Morning Media Summary

Tech:

Wal-Mart adds streaming video to its website:
“Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has added streaming movies to its website as the world’s largest retailer attempts to grab a bigger share of the online movie market from rival service Netflix Inc.”

Global Warming / Environment / Energy:

Tipping points and beliefs – the 10% solution:
“Scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of the society. The scientists, who are members of the Social Cognitive Networks Academic Research Center (SCNARC) at Rensselaer, used computational and analytical methods to discover the tipping point where a minority belief becomes the majority opinion. The finding has implications for the study and influence of societal interactions ranging from the spread of innovations to the movement of political ideals.”

Insurance / Gambling:

Ambiguous gambling laws:
“So the sheriff is shutting down the sweepstakes cafes. No one to blame here but the state Legislature. If the sheriff shuts them down or leaves them open, it’s the ambiguous gambling laws that have created this problem.”

Health / Safety:

McDonald’s to revamp Happy Meals because you’re too dumb to watch what your kid eats:
“Fair headline? Well, until now, when ordering a Happy Meal you had a choice between the traditional burger and fries and a more nutritious but-mom-I-don’t-want-that burger with apple slices. But it turns out most of you were choosing “poorly.””

Food industry decries tighter rules on marketing to kids:
“The bottom rows of grocery store aisles, usually reserved for brightly packaged foods set right at children’s eye level, may be in for a makeover — and it’s what is inside the boxes that could be changing.”

Economics:

Soros to close Quantum fund to outsiders:
“George Soros, the billionaire hedge fund manager, is closing his Quantum fund to outside investors and returning their money.”

Legal:

NSA Lawyer Questioned Over Cellphone Location Tracking of Americans:
“Is the government using cellular data to track Americans as they move around the U.S.?”

Labor:

Tulare County workers seek return of raises:
“With the current labor contracts for more than half of Tulare County’s employees set to end Saturday and negotiations at a standstill, county supervisors voted Tuesday to enact four new contracts based on their last best offers.”

Transportation/ Land Use:

Chinese Prosecutors to Investigate High-Speed Railway Crash:
“China’s top criminal prosecutor has dispatched investigators to help probe the high-speed train crash that killed at least 39 people and has already led to the firing of three government officials.”