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The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Thursday that natural human genes cannot be patented by companies, but it said that synthetically produced genetic material can — a mixed ruling for the biotechnology industry.A naturally occurring piece of DNA is “a product of nature and not patent eligible merely because it has been isolated,” the court said.The case centered on a Salt Lake City company called...
A large explosion took place at a Louisiana chemical plant on Thursday, drawing Hazmat units as police said it was unclear if there were any injuries or fatalities.The explosion took place at Williams Chemical Plant, Louisiana State Police said, and a fire after the explosion appeared to be contained in the plant.The explosion took place in Geismar, La., about 60 miles northwest of New Orleans. Th...
This report originally appeared on the Metropolitan Washington [D.C.] Council, AFL-CIO's Union City newsletter. Dozens of area federal workers carrying bag lunches staged an "eat-in" yesterday to demonstrate the financial impact of sequestration on workers and on the businesses they patronize.
It was her mom's obituary that got Carla Hale fired. The six words sealed the deal? "Survived by Carla & her partner."Hale, who taught physical education at Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio, for 19 years, was fired in March, weeks after the obit ran. Hale said she was fired for being in a gay relationship. Now, local unions represented by the Central Ohio Labor Council are supporting Hale in her fight to be reinstated.
This week, the Center for American Progress (CAP), a think-tank closely associated with President Obama’s Administration since it was the home of many key White House officials like Gene Sperling and Melody Barners, changed course on backing a “grand bargain” with Republicans on cutting Social Security and Medicare benefits and raising taxes on high income earners to balance the budget in the long run. After taking a position favoring a change in policy course toward dropping the need for addressing the job crisis for to a debate on shrinking government back in 2009, CAP now sees four years later, that the job crisis remains while the federal deficit and the size of government has plummeted. Hooray! The shepherd is always happy when a lost lamb is finally found. But, let’s hope this change in heart is the result of conversations inside the Obama administration, signaling that a trusted ally of the administration is now free to speak some truth to the condition America is in.
A new warning from police about a trend so despicable, even veteran detectives are stunned: Thieves are now using funerals to rob families blind.It doesn't get much lower than this: Bands of thieves are targeting families at their most vulnerable. Here's how it works: When you lose a loved one, you post an obituary in the paper, along with details of the funeral. The criminals know you won't be ho...
