Tuesday 2 November 2010

The Chosen One is coming…

 

Well, well, well… The Chosen One will come, stand up and eventually fight.

Oh, yes… The One chosen by the Pontifex Maximus at the oracle, Big Mouth Larry, will finally step in and face the challenge from the Oracle.

Now, it is not yet known if The guy will appear personally, honoring the well known advertising campaign by HP, “Personal Again”, or if he will leverage new technologies and appear through video playback.

Accepting the challenge from the Pontifex Maximus is already a good step forward, and we sincerely hope he will appear personally. This would add to his credibility, and certainly impress jurors positively. As well, he would have the chance to answer any evidence against him the Pontifex has announced everywhere he has.

He has been personally attacked, and his appearance would give him an opportunity to turn the trial on his benefit.

Coming up in video screen, on the contrary, would give a poor impression, and would eventually look as if he just wanted to prove he is not a crook (with the permission of Richard Nixon) but ultimately refuses further defense. He would not be able to stand to any questioning, and the oracle’s lawyers would be in a strong position to eventually use the tape against him. They will, should they be given the slightest chance. Video would weaken his position, and strengthen the oracle’s claim for his cowardice. All the benefit of stepping up would be offset by the video.

We will see.

Still, Apotheker, the Pharmacist, the Potion-Maker, the Sorcerer whose reputation and credibility are at the stake, should have additional interest in going to Court. So far, it appears the SAP lawyers have not really made a good start, and like the other Sorcerer we all have seen in Fantasia (Disney), will have to clean up all the mess his theoretical defendants have made. These guys, full of good intentions like Apprentice Mickey Mouse, may have really lost control of the situation from the beginning, we are afraid.

 

The Good Thief at Judgment Day

 

For those readers who have had traditional Christian education the character of Saint Dismas should not be unfamiliar. This Saint is as well known as The Good Thief. He was a thief who was crucified beside Christ, and before both of them died, he repented (last minute call indeed!) from his sins and previous life, and Jesus granted him a place in Heaven.

Despite having in front of them nothing less than Pontifex Maximus at the Oracle, playing the Good Thief does not seem the wisest strategy for the lawyers at SAP. At the moment, they have played quite a smart strategy, tying with the Oracle before the trial started, in our opinion, which could be considered a major achievement given they have admitted guilt about “inappropriate behavior” against the oracle.

As the trial is set to determine how much SAP should pay to Pontifex Maximus Big Mouth Larry, the fact that SAP started admitting $40 million in damages “because of their subsidiary’s ultimate failure to lure many customers from Oracle is a piece of cake to the lethal lawyers that work for the oracle.

For God’s sake! Attempting to minimize damages by saying that as a thief you were doing a bad job does not minimize guilt at all. It basically means admitting that not only you have been a thief, but a stupid one. The potential damages, the intention after the theft, the plans remain the same. Only for this jurors should grant the oracle anything they ask for!. No wonder that in parallel as well SAP has offered another $120 million in concept of attorneys fees and costs. By the way, SAP is reported as having already accrued for as much as precisely $160 million for this trial. (Running out of batteries, SAP?)

Judgment Day has started… but let’s understand clearly that Judge Phyllis Hamilton is not God, and definitely it is not the moment to play the Good Thief role. (We may leave the Pontifex Maximus playing the role of Caiaphas, though, well escorted by Annas Hurd…)

Footnote: Hermione, this one’s for you too… you know why, don’t you?