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REVIEWS -- Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition -- PC
Ubisoft Montreal delivers another classic with Assassins Creed
by Eric Silva
Fun factor: Fun
Worth to: Buy/Rent
You will stab your way across medieval cities in a tale fit for a Hollywood blockbuster, and you will curse Ubisoft for not making this game perfect!
Ubisoft Montreal is on a roll with games depicting nimble, Middle Eastern characters. Prince of Persia had you climbing walls and jumping cat-like through everything but flaming hoops, now Assassins Creed expands on it in a more mature, action-oriented way, and does so with deadly style. Slaying opponents should never bring as much pleasure as it does in Creed. The mere fact mainstream media have been focusing on Grand Theft Auto 4 and Mass Effect over their graphic nature is a sign of how out of touch and ignorant they are. This killer title will leave many with a sick, gratifying smile on their face.
The game is not without flaws but as a whole Ubisofts title delivers on its goal: to make us believe we are a Hashshashin in medieval times. The flaws, though few, hurt. Not because they make enjoying the game impossible, but because you wish Assassins Creed was perfect. The game will become a fan favorite for many and you can be sure sequels will follow - guaranteed.
My name is The Flying One, Son of No One
That settles it: I will call my firstborn son Altaïr. None of the kids will ever dare picking on him, especially when his middle name is Son of No One and he carries a retractable wrist-blade. Few games manage to make you want to be the protagonist in such an effective way. The main character, Altaïr ibn La-Ahad, is a bad-ass assassin. Assassins are usually bad, but this one is extra-bad. Badness oozes from every move, every sword swing and every life he snuffs. Altaïr even looks bad when he climbs walls, loses balance or is thrown to the ground. He makes Agent 47 look like an American Idol contestant. That said, Assassins Creed does a remarkable job bringing the main character to life.
The game begins with Altaïr about to complete an important mission. Being the hothead that he is, he takes his target head on with dire consequences. Al Mualim, his master, punishes Altaïr and strips him of his rank, forcing The Flying One to regain his honor and the true meaning of the assassins creed by killing nine targets spread out across the Kingdom. From Templar knights to Muslim leaders, you off each pray like a white-hooded panther. As the story unfolds you regain your former glory. Your loyalty is put to the test each time you complete an assassination until the past and present come together unraveling a secret that could bring colossal changes to the world.
The story is somewhat muddled at first, mixing two eras with a hard-to-swallow concept, but once things pick up you are glad of the direction. Events are told through the memories of a present-day young man called Desmond Miles who was captured by a group of scientists working for the Abstergo corporation (geez, couldnt you have come up with something that doesnt sound like anti-diarrhea medication?). The memories are brought back from the past with the help of a machine called the Animus (thats better) - a contraption designed to record memories encoded in our DNA. Desmond lies on a metallic table and goes back in time, reliving what his ancestor saw. Soon, he finds that all is not as it seems.
This is why games are better than movies...
Kudos to the guys at Ubisoft for taking the time to research real locations and characters and showing the beauty in cultural diversity. If anything, Ubisoft Montreal is a studio that tries to heal the wounds created by mass media racial stereotypes.
Creed accurately recounts the last events of the Third Crusade when Saladin and King Richard fought over control of the Holy Land, referred to as The Kingdom. All nine targets (or marks, for all you non-assassin types) were indeed real historical figures. Robert de Sablé, your main target, was Grand Master of the Templars from 1191 to 1193. But dont count on the game helping you with your SATs; it takes a few liberties rewriting history.
Players do stand to at least gain a sense of how life looked and sounded back then. You truly will go back in time and relive the Dark Age, and you will thank the Animus for giving the entire process a kind of scientific objectivity.
Assassins Creed isnt the most innovative game in terms of graphics, and thankfully so. A dual-core with a two-year old graphics card will be enough to enjoy the game without losing any of the glitter. The glitter itself is in the historical accuracy of the levels. Markets are full of people, gardens are lush and streets are busy and dirty. You can hear Arabic, German, English and French languages spoken on the streets. People go about daily activities as one would imagine life in the 12th century. Women carry pots on their heads, town criers spout propaganda, beggars harass passersby and war, as well as religion, is in the air. Graphical extras like cloud cast and cotton spores in the air, perfect animation, astounding city details and amazing sound effects harmonize the whole package into an experience you wont find in most movies.
Architecture is loaded with details, and rightfully so - you will be getting a good glimpse of it each time you climb any surface. One complaint is that environments are repetitive. Creed effectively has only two types of cities: European and Middle Eastern. You cannot, for instance, distinguish the difference between Damascus and Jerusalem. Each city has the same markets, towers, churches and mosques. This quickly becomes a forgettable nuisance once you become engrossed in the gameplay.
Travel is done by horse through the various landscapes. This lets players further enjoy the games ambitious level designs. As the game progresses you are given the option to jump directly to any city you desire. I personally have found myself taking the long route only to experience the visuals and exquisite music.
The soundtrack is a masterpiece, rivaling Harry Gregson-Williams work in the Kingdom of Heaven. Beautiful, thematic scores literally bring the era to life. The score fuses itself to the games rich environments. British Academy Award winner, Jesper Kyd, did a phenomenal job...
A living tapestry of sound and fury.
Controls are somewhat complicated at first, forcing you to utilize multiple buttons at the same time to perform the simplest of tasks, but once you get used to them you wouldn't want them any other way. Most of the fights are action-oriented leaving Altaïr outnumbered and doing lots of counter kills. A counter kill is performed when the player presses a button at the right time. The result lets Altaïr lose on his opponent in a series of well-animated moves. Though you will often rely on counter kills to win your battles, Assassins Creed forces players to master all forms of combat, including stealth kills and knife throwing.
Stealth kills are stunning and perfectly executed. Once the wrist-blade is selected, the option to assassinate a character becomes available when you are within striking distance. The deed done, you simply walk away while your victim staggers about holding their fatal wound before collapsing. Stealth kills can also be performed while running. If a kill is executed before reaching the victim Altaïr will leap onto his victim and impale him with his wrist-blade in full public view. Doing so can get you in trouble, though.
A low profile feature lets you detract attention when someone is suspicious of you. Unfortunately, the feature isnt perfect. It can lead to strange scenarios. After killing a group of soldiers, stupid guards will still ask Who did this?! You being the only calm one amidst screaming citizens and dozens of dead bodies should tip them off, but low profile has that covered You can even low profile while on horseback. Here, again, we have some problems. You will be forced to use the feature often, and each time you do the horse slows down to a dreadful crawl. A guy riding like a snail through a large open area was apparently not suspicious to guards back then.
Much of the game is played while investigating your targets location. Before you can pinpoint your victim you must perform a series of intelligence gathering missions: eavesdropping, pickpocketing, beatdowns and various jobs for other assassin members in exchange for information. Before you can map the location of potential missions you must climb high spots for a birds eye view of the surroundings. As you do that, you can also spot sub-missions that involve saving citizens from the clutches of evil soldiers.
The most enjoyable part of Assassins Creed has to be running around on rooftops. Altaïr can sprint from building to building, grabbing onto ledges, jumping on planks, walls, ladders and anything else in his path. He can even jump through market stands while on the ground its all very Parkour. The engine is precise and intuitive one of the best climbing Ive seen in any game. Altaïr will literally grab onto objects protruding from walls, giving the player an instinctive feel of where to climb next.
Ubisoft decided to expand the old health meter by adding an Animus flair to it. Altaïr exists while remaining synchronized with Desmonds memories. Do anything to break synchronicity (killing the innocent or getting injured) and the Animus will lower your health bar. The bar refills itself with time. Health even returns while fighting enemies. The game isnt any easier as a result, which good. In all, the Animus synchronicity bar is an appreciated bit of creativity.
Now comes the bad, and after reading so much praise you will understand why flaws hurt much more than they should.
Altaïr is a total klutz on the ground. While running from guards he will often tumble over after hitting someone. This adds to realism (its your job to avoid running into people), and players do have the option to tackle through crowds, but the result leaves you disoriented. Then comes the dreaded part where you unintentionally run up the same object, over, and over, and over again while the camera focuses on some barrel or porch whilst being hacked by an angry mob of scimitar-wielding sentries. This is joystick-getting-flung-across-the-room stuff The camera also has a hard time keeping up with the character while sprinting, especially around corners, resulting in you running into the many level details.
Another downer is variety. Once you begin taking out your nine victims, repetition sets in. Missions play out as follows: Go to the city where your mark is located; meet with branch officer; gather information; kill target; return to Masyaf for new target; rinse and repeat. The fact that all cities look alike only adds to the drudgery. Fortunately, impaling your opponents is loads of fun, but a little variety in mission types would have been nice. Assassins Creed begs for indoor levels, alas everything takes place outside. The closest thing to a room you will ever see is the branch office (they all look the same) and the stronghold in Masyaf.
In terms of lasting appeal, the game tries to go beyond the actual story by giving us the option to collect various flags across the Kingdom. There are loads of them to find, but they serve no practical purpose, which makes finding them rather pointless.
In general Assassins Creed is a superb game. Cities are alive with activity and have an air of authenticity to them. Altaïrs animation is movie-like. Everything about him is perfect: look, animation, voice, dialog He even looks cool when simply turning around. Sword fights and stealth kills are definitely enjoyable, as is running around on rooftops. Some features still need work, though, like low profile and gentle pushes, which frankly serve no purpose besides looking nice. The game superbly recreates the era and theme. Repetition is the biggest downer, both in gameplay and level design. I really wish the game was perfect. Maybe the sequel will fix some of the quirks, and believe you me, there will be one.
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
Genre: Adventure
Release Date: April 8, 2008
Review Date: 17-07-2008
Numbers of Players: 1
Players Online: ---
Co-op: No
Notes: Min Req: Windows XP/Vista (32 Bit Only), 2.2 GHz Dual Core Processor, 1 GB RAM (2 GB for Vista), 256 MB Video Card with Shader Model 3.0 Support, DirectX 9.0c (DirectX 10.0 Supported)
All Assassin's Creed: Director's Cut Edition reviews
Awesome animation and character design. Fights are spectacular and gratifying. Cities are vibrant but repetitive designs are noticeable.
Kills require a certain amount of strategy and climbing walls is a treat, but the cameraman needs to be fired. My joystick almost became the Flying One a few times.
Ubisoft recreates the 12th century with stunning accuracy. The Aminus revives historical names, myths and events. Anything involving Templars is cool.
Jesper Kyd deserves another award for his work in Assassins Creed. Multilingual voices and detailed city sounds make it one of the best sounding games of the year.
The 20+ hours of gameplay will satisfy most, and I might play the game again for kicks, but flags should have given us more than bragging rights.


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Ohio school prayer effort sidetracked by flaw
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A technical flaw in a petition is delaying efforts to try to give Ohio students the right to pray in school.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine rejected the petition Thursday because of the flaw. That will delay efforts to put a proposed constitutional amendment before voters statewide.
The Columbus Dispatch reports that the petitions were rejected because they did not include the language of the proposed constitutional amendment and summary, and did not contain the signature of a circulator who must attest to witnessing signatures.
DeWine's office did not review the 1,646 individual signatures submitted to his office last month for certification.
The amendment is being pushed by a group called the Coalition to Return Prayer to Our Public Schools.
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- Capitol Quickies - http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies -
Did Corzine copyright the line?
Posted By Michael Symons On August 29, 2008 @ 3:28 pm In Uncategorized | Comments Disabled
Now that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been chosen as the Republican nominee for vice president, the nation will engage in a quick study of the first-time, reform-minded, 44-year-old surprise pick. She'll address the Republican National Convention on Wednesday (barring some schedule change prompted by Gulf or Atlantic hurricanes).
Republicans are sure to emphasize her efforts to change Alaska politics; her party there is knee-deep in a major corruption story that has ensnared state and federal officials. Here's a few paragraphs from an Associated Press story about Palin — it's educational, then funny when you get to the last three words.
Palin's clean-hands reputation has come into question with an investigation recently
launched by a legislative panel into whether she dismissed Alaska's public safety commissioner
because he would not fire her former brother-in-law as a state trooper. Trooper Mike Wooten
went through a messy divorce from Palin's sister.
The governor denied orchestrating the dozens of telephone calls made by her husband and
members of her administration to Wooten's bosses. She says she welcomes the investigation:
"Hold me accountable."
That line, "Hold me accountable," is the exact phrase Gov. Jon Corzine used in his 2006 inaugural speech … and one his critics have tossed back his way whenever they feel his administration isn't cutting it ethically.
Article printed from Capitol Quickies: http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies
URL to article: http://blogs.app.com/capitolquickies/2008/08/29/did-corzine-copyright-the-line/
Click here to print.
Copyright © 2008 Capitol Quickies. All rights reserved.


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This fall, Democrats are defending far more Senate seats than the Republicans, making the retention of their slender hold on the upper house highly questionable. Any opportunity to knock off a GOP incumbent is a matter of life for the Democrats' hopes of keeping at least half of Congress in their possession. That has made the battle for Nevada's Senate seat one of the most watched races in the country, especially because challenger Rep. Shelley Berkley has been widely seen as a formidable threat to the future of Republican incumbent Dean Heller.
So the news that the House Ethics Committee has voted unanimously to launch an investigation of the charge she used her political clout to help her husband's business is especially damaging not just to her ambitions but to the Democrats' hopes of remaining in charge of the Senate next year. Given the snail's pace at which the committee generally works, which makes it unlikely she could be cleared before November, this could be a fatal blow to her candidacy and make it that much harder for her fellow Nevadan Harry Reid to hold on to the post of majority leader. But while the political effects of this case may gladden conservatives, this is not a case of venality as much as it is one that raises questions about whether it is possible for a member of Congress to have a spouse involved in any business that interacts with the government.
The issue, which was the subject of a New York Times feature last September, involves the federal decertification of a hospital transplant center in Nevada due to organizational disarray that is believed to have led to a patient's death. Berkley is accused of materially aiding the financial interests of her husband, Dr. Larry Lehrner, who operates a chain of dialysis centers in Nevada as well as a nephrology practice at the hospital in question. While it can be argued that Berkley should have recused herself from any involvement in the issue of federal regulation of this business, the Democratic congresswoman wasn't the only member to intervene. The entire Nevada delegation including Heller (who replaced John Ensign in the Senate after he resigned in disgrace last year) spoke up in order to keep the state's only transplant unit as well as the dialysis centers.
Were she not married to Lehrner, no one would give a second thought to Berkley's involvement in the issue. But her efforts to oppose budget cuts which would have affected his business and which were opposed by a political action committee he heads does raise ethical questions.
Berkley, who also has a well-earned reputation as one of the most ardent supporters of Israel in the Congress, can be said to have profited by her actions — or at least her husband did. But that is not the same thing as having stolen taxpayer dollars for double-billing or directing government business to a shady or bankrupt business (think the Obama administration's federal loan guarantees to Solyndra). While conflict of interest regulations are there for a reason, the open nature of her advocacy for this cause means there was no criminal conspiracy or criminal intent. Those eager to make political hay about this should remember that being the champion of doctors who serve kidney patients in need is not quite the same thing as throwing your weight around on behalf of some oil contractor or other special interest.
This means that while Berkley may not be a victim, she is certainly no villain. Whatever the ultimate ruling of the House committee, the damage to Berkley probably cannot be undone. This should serve as a warning to all members of the House and the Senate as well as to those thinking about going into public service that if they have a spouse involved in business they should probably think about finding another line of work. Such lines may have to be drawn for the sake of preventing real cases of corruption, but this also means that more good people will be driven out of public life. And that's not good for either party.


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When the accountants leave
This is a discussion on You know it's bad... within the A Brief History of Cprogramming.com forums, part of the Community Boards category; When the accountants leave http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/21...tants-flee-sco...
When the accountants leave
If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.
I support http://www.ukip.org/ as the first necessary step to a free Europe.


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These spiked rods are uric acid crystals photographed under polarized light. Increased uric acid blood levels and formation of uric acid crystals in the joints are associated with gout.
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Drawing on interviews, multiple survey instruments and case studies, and overcoming many of the research challenges identified above, the NRC Committee has developed a number of findings and practical recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the SBIR program at the Department of Defense.
The Committee found that the SBIR program at DoD is, in general, meeting the legislative and mission-related objectives of the program. The program is contributing directly to enhanced capabilities for the Department of Defense and the needs of those charged with defending the country.
Further, the Committee found that the DoD program also provides substantial benefits for small business participants in terms of market access, funding, and recognition. The program supports a diverse array of small businesses contributing to the vitality of the defense industrial base while providing greater competition and new options and opportunities for DoD managers. In addition, the Committee noted that the DoD SBIR program is generating significant intellectual capital, contributing to new scientific and technological knowledge, and generating numerous publications and patents.
The Committee's recommended improvements to the program have been designed to enable the DoD SBIR managers to address the program's congressional goals more efficiently and effectively. These include further work to improve the Phase III transition by (among other approaches) changing incentives faced by program managers so that they are motivated to make better use of the SBIR program. The Committee also recommends that additional funding should be provided for program management and assessment in order to encourage and support the development of an innovative and results-oriented SBIR program. The Committee's complete findings and recommendations are listed in Chapter 2.
Chapter 3 provides a comprehensive overview of the distribution of SBIR awards by DoD, providing a basis (as drawn out in Chapter 4) for understanding program outcomes. Chapter 5 describes the Phase III challenge of commercialization at DoD. Chapter 6 describes the diversity of management structures as well as current practices and recent reforms found among the different services and agencies that fund SBIR programs at DoD. Together, this report provides the most detailed and comprehensive picture to date of the SBIR program at the Department of Defense.


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Confessional Christianity with Rev. Charles St-Onge
Posts filtered on Tag
Newtown, CT: Understanding the Incomprehensible
Churches like the LCMS are engaged in proclaiming Christ in so many different ways. Why have one LCMS pastor's actions at an interfaith service garnered so much attention? [Read More]
The Presence of God When Tragedy Strikes
I've been away for almost a month, taking a "mini-Sabbatical" if you will and visiting family stretched out from southern Ohio to northern and eastern Ontario. While away I followed with sadness the chaos in Syria, the growing shadow war between Iran and Israel, and the horrific deaths of students in Toronto and Montreal. Yet […] [Read More]
Lutherans Bring Relief On Two Fronts
For Christians, these are the last days. Jesus promised wars, famines, and earthquakes "before the end will come" (Matthew 24:1-31) and that promise continues to be fulfilled in spades. Like many other Christians, Lutherans continue to respond to these "latter day disasters" abroad and close to home. Read more. [Read More]
A Response to the Pessimism Pandemic
An historic drought in Texas; famine in Somalia; a potential economic meltdown: all reasons for pessimism to be thriving these days. How should a Christian respond to the gloom and doom filling our news services? [Read More]
Relief for the Disaster-Striken
Christians are responding to the physical needs of the many people affected by the storms and flooding across the United States. What role do acts of mercy play in the life of the Church of Jesus Christ? [Read More]


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Solicitor General Urges Supreme Court to Pass on Classen
The Solicitor General has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to deny GlaxoSmithKline's ("GSK's") pending certiorari petition in GlaxoSmithKline v. Classen Immunotherapies, Inc., case number 11-1078 The issue facing the Supreme Court should it grant GSK's petition is whether the Federal Circuit correctly interpreted 35 U.S.C. § 271(e)(1)'s safe harbor as applying to only pre-market approval of generic counterparts. In its amicus brief submitted late last week, the Solicitor General explained that there is no need to clarify the safe harbor provision and voiced concerns that the Classen case would not be the proper vehicle to do so should the Supreme Court feel the need.
The dispute between GSK and Classen involves three patents, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,638,739, 6,420,139, and 5,723,283, which relate to methods of optimizing vaccine immunization schedules to decrease the risk of developing chronic immune-mediated disorders. Classen sued a number of defendants, including GSK, alleging infringement of its patents through various vaccination research projects. GSK's allegedly infringing activities related to its participation in a government study that evaluated a suggested association between the timing of childhood vaccinations and the risk of developing type 1 diabetes. GSK argued, and the district court agreed, that such activity was within section 271(e)(1)'s safe harbor because the information was ultimately submitted to FDA. On appeal, the Federal Circuit reversed, holding that section 271(e)(1) "does not apply to information that may be routinely reported to the FDA, long after marketing approval has been obtained." Classen Immunotherapies, Inc. v. Biogen Idec at 1070. The Federal Circuit further explained, "§ 271(e)(1) is directed to premarketing approval of generic counterparts before patent expiration." Id. at 1071.
In the amicus brief, United States Solicitor General Donald Verrilli expressed his belief that the Federal Circuit's interpretation of § 271(e)(1) in Classen was incorrect. 35 U.S.C. 271(e)(1) reads:
It shall not be an act of infringement to make, use, offer to sell, or sell within the United States or import into the United States a patented invention . . . solely for uses reasonably related to the development and submission of information under a Federal law which regulates the manufacture, use, or sale of drugs or veterinary biological products.
Continue reading "Solicitor General Urges Supreme Court to Pass on Classen" »


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Pour a glass of wine and chat
Monthly Archive for June, 2012
Computer woes, part II
Notice no picture? Um, yes. I am still blogging from an iPad, which does not allow me to upload photos. Or the Times Union interface blocks an iPad from uploading photos. Still to be determined which might be the guilty party. My less-than-one-year-old piece of junk SONY VAIO laptop was shipped off in the mail […] [Read More]
Five days, four states: the east coast tour.
So here's the breakdown of my last five days: Friday the 22nd: On the road at 9 a.m. (which, if you know me, is a very early start). Stop at the IKEA in Elizabeth, NJ to pick up water glasses and champagne flutes for barVino. Eat Swedish meatballs. Feel a little gross. Drive through the […] [Read More]
New Blades
About 19 years ago, for my 50th birthday, I received my first pair of Rollerblades©, showing that it's never too late to pick up a new skill. Of course, having been an avid ice skater (hockey, not figure, but thanks for asking) for many years prior to that, I was a good candidate for this […] [Read More]
Air conditioning
Ahhhhhh! The A/C was cranked up this week, in the house, in the car, in the office Starbucks. Sweet relief! This week was like living in Arizona or Florida, and many of us more northerly folks remembered why it is that we choose to live here and not there. At least in the summer. One […] [Read More]
It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it . . .
On Tuesday, our Frederick Wildman sales rep Marc stopped by barVino with some new summer wines for us to taste. As is the case with most things in my life, the wine tasting couldn't have all of my attention because I also happened to be waiting tables that night. By the time Marc was uncorking the […] [Read More]
Psychological profile: the REPLY ALL guy
WHY? WHY another REPLY ALL response? Does no one recognize the sanctity of REPLY ALL? Who is this guy who always hits REPLY ALL? He believes that his question is pertinent to absolutely everyone in the organization. He believes you will consider him insightful and intelligent for having considered that one "what if" situation not […] [Read More]
Technology: a love/hate relationship
I have confessed to sleeping with my iPhone, and I often work with iPhone, iPad and laptop all booted up and online. Technology allows me to work from coffee shops,which helps in avoiding the huge pile of laundry when something fro the office really needs to get done. Somehow, too, I have managed to become […] [Read More]
Show More


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The Medical University of South Carolina's Foundation for Research Development has announced a new leader.
Michael Rusnak took over as executive director effective Oct. 1. He succeed Robert Donaot, who was CEO. He remains wiht MUSC.
The foundation was created in 1995 to commercialize MUSC research, a process sometimes called "technology transfer."
Rusnak has more than 25 years of experience in the life science industry, the university said in a statement today.
Most recently, he was director of new ventures and technology development within the technology transfer office at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York.
Before that, he was an entrepreneur-in-residence with BCM Technologies Inc., which is part of the Baylor College of Medicine, where he was involved in starting and incubating more than five spin-off companies from the school.
He also has held senior positions in biotechnology business development with Ceros Pharmaceuticals, CombiChem and Lexicon Genetics, among others.
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GO ACTIVE 7 Ways to Travel with Us
Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a bus, or in a few excursions from a ship or a resort. Immerse yourself in the life of a region, explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power.
Traveling actively is all about embracing what life has to offer, living the experience as it unfolds and at the same time creating memories that will last forever.
It's Your Choice:
Biking Walking & Hiking Multisport Insider Active Gourmet River Cruise
Snow Adventures
Biking Trips
Nothing else compares to the unique sense of journey you enjoy on a Backroads Biking Trip. It's the exhilaration of exploring under your own power, riding from one incredible inn to the next. It's the most independent form of travel you'll find, giving you the freedom to choose how your day unfolds. Pedal at your own pace, as much—or as little—as you want, always with the option to change your mind. Ride together or savor a spin on your own.
Looking for a lift to the hotel? We're there when you need us: as the only company consistently providing three leaders and two vans*, our capacity to support diverse abilities is unrivaled. The world from the seat of a bicycle is hard to beat.
Walking & Hiking Trips
On our Walking & Hiking Trips, you'll experience a region with an intimacy that's only possible when you travel on foot. Count on our talented Trip Leaders and local experts to connect you with the regional culture and natural history. Prefer to keep hiking rather than stop for an art or nature talk? No problem—as always, the choice is yours with self-navigable directions and the maximum support and flexibility that comes from three leaders and multiple vehicles. Everywhere we travel, from rain forest paths to alpine meadows—with no barriers between you and the world—the most amazing discoveries await when you walk with Backroads.
Multisport Trips
Offering a great blend of easy-going activities, our Multisport Trips adventures let you experience a region from different angles. These trips offer daily biking and hiking options plus locally inspired activities—like white-water rafting, snorkeling with sea lions, kayaking a tranquil bay or a cultural exchange with Buddhist monks. There's also plenty of time for just plain indulgent fun! And thanks to the logistical prowess of your leaders, you'll seamlessly transition between activities—a feat nearly impossible to orchestrate on your own.
Most Multisport Trips offer similar levels of biking and hiking to what you'll find on our Biking Trips and Walking & Hiking Trips.
For especially easy itineraries look for trips rated level 1–2 such as Charleston to Savannah, Everglades to Key West, Costa Rica, Galápagos & Andes and Panama.
If you are up for more of a challenge, look for trips rated 2–4, including Bhutan, Canadian Rockies, Hawaii and Switzerland. Glacier and Peru also offer opportunities for more challenge.
Age-appropriate routes are always designed into every family itinerary.
Insider Trips
These cultural and scenic explorations offer all the ingredients that define every Backroads trip: uncompromisingly high standards, legendary service and a level of activity that makes for an enriching experience. They feature easy walks and more time to travel deeper into the history, culture and nature of a region, exploring its local markets, traditions and diversity in the company of our local friends. Insider Trips are designed for inquisitive travelers and offer in-depth, authentic encounters.
Active Gourmet Trips
Slow down and let your palate be your guide as you bike or walk in the land- scape that nourishes your table. Sample wines where the grapes are grown. Visit with farmers, vintners, bakers and olive oil producers who are happy to share their expertise. And savor the ultimate epicurean experience alongside knowledgeable local chefs. Choose Active Gourmet Biking in Tuscany or Active Gourmet Walking in Provence, Tuscany or California Wine Country.
River Cruise Trips
We've teamed up with AmaWaterways, the leader in river cruising to bring you a revolutionary Backroads experience: incredible River Cruise Biking and River Cruise Walking Trips with an elegant ship as our home base! Enjoy the best of river cruising through some of the world's most captivating cityscapes and countryside—along with the outstanding Trip Leaders, routes and support that travelers expect from Backroads. After a successful launch of our first River Cruise trip on the Danube in 2015, we're excited to introduce the Rhine, Seine, Douro and Mekong Rivers. Departures will sell out quickly—reserve your trip today.
Don't miss our special Danube Full Ship Celebration exclusively for Backroads guests! Starting in Prague, you'll sail and bike from Passau to Vienna, Bratislava and on to Budapest. All enhanced by the camaraderie of 150 or so fellow Backroads travelers! Ride along the Danube, past castles, onion-domed churches and legendary vineyards with the friendliest group of adventurers around—let the grand journey begin.
Snow Adventures
We've found a way to bring some new excitement to two of our favorite destinations: just add snow! Join us in Yellowstone for snowshoeing and unforgettable wildlife viewing in a breathtaking winter wonderland. Or snowshoe and cross-country ski amid spectacular frozen waterfalls, sparkling glaciers and snow-dusted evergreens in the Canadian Rockies.
*Over 95% of Backroads guests on scheduled departures travel with two or more support vehicles and three Backroads leaders or support staff. Fewer than 5% are on scheduled trips where the small number of guests requires just one van and two leaders to maintain our high service standards, or on select Walking & Hiking Trips where our routes are a combination of loop hikes and out-&-back trails that allow two leaders and fewer vans to provide excellent trail support.


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Typo squatting has been around as long as the Internet Domain Naming System (DNS), but Net bandits have added a twist to the practice that appears to be very effective in intercepting corporate email.
In a typical typo squatting scenario, people register misspelled domain names of high traffic websites. The idea is to capture traffic they ordinarily wouldn't get at their website and turn it into money, either through advertising at the site or by compromising the visitor's computer by infecting it with malware.
A variation of that technique that's gaining popularity uses "doppelganger domains" to exploit typos in corporate email addresses. Those typos result less from misspellings than from failing to properly punctuate addresses with subdomains.
For example, the URL for IBM Sweden is se.ibm.com. A doppelganger attacker would register the domain seibm.com to capture email whose authors forget to type in that pesky extra period.
Once the domain is registered, the dop sets up a server configured to catch all email traveling through the net addressed to someone at a misspelled email address for which they've set up a domain.
Now the bunco artist is ready to mount a classic "man-in-the-middle" attack. Misaddressed mail enters the dop's server, is copied, and forwarded to its destination with the doppelganger domain in the return address. If a response is sent from its destination, it will travel back to the dop server, be copied, and then sent on its way to the original sender. Those exchanges can continue indefinitely.
But who really types in email addresses anymore? Apparently, a lot of people.
Two researchers at the Godai Group set up 30 doppelganger domains and in six months, they were able to intercept 20 gigbytes of data. In that data were invoices, contracts, employee credit card and banking information, configuration details for the external routers of a large IT consulting company and the passwords for accessing the devices, and information for accessing the VPN network of a company that manages motorway tolls in the United States.
"Each company in the Fortune 500 was profiled for susceptibility to doppelganger domains and 151 companies (or 30%) were found to be susceptible," wrote the researchers, Peter Kim and Garrett Gee, in a recently released report.
"In large corporations, email usage is extremely high which dramatically increases the likelihood of mis-sent emails and data leakage," they explained.
Remarkably, they discovered, only one company detected its doppelganger and only two users noticed they were sending mail to a dop.
Kim and Gee also noted [pdf] that many doppelgangers had already been created for the world's largest corporations, including Cisco, Dell, HP, IBM, Intel and Yahoo. Most of those dops were owned by entities in China, they added.
What's an email administrator to do to counter this kind of attack?
- Persuade your company to buy up and register all your doppelganger domains. Then configure your external DNS server to bounce mails sent to the dops.
- If you discover a doppelganger domain, file a Uniform Domain Dispute Resolution Policy complaint with ICANN.
- Configure your internal DNS servers not to resolve doppelganger domains. Of course, that will only affect the outbound email of your organization. External email could still be picked off by the dops.
- As an alternative to configuring your DNS server, you can configure your email server to block any outbound mail headed for a dop.
- Let everyone in your business network—employees, customers and partners—know about the doppelganger domain so they'll be aware of the attack.
- You can also make sure that auto-addressing is turned on across your system. If your users don't have to type in email addresses, then they can't make typos in them.


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Ghana Eurobond Yields Seen to Reach Record Low on Exports
Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The yield on Ghana's $750 million Eurobond will probably fall to a record low this year as the West African nation benefits from strong exports and a smooth leadership transition, Ecobank Transnational Inc. said.
The yield on the 8.5 percent bond due 2017 may fall to 5 percent, Angus Downie, London-based head of economic research at Ecobank, said in an e-mailed note today. The bond was issued in September 2007.
The forecast reflects "several positive macroeconomic" factors including demand for exports of cocoa, gold, timber and oil, "although there are downsides related to the fiscal position/public financial management, and the exchange rate." Downie said. "The smooth transition of power to President Mahama is also a positive factor for investors to focus on."
Ghana's Eurobond fell for a ninth day, dropping 14 basis points, or 0.14 percentage point, to 5.358 percent as of 2:47 p.m. in the capital, Accra.
Former Vice President John Dramani Mahama was sworn in as leader on July 24 following the death of President John Atta Mills earlier that day. Former Bank of Ghana Governor Kwesi Amissah-Arthur was sworn in as the new vice president on Aug. 6.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Vernon Wessels at email@example.com


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Sidney Taurel, who retired at year-end as chairman of Eli Lilly and Co., gets an office and free secretarial help as he rides off into retirement, plus something else:
A tidy retirement nest egg worth $42 million.
Taurel, 59, built up his package of retirement benefits in a nearly 37-year Lilly career that began as a marketing associate in 1971.
CEO COMPENSATION: http://www.indystar.com/data/business/CEO_pay.shtml">See what top CEOs of Indiana companies are paid in salary and benefits.
Taurel's retirement benefits, which come to slightly more than $1 million for each year worked at the Indianapolis drug maker, "are based on years of service, his earnings and the same (pension) formula that applies to anyone else" at the company, said Susan Hutchens, Lilly's manager of executive compensation.
The benefits, detailed in Lilly's annual proxy report released Thursday, rank among the larger retirement packages available to a Fortune 500 CEO. Taurel stepped down as Lilly's chief executive officer last March. He is now chairman emeritus.
In 2007, CEOs at Fortune 250 companies had an average of $20 million accumulated in their pensions and other company retirement plans, said Equilar, an executive compensation benchmarking company in Redwood Shores, Calif.
Taurel takes more money into his golden years than the average bigtime CEO in part because of his long tenure at Lilly and the consistently high compensation, including performance bonuses, he earned in his later years as a top executive (except for 2002, when he took a $1 salary to help Lilly cope with the loss of sales from Prozac, which was stripped of patent protection by a court).
Taurel's traditional pension benefit is worth $30.86 million, a lump-sum estimate based on actuarial assumptions that include his expected life span
Beyond that, Taurel has $2.17 million in his 401(k) retirement account and $9 million in a separate interest-bearing retirement account in which the top 150 U.S. executives at the company can invest their annual bonuses if they want. That money is payable to Taurel in a lump sum or in 10 annual installments.
One financial disappointment for Taurel is his stock options. All 2.45 million shares in unexercised options he holds are under water, or valueless, at Lilly's current stock price of about $38. Taurel's options have exercise prices of $55 to $88, and the last of them expire at the end of 2013.
If Lilly's stock price were to soar before then and return to its all-time high of around $100 a share, his options would be worth tens of millions of dollars.
But if the stock continues to languish, they will be worthless.
Call Star reporter Jeff Swiatek at (317) 444-6483.


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Strange Bedfellows -- Politics News
News about Seattle and King County government as well as national politics.
Posts by Author
YouTube Debate: Do snowmen vote?
Global warming: Not such a serious issue after all. [Read More]
"Has it been fair?"
Some things don't change, YouTube videos or not. [Read More]
The new viewer-friendly debate
Tonight's Democratic debate started out like a blooper reel or a segment on "America's Funniest Home Videos." [Read More]
Online politics: Do they matter?
Does the new format of tonight's debate matter? [Read More]
YouTube videos? Debates? Who cares?
Some people find debates don't get to the heart of issues, and YouTube questions aren't going to change that. [Read More]
Show More


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Israel Will Not Join In Hearing in Hague
Published: February 13, 2004
JERUSALEM, Feb. 12— Israel said Thursday that it would not take part in a hearing this month at the International Court of Justice on the legality of the contentious separation barrier that is under construction in the West Bank.
The court is to hear oral arguments at The Hague beginning Feb. 23 and is to issue a nonbinding ruling on the legality of the barrier, which faces fierce opposition.
The office of the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, said in a statement that the court ''has no authority to discuss the terrorism prevention fence since it concerns Israel's basic right of self-defense.''
Israel has built about one-quarter of the barrier, which is expected to stretch for more than 400 miles when completed. Under the route approved by Mr. Sharon's government, about 15 percent of West Bank land would be on the western, or Israeli side of the barrier, according to United Nations calculations.
Israel says the barrier is essential to preventing Palestinian suicide bombings, and that it cuts into the West Bank in order to incorporate Jewish settlements. Palestinians argue that the barrier's route takes large chunks of land that they are claiming for a future state.


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TSA vendor accused of manipulating tests of body-imaging technology for airport scanners
Nov 15, 2012 12:42 pm
Skift Take
As blame is being passed around from the TSA to second- and third-party contractors for allowing the inappropriate exposure, policy officials can pause to ponder what it would be like if the entire TSA was privatized.
OSI Systems Inc. (OSIS)'s Rapiscan unit, one of two suppliers of passenger-scanning machines in U.S. airports, may have falsified tests of software intended to stop the machines from recording graphic images of travelers, a U.S. lawmaker said.
The company "may have attempted to defraud the government by knowingly manipulating an operational test," Representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Transportation Security Subcommittee, said in a letter to Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole Nov. 13. Rogers said his committee received a tip about the faked tests.


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FAQ for Settlers of Catan The Great River™
Can I build past another players settlement or city?
No. You cannot build through another players settlement/city. If your road is established before the settlement(i.e. a player builds in between your roads) you may then continue building on the other side of a players setttlement.


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Charles Padgett, a deputy chief of police in West Allis, was appointed interim chief by the West Allis Police and Fire Commission Thursday.
Padgett started with the department as a patrol officer 24 years ago. Rising through the ranks, he became deputy chief in March 2011. He currently is in charge of operations.
Padgett will take over as interim chief Nov. 17, subsequent to Police Chief Michael Jungbluth's last working day. Jungbluth will not officially retire until the end of the year.
The Police and Fire Commission will accept applications for the chief's position until Oct. 26. It will start evaluating candidates after that.
"I'm grateful for the opportunity," Padgett said Friday. "I'll work as hard as I can to ensure that we move forward and continue the positive atmosphere with other departments and citizens throughout the city."
Even though he's only interim chief, Padgett will face the challenges of running the department with 14 or 15 people retiring from now through February.
He said the biggest problems he sees right now are keeping staffing at a productive working level and being sure that hiring practices result in getting the best candidates for the open positions.
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StoryCorps: A Transgender Woman's Journey from Hiding to "Walking in Love"
Alexis (whose birth name is Arthur) struggled with her identity, as did her family. At 13, she came out as transgender to her mother. Alexis' mother called the police, who laughed and told her, "You've got a fag for a son, and there's nothing we can do about it."
As a result, Alexis joined a gang and "went as macho as [she] could be, to mask what [she] really was underneath."
Alexis has a daughter, who accepts her for who she is. Says her daughter Lesley: "You don't have to apologize. You don't have to tiptoe. We're not going to cut you off. And that is something that I've always wanted you to, you know, just know—that you're loved."
Continue reading "StoryCorps: A Transgender Woman's Journey from Hiding to "Walking in Love"" »


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Jessica Stirling is a best-selling author of family sagas and historical novels based for the most part in Scotland.
Her books are noted for strong characterisation and intricate plots and cover a wide range of period and backgrounds.
The Fields of Fortune, her thirtieth and most recent title under the Stirling name, is centred round the law-courts in 18th century Edinburgh and follows the fortunes of two sisters, heiresses to a family fortune, as they come to terms with the city's teeming high life and the attentions of three young suitors whose intentions may be less than honourable. • Buy this book on Amazon •
The Wind from the Hills, a haunting novel of romance and betrayal set on a remote Hebridean island, was short-listed for the Romantic Novel of the Year Award. Jessica Stirling's novels have all been published in the United States and many have been translated into several European languages, including German, Spanish and French.
• Buy this book on Amazon •
Fans of Jessica Stirling will probably be familiar with the story of how she became a writer but new readers will perhaps find themselves in for a few surprises.


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Tooth Fairy rubber duckies are an inexpensive item for Dentist Offices to hand out to kids, or for use as promo. Also great for school fundraisers or themed parties. Each duck measures 2" x 2" and is available in the style shown only. Other customers buy fairy rubber ducks & dental rubber duckies. None of our ducks are designed to float upright.
Copyright © 2015 Zymetrical, Inc. MCMXCIX MMXV, All rights reserved
Contact • Order Tracking • Privacy • Returns • Security • Shipping • Testimonials


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I would like to use Xcode (free) and C++/Objective C to make flash websites and games but Adobe stifles competition by forcing me to use Actionscript and pay $1,300 for CS5.
If Apple has to allow Flash-authored iPhone apps, Adobe has to allow non-CS5 and non-actionscript languages to create Flash content.
Adobe complaint behind possible DOJ/FTC inquiry into Apple?
Apple's lock-out of Adobe CS5 iPhone packager as part of the iPhone OS 4 SDK, thus preventing Adobe from locking developers into CS5, has has allegedly so angered the Flash-maker that they're rumored to have complained to the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission, triggering those talks about an inquiry.
Adobe says Apple is stifling competition by barring developers from using Adobe's products to create applications for iPhones and iPads, said the people who spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren't authorized to discuss the case.
Adobe, Apple, and the agencies that may or may not be looking into it all declined to comment. Since the smartphone market is thriving, and any developer upset with Apple can choose to develop for Android, webOS, BlackBerry, Nokia, Windows Phone (maybe), etc. -- which would ultimately hurt Apple if enough developers decide to do just that -- it's hard to see where government involvement has any place.
And no, you can't manufacture an artificial "mobile app" market and say Apple has a dominant position in that. Apple has a control on iPhone and iPad apps, that's it. All other platforms have their own apps completely outside of any Apple involvement or influence. That includes the aforementioned smartphone platforms, Nintendo's Gameboy and DS lines, Sony's PSP, Microsoft Windows running or UMPCs and portables (and OS X running on laptops for that matter, which are huge app markets), and -- wait for it -- the world wide web, which also runs on the iPhone completely outside of Apple's control.
I understand Adobe being angry -- they're business model requires developers use Flash to build cross-platform apps and native app development hurts them. I understand Flash developers being angry because if they choose to stay Flash-exclusive they lose easy access to the lucrative iPhone/iPad user base. But the case that that anger should translate into government at this point just doesn't seem makable.
Then again, this probably isn't about anything more than headlines right now anyway, is it?
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Reader comments
Adobe complaint behind possible DOJ/FTC inquiry into Apple?
I would like to use Xcode (free) and C++/Objective C to make flash websites and games but Adobe stifles competition by forcing me to use Actionscript and pay $1,300 for CS5.
Adobe needs to shut up and stop complaining that EVERY company doesn't want or feel the need to use their product. Capitalism affords businesses to choose, if its such a detriment to the consumer market that Apple isn't using Flash, then people will stop buying apple products and that will be the end of the debate.
Adobe knows their gonna be obsolete soon so their going down kicking and screaming...poor little buggers
This rings of the entire netscape / internet explorer saga all over again. The thing is, if you buy an Apple product, you know it won't run Flash. The consumer is informed. It would be like someone suing Ford because you can't use Chevy parts on your truck. The iPhone is an Apple product, and as such, Apple can say what it can / cannot do. What's next?? Google suing because you can't run Android??
"...which would ultimately hurt Apple if enough developers decide to do just that.." - Oh really ?
The iphone market is already too big to be left behind by developers(including my self), no one is going to leave the iphone os as long as it is alive and doing really well, period.
And I have nothing against Adobe having a flash compiler or whatever they where trying to do... Competition is good !
Rene, word of advice:
Try a little LESS HARD to make apple's case for them when presenting the story. Apple lawyers actually HAVE law degrees and they actually LIVE in the country.
Posture as you may, the case will proceed based on the facts and the law, and buttering on an extra spoonful of fanboy angst from your lofty Canadian perch just looks, well, Fanboi!
Substitute Microsoft for Apple before you publish and see if it fits.
Both these companies need to stop the bickering and focus on what they do best and let the industry shake out however it does. It wouldn't be the first time it happened.
Ah, to remember the epic tech battles: Microsoft vs. Apple, VHS vs BetaMax, DVD vs. Divix, BluRay vs. HD DVD.
Is that to say that there was no influence by 3rd parties? Of course not. But they also weren't settled in court. Does that mean the format or OS that came out on top was necessarily the best? Arguably no. But battle it out on the motherboard (so to speak) and not the court room. Rarely has a tech battle turned out well for the people as a whole when it becomes a legal battle.
@Icebike -- There's a world of difference between Microsoft or Intel bullying Dell via price pressure into buying their OS or chips than Apple not allowing cross-compilers. I've said numerous times I disagree with the EU browser ballot given Microsoft's current browser share as well.
BTW - personally insulting me is less effective than presenting an on-topic argument.
People can be royally pissed at Apple. That doesn't make it actionable.
And just for that Canadian jibe, we're sending back Alan Thicke and reclaiming Shatner!
it is possible to create flash websites without purchasing Adobe's Flash IDE. There is the Flex Compiler, MTASC, Haxe, Ming. All for free. It's just way more comfortable with the IDE.
If you don't use the IDE from Adobe, you must code every Animation, just like in C,C++ etc. (incase you intend to make animations).
Rene I'll back you on the Shattner for Alan deal and yes these Canadian perches are high and lofty. O Canada............
Multiple producers attempting to supply $4.2 billion worth of products to multiple consumers. Sure sounds like a textbook definition of a market to me. Let's play word substitution:
Ford only has a monopoly on Ford parts, not Automobiles.
Fine, as far as it goes. That does not mean that there is no market for cars, just that it is a larger market containing and impacted by that parts market.
Now say Ford, in addition to having 100% share of the Ford market, sells 99.4% of all cars. How is that not a monopoly? Furthermore, say they use artificial restrictions from its admitted parts monopoly to maintain and extend it's cars position. How is that not anti-competitive? It reads like the exact text of the Sherman Act, in fact - using a dominant position in one market to exert control in another.
Ford obviously does not sell 99.4% of all cars. But the numbers above are all true of Apple today. The behaviors above are all true of Apple today. So how is that not a market, and how is that not anti-competitive? All I see are assertions with no backing, assertions apparently made because the above truths are inconvenient for a beloved company. But even a benevolent dictator is still a dictator, and, in a modern capitalist society, dictators must be forced to play by the rules for the long term health of the markets.
Now suppose
Nailed it. I used to think people should lay off Apple and the monopoly stuff, but the $4.2 billion of products, and the fact that 99.4% of all app sales are on the iPhone, it sounds like Market Dominance to me. It's not dominance in the mobile phone market, but that's the point.
Monopolies want to leverage their dominance in one market on other markets. Apple wants to push their iAd feature to get into advertising. It's simple as that.
You are right, I apologize for the personal swipe.
But look, There is more to American, (and I suspect Canadian) business law than the dread M word. I've pointed this out before, hence my unwarranted petulance. This case is not about Monopoly.
There are hundreds of Supermarkets an any give city. None can claim monopoly. Yet, (at least in the US) no supermarket can say to the farmer or the distributer "If you want to sell potatoes in Grand Central Market you must only deliver them in Ford trucks, while wearing Fruit of the Loom underwear."
This behavior is ILLEGAL in the US. Its illegal restraint of trade or some such theory.
When you get a business license in this country, you surrender certain rights that you had when all your property was strictly your own and held for your private use. You surrender your right to control who your customers are, black, white, athletic, or handicapped.
The larger you get, the more you surrender. Open a mall, and you can't even kick out the Gangstas, the smelly, or the unwashed.
Become a publicly traded corporation, and you surrender even more rights. Its jut the way it is.
Apple is clearly wrong in this case (and has already started backpedaling in its Dev Kit terms). I say this as an Apple share holder, an Apple user, and a software developer for 30 years.
IANL, but I've hired them in the past.
Sorry Rene,
I am not buying the, "Apple doesn't have a lock on the mobile market".
Microsoft has been in this position in the past and got burned, in the EU as well as in the USA (think IE vs Netscape, or default search engines on their browsers) And of course you could have said that people could have gone to the Mac or Unix machines at that time. Of course, since the majority of people were on the PC, Miscrosoft had a pseudo-monopoly.
We need to separate the Operating system/hardware from the software being built.
I believe that Apple should only have the right to prevent malicious programs from going onto the iPhone/iPad.
I believe that they should NOT have control of content or look and feel. Let the market control popularity. If someone writes a crappy program (let's say the user interface sucks), then people will not buy the app, or if the concept is useful, someone will write a better app that does the same thing.
Apple DEFINATELY has too much control.
How dare they not allow a better e-mail package because it conflicts with their installed app. Could you imagine the outcry if Microsoft only allowed Outlook to be the e-mail (or contacts or scheduler) on Windows?
How about if Microsoft said that you can only develop in MS Basic, Visual Basic or C#? Do you think they would get away with it? Never happen in a million years.
What makes Apple so special?? NOTHING.
I am not an Adobe fanboy. But I agree with them 100% based on my observation on the uneven treatment of Apple vs, let's say Microsoft. If their apps are so slow that they become useless on the iPhone or iPad, then people will not buy those apps. And Adobe will just disappear from these devices.
This is stricky an obervation of the BIG Software companies and how they are treated differently.
Xcode is not free, it is $2000-$3000 for the Mac to run it on (unless you count the ancient tech core-2 duo machines).
Add to that a few thousand more in lost productivity figuring out how to do stuff on a mac that was easy on a PC. If you are trying to actually do work you also need to get it to play nice on your network.
Add to that buying Mac versions of your essential tools. Sometimes you need to duplicate that (eg. You may need iWork to talk to Mac users and you certainly need Mac Office to talk to the rest of the world).
Apple has gone all Janus and now we are seeing the evil side.
You telling me that the DOJ and FTC can't multi-task? If that is true, then we need to fire their asses and hire people who can do more than 1 thing at a time. Hell I do it at work as most other people do.
Or hire more people to handle anti-competitive companies.
Dragonfly Says:
May 5th, 2010 at 12:57 pm
The DOJ and FTC need to concentrate on the banks and leave Apple alone. They've got bigger issues at hand, worrying about cry baby Adobe's feelings isn't one of them.
The kvetching about a 'mobile apps market' is irrelevant if the DOJ is investigating a complaint by Adobe. In that case, the market in question is dev tools, and the question is "is Apple leveraging a dominant position in one market (iPhone OS) to unduly influence another market (dev tools). The answer here is clearly yes. Even so, the government usually declines to interfere directly in a market unless there is a cmpelling public good to be achieved by interfering. As boorishly and unethically as I think Apple has behaved, I am not convinced these markets rise to that level yet.
You do realize your car analogy make no sense...... Especially since if you want to keep your warranty on your car you need to use factory authorized parts. If say i wanted to put aftermarket parts on my car to make it go faster i literally shred my warranty and even if there is a known defect in the car Ford doesn't have to fix it because i put an aftermarket turbo on a car that wasn't designed for that turbo...
SO by your analogy Ford is being anti-competitive and giving manufacturers that make their Standardized parts a leg up over aftermarket tuning companies. I am forced to use Factory authorized parts in my vehicle if i wish to keep my warranty.
The truth of the matter is this.... How many corporate stores sell products they do not want to sell? None...
Second you can say as much as you like that the App store is a monopoly because how much iPhone users buy from the store but then thats a moronic assertion. Gamesworkshop a table top wargames company that makes up 80% of the table top wargames market. It has the most popular line up of games and it has corporate owned stores that sell and market their products. Since by your assertions they own most of the wargaming market due to popularity their stores should be forced to sell competitor games, hobby paints, and supplies because well.. 80% of all wargaming minis and games are GW products its anti-competitive for them to own stores that only sell their products....
Congrats man you have no idea what the hell you are talking about.
The iPhone OS does not count as a singular market. It has competing App Stores from other devices and carriers. The "OS" might aswell be firmware at this point because unlike PCs you are locked by Device you buy. With OS stand points the iphone OS is outdone by Symbian, WM, and Blackberry.
Oh and btw if we are gonna argue markets then VzW, Sprint, At&t, and Tmobile should all be investigated due to how Dumbphones get preloaded with carriers specific App stores that have no competition in their markets... Verizon Wireless makes 1 billion a year on Vcast apps and ringtones supplied by their "Get it now" service. Verizon also blocks aftermarket ringtones and has been doing everything to block places like Phonezoo.com to force its subscribers to buy all ringtones from Verizone Wireless.. I guess making Devs use Xcode is anti competitive because they do not want Flash to dictate the features on their phone but VzW isn't for forcing you to buy ringtones from them.
@Icebike, you're an idiot.
There's my Truthful insult of the day.
I suppose you think it's ok for a government to ban happy meals from Mcdonalds?
Apple can do whatever they want jf they feel flash does not work so well with their products, which is true, flash is horrible.
Government involvement does NOT belong here, and make no mistake if OUR government has it's "way" with things and makes things "fair" with the mobile industry. Then we will all be walking around with garbage smart phones.
[The truth of the matter is this…. How many corporate stores sell products they do not want to sell? None…]
Well, I nominate Verizon and Sprint stores because they don't want to sell the Palm Pre, Pixi, Pre+, and Pixi+ devices! (I kid.) Yeah, a lot of people don't understand any of this stuff. jimbo doesn't understand that Apple preventing developers from using whatever dev tools they want for iPhone OS is not illegal. It's developer hostile, but not illegal.
The fact that it costs money to develop for a platform is not some evil plot. It costs money to do stuff. It costs money to be a Flash developer. It costs money to be a Java developer. They need computers and software too. It costs money to make money! Doing stuff, not surprisingly, has a cost.
The DOJ or FTC are going to find that don't have a case. Oddly enough, having a closed platform is not illegal. Even with the iAds, I think the DOJ/FTC would be on shaky grounds.
you mean, you are the idiot, right? Just to make things clear, apple can not do what they want. Not even you little civitzen can not do what you want, so why should apple, waaaaaay more mighty and powerful than you.
If every big company does whats best for them, most employees would work for 1$ the hour etc.
So is it illegal for starbucks to use a certain bean that they want in their espresso ?
Oh wait that's not fair to the coffee bean farmers , let's all cry and whine for government intervention!
no, because starbucks doesn't have 99,4% marketshare on the coffee-market(?) unlike apple in the mobile app-market. Apple can ofcourse not be blamed that other companies are curently too stupid to gain such an success. But exactly this is their problem.
If you have so much marketshare, you can not just say, "sorry, we only allow our compiler to be used. We sell our devices worldwide to any people but only our Macintosh-owners may publish iphone-apps".
VIA dictionary.com: monopoly: the market condition that exists when there is only one seller. Apple is not the only player in the mobile, or mobile app market. There are more than a few viable competitors. Therefore, they do not have a monopoly.
Their decision to disallow 3rd party compilers is not anti-competitive. Developers can still develop for iPhone OS. Developers can still develop for any other platform as well. Just because they can't develop for iPhone OS HOWEVER they want to, doesn't stop them from doing so.
Any good developer should be proficient in many different languages anyway.
[no, because starbucks doesn't have 99,4% marketshare on the coffee-market(?) unlike apple in the mobile app-market.]
There is no such thing as an "app market", not one you can have a monopoly on. It's like saying has Apple has a monopoly on capitalism. The words don't go together.
And why do people always bash on Rene for being a "fanboi" or asserting his opinion on whatever he's writing about? This is a blog ... blogs are here for the writers to express their opinion on various subjects. Add to that this is an iPhone, iPad, and iPod website, what do you expect? Do you expect the writers to bash Apple? No ... go to a Microsoft blog if you want that. Otherwise, if you come to an Apple fan blog, expect pro-Apple opinions.
People keep saying Apple has "99%+" of the mobile app market:
1) Citation please
2) Definition of market please
Apple has 0% of Nintendo DS or PSP app market, a very small percent of Windows market (iTunes, Quicktime, MobileMe control panel?) which runs on UMPC, 0% of non-iPhone smartphone market, 0% of GPS device market, etc. etc.
You can't artificially create an "apps that run on phones" market and then claim Apple has a huge percentage of that.
And I'm not arguing whether Apple is right or wrong, I'm having a hard time seeing where it's illegal. That's a huge difference.
The smartphone market is new. Let Apple, Google, MSFT, etc. innovate the hell out of APIs and apps for a few years, let it shake out, then investigate if there's anti-trust or unfair competition.
Otherwise, as a consumer, we'll have 5 platforms awash in the same lower-commen-API apps. Adobe will have succeeded in commoditizing hardware platforms, which is their goal since they own Flash and CS. (Apple's goal is to make sure the iPhone is special, not the runtime).
@Keith calling someone a fanboi (or conversely a hater) is just an attempt to dismiss an argument that can't be countered.
I agree with a lot of the opinions here, I just don't think there are grounds for government action. And if there are, a lot of other companies better start to worry. Adobe included.
Monopoly: not a chance, I see competitors on like compediting products. If you use an English word, then know it's definition and PROPER application.
Apple has every right to control their product's programming. It's their own IP (intellictual property), and they can take whatever measures are deemed necessary to protect the integrity of it to their own deemed level of acceptance.
Everything else is crying and bickering...
Now if you get to specifics they have a monolopy on their own hardware, but what other product owners do the same? Let's see.... Cisco, Nokia, BMW, Magellan..... Any propietary hardware designer. Sheesh!
@ Johnsen
So again its anti-competitive for Nissan to disallow me to install a corvette engine in my 370. They are being anti-competitive for forcing me to use Factory authorized parts purchased from the select manufacturers that make their factory parts. They are being anti-competitive by making the warranty to keep me buying Stock parts. They are being anti-competitive because i can't even replace out ECU, transmission, or add a turbo to my car without voiding the warranty.
The is anti-competitive because aftermarket performance parts all void my warranty,,,
What is sad is this is your logic.....
[VIA dictionary.com: monopoly: the market condition that exists when there is only one seller. Apple is not the only player in the mobile, or mobile app market.]
This is still not right. Even if there aren't any other "app stores," Apple still can't have a monopoly on this. Look at the definition again.
What is Apple selling?
for sure a important web site and awesome info.I am going to copy this article.


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Forget this team. Signed this scrub outta that worthless program Toledo while NEVER giving sanders a fair shot. The guy is MUCH MUCH better than syndric "watch out ima" steponyourtoe. there were much better qbs out there to sign, im done with them. go cavs baby
Good. I'd rather have him closing then seeing that slop we ran out there for months on end (besides lewis)
Remember this, when Wood closed last year, he only went on the DL because of a blister, not one of the major injuries he had in the past...has to be a good sign
hey guys go pick up the Plain Dealer and go to page D7 and look at the file picture of Wood. because thats not him..its joe borowski...
couldn't have said it better ohiocastaway
Hey jpm2phx,
Which game were you watching...because I remember them not throwing at Jenkins...and thats exactly what you want..thats the def of a shut down corner....
Even though I will miss Dr. Ribeau, she seems like the best person for the job..good luck to her
Branson, for the love of God, please stop writing, for your sake and ALL of cleveland, you are just embarrassing yourself now...you know nothing about sports...that should have been evident when the PD kicked you off the Cavs beat....
who the hell is this guy, did he forget that Randy got his chance...
Whoa, a Branson article i enjoyed....must be because he only typed a paragraph
Okha and Cassel should start making their plans to live in Columbus....
Hmmm, I thought DeRosa played 3B, not #B....damn, I thought this was a professional newspaper, not some crap put together by some high school students...proofread your stuff...
and Kelly doesn't have an s in it....but they can spell asdrubal's name right...
Congratulations to the Falcons!
Roll Along!!!
Hey UT coach, how did your team do today? yeah i thought so, I'm pretty sure Curt Miller isn't gonna listen to you!
Hey Grunger, i don't know where you get your information, but I do live in Solon, and there ARE ice cream trucks....
@Imnick, yes there was a battle for the 5th spot, it was Lee Sowers and Laffey, thanks for playing.
@Imnick yes there was a battle for the 5th spot, it was Lee, Laffey, and Sowers...thanks for playing.
Might possibly be the greatest headline ever...Cliff Lee gives it up again....all I got to say is...thats what she said
hey rundown87, your comment was GREAT
and norcalcov, ummmm curry will be gone to KC.....dont be silly


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Thomas G. Drape, Ph.D.Chair, Graduate Programs
Associate Professor
Program Director, MBA
Phone: (626) 815-6000 Ext. 2543
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Fax: (626) 815-3802
Email: email@example.com
Fax: (626) 815-3802
Thomas G. Drape, Ph.D., teaches undergraduate and graduate classes in international business and leadership. He joined the APU team in 2013 and serves as the director of the MBA program. He has held faculty positions at the U.S. Air Force Academy, the University of Puget Sound, and the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Drape served in the U.S. Air Force for more than 20 years, retiring in 2012. While in the Air Force, he served in a variety of senior leadership and management roles, receiving the highest level of project management qualification in the defense sector.
- Ph.D. (Bilingual, with Honors), IESE Business School
- MBA, University of Pittsburgh
- B.S., United States Air Force Academy
School of Business and Management
- Graduate Programs
Courses Taught
- BUSI 370 - International Business
- BUSI 548 - International Business Strategy
- BUSI 566 - International Field Study and Internship
- BUSI 577 - Global Field Study
- MGMT 581 - Corporate Leadership


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Round 1: Jay Cutler QB, Vanderbilt- I didn't think he was a first round pick, but he's starting to grow on me. We've needed a franchise QB since Danny left, and I think Culter is that guy.
Round 2: Bobby Carpenter OLB/DE, Ohio State- In the 2nd I think we go after either Manny Lawson or Carpenter to be our pass rushing OLB. The reason I put Carpenter over Lawson is the fact that Carpenter has played his entire career as a linebacker while Lawson has been a DE at NC State.
Round 3: Mark Setterstrom OG, Minnesota-He's not a big bruising lineman like what we've had, but he's one of the main reasons why the Gophers have had 3 straight years of 2 1,000 yard rushers. He's got great technique and would definatly help out our running game.
Round 4: Cedric Griffin CB/S, Texas- The last two years we've had good luck with 4 round corners (Poole, Daniels). Griffin is a very physical corner just like his teammate Mike Huff. Also like Huff, he can play both CB and S. Combine him with Poole and Daniels and you've got a good young nucleaus for the secondary


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VIEWS: 10 PAGES: 7 CATEGORY: DocStore POSTED ON: 2/25/2014 Public Domain
This Landscaping Contract is an agreement made between a landscaper and a client in respect to landscaping services to be provided for a specific location, such as a residence, office building, or commercial building. The contract provides the material terms of the agreement, the work to be performed, and payment provisions as well insurance provisions. This customizable form should be used by contractors or clients when entering into an agreement for landscaping services.
Landscaping Contract This Landscaping Contract is an agreement made between a landscaper and a client in respect to landscaping services to be provided for a specific location, such as a residence, office building, or commercial building. The contract provides the material terms of the agreement, the work to be performed, and payment provisions as well insurance provisions. This customizable form should be used by contractors or clients when entering into an agreement for landscaping services. LANDSCAPING CONTRACT THIS LANDSCAPING CONTRACT (the "Contract"), is made on ___[Date]___, by and between ___[Contractor Name]___ ("Contractor") located at ___[Address]__, __________, __________ __________ and __[Client Name]__ ("Client"), located at __[Address]__, __________ __________ __________ hereinafter referred to as (the "Parties"). WHEREAS, Contractor provides landscaping services; AND WHEREAS, Client desires to obtain the landscaping services of Contractor pursuant to the terms and conditions herein. NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and other good and valuable consideration set forth, the Parties agree as follows: I. SERVICES A. Contractor and Client hereby agree that Contractor shall provide landscaping services to Client for the locations at the following addresses (the "Premises"): 1. [Enter address of location where services will be provided] 2. [If more than one location, include additional addresses here] B. Contractor shall provide the following services to the Client (the "Services"): [Enter a detailed description of the specific landscaping services to be provided] ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ C. Contractor shall furnish the Services on a [weekly/bi-weekly/monthly/one-time] basis. II. TERM A. The term shall commence on __[Enter date services will commence]__ (the "Commencement Date") and shall continue for a period of __[Length of Time]__ (the "Term"). B. Client may request to extend the Term ("Extension Term") by providing written notice to Contractor no less than __[# of Days]__ days prior to the expiration of the Term. The request shall include the length of the extension and any modifications to the terms and conditions contained herein. Contractor shall have __[# of Days]__ days to accept Client's request. III. CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES A. Contractor hereby agrees as follows: © Copyright 2014 Docstoc Inc. registered document proprietary, copy not 2 1. Contractor shall commence the Services contemplated herein on the Commencement Date and shall perform all of the Services diligently and using its best efforts to conform to local standards and practice. 2. Contractor shall provide Client a mutually agreed upon work schedule for the Services to be performed. 3. Contractor shall at all times keep employed an adequate number of staff to perform the Services contemplated herein. IV. CLIENT RESPONSIBILITIES A. Client hereby agrees as follows: 1. Client shall grant Contractor access to the Premises at the mutually agreed upon times for performance of the Services. 2. Client shall ensure that all pets are secured as to pose no threat to Contractor or Contractor's staff, employees or sub-contractors. 3. Client shall keep the lawn free of pet droppings when Contractor is scheduled to perform the Services, or Client may be charged a clean-up fee of __[$ Amount]__ per visit. V. FEES A. Client shall pay Contractor the sum of __[$ Amount]__ per [hour/day/week/month] (the "Fees") for the Services to be performed. B. All Fees are due and payable within __[# of Days]__ days of Client's receipt of Contractor's invoice. All invoices will include a detailed description of the Services performed for which payment is being requested. VI. MODIFICATIONS TO CONTRACT The Parties agree that either Party shall have the right to modify this Contract upon ____[# of Days]___ days written notice to the other Party. Any modifications must be in writing and signed by both Parties. VII. CONTRACTOR'S EMPLOYEES A. Contractor shall use its own staff, employees and sub-contractors in respect to the Services to be performed. B. The Parties acknowledge that the relationship between Client and Contractor is that of an independent contractor and Contractor alone has exclusive control and supervision of its staff, © Copyright 2014 Docstoc Inc. registered document proprietary, copy not 3 employees and sub-contractors. Nothing herein shall be construed to mean that Contractor or any of its staff, employees or sub-contractors are agents, employees or representatives of Client. C. Contractor shall at all times ensure that industry accepted safety standards and practices are followed while performing the Services. Contractor shall at all times comply with all ordinances, regulations, and other legal requirements and obligations of the applicable jurisdiction while performing the Services. VIII. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES A. Client shall provide for Contractor the following supplies and equipment for performance of the Services, which shall include: _[List supplies/equipment to be provided by Client]__. B. Contractor shall supply the following equipment, tools and supplies for performance of the Services, which shall include: _[List supplies/equipment to be provided by Contractor]__. IX. INSURANCE Contractor shall at all times maintain liability insurance coverage to cover any claims for injuries to person or damages to property which may arise in connection with the performance of the Services by Contractor, its staff, employees and sub-contractors. The policy shall be in an amount of not less than __[$ Amount]__. Contractor shall also provide worker's compensation insurance for its staff, employees and sub-contractors in compliance with state requirements. Client may at any time request that Contractor provide proof of liability and worker's compensation insurance and any other certificates or documents reflecting that Contractor is in full compliance with all legal requirements and obligations for companies providing cleaning services. X. NON-EXCLUSIVITY The Parties acknowledge that the Services to be performed hereunder are non-exclusive and that Client shall have the right to contract with a third party for the same or similar services for which Contractor is engaged, and similarly Contractor is free to enter into contracts to perform the same or similar services for third parties. XI. EVENTS OF DEFAULT In the event of non-performance by either Party of any of its obligations contained herein, the non-defaulting Party shall serve the defaulting Party with written notice of the alleged breach. The defaulting Party shall have __[# of Days]__ days from the date of such notice to cure and rectify any non-performance or non-compliance. Upon the correction of any non- performance or non-compliance by the defaulting Party, the Contract shall continue for the duration of the Term or Extension Term. In the event that the defaulting Party fails to correct any non-performance or non-compliance issue within the time frame set out above, the non- defaulting Party may terminate this Contract immediately and without further notice. © Copyright 2014 Docstoc Inc. registered document proprietary, copy not 4 XII. INDEMNIFICATION A. Contractor shall indemnify and hold Client, its subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees and agents harmless from and against any loss, liability, damage, including but not limited to, any reasonable attorney fees and court costs which may arise out of or in connection with the Services performed hereunder, save and except for the gross negligence and wilful misconduct of Client, its subsidiaries, officers, directors, employees and agents. B. Contactor shall at all times be solely responsible and liable for any damages caused by its staff, employees or sub-contractors to any of the Client's equipment, property or fixtures and shall make all repairs and/or replacements for any such damage without cost to Client. XIII. GENERAL PROVISIONS A. Neither Party may assign any obligations hereunder to any third party without the prior written consent of the other Party. B. This Contract and the work schedules referred to herein constitute the entire agreement between the Parties and supersede all prior agreements, representations, warranties, statements, promises, information, arrangements and understandings, whether oral or written, express or implied, with respect to the subject matter hereof. C. This Contract may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall be deemed to constitute one and the same instrument. This Contract may be executed and delivered by electronic facsimile transmission with the same force and effect as if it were executed and delivered by the Parties simultaneously in the presence of one another. D. Any notices to be delivered pursuant to this Contract shall be delivered to: in the case of Client to: _[Client Address]_ __________, __________ __________ Attention: _[Name of Contact Person]_ Email: __________ Fax: __________ in the case of Contractor to: _[Client Address]_ __________, __________ __________ Attention: _[Name of Contact Person]_ Email: __________ Fax: __________ © Copyright 2014 Docstoc Inc. registered document proprietary, copy not 5 and, in each case, mailed by ordinary mail, postage prepaid, or delivered to that address; and, if mailed as aforesaid, any such notice shall have been deemed to have been given on the fifth (5th) business day following that on which the letter containing the notice was posted. If any notice is given by electronic communication, such notice shall be deemed to be delivered on the day of transmittal thereof if given during normal business hours of the recipient and on the next business day if given after normal business hours. Any party may change its address for service from time to time by notice given in accordance with the foregoing. E. In the event a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision of this Contract invalid or unenforceable, the remaining terms shall remain in full force and effect. F. This Contract shall be governed in accordance with the laws of the State of __[Enter name of State]__. The parties hereby irrevocably submit to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of __[Enter name of State]__ located in __[Enter name of County]__ County. In any suit or arbitration regarding the Contract, the prevailing party shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have duly executed this Contract as of __[Enter date this contract will be signed]__. CLIENT: __[Client Name]__ Name: __[Client Signatory]__ Title: __[Job Title of Signatory]__ CONTRACTOR: __[Contractor Name]__ Name: __[Contractor Signatory]__ Title: __[Job Title of Signatory]__ © Copyright 2014 Docstoc Inc. registered document proprietary, copy not 6
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I don't know about you, but I sure missed Alien Workshop on their short hiatus. Well, AWS is back in action and in the zone again. They have a fresh team of ama…
About the Author
Griffin Chiou
Instagram: @wurshdup
We all love enjoi, and their panda logo is a modern skateboarding icon. The all-new enjoi Animal Deck Series is a killer rendition of a classic enjoi graphic featuring some new members from the animal kingdom.
The team model features the classic panda in a radical illustrated form while Louie Barletta, Jose Rojo, Nestor Judkins and Caswell Berry each received a pro model with critters fresh to the enjoi line-up. If you like simple graphics with great art, these are for you. Plus, these boards feature 100% Canadian maple made in a single deck press, a unique manufacturing process only available from Dwindle Distribution that results in more consistent shapes. Be sure to check out our full selection of enjoi decks and other goods over at Skate Warehouse. Go skate!
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The ROJO ANIMAL DECK 8.25 X 31.5
The ANIMAL SERIES PANDA DECK 8.25 X 31.7
enjoi Skateboarding offers skateboard decks as well as skateboarding accessories and clothing. They're owned and distributed by Dwindle Distribution, the president of which is Bod Boyle, World Skateboard Champion of 1990 and all around great guy. Dwindle is the largest skateboard distributor in the world. Check our Skate Warehouse Day At Dwindle video and shop all of Dwindle's brands, including Almost, Cliche, Blind and more at Skate Warehouse today.
Instagram: @wurshdup
I don't know about you, but I sure missed Alien Workshop on their short hiatus. Well, AWS is back in action and in the zone again. They have a fresh team of ama…
In an age of short-lived internet parts, energy drink sponsors and professional skateboarders with eight-figure salaries, There are still brands holding it down…


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Court Challenge: Replacing Stevens
Professor Jeffrey Fisher, who clerked for Justice John Paul Stevens, is quoted in The Wall Street Journal on the judge's possible retirement from the Supreme Court bench. Jess Bravin reports:
Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens's latest public musings about retirement highlight the challenge President Barack Obama faces in choosing a successor for the leader of the court's liberal minority.
Whomever Mr. Obama chooses, Justice Stevens's departure is likely to diminish the liberals' influence because of the personal and institutional dynamics that define the Supreme Court.
"In a contentious case, you usually have one [conservative] argument and then a [liberal] counterargument, and the table is set for the other seven to speak and vote," said Jeffrey Fisher, a former Stevens law clerk and now co-director of Stanford Law School's Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. "They will need a new grounding."