Morning Media Summary
Tech:
And Speaking of the Inalienable Right to Pursuit of Happiness…:
“. . Happy Fourth to you all! Along with 90 (and still counting) other Internet law and IP law professors, I have signed a letter (drafted by Dave Levine, Mark Lemley, and me) in opposition to Sen. Leahy’s “PROTECT IP Act.” [The letter is posted below — the text of the bill, if you’re into that sort of thing, is posted here.]
PROTECT-IP Letter, Final”
China Wants to Buy Facebook:
“On Thursday, Business Insider reported that China is trying to buy “a huge chunk” of Facebook.”
Unlicensed: Are Google Music and Amazon Cloud Player illegal?:
“Amazon.com made waves in March when it announced Cloud Player, a new “cloud music” service that allows users to upload their music collections for personal use. It did so without a license agreement, and the major music labels were not amused. Sony Music said it was keeping its “legal options open” as it pressured Amazon to pay up.”
Secret Service to probe Fox News cyberattack:
“The U.S. Secret Service will investigate the hijacking of a Fox News Twitter account by hackers who posted false reports that U.S. President Barack Obama was assassinated.”
Global Warming / Environment / Energy:
Sulphur from Chinese power stations ‘masking’ climate change:
“The huge increase in coal-fired power stations in China has masked the impact of global warming in the last decade because of the cooling effect of their sulphur emissions, new research has revealed. But scientists warn that rapid warming is likely to resume when the short-lived sulphur pollution – which also causes acid rain – is cleaned up and the full heating effect of long-lived carbon dioxide is felt.”
Insurance / Gambling:
Legalize betting for online poker?:
“A 2006 law effectively blocks all types of Internet gambling by Americans, largely to prevent a rise in gambling addiction that online betting can easily lead to. Strong attempts to overturn the law have so far failed. Now a bill in Congress aims to open a crack in that wall. It would legalize only one type: online poker.”
Health / Safety:
NY motorcyclist dies on ride protesting helmet law:
“Police say a motorcyclist participating in a protest ride against helmet laws in upstate New York died after he flipped over the bike’s handlebars and hit his head on the pavement.”
Economics:
ECB will continue to accept Greek debt:
“The European Central Bank will continue to accept Greek debt as collateral for loans unless all the major credit rating agencies it uses declare it to be in default, said a senior finance official.”
Obama’s Economists: ‘Stimulus’ Has Cost $278,000 per Job:
“When the Obama administration releases a report on the Friday before a long weekend, it’s clearly not trying to draw attention to the report’s contents. Sure enough, the “Seventh Quarterly Report” on the economic impact of the “stimulus,” released on Friday, July 1, provides further evidence that President Obama’s economic “stimulus” did very little, if anything, to stimulate the economy, and a whole lot to stimulate the debt.”
Cornyn Says Republicans May Accept ‘Mini’ Deal on Raising U.S. Debt Limit:
“Republicans might accept a “mini” deal with the Obama administration on raising the debt limit, Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a Republican leader, said yesterday on “Fox News Sunday.””
Legal:
Video: Should law enforcement be able to track vehicles without a warrant?:
“They certainly can now, but the Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether law enforcement should place tracking transmitters on the vehicles of suspects without first seeking a warrant. The test case will come from an appellate court that threw out a drug-distribution conviction and life sentence, ruling that the failure to get a warrant for the device violated the Fourth Amendment rights of Antoine Jones, a nightclub owner in Washington DC. As MSNBC reports, though, Jones was not the only suspect to have unknowingly carried an FBI tracking device:”
Labor:
Major teachers union endorses Obama’s re-election:
The nation’s largest education union has endorsed President Barack Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign.”
Transportation/ Land Use:
High-speed rail pushing for phased approach:
“The California High-Speed Rail Authority is moving forward with a phased approach on the Peninsula that will allow for an initial limited level of service on the Caltrain corridor.”