“In some ways, it's a tax for being on the Internet. Millions and millions of dollars collectively is going out of the pockets of people who earned it to people who, in my opinion, didn't do anything.”

–Kenneth Richieri, GC of the New York Times Co.

Sending a text message seems cheap, but the New York Times Co. is facing a potentially costly lawsuit over the use of texting technology. Inventor Richard Helferich holds several patents on technology that enables HTML links in text messages, and he offers use of the system to companies for a one-time fee of $750,000. Roughly 100 companies have already accepted his offer, but he has sued 23 others for infringement since 2008. The Times says it is prepared to defend a lawsuit from Helferich, arguing that his patents will become increasingly burdensome in the digital age.

“As of the date of this report, Mark Zuckerberg … has informed us that he has no intention to conduct any sale transactions in our securities for at least 12 months.”

–Ted Ullyot, general counsel of Facebook Inc., in a report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Facebook's IPO has been a disappointment to many investors, some of whom have even taken their grievances to court. But they got a bit of reassuring news earlier this week, as an SEC filing revealed that CEO Mark Zuckerberg will not sell any of his roughly 444 shares in the company for at least a year. Fellow Facebook board members Marc Andreessen and Donald Graham will only sell enough shares to cover tax liabilities.

“The Superior Court dismissed a case that should never have been brought in the first place. There is simply no reliable scientific basis for alleged injuries from the agricultural field application of DBCP, and the fraudulent claims in Macasa were no different than other similar cases.”

–C. Michael Carter, general counsel of Dole Foods Co.

Dole Food Co. is celebrating after a Los Angeles Superior Court dismissed a lawsuit brought against the company by 2,935 Filipino workers. The former employees filed the suit in 2011, claiming that they suffered serious health problems, including cancer and sterility, after being exposed to the agricultural chemical DBCP on a Dole banana plantation. Attorneys for the workers say that the case was dismissed on a technicality, but the agricultural corporation argues that the allegations were fraudulent.