...nomination by President _George H. W. Bush_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush) to a seat on the _federal district court_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_District_Court) vacated by _Spencer M. Williams_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spencer_M._Williams) ._[1]_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vaughn_R._Walker&printable=yes#cite_note-FJC-0 ) Walker was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on November 21, 1989, on unanimous consent and received commission on November 27, 1989. Walker is one of two federal judges publicly known to be _gay_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality) Walker's original nomination to the bench by _Ronald Reagan_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan) in 1987 stalled in the _Senate Judiciary Committee_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_Judiciary_Committee) because of controversy over his representation of the _United States Olympic Committee_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Olympic_Committee) in a lawsuit that prohibited the use of the title "_Gay Olympics_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gay_Olympics) "._[4]_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vaughn_R._Walker&printable=yes#cite_note-egelko-3) Two dozen House Democrats, led by Rep. _Nancy Pelosi_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Pelosi) of _San Francisco_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco) , opposed his nomination because of his alleged "insensitivity" to gays and the poor. Years later, the _San Francisco Chronicle_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_Chronicle) noted the irony of this opposition due to Walker's sexual orientation. In 1999 Walker rejected arguments from the parents of a San Leandro boy who claimed their religious rights were violated by pro-gay comments their son's teacher had made in the classroom._[11]_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vaughn_R._Walker&printable=yes#cite_note-abc59-10) In 2005, Walker sided with the city of _Oakland_ (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oakland) against two employees who placed fliers promoting "natural family, marriage and family values." Walker wrote in an opinion that the city had "significant interests in restricting discriminatory speech about homosexuals. . . .(and has) a duty under state law to prevent workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation." Wikipedia =================================================== ( unrelated to homosexuality but very interesting ) SF Chronicle High Court rejects final Apple appeal Rejects claim that Microsoft, H-P improperly copied Macintosh interface
_FROM EXAMINER STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS_ (mailto:[email protected]) Tuesday, February 21, 1995 WASHINGTON - The _U.S. Supreme Court_ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/Supreme_Court_of_the_United_States) Tuesday let stand a ruling that dismissed a _copyright_ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/Copyright) lawsuit by _Apple Computer Inc._ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/Apple_Inc.) against rivals _Microsoft Corp._ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/Microsoft) and _Hewlett-Packard Co._ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/Hewlett-Packard) The court, without comment, turned down Apple's argument that the two companies improperly copied the user interface, or screen display design, of its _Macintosh computer_ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/Macintosh) program. "We're disappointed in the court's decision," said Apple spokeswoman Kate Paisley. "We felt it was an appropriate case for the high court to review, particularly as it relates to the future of copyright law in the information industry." At Hewlett-Packard headquarters in Palo Alto, there was relief that the lawsuit was finally behind them. "This is exactly what we had anticipated, and we're delighted it's finally over," said spokesman David Bouffard. "The only thing left is to determine who pays for the legal fees." The Macintosh computer, introduced by Apple in 1984, was a success partly because the screen display uses symbols - such as office-type file folders - instead of written commands to show users how to operate the system. Microsoft introduced a similar program called Windows in 1985. Apple raised copyright concerns, but later that year agreed to let Microsoft use the visual displays in its Windows program and to license them to other _software_ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/Computer_software) makers. Hewlett-Packard introduced its _NewWave_ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/HP_NewWave) program in 1987 under a license from Microsoft. Apple sued the two companies in 1988, contending the NewWave program and a newer version of Windows copied the Macintosh program more closely than the licensing agreement allowed. Apple, based in Cupertino, has claimed lost profits in the billions of dollars. U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled against Apple, saying more than 90 percent of Windows and two-thirds of NewWave was allowed by the license. Most of the remaining symbols were not protected by copyright, the judge said, adding that many of them were not original. The _9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals_ (http://topics.sfgate.com/topics/United_States_Court_of_Appeals_for_the_Ninth_Circuit) agreed last September. -- Centroids: The Center of the Radical Centrist Community <[email protected]> Google Group: http://groups.google.com/group/RadicalCentrism Radical Centrism website and blog: http://RadicalCentrism.org
