Morning Media Summary
Tech:
Christian group asks Apple to reconsider app suspension:
“A Christian organization that recently had its Apple iPhone app removed from Apple’s App Store has sent a letter to protest the removal, asking CEO Steve Jobs to reconsider the decision.”
Comcast Starts The Ball Rolling That Kills All-You-Can-Eat Internet Access:
“Get ready to pay more for all the video you’re watching on the Internet: The days of all-you-can-eat Internet access are growing scarce.”
Netflix Partner Says Comcast ‘Toll’ Threatens Online Video Delivery:
“Level 3 Communications, a central partner in the Netflix online movie service, accused Comcast on Monday of charging a new fee that puts Internet video companies at a competitive disadvantage.”
Web Delivery Firm Says Comcast Charging Unfair Fee for Data:
“Level 3 Communications Inc., an Internet backbone company that supports Netflix Inc.’s increasingly popular movie streaming service, complained Monday that cable giant Comcast Corp. is charging it an unfair fee for the right to send data to its subscribers.”
EU Google Antitrust Probe: European Union Investigating Search Abuse:
“European Union regulators will investigate whether Google Inc. has abused its dominant position in the online search market – the first major probe into the online giant’s business practices.”
Global Warming / Environment / Energy:
US escapes major hurricanes for 5th Straight year:
“The Atlantic hurricane season ends Tuesday, going down as one of the busiest on record but blissfully sparing the U.S. coastline a major hurricane for a fifth straight year.”
Insurance / Gambling:
BetClic chairman slams French gaming laws:
“Stéphane Courbit, chairman of the board of directors and 50% shareholder of BetClic Everest Group, has slammed French authorities for imposing the “worst online gambling laws in Europe” since the market opened in June this year, branded taxation levels “absurd” and suggested that French gaming law “encourages fraud”.”
Health / Safety:
Small farmer advocacy groups disagree over fallout of Food Safety Modernization Act:
“Small farmer advocacy groups disagree over what the Food Safety Modernization Act (SB 510), a measure that would substantially increase the power and reach of the Food and Drug Administration, will mean for small farmers if passed by the Senate Tuesday.”
Report: A bit more vitamin D is good, not too much:
“Got milk? You may need a couple cups more than today’s food labels say to get enough vitamin D for strong bones. But don’t go overboard: Long-awaited new dietary guidelines say there’s no proof that megadoses prevent cancer or other ailments — sure to frustrate backers of the so-called sunshine vitamin.”
Scientists trick cells into switching identities:
“Scientists are reporting early success at transforming one kind of specialized cell into another, a feat of biological alchemy that doctors may someday perform inside a patient’s body to restore health.”
NC to stop selling pure grain alcohol in ABC liquor stores:
“North Carolina’s government-run Alcoholic Beverage Control liquor stores will soon stop selling pure grain alcohol, citing public health concerns of the 95 percent pure alcohol being abused by college age drinkers.”
Economics:
WikiLeaks plans to release a U.S. bank’s documents:
“Julian Assange declined in an interview with Forbes to identify the bank, but he said that he expected that the disclosures, which follow his group’s release of U.S. military and diplomatic documents, would lead to investigations.”
Tiny house movement thrives amid real estate bust:
“As Americans downsize in the aftermath of a colossal real estate bust, at least one tiny corner of the housing market appears to be thriving.”
Watchdog: TARP to cost taxpayers $25 billion:
“The U.S. Troubled Asset Relief Program, which risked up to $700 billion of government funds to bail out troubled banks and automakers, will cost taxpayers a mere $25 billion, according to an estimate released on Monday by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.”
The Federal Pay Freeze, In Context:
“Earlier this morning, I noted that President Obama’s proposal to freeze the pay of federal employees (excluding the military) for two years wouldn’t have much impact on the debt. Now we have more specifics. In his press conference, Obama claimed that the move would save the government $28 billion over five years. Taking that number at face value, that would represent a sixth-tenths of one percent reduction in the projected $4.52 trillion deficit over that same period (2011 through 2015). It would be the equivalent of a person who expects to rack up $10,000 of of credit card debt over the next five years touting the fact that he’s found a way to reduce his expenses by $60 over that time period. In football terms, it would be like a kickoff return that gains about a half of a yard.”
Democratic Policy Group Would Cut Social Security for Top Earners in U.S.:
“A Democratic-led policy group is defying party history by proposing changes to Social Security to pave the way for recommendations this week by President Barack Obama’s deficit-cutting commission.”
Legal:
Eric Holder Focuses on Important Legal Challenge: The 2022 World Cup:
“Prosecuting terrorists (sorry, “man-caused disaster suspects”) and investigating the WikiLeaks fiasco will have to wait, because the chief of the US Justice Department has more immediate priorities:”
Supreme Court to hear Microsoft appeal of patent judgment:
“From the “It’s Not Over Until It’s Over” Department, Microsoft has successfully persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court to hear its appeal of a $290 million judgment won by a Canadian technology company which claimed that the software giant infringed on one of its patents.”
Supreme Court Takes Aim Yet Again At Campaign Finance Laws:
“The Supreme Court agreed to hear a free speech challenge to Arizona’s Clean Elections Law on Monday, a case that campaign finance reform advocates expect to be another blow in the court’s dismantling of the country’s elections system.”
Tobacco corruption in Virginia:
“The case also raises questions about a state entity that is supposed to use money obtained in a massive 1998 lawsuit settlement against four major tobacco companies for the public good.”
Labor:
Greek seamen end strike after government order:
“It was the second time since July the ruling Socialists had used emergency powers to end a strike as unions resist austerity measures prescribed by the European Union and IMF.”
Transportation/ Land Use:
READ THIS: Local Governments Told to Buy New Street Signs:
“It’s just one reason the Federal Highway Administration is ordering all local governments — from the tiniest towns to the largest cities — to go out and buy new street signs that federal bureaucrats say are easier to read.”
High-speed rail work to start in ’11:
“Construction will start next year on the $71.4 million railroad project that the feds authorized for Northwest Indiana in early 2010, state transportation officials said Monday.”