Warner Group Defends Right to Own ‘Happy Birthday’ Song
June 19th, 2013
The New York Times recently published a story about filmmaker Jenifer Nelson’s lawsuit disputing the copyright of the Happy Birthday Song. It turns out the song everybody sings is privately owned by the Warner Music Group, which in 1988 shelled out some $25 million to acquire Birchtree Ltd., the owners of “Happy Birthday’s” copyright. Needless to…
Read More»
Gene Patent Ruling Could Decrease Consumer Costs, Stifle Innovation
June 18th, 2013
In a landmark ruling last week, the Supreme Court said human genes are “a product of nature” and companies can no longer obtain patents on them; however, firms can patent the genes they create themselves. While some claim this marks a major shift in patent policy that could open the door to broader medical research…
Read More»
Google, Tech Companies Respond to Government Spying Scandal
June 17th, 2013
Just over a week after The Guardian leaked information about the NSA’s PRISM and phone spying programs, which resulted in the flooding of the Twitterverse with Obama memes and Snowden conspiracy theories, several companies are taking more direct – and serious – action. Over 85 privacy groups and tech companies, including Reddit, the Electronic Frontier…
Read More»
The Security Dilemma: Why Uncle Sam Does Too Much (Except When He Does Too Little)
June 14th, 2013
I’m not saying that the NSA has its panties all in a twist over its domestic surveillance plan involving Verizon and internet companies being exposed by a 29 year old ex-CIA employee turned Booz-Allen Hamilton contractor named Edward Snowden (whew), but I was in a restaurant yesterday and a guy at the next table said…
Read More»
Edward Snowden – Friend of Freedom or Security Foe?
June 14th, 2013
Few agree on what to make of Edward Snowden, the ex-NSA contractor that recently leaked details of top-secret U.S. surveillance programs. Some hail him a hero while others call him a criminal. Snowden claims he acted out of a desire for justice – that the government’s monitoring of internet and telecom communications was a gross…
Read More»
TRENDING STORIES
POLITICS

- Urban Issues Ignored: Why President Obama Should Tell Americans What They Don’t Want To Hear
Joe Baur, November 12th, 2012 - Why Ohio’s Josh Mandel Senate Candidacy Has National Consequences
Joe Baur, October 25th, 2012 - If You’re a San Francisco Voter, Here’s What You Need to Know
Sona Makker, October 25th, 2012
SOCIETY

- Corporateshit. A Response to Mark Suster’s Entrepreneurshit
Danny Boice, November 27th, 2012 - Rooting for Royce White: Mental Illness and Professional Sport
Ryan Hallagan, January 10th, 2013 - Collaborative Consumption: The Cure for Consumer Guilt?
Sona Makker, June 22nd, 2012
LAW

- Keep Calm and Get a Trademark: The IP Woes of “Keep Calm and Carry On”
Kira O'Connor, January 22nd, 2013 - What’s The Legal Value of Your Dog? Texas Supreme Court Takes the Question
Deena Shanker, January 22nd, 2013 - 3D Printing Faces Legal Blocks Years Before Mass Consumer Use
Kira O'Connor, October 23rd, 2012
TECH

- 3D Printing Faces Legal Blocks Years Before Mass Consumer Use
Kira O'Connor, October 23rd, 2012 - New Pill Will Track Your Health from the Inside
Sona Makker, August 6th, 2012 - Fending Off Trolls and Avoiding Elephants
Danny Boice, October 3rd, 2012
PODCAST
Episode 87: Obesity and the Law
By Justin TenutoFebruary 28th, 2013
Inspired by Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign and Michael Moss’s recent expose in the New York Times Magazine, we thought we’d use this week’s podcast to do a deep dive into the laws around nutrition, food labeling, and obesity. We wanted to learn what leverage the FDA actually has, if Mayor Bloomberg’s large soda ban changed
Podcast: Play in new window | Download

