Rupert Murdoch’s wiretap problem, T. Boone Pickens’ wind-farm punt

GOOD DAY FOR: Making news, as two British tabloids owned by Rupert Murdoch—the News of the World and The Sun—are being investigated for illegal phone wiretapping. Thirty-one journalists from the two newspapers stand accused of hiring private investigators to illegally hack into the mobile phones of politicians, celebrities, and sports stars, to dig up private information for stories. The Guardian newspaper reports that Murdoch’s News Corp. paid about $1.6 million in out-of-court settlements, with secrecy clauses to quash the illegal information-gathering allegations. (Bloomberg)

BAD DAY FOR: Blowin’ in the wind, after Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens pushed back his plans to create the world’s largest wind-energy farm, citing a tough credit market, problems getting transmission lines built, and less national urgency due to lower oil prices. Pickens spent $58 million last year advertising his “Pickens Plan.” (Reuters)

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