Welcome to Skilled in the Art. I'm Law.com IP reporter Scott Graham. Here's what's cracking this week:

• Cisco's appeal of a $1.9 billion verdict just got more interesting, and other IP-related thoughts following the Wall Street Journal/Free Law Project bombshell.

• VLSI Technology says it's being shaken down by a PTAB petitioner who's looking to knock out its $2.175 billion verdict against Intel. Petitioner asks who's shaking down whom?