Assange Appeal to U.K. High Court: skeleton argument [warning - explicit language]

Julian Assange (of Wikileaks fame) has concluded his appeal to Britain's High Court concerning an unfavourable lower court judgment in relation to extradition proceedings initiated on behalf of the Swedish Prosecution Authority and, the Justices retired to consider their verdict at the end of the day on 13 July 2011.

For perhaps the first time since the mainstream media began reporting on the issue, a relatively clear-eyed view of the complainants' evidence is publicly available concerning the circumstances of the alleged rape, sexual molestation and unlawful coercion.

The blog Sweden vs. Assange has posted the skeleton argument put before the Court by Assange's legal team.

The Assange defence team asserted on the basis of the two complainants statements:

Julian Assange engaged in ’rough and impatient’ consensual foreplay with complainant AA, and he complied with her wish that he used a condom once she expressed her desire for him to use one.

Julian Assange used a condom upon claimant AA’s request. The condom split.

Julian Assange pressed his naked erect penis against AA whilst they were voluntarily sharing a small bed. They had shared the bed for several days and engaged in consensual sexual activity previously.

In the context of repeated acts of consensual sexual intercourse, Julian Assange penetrated SW whilst she was ’half-asleep’. The penetration was met by consent on the part of SW, in full knowledge that Julian Assange was not wearing protection.

It is noted that the Swedish Prosecution Authority rejects the claim that all sexual activity was consensual. Details can be found in the translated European Arrest Warrant.

It is also noted that to date Assange appears not been formally charged with any sexual offense under Swedish law, as by the Swedish Prosecution Authority's own admission the investigation is still only currently at the stage of "preliminary investigation".

Publicly available documents presented to earlier U.K. lower courts hearings can be found here.

Kudelka deftly nails Abbott to the Policy Cross

The Australian 18 July 2011

According to Kudelka:
"Today we discovered that Peter Reith’s post-mortem of the Liberals’ election effort last year suggested that a bit of policy might not go amiss. Now this bothered me, firstly because he needed to be asked, and secondly because Peter felt it needed to be said."

Nobody but us hens in here!

We have had very cold nights and heavy frost in the mornings.
The temperatures have been as low as 2 and 3 degrees below zero.

So this afternoon I was not all that surprised when I went to put the chooks away for the night and found Arnold the not so little calf had decided to bunk down in the chook shed.

The hens were a bit upset that Arnold had decided that he would bunk with them. How would he fit that bulk onto the roost? Would the roosts take the 200 kgs plus weight, does he snore?

All this was being loudly discussed by the flock. Some had decided that they would have nothing to do with it and refused to go into the shed; others had a more inclusive approach, he may be a strange looking hen but he was friendly.

Arnold on the other hand had a look on his face that said “nobody but us hens in here”. If he could’ve clucked he would have.

It took a little persuasion and half a bucket of food to entice him out of his new home much to the hens’ relief.

Arnold wandered back up the paddock to join the rest of the cow herd, but I was sure I heard a gently clucking sound as he walked away.

Graphic from Pure Dawning

GMO News: Monsanto's unusual payments and CSIRO denial of link to biotech giant

According to an American Public Media Marketplace Morning Report radio segment on 30 June 2011:

NANCY MARSHALL GENZER: Monsanto's Roundup herbicide was a blockbuster for years. Then China made a generic knockoff. To counter that, Monsanto started a program to give distributors cash incentives to buy Roundup. The SEC wouldn't comment.
But the federal government has investigated Monsanto for alleged anti-competitive practices before. Monsanto declined my interview request. But in a conference call yesterday CEO Hugh Grant said the company is co-operating. The company also says it's phasing out the incentives. And its seed business appears to be blossoming.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has had cause to address the matter of unusual payments with Monsanto & Co. before as seen here:

Monsanto Company: Lit. Rel. No. 19023 / January 6, 2005
First, the Commission filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia charging Monsanto with violating the FCPA and seeking a civil penalty. The Commission further charged that the senior Monsanto manager devised a scheme whereby false invoices were submitted to Monsanto and the senior Monsanto manager approved the invoices for payment. The approximate $700,000 was derived from a bogus product registration scheme undertaken by two Indonesian entities owned or controlled by Monsanto. As a result of the conduct described above, the Commission charged that Monsanto violated the anti-bribery provisions of the FCPA (Section 30A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). In a related proceeding, the United States Department of Justice has entered into an agreement with Monsanto Company to defer prosecution on charges of violating the anti-bribery and books and records provisions of the FCPA.

Monsanto Company: Admin. Proc. Rel. No. 34-50978 / January 6, 2005
File No. 3-11789 In the Matter of MONSANTO COMPANY, Respondent. PTMK reports to Monsanto through Monsanto's Asia Pacific regional management, which is headquartered in Singapore. PTBS reports to Monsanto through Monsanto's Asia Pacific regional management, which is headquartered in Singapore. During the period, the Indonesian affiliates violated the accounting policies, controls, and procedures of Monsanto. Monsanto wanted to increase acceptance of GMO crops in Indonesia. The senior Monsanto manager is a citizen of, and was based in, the United States. On behalf of Monsanto, the senior Monsanto manager, management of the Indonesian affiliates, and the consulting firm employee lobbied for legislation and ministerial decrees favorable to GMO crops. In order to fund the $50,000 payment, the senior Monsanto manager devised a scheme involving false invoices. The invoices were submitted to Monsanto in the United States on December 20, 2001, several weeks before the second trip occurred.

Charles Michael Martin: Lit. Rel. No. 20029 /March 6, 2007
The complaint further alleged that to generate the funds to make the illegal $50,000 payment and to conceal the unlawful activity, Martin directed the Consulting Firm to create a set of invoices to falsely bill Monsanto in an amount sufficient to cover the illegal payment. Martin subsequently approved the false invoices for payment by Monsanto, and took steps to ensure that Monsanto paid the false invoices, thereby causing Monsanto's books and records to be falsified and circumventing Monsanto's system of internal accounting controls. Based, in part, on these allegations, the Commission previously filed a settled enforcement action and instituted settled administrative proceedings against Monsanto. SEC v. Monsanto Co., Case No. 1:05CV00014 (D.D.C. January 6, 2005); Monsanto Company, No. 3-11789, Exchange Act Rel.

Closer to home the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation denies it has links to Monsanto. The denial comes despite its collaborative efforts with that giant biotech corporation with regard to developing novel plant material based on Monsanto patented genes, especially Ingard Cotton in the 1990s and, the fact that this cooperation appears to exist to date if Monsanto itself is to be believed in 2011.

Indeed, these commercial R & D links being so well-known that they are often recognised in academic papers.

['Consolidating Control: Plant Variety Rights, Genes and Seeds']

One has to wonder why the CSIRO was so foolish as to make such a blanket denial.

One Man's Opinion: News Corporation is sorry.....

Advertisement placed in The Guardian newspaper in Britain and other media
during the week ending 16 July 2011
Click to enlarge

Rupert Murdoch and his sons Lachlan and James in happier days

What is the Murdoch family and the News Corporation media conglomerate it dominates sorry for?
Why, for being caught of course.

Who will the family and corporation blame for the unfolding scandal? Inevitably, everyone and anyone other than members of the Murdoch family.

Is this the end of Rupert Murdoch's political influence?
Only if Britain, the United States and Australia all refuse to support the argument that the international media empire he heads is too big to be allowed to fail.

Who or what will be the losers if Murdoch's political balls aren't removed?
Without a doubt, democratic institutions in every county in which News Corp, its subsidiaries and affiliates, operate.

But News Corp isn't behaving badly in Australia is it?
Oh yes it is. In the absence of world war, widespread civil conflict, country-wide famine or desperate national financial crisis driving a need, the Murdoch press has broadly stated an aim of destroying one minor democratic political party and repeatedly calls for an early election (beginning within days of the 2010 ballot results) with the aim of regime change at federal level.
It deliberately misquotes and misrepresents those public figures or scientists who do not support its skewed views.
It is known to have attempted to charge at least one political party for favourable published comment (Page 1 & Page 2) by its journalists during an election campaign and patently wouldn't recognise its own (or indeed any other) Professional Conduct Policy if it fell over a tattered copy on the footpath.

A bit of background courtesy of The Guardian UK and Granny Herald AUS:
Phone hacking: Murdoch goes on defensive over 'total lies' by MPs
Les Hinton sacrificed, but the worst is yet to come for News Corp
Rebekah Brooks's resignation letter
Phone hacking: Met police put pressure on Guardian over coverage
Phone hacking: Murdoch paid US anti-bribery law lobbyists
Rebekah Brooks's belated resignation intensifies spotlight on James Murdoch
News of the World phone hacking - interactive timeline
Murdoch's strange hunt for a handout

Pics found at Google Images

UPDATE:

Staying true to the lack of ethics displayed by its parent company, News Ltd's Herald Sun published this incitement to murder in a comment section, according to @heraldsunreader:

Moggy Musings [Archived material from Boy the Wonder Cat]

A There Be Mongrels musing: In the last twelve months four dugongs and two rare snub-fin dolphins have been found dead, tied up and weighted down in waters around Townsville. If any moggies in that area know who is doing this - next time these mongrels launch a boat go down to the creek, river or ocean and dip your paws in the water stirring vigorously. With any luck, the storm you raise will sink their boat.

A Jimmy Barnes musing: Rex the German Shepherd sent a bark my way to say that he's heard a rumour that Jimmy Barnes is featuring at a 4pm Saturday 21 May 2011 private function officially launching the ritzy re-vamp of the Yamba Tavern, a hotel on the banks of the Clarence River with jetty and mooring for those arriving by water. Rex says Jimmy's son David Campbell performed at the Yamba Golf Club on Wednesday night.

A mayoral musing: A little birdie told my mate Sheamus The Black who told me - that far from Clarence Valley Council having the wait and see policy on coal seam mining using fracking which Richie Williamson announced via a local newspaper it has no formal policy at all. Tsk, tsk Mr. Mayor.

A portrait of a b@st@rd musing: The offender is described as being aged between 50-60, with a grey beard, grey woolly hair and wearing a red, white and black flannel shirt with black track pants, white runners and a red and black helmet. This is the description of a cyclist who stabbed the very friendly bulldog, Hank, in Dandenong on 9 May 2011. Anyone with information on the attack should contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

A plunging the depths of bad taste musing: On Anzac Day 2011 most people using Twitter were careful to show some degree of respect for Australia's national observance commemorating the war dead. Two of the few who stood out for displaying extreme bad taste were Australian Christian Lobby managing director Jim Wallace who did a bit of gay and Muslim bashing under an ANZAC banner and poorcredithomeloans.info which decided misleading #ANZAC tweets leading to its website and a nastee virus were the order of the day. If these two cross my path I reserve the right to sink my claws into whatever flesh they have on view.





Boy

Can Australia Afford The Murdochs? A brief look at some players in the Australia Network tender

Australian News Channel Pty Ltd is a joint venture of PBL Media, Seven Media and British Sky Broadcasting.

News Corporation already owns a controlling 39.1 percent stake in British Sky Broadcasting

Rupert Murdoch is Chairman/CEO and Elisabeth and Lachlan Murdoch are directors of News Corporation

News Corporation is one of the world's largest media conglomerates

News Limited operates as News Corporation's Australian brand

News International Chairman/CEO is James Murdoch

Lachlan Murdoch's private company holds 9 per cent of Prime television
Lachlan Murdoch is acting acting CEO and a substantial shareholder in Ten Network

Lachlan Murdoch becomes key investor following his company Illyria’s purchase of 9.1% in the Prime Media Group

In 2006 News Ltd controlled 68 percent of the Australian metropolitan and regional newspaper market

Sometime in February 2012 the Australian Government intends to grant a contract to operate its overseas media service, Australia Network

British Sky Broadcasting and the public broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation are both participating in the competitive tender.

Given the recent disclosures of alleged widespread wrongdoing within the News Corporation Group, can the nation afford either the risk to international reputation or domestic democratic processes by allowing the Murdoch family any more media influence than it already has?

* Phone hacking: both Murdochs agree to face MPs following jail threat
* FBI probe puts pressure on News shares
* News of the World phone hacking - interactive timeline, 6 November 2005 to 15 July 2011

Cartoon from Google Images