Morning Media Summary

Tech:

CES 2011 Predictions: 7 Trends To Watch At The World’s Biggest Tech Show:
“Las Vegas is currently gearing up for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world’s biggest consumer tech expo. From Thursday January 6 through Sunday January 9, companies from around the world will convene at the Las Vegas Convention Center to debut their latest and greatest innovations.”

Microsoft ready to take on Apple, Google with TV set top box:
“Reports indicate that Microsoft is prepared to show off a connected television solution of its own, and will demo a TV set top box this week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The device will be similar to those already offered by competitors Apple and Google.”

‘White House’ eCard Dupes Dot-Gov Geeks:
“A malware-laced e-mail that spoofed seasons greetings from The White House siphoned gigabytes of sensitive documents from dozens of victims over the holidays, including a number of government employees and contractors who work on cybersecurity matters.”

Apple to Challenge Google and Microsoft With Cloud OS?:
“Apple has received a patent that hints to the intent of providing network computers that will boot through a “net-booted environment.”

Global Warming / Environment / Energy:

State of American Energy:

“With nearly 15 million Americans out of work and the U.S. economy in the midst of recovery from a major economic recession, we need action in Washington that will get us back on track—and keep us moving forward.”

Insurance / Gambling:

New governor to continue gaming task force:
“Gov.-elect Robert Bentley has said he will continue the work of the Governor’s Task Force on Illegal Gambling — but has turned it over to incoming attorney general Luther Strange.”

Health / Safety:

A reversal on end-of-life planning under Medicare:
“The Obama administration, reversing course, will revise a Medicare regulation to delete references to end-of-life planning as part of the annual physical examinations covered under the new health care law, administration officials said Tuesday.”

Levin rips healthcare lies spewed by Rep Wasserman-Schultz:
“You’ve already seen one part of this ‘defense of ObamaCare’ press conference. Apparently Rep. Wasserman-Schultz also had her chance at the ‘pulpit’ today where she laid out her defense of ObamaCare, but based it on a mountain of lies. Levin takes apart each lie and corrects the record.”

Economics:

Detroit Public Schools: 40,000 kids to get laptops from stimulus funds:
“Detroit Public Schools will spend $49 million in federal money to push technology in the district, including distributing 40,000 new laptop computers to students in grades 6-12 for use in class, as well as more than 5,000 new desktop computers.”

Legal:

Montel Williams cited after marijuana pipe found at airport:
“Wisconsin authorities say former talk show host and medical marijuana activist Montel Williams has been cited for possession of drug paraphernalia at General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee.”

Cornelius Dupree Jr. Proven Innocent By DNA After 30 Years In Prison:
“A Texas man declared innocent Tuesday after 30 years in prison had at least two chances to make parole and be set free – if only he would admit he was a sex offender. But Cornelius Dupree Jr. refused to do so, doggedly maintaining his innocence in a 1979 rape and robbery, in the process serving more time for a crime he didn’t commit than any other Texas inmate exonerated by DNA evidence.”

Labor:

NYC blizzard: Feds open criminal probe into alleged city worker conspiracy during storm response:
“Federal prosecutors opened a criminal probe into allegations sanitation workers conspired to paralyze the city in last week’s blizzard, sources said.”

Feds Probe Alleged Sanitation Slowdown During Blizzard:
“The feds are looking into the possibility that sanitation workers may have committed crimes by deliberately slowing down work in the early stages of the blizzard cleanup, according to law enforcement sources.”

New York City Snow Removal Response Investigated as SEIU-Teamster Slowdown, Payback:
“There is, however, a more sinister explanation: a union-engineered work slowdown. Sanitation Department supervisors reportedly told snow removal employees, in so many words, to slack off on the job in order to stick it to City Hall. Actually, two unions were involved, and may have worked in concert with one another: 1) the Sanitation Officers Association, which also goes by the name of Service Employees International Union Local 444; and 2) the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, also known as International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 831. Union officials insist that the cleanup was slow because the work crews were short-handed. But they are facing a bombshell revelation that undercuts this claim.”

Transportation/ Land Use:

America’s high-speed rail shambles: Where has all the money gone?:
“This time last year, President Obama promised a brave new world for America’s train spotters, committing $8 billion to fund 13 high-s