If Hao Kuo Chi really did tape the 22-year-old daughter of a customer taking a shower, the phone propped up in the bathroom might have been a PPC-6700. These PocketPC phones are standard-issue to the Geek Squad techs who perform in-home repairs — known as “DA’s” or “Double Agents” in Geek Squad parlance.
lawsuits
RIAA Files 23 "John Doe" Lawsuits Against NC State Students
By 4.13.07
From the Technician Online:
Pam Gerace, the director of Student Legal Services at the University, is fighting the lawsuits for her student clients. She advises that the students should remain anonymous.
Lawsuit: American Airlines Let Dead Body Sit In Locked Bathroom For 2 Hours
By 4.13.07
The passenger, Taisuke Matsuo, 66, apparently had a heart attack on an American Airlines flight from Tokyo to Chicago during the first leg of a trip home to Indianapolis, according to the lawsuit filed Monday by his wife, Carolyn D. Watts.
Vonage CEO Quits, Company Will Cut Jobs, Marketing
By 4.12.07
Bye-bye, Mike. Vonage CEO Michael Snyder “resigned from the board effective Thursday, and Chairman Jeffrey Citron will be interim CEO until the company finds a replacement,” according to CNNMoney. Vonage will “reduce its general administrative expenses by $30 million through the rest of 2007 by cutting its workforce and consolidating operations.
Geek Squad Sued For Videoing Customer In Shower
By 4.12.07
Hao Kuo Chi was paying a house call when Sarah Vasquez says he set his camera phone up in the bathroom, left it running, and recorded her bathing.
Walmart Granted Gag Order Against Former Spy
By 4.10.07
The suit and restraining order were filed two days after Wal-Mart apologized to activist shareholders for Gabbard’s revelation that they were considered potential threats and ahead of a story in Monday’s editions of the Wall Street Journal on Gabbard’s claim that Wal-Mart had a super-secret “Project Red” aimed at bolstering its stagnant share price.
Reclaim Unnecessary Credit Cards' Unnecessary Foreign Transaction Fees
By 4.10.07
Several major credit card companies were successfully and recently class-actioned for charging unnecessary fees for overseas transactions.
Never Mind, Vonage Can Still Sign Up New Customers
By 4.9.07
Vonage caught a break and can continue to sign up new customers after being found guilty of infringing patents belonging to Verizon. According to Marketwatch: “A federal court of appeals issued a stay that allows Holmdel, N.J.-based Vonage to continue to do business as usual until an appeal is heard. Vonage is seeking to make the stay permanent.” So, to amuse ourselves whilst we await the outcome of the appeal, here’s some intelligent analysis of the infringing patents.
Lawsuit: What Is The Meaning Of "Made From Sugar?"
By 4.6.07
Equal, once the nation’s leading brand of artificial sweetener, is suing competitor and current leader Splenda for misleading customers with its tag line “Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar.” From the New York Times:
“The phrase ‘made from sugar’ may seem simple enough, but it has spawned an epic battle among the parties over proper diction and syntax,” the judge overseeing the case, Gene E. K. Pratter, wrote in an opinion last month.
No New Customers: Judge Bars Vonage From Serving New Accounts
By 4.6.07
Roger Warin, a lawyer for Vonage, told the court the choice between a partial stay and a total prohibition on using the Verizon technology amounted to “cutting off oxygen or a bullet to the head” for Vonage.
US Government Sues Jackson Hewitt Alleging "Pervasive Fraud"
By 4.5.07
The US Government has filed “civil injunction suits against five corporations that operate Jackson Hewitt tax preparation franchises, as well as 24 individuals who manage or work at the franchises.” The suits allege that employees at 5 Jackson Hewitt franchisees committed pervasive fraud.
Onion Farm Sues Taco Bell For Besmirching The Good Name Of Their Onions
By 3.27.07
Taco Bell’s former green onion supplier is suing Taco Bell for libel after the taco giant incorrectly linked green onions to the e. coli scare that sickened more than 70 people last year.
Fen-Phen Lawyers Run Off With $126 Million of $200 Million Settlement
By 3.27.07
W. L. Carter knew there was something fishy going on when he went to his lawyers’ office a few years ago to pick up his settlement check for the heart damage he had sustained from taking the diet drug combination fen-phen.
"All-Parties" Release Absolves Home Depot, Manufacturer, and Contractor From Shoddy Door Installation
By 3.26.07
Another painful reminder that you should read what you sign before you sign it, and don’t let yourself be rushed.
The RIAA Wants To Interrogate Your 10 Year-Old
By 3.26.07
Tanya Andersen, a 42 year-old mother on disability accused of downloading “gangster rap”, doesn’t want the RIAA to interrogate her 10 year-old. The RIAA says the 10 year-old is a material witness. Tanya’s motion to the court argues:
“Emphasizing whether they can subject this young girl to distress, plaintiffs ignore whether they should. The should aspect of this evaluation is easy: Mrs. Andersen and her daughter should not be subjected to any more abuse in this litigation whatsoever.”
Tanya’s motion goes on to say that the plaintiffs know she is not the kazaa user who downloaded and shared music files, and that “a 5 minute Google search is all that was necessary to establish this and avoid the stress and damages to Ms. Andersen and her daughter.”—MEGHANN MARCO
Purdue University Will Gladly Forward RIAA Letters To Students
By 3.21.07
If an Internet user notified decides not to pay the settlement, the music association will ask the university for its computer logs so it can pursue legal action. University spokeswoman Jeanne Norberg said the university would comply with the requests.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Will Not Forward RIAA Letters To Students
By 3.19.07
Jason, a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has written in to share what his school is doing in response to the RIAA P2PLawsuit.com campaign. In this campaign, attorneys for Sony, Universal, EMI, Warner Music Group and more sent letters to several colleges demanding that they be forwarded to students. The letter (PDF) threatens students with a lawsuit and instructs them to identify themselves and pay a settlement to the recording companies via the website P2Plawsuits.com.
RIAA Sues Stroke Victim Who Didn't Even Live In the Correct State
By 3.14.07
RIAA Sues Stroke Victim in Michigan [Recording Industry vs The People via BoingBoing]
