Cogent founder makes list of top tech philanthropists

Which tech billionaires donated the most to charities in 2010? (NetworkWorld.com)

Also representing the tech industry is Ming Hsieh, who donated $50 million to the University of Southern California to help fund a new institute for nanomedicine research. Hsieh (No. 19) founded AMAX Information Technologies, a high performance computing and storage vendor in Fremont, Calif., and Cogent Systems, a biometric security vendor in Pasadena.

Mr. Hsieh has also donated generously to West Virginia University.

Jobs at 3M threatened as UK passport contract switches to De La Rue

More than 100 production staff are facing redundancy (PrintWeek.com)

All of the staff have been subject to TUPE negotiations as a result of the Identity and Passport Services’ decision to award the 10-year contract to print the next generation of biometric passports to De La Rue rather than incumbent 3M.

Countries often don't produce their own currency and passports -- they hire private firms to do it -- and for obvious reasons, countries don't like to talk about it.

The UK has decided to award its passport manufacturing contract to the home grown, though troubled, De La Rue rather than American firm 3M.

It's worth noting that the British passport is biometrically enabled (face recognition) and 3M recently completed its acquisition of biometrics firm Cogent, which had an application for face recognition for border control.

3M Completes Acquisition of Cogent Inc.

ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec 01, 2010 (MarketWatch.com)

3M announced today that it has completed its acquisition of Cogent Inc., pursuant to a merger agreement that was approved and adopted by Cogent's stockholders at a special meeting held on Dec. 1, 2010. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Cogent's stockholders are entitled to receive $10.50 per share in cash.

I must have missed this while traveling. Those searching for a stock quote for COGT won't find one.

Another shareholder lawsuit filed against Cogent

This time it's in the Central District of California and not Delaware. (Articles.MoneyCentral.msn.com)

More news and info at Yahoo Finance (COGT).