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US Senate Backs Genetic Privacy

Posted by simoniker on from the share-in-my-superior-structure dept.

An anonymous reader writes "According to an article at NYTimes.com (free registration required), the US Senate has unanimously voted for the first Genetic Privacy Bill. Basically, this would make it illegal for employers and insurers to deny employment or benefits based on genetic analysis of your DNA. While it still needs to be passed by the House, it seems that we're not heading towards a Gattaca-esque society, after all. Hooray for us genetically inferior invalids!"

5 of 262 comments (clear)

  1. OSS Humans? by devphaeton · · Score: 2, Funny

    In other words, this is a giant LOSS for Open Source initiatives. Just when we were getting businesses and employers to look at open source software and operating systems, etolling the benefits of looking at the source code, it's now illegal for them to look at the source code for their employees.

    I mean, if -I- owned my own business, i'd want to be DAMN SURE that my new hires didn't have any infringing IP in their genes.

    --


    do() || do_not(); // try();
  2. Too late by Raul654 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Everyone I know is a derivative of at least two previously existing ones. So much for non-infringing source code.

    --


    To make laws that man cannot, and will not obey, serves to bring all law into contempt.
    --E.C. Stanton
    1. Re:Too late by devphaeton · · Score: 2, Funny

      OKAY GRACIOUS GOD DARL!!

      (kekekekeke)

      How about third party peripherals such as plastic hips, replacement knees, firewire hearing aides or vision correction patches?

      Hell... some people even have had a quadruple-recompile on their heart.

      --


      do() || do_not(); // try();
  3. Re:It's worth pointing out by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 2, Funny

    Making "Event Horizon" the best of any category is a mistake.

    I could have written a better script if I stuck a felt tip marker up my ass and then played twister for a few hours.

    --

    There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
  4. You've been assigned to Helga at 3:00 by Population · · Score: 2, Funny

    And Gertrude at 6:00.

    Helga's a lovely Olympic weight lifter from Russia. Weighing in at a svelte 250 pounds, her hobbies include shaving her mustache and pig farming.

    Yep, that's the law. They have to sleep with you and you have to sleep with them.