Fang described how Koch’s interest in criminal justice reform was sparked not by the plight of overcrowded prisons or racial disparities in law enforcement, but by federal and state probes of the company’s own environmental crimes.
Source: Koch “Alliance” on Criminal Justice Reform Exposed as Trojan Horse
World Intellectual Property Review (WIPR) is reporting that the European Patent Office, EPO, has threatened Roy Schestowitz with a defamation lawsuit over a blog post he did. Schestowitz writes the Techrights blog, which I personally think can go overboard with some of its stories at times. However, to argue that his stories are defamation, especially by a government agency, is crazy.
Source: European Patent Office Threatens Blogger With Defamation Lawsuit For Criticism | Techdirt
A software pirate is facing the most unusual punishment ever seen in a copyright infringement action. The man lost a case brought by an anti-piracy group but couldn’t pay damages, so instead agreed to star in PSA showcasing his life as a pirate. If that film doesn’t get 200K hits on YouTube, he’ll be required to pay a large fine.
Source: Busted Pirate Told to Get 200K YouTube Hits or Face Huge Fine – TorrentFreak
Turing will offer hospitals and patients discounts, but high list price stands.
Source: $750/pill pharma company reverses decision to lower drug price | Ars Technica
Small Dublin-based Allergan will buy Pfizer to form world’s largest drug maker.
With $160 billion merger, Pfizer moves to Ireland and dodges taxes
Source: With $160 billion merger, Pfizer moves to Ireland and dodges taxes | Ars Technica
The “manual” was “discovered” by analysts at the Combating Terrorism Center, based out of the US Military Academy at West Point. Thankfully, Buzzfeed has the details, noting that the guide, created by a cybersecurity firm in Kuwait, named Cyberkov, is actually a guide for journalists and activists to protect their communications from oppressive governments. And there’s nothing particularly secret about it, as apparently it’s basically just repurposed stuff from the EFF’s website
Despite being widely discredited, a British-designed bomb detector based on pseudoscience continues to be used at sensitive security sites across the world.
Source: This Fake Bomb Detector Is Blamed for Hundreds of Deaths. It’s Still in Use.
State bar regulators say Hansmeier hid money, lied in court.
Source: Legal regulators move in on Prenda’s Paul Hansmeier, who may get disbarred | Ars Technica
Nicolas Maduro called monitoring of state oil-company emails — revealed by The Intercept and teleSUR — “illegal action in light of international law.”
Source: Venezuelan President Calls NSA Spying on State Oil Company “Vulgar,” Orders Official Inquiry
U.S. Internet provider Cox Communications is scheduled to go to trial soon, defending itself against copyright infringement claims from two music companies. In a new motion Cox asks the court to prohibit the use of any material claiming that BitTorrent equals piracy. BitTorrent has plenty legitimate uses and equating it to infringement would mislead the jury during trial, the ISP argues.
Source: BitTorrent Usage Doesn’t Equal Piracy, Cox Tells Court – TorrentFreak
