Morning Media Summary

Tech:

China building a city for cloud computing:
“China is building a city-sized cloud computing and office complex that will include a mega data center, one of the projects fueling that country’s double-digit growth in IT spending.”
FCC to move toward overhaul of $8 billion phone fund for Internet:
“The Federal Communications Commission is expected to move forward Tuesday on a long-fought plan to convert federal phone subsidies for rural areas into funding for high-speed Internet connections.”

Global Warming / Environment / Energy:

NYT: Olbermann to join… Al Gore’s Current TV:
“Why would Olby settle for a rinky-dink operation like Current after being MSNBC’s 8 p.m. go-to guy for years on end? Could be that they outbid for him, but a big payday seems unlikely considering that the network was struggling so badly last year that it had to remake its whole operation. (Besides, who else would be bidding? CNN?) The key, I’d bet, is the equity provision, i.e. control. MSNBC’s overall leftward tilt was partly Olbermann’s doing; presumably he’ll have an even bigger influence over the programming at the “new” Current TV. In fact, per the Reuters story at the last link, the early buzz about Current when Gore got involved in 2004 was that it would be a left-wing alternative to Fox News. Having tried and semi-succeeded to build precisely that at MSNBC, Olby may be thinking of this as a second shot but with even greater leverage. Plus, if even one-tenth of the stories are true about what it’s like to work with him, he’ll need some equity to ensure that he doesn’t eventually get shoved out here too.”

Droughts, Floods and Food:
“But the evidence tells a different, much more ominous story. While several factors have contributed to soaring food prices, what really stands out is the extent to which severe weather events have disrupted agricultural production. And these severe weather events are exactly the kind of thing we’d expect to see as rising concentrations of greenhouse gases change our climate — which means that the current food price surge may be just the beginning.”

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson’s journey as a regulatory warrior:
“Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday in what will be the first showdown between the newly empowered House Republicans and the EPA chief over the agency’s regulatory powers.”

Insurance / Gambling:

Gaming bills targets impact:
“While it remains a coin toss whether the governor and lawmakers will overcome disagreements on expanded gambling, opponents are pushing for a new study of the negative social and economic impacts that casinos and slot parlors could bring to the state.”

Las Vegas sports books take a hit on Super Bowl action:
“Reporting from Las Vegas — The boys from Ohio and their lawyer friend from New York pulled onto the Strip this weekend braced for the inevitable.”

Health / Safety:

Junk food diet linked to lower IQ – study:
“Toddlers who have a diet high in processed foods may have a slightly lower IQ in later life, according to a British study described as the biggest research of its kind.”

Health Care Showdown: Obama Administration Calls Out GOP Governors:
“The Obama administration is showing political tough love with Republican governors who criticized both the constitutionality and funding of the president’s signature health care legislation.”

Flu breakthrough promises a vaccine to kill all strains:
“Scientists at Oxford University have successfully tested a universal flu vaccine that could work against all known strains of the illness, taking a significant step in the fight against a disease that affects billions of people each year.”

Economics:

When States Go Bust:
“It’s a solution of apparent Alexandrian elegance and simplicity: Empower America’s cash-strapped states to slice cleanly through a strangling knot of debilitating debt and government union cronyism by letting them file for bankruptcy. Long-term liabilities could be restructured, unaffordable labor contracts rewritten, fiscal health restored. No federal bailouts necessary.”

Obama: Corporate Profits “Have to be Shared By American Workers”:
“”If we’re fighting to reform the tax code and increase exports, the benefits cannot just translate into greater profits and bonuses for those at the top. They have to be shared by American workers, who need to know that opening markets will lift their standard of living as well as your bottom line,” President Obama told the Chamber of Commerce on Monday morning.”

Shuttle operator may propose commercial flights:
“NASA contractor United Space Alliance is preparing a long-shot bid to continue flying the shuttle as a commercial service after the space agency completes its last three planned missions this year.”

Paul Ryan to lock in cap on discretionary spending:
“House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is expected to enter into the congressional record a cap on discretionary spending as promised by House Republcians prior to the election. From National Journal:”

The top five Obama regulations that American businesses hate the most:
“Top GOP oversight official Rep. Darrell Issa asked 150 industry groups which of President Obama’s regulations they think are impeding economic growth.”

Legal:

Chipotle under fire from feds:
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is preparing to crack down on 60 Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants in the D.C.-Virginia area in an effort to weed out undocumented workers, the restaurant chain confirmed Monday.”

Republicans ask court to toss climate case:
“Two top House Republicans and the Senate’s leading global warming skeptic asked the Supreme Court Monday to throw out a lawsuit seeking to force electric utilities to slash greenhouse gas emissions.”

Labor:

SEIU Propaganda Campaign Hits California:
“California’s Prime Healthcare Services (PHS), a private for-profit hospital chain, is fighting back against ugly propaganda and extortive threats from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). The California Public Policy Center’s Unionwatch site has a quick and dirty summary of the charges:”

Transportation/ Land Use:

Wisconsin governor could cost high-speed rail ’10-15 years’:
“Wisconsin’s new Tea Party-cozy Gov. Scott Walker’s wrench in the works of that high-speed train link between Chicago and Minneapolis could set the plan back “10 to 15 years” or so, says the chairman of a Minnesota pro-train group. The Strib’s Pat Doyle (now on the transportation beat) writes: “The dashed prospects for high speed come as President Obama vowed in last month’s State of the Union address to make it available to 80 percent of Americans by 2035. Obama dedicated $8 billion in stimulus money for high speed — defined as 110 miles per hour or faster. But Walker’s decision to reject $810 million of it to build a link between Milwaukee and Madison resulted in those funds being re-routed to other projects. Walker said the line would have cost Wisconsin millions to operate … While the Twin Cities-to-Chicago project has stalled, other regions are moving ahead. Illinois is using $1.1 billion in federal money to begin building high-speed from Chicago to St. Louis. California voters approved nearly $10 billion in bonds to help finance a San Diego-to-Sacramento line.” Thanks a lot, pal.”