Morning Media Summary
Tech:
Identify Vancouver rioters: Facebook and Tumblr groups set up:
“After the Vancouver Canucks lost to the Boston Bruins in Game 7, some people that were downtown started rioting, starting fires, flipping cars, and breaking store windows and causing general chaos.”
U.S. Government In Cyber Fight But Can’t Keep Up:
“The Pentagon is about to roll out an expanded effort to safeguard its contractors from hackers and is building a virtual firing range in cyberspace to test new technologies, according to officials familiar with the plans, as a recent wave of cyber attacks boosts concerns about U.S. vulnerability to digital warfare.”
NSA allies with Internet carries to thwart cyber attacks against defense firms:
“The National Security Agency is working with Internet service providers to deploy a new generation of tools to scan e-mail and other digital traffic with the goal of thwarting cyberattacks against defense firms by foreign adversaries, senior defense and industry officials say.”
Global Warming / Environment / Energy:
Senate vote marks start of end for ethanol subsidies:
“The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to eliminate billions of dollars in support for the U.S. ethanol industry, sending a strong message that the era of big taxpayer support for biofuels is ending.”
Another Obama Propaganda Fail… Green-Car Mandate Will Eliminate 260,000 Jobs:
“The Detroit News’ David Shepardson has unearthed a study that reveals that President Obama’s radical CAFE mandate “could force vehicle prices up by nearly $10,000, reduce sales by 5.5 million vehicles annually, and eliminate more than 260,000 jobs.””
Insurance / Gambling:
D.C.’s bad bet on Internet gambling:
“The D.C. Council is finally taking steps to provide some scrutiny of plans to legalize online gambling in the District. Let’s hope that this is more than a gesture to save face for the irresponsible way the council has handled this matter. There needs to be a full vetting of the plan to make the District the first jurisdiction in the nation to allow these online money games — including a review of the activities of the council member, Michael A. Brown (I-At Large), who championed it.”
Health / Safety:
Video: Japanese scientist discovers amazing, inexhaustible new food source:
“On the one hand, this does qualify as “science.” It’s a red-hot story on a variety of news sites this week. If mankind has finally solved the problem of starvation, you guys deserve to know about it ASAP. In fact, if this catches on, we might even eliminate the meat industry and lower carbon emissions by orders of magnitude. Rejoice at what human ingenuity and technological innovation are capable of!”
Economics:
US stock futures point to gains after 6 down week:
“Stocks are poised to open higher, on track for their first weekly gains after six down weeks, their longest weekly losing streak since 2002.”
Wall Street Braces for New Layoffs as Profits Wane:
“Wall Street plans to get smaller this summer. Faced with weak markets and uncertainty over regulations, many of the biggest firms are preparing for deep cuts in jobs and other costs.”
Legal:
The Definitive Scandal: ‘Gunwalker’ Much Worse Than ‘Iran-Contra’:
“On October 5, 1986, a former U.S. Air Force C-123 transport plane was shot down in Nicaragua. The pilots and radio operator perished when the plane crashed, but a former U.S. Marine who was a cargo handler on the aircraft was able to parachute to safety. He was captured by the Nicaraguan government.”
Kids Lemonade Stand At U.S. Open Fined $500 And Shut Down By Montgomery Country:
“You can make a fortune selling parking spots outside the US Open, but don’t even dream of setting up a lemonade stand.”
Labor:
Union leader calls New Jersey gov ‘Adolf Christie,’ compares pension battle to ‘World War III’ [Video]:
“At a Thursday rally in New Jersey protesting Republican Gov. Chris Christie’s pension deal that would cut pensions and benefits to public workers, a union leader charged Christie with acting like a Nazi. And not any ordinary Nazi, but Adolf Hitler himself.”
Former SEIU President Stern Splits With Labor, Backs Tax Holiday:
“Andy Stern, former president of the second-largest labor union, said he backs easing tax rules to encourage companies with overseas profits to return the cash to the U.S., a position that puts him at odds with organized labor.”
Transportation/ Land Use:
A High Speed Rail Line, Republican Style:
“As China moves forward with launching the world’s longest single high speed rail, back here in the good ole USA bullet trains are still stuck at the station. A possible solution may exist though, as U.S. House Representatives John L. Mica (R-FL), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Bill Shuster (R-PA), Chairman of the Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Material Committee, have submitted their plan for the development of a high speed rail network in the Northeast Corridor that would remove Amtrak from the potential project. Congressman Mica was especially harsh in his language describing Amtrak, saying the company “repeatedly bungled development,” and that the business had decades of “wasteful Soviet-style operations . . . ””