Morning Media Summary

Tech:

DOJ gets court permission to attack botnet:
“The U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation have obtained a temporary restraining order allowing them to disrupt a computer virus that created an international botnet controlling more than 2.3 million computers as of early 2010, the DOJ announced Wednesday.”

Internet ad revenue hits high in ‘10:
“U.S. Internet advertising revenue jumped 15 percent to $26 billion in 2010, setting a record high and proving that more companies are opening up their coffers to reach people online.”

Only a carrier could trumpet $500 per gigabyte as a price cut:
“AT&T announced today that it was cutting the price of data access for prepaid customers — those who don’t sign contracts but instead pay as they go — to $5 for 10MB of data access on select smartphones, a major cut from the previous $5 for 1MB. But press reports haven’t done their math: The costs are 50 times what so-called postpaid customers — those who sign a contract and get a bill each month — are charged. An AT&T GoPhone customer pays $500 per gigabyte of data usage, whereas a postpaid Android or iPhone user pays $10 per gigabyte.”

Global Warming / Environment / Energy:

Wolf Protections To Be Lifted By Congress In Budget Bill:

“An attachment in the federal budget bill that takes gray wolves off the endangered species list across most of the Northern Rockies would keep protections intact in Wyoming, at least for now.”

Putting on the Brakes: Mankind Nears the End of the Age of Speed:
“When the U.S. space shuttle completes its final flight, planned for June, mankind will take another step back from its top speed. Space shuttles are the fastest reusable manned vehicles ever built. Their maximum was only exceeded by single-shot moon rockets.”

Insurance / Gambling:

DC to offer Internet gambling, becomes first in US:
“The District of Columbia is becoming the first U.S. jurisdiction to allow Internet gambling, trying to raise millions of dollars from the habits of online poker buffs and acting ahead of traditional gambling meccas like New Jersey and Nevada.”

Health / Safety:

Breast Implants and Lymphoma: Where’s the Connection:
“Based on anecdotal data, false claims and unfounded science, the safety of silicone-filled breast implants was questioned in the 1990s. This resulted in an epidemic of patient anxiety, unnecessary implant removals, litigation, and an almost 20-year FDA imposed moratorium on their use.”

Economics:

CBO: Last week’s $38 billion budget deal only reduces this year’s deficit by … $352 million; Update: GOP leaders lobbying for votes:
“The deal does eliminate $38 billion in “new spending authority,” but as we learned yesterday in agonizing detail, spending “authority” and actual spending are two very different things. So to sum up: In less than a week, we’ve gone from $61 billion in cuts to $38 billion in cuts to $15 billion in real cuts to $352 million in deficit reduction this year, which is less than one percent of the number agreed to in the budget deal. I can’t help but suspect that tea partiers might feel a tad … antsy about that trend.”

Bank nervous about new pokie rules:
“WESTPAC is reviewing its lending to poker machine venues amid predictions the sector could face a slump after the introduction of mandatory limits on gaming.”

There Is No Male-Female Wage Gap:
“Tuesday is Equal Pay Day—so dubbed by the National Committee for Pay Equity, which represents feminist groups including the National Organization for Women, Feminist Majority, the National Council of Women’s Organizations and others. The day falls on April 12 because, according to feminist logic, women have to work that far into a calendar year before they earn what men already earned the year before.”

Legal:

Feds Join Suit Against Bibles In S.C. Jail:
“Bibles cannot be the only reading materials allowed in jail, the U.S. Department of Justice said in joining a lawsuit against a South Carolina detention center on Tuesday (April 12).”

Labor:

SEIU-UHW installs new leaders, ends trusteeship:
“California’s largest health care union has installed new leaders and officially ended a 26-month trusteeship.”

Transportation/ Land Use:

China raises safety concerns over high-speed rail:

“China is lowering the operating speeds on its new bullet train lines because of safety and affordability concerns over the biggest high-speed rail network in the world.”