Morning Media Summary
Tech:
Windows Intune hits the street March 23:
“Microsoft said today that the final version of its Windows Intune cloud-delivered PC management solution for businesses will be available for purchase or the start of a free 30-day trial on March 23 in 35 countries.”
ActiveX Filtering for Consumers:
“ActiveX Filtering in the IE9 Release Candidate gives you greater control over how Web pages run on your PC. With ActiveX Filtering, you can turn off ActiveX controls for all Web sites and then turn them back on selectively as you see fit. While ActiveX controls like Adobe Flash are important for Web experiences today for videos and more, some consumers may want to limit how they run for security, performance, or other reasons.”
Comcast, NBC deal opens door for online video:
“New Internet video services from companies such as Netflix and Apple are offering a glimpse of a home entertainment future that doesn’t include a pricey monthly cable bill.”
Global Warming / Environment / Energy:
Interior Secretary Salazar cracks under pressure and begins issuing Gulf of Mexico Drilling Permits:
“Ken Salazar can no longer avoid issuing deep-water drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico. Though the secretary of the interior recently said he would not bow to political pressure on lifting the de facto drilling moratorium in the gulf, rumors that he would crack under that pressure were confirmed Monday evening when the first deep-water permit since the BP oil spill was issued.”
Google backs climate-change weather insurance startup:
“Google on Monday was among investors pumping $42 million into a climate change inspired technology startup that calculates the chances of crops being ruined by weather.”
Low-flow toilets cause a stink in SF:
“San Francisco’s big push for low-flow toilets has turned into a multimillion-dollar plumbing stink.”
Insurance / Gambling:
IOC President opens historic meeting on irregular and illegal sport betting:
“We are here to discuss a serious threat to sport and to society. Irregular and illegal betting are closely linked to match fixing and money laundering.”
Health / Safety:
On call, officials stress public options in health care shift:
“Jennifer Haberkorn reports that President Obama’s move to allow states flexibility in spending health care funds is the “most significant change” since the law was enacted, and a potential gesture toward critics.”
Economics:
Billions in Bloat Uncovered in Beltway:
“The U.S. government has 15 different agencies overseeing food-safety laws, more than 20 separate programs to help the homeless and 80 programs for economic development.”
Legal:
External security cameras coming to ‘real time crime center’:
“Attempting a police omniscience seen in only about 20 U.S. cities, the Ogden Police Department is gearing up for a “real time crime center” to be operational soon after its Crime Blimp launches.”
Labor:
L.A. Police Union Urges Members to ‘Stand in Solidarity’ With SEIU and MoveOn.org:
“I had been expecting it, but when it finally came it was far worse than I had feared. I could scarcely believe my eyes.”
Transportation/ Land Use:
California’s Money Train:
“My cover story for the March print edition on the California high-speed rail boondoggle is now available on the main site. This project is worth keeping an eye on, because it has already claimed $3.2 billion from the Obama administration and hopes to get at least $18 billion from federal taxpayers in the years to come. In the more immediate term, California is angling for some of the high-speed rail stimulus funds that Florida Gov. Rick Scott rejected. In a broader sense, the California high-speed rail effort is a case study in what happens when liberal fantasy confronts reality.”