The surgical face mask has become perhaps the most recognizable symbol of the H1N1 pandemic threat, but if the currently circulating flu virus does in fact reach full-fledged pandemic proportions, U.S.
Tag Archives: company
American Apparel settles Woody Allen suit for $5 million
Woody Allen’s lawsuit against American Apparel for unauthorized use of his image on billboards ended Monday with a $5 million settlement to be paid to the actor-director by the clothing company. Allen said the case should discourage advertisers from using celebrities’ images without permission, but American Apparel’s head said he still thinks his company had a good defense. The settlement, announced just moments before jury selection was to begin in New York, interrupted a trial that lawyers had hinted could include a parade of witnesses testifying about Allen’s sex scandals.
How human genes become patented
Here’s a little-known fact: Under current law, it’s possible to hold a patent on a piece of human DNA, otherwise known as a gene. Companies that have acquired patents for genes have specific rights to their use, which may include diagnostic tests based on those genes, as well as future mutations that are discovered
Explainer: Why was Intel fined?
The European Commission handed down its ruling in a landmark anti-trust case against Intel Wednesday, fining the computer chip giant a record $1.45 billion for abusing its dominant position in the computer processing unit (CPU) market. The ruling, which Intel plans to appeal, may have future implications for American companies accused of “jurisdiction shopping” to avoid anti-trust verdicts against them, says CNN’s Jim Boulden, who explains the basics of the Intel case
European Commission fines computer chipmaker Intel $1.45B
The European Commission found leading computer chipmaker Intel guilty Wednesday of violating European anti-trust rules and ordered that it pay a fine of 1.06 billion euros ($1.45 billion). It is the largest fine the commission has ever imposed, said Neelie Kroes, the European commissioner for competition. Intel has said it plans to appeal the decision.
ACLU sues over patents on breast cancer genes
Patents on two human genes linked to breast and ovarian cancers are being challenged in court by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argues that patenting pure genes is unconstitutional and hinders research for a cancer cure. “Knowledge about our own bodies and the ability to make decisions about our health care are some of our most personal and fundamental rights,” said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero.
Is Google Any Help in Tracking an Epidemic?
The Downside of Friends: Facebook’s Hacking Problem
You get a quick message from a friend on Facebook, click on the link and absentmindedly log in to a website pretending to be Facebook. This is what happened last week, when scammers unleashed a new attack on Facebook, collecting users’ log-in information and passwords and pilfering victims’ “friends” lists to target the next dopes. Listen up, people: Although Facebook has a reputation for Internet security it identified the scam within hours, and the ripple effects only lasted for a couple days at 200 million members and counting, the size and popularity of the social-networking site has made it the object of increasing attention from hackers and spammers
Work nightmare No.1: The very bad boss
About a year ago, I bumped into a friend whose daughter, Amanda, used to drive me a little crazy when she was in high school. Not because she committed any of the typical teenage transgressions but because she was perfect. She got great grades, made captain of two teams, played violin in the school orchestra, and was completely down-to-earth and cheerful to boot