rail (HSR) London to Birmingham project goes ahead, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has said.”