Daily News Links

• Sicko, Michael Moore’s scathing look at the healthcare industry and the pharmaceutical companies that are destroying it, is scheduled to debut June 29 in theaters. However, a pirated copy is now online.  Read more here (from NewTeeVee).
• The Law Council of Australia promised on Thursday to review its proposed media gag on the nation's solicitors "as soon as possible" after a revolt against the plan spread through the profession.  Read more here (from The Australian).
• A study funded by Microsoft concludes that Microsoft software is less costly to support and maintain than open-source software in European schools. The results of the study funded by Microsoft contrast sharply with the results of a study conducted by the UK government in 2005, which arrived at the opposite conclusion.  Read more here (from Ars Technica).
• Sydney's Coco Roco restaurant is long gone, but the bad taste lingers for its owners and newspaper reviewer Matthew Evans after a ruling in the High Court yesterday added another course to a protracted legal saga.  Read more here (from The Australian).
• According to Reuters, British Omnifone has signed deals with the big four music labels (Universal, EMI, Sony/BMG, and Warner Music) and 30 cell carriers to sell subscriptions to unlimited music downloads on cell phones.  Read more here (from TechCrunch).
• Google Video has made the switch to being a video search engine with an index of video from sites across the web, using an interface similar to the company’s image search engine.  Read more here (from NewTeeVee).
• Seven convicted sex offenders with profiles on MySpace.com have been arrested, Texas officials said.  Read more here (from Australian IT).
• It took Apple just two days to reach 1 million downloads of its newest Safari Web browser for Windows.  Read more here (from PC World).
• Ph.D. theses around the US increasingly have a surprising theme: sex tech.  Read more here (from Wired).
• Justice official says congressional proposal that could let bloggers protect sources in some cases raises "national security" concerns.  Read more here (from CNET News.com).
• An Internet-addicted teenager, feeling developmentally stifled, stabs his mother during a heated argument, the Chinese government says.  Read more here (from ZDNet News).
• Veoh has raised $26 million in Series C funding, according to peHUB, with Goldman Sachs leading the round and Spark Capital and Shelter Capital Partners upping their stakes.  Read more here (from NewTeeVee).
• MySpace has partnered with Ford Models Inc. to launch a hosted, International model search on the web.  Read more here (from Mashable).
• The United Nations University (UNU) Media Studio Program announced today that they have adopted CC by-nc-sa licenses for both their Media Studio and Online Learning websites. This news is only strengthened by the desire that eventually, “the UNU will evolve into a 100% Creative Commons institution”.  Read more here (from Creative Commons).
• The ever-expanding number of ways to communicate has raised concerns about the spread of confidential information through unsecure devices.  Read more here (from the New York Times).
• DRM-free music continues to march forward as EMI opens its catalog to use by other retailers.  Read more here (from Ars Technica).
• The US Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a Washington state law restricting use of union dues for political purposes in a pair of cases that melded free speech, election advocacy and workplace rights.  Read more here (from CNN).
• JB Hi-Fi has decided to add mobile phones to its retail shelves citing convergence between computers and other technologies.  Read more here (from Australian IT).
• Sony Ericsson releases a new Walkman phone that may just challenge the iPhone.  Read more here (from CNET News.com).
• New research has found that Banks' online security is getting worse as they rush to offer services online.  Read more here (from PC World).
• NBC is developing a new site for high school students.  Called iCue, the site will highlight video archives from NBC News as a supplement to Advanced Placement high school courses in American history, government and English.  Read more here (from Lost Remote).
• The American Medical Association has issued a report describing the state of research in video games. Among their conclusions: parents should pay attention to the time and content of all media their children view.  Read more here (from Ars Technica).
• Dell will sell PCs through stores in Asia and Australia, talking to retail partners now.  Read more here (from PC World).
• Minority shareholders in James Packer's Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd may yet get a chance to vote on the sale of a majority stake in one of Australia's biggest media empires, as the Australian Stock Exchange investigates the apparent change in control of PBL Media, which owns the Nine Network and ACP Magazines.  Read more here (from The Australian).
• FBI's ongoing 'Operation Bot Roast' has resulted in felony charges for three hackers accused of controlling botnets.  Read more here (from PC World).
• TurnHere, the video company that creates videos for businesses, is releasing a series of online videos featuring Simon & Schuster authors and sneak previews of new releases. The videos will be showcased on the Simon & Schuster-branded YouTube channel as well as BookVideos.tv, an online channel dedicated to books and authors.  Read more here (from Mashable).