riefs ofamici curiaewere filed in both cases for the Northwest Ohio Physician Specialists Cooperative, LLC, byCharles D. WellerandFrederick Byers;and for the Retail Industry Leaders Association et al. byLloyd ConstantineandMichelle A. Peters. Steve C. Vaughnfiled a brief for the Parker Hannifin Corp. asamicus curiaein No. 04-805.

[1]We presume for purposes of these cases that Equilon is a lawful joint venture. Its formation has been approved by federal and state regulators, and there is no contention here that it is a sham. As the court below noted: "There is a voluminous record documenting the economic justifications for creating the joint ventures. [T]he defendants concluded that numerous synergies and cost efficiencies would result" by creating Equilon as well as a parallel venture, Motiva Enterprises, in the eastern United States, and "that nationwide there would be up to $800 million in cost savings annually."369 F. 3d 1108, 1111 (CA9 2004). Had respondents challenged Equilon itself, they would have been required to show that its creation was anticompetitive under the rule of reason. SeeCopperweld Corp.v.Independence Tube Corp.,467 U. S. 752, 768 (1984).

1.Describe one other possible advantage of monopoly.

2. Discuss why there is an industry regulator in the

provision of water in this case.

3.Do you think that Air Namibia is a pure monopolist?

4. What evidence is there to suggest that Google is a

monopolist?

5. Using an example from this case, describe one possible

advantage of monopolies for consumers.

6. Using examples from this case, discuss the possible

disadvantages of a single firm dominating the market.

8. What is meant by a natural monopoly?

9. What is the purpose of patents?

10. In addition to patents, describe one other barrier to entry.final 100