Justin Paxton's blog

The Swiss news organization Tages-Anzeiger reported today on the potential threat posed by Wikileaks' forthcoming release and subsequent measures which Bank of America has taken to mitigate that threat (previously covered here on WL Central).

Sie setzte im Dezember einen Krisenstab von 20 Computer- und Risikoexperten ein, zog die renommierte Beratungsfirma Booz Allen Hamilton sowie mehrere Topkanzleien bei, um sich abzusichern. (Bank of America had set up a crisis unit in December. The crisis unit of 20 computer and risk experts, pulled from the prestigious consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton has been tasked to access and defend Bank of America.)

Further, the article notes that delaying the release of the Banking information will dilute their effectiveness and potential for harm.

länger Wikileaks zuwartet, desto geringer wird die Wirkung des Lecks sein.

"We want all the information to be above the table so the press is not restricted and the truth is reflected in the history books. These principles, are in essence, our philosophy." -Julian Assange (translated)

Today, the Dutch news organization NOS.nl posted a segment of their interview with Julian Assange. In this brief segment, Mr. Assange elaborates on the philosophy behind the release of several cables concerning Afghanistan troop deployment from the Netherlands. According to the website, the full interview will be posted later today, at which time we will provide an update.

Interview with Julian Assange. (Full Interview)

The full article can be found here.

This Day in Cable History. (May 12th 1986. Madrid)

QADHAFI RETALIATES AGAINST SPANISH EXPULSIONS.LIBYA MAY 12 RESPONDED TO FRIDAY'S EXPULSION OF ITS CONSUL GENERAL, CHARGED WITH PASSING FUNDS TO A SPANISH ARMY COLONEL ON THE ANTI-DEMOCRATIC RIGHT, BY PNG'ING THE SPANISH COMMERCIAL AND CULTURAL COUNSELORS IN TRIPOLI. MFA'S SUBDIRECTOR GENERAL FOR NORTH AFRICA TELLS US THAT THE GOS WILL NOT RETALIATE SPECIFICALLY FOR THESE EXPULSIONS; AS INVESTIGATIONS CONTINUE INTO THE LIBYAN ACTIVITIES HERE, HOWEVER, MORE EXPULSIONS ARE QUITE POSSIBLE.

This Cable, written on a Monday afternoon in 1986 describes some of the "realpolitik" between Spain and Libya at the time. Further, this cable was written 27 days after the United States bombed Tripoli and surrounding military bases. Though QADHAFI and his administration were not an innocent party to the events leading up to the raid; the raid-bombing itself was condemned by many countries.

By a vote of 79 in favor to 28 against with 33 abstentions:

Framing is a fundamental tool of understanding. It is in the action of framing, or providing a narrative that context is created and understanding promoted. As with all "big" news stories and the embassy cables in particular, the various news outlets reporting on the cables have provided the context in which understanding is created, gained. The Guardian, New York Times, Der Spiegel and others have to a greater or lesser degree provided the political framing much needed to understand these cables. But, what of the social framing? What was the state of culture during the writing of these cables? And for that matter what were some of the economic indicators at the time?

Banking Corruption.

In support of Wikileaks worldwide.

The following contains no commentary; only quotes from a well reported cable release earlier this week. It will quickly become apparent why no commentary is required.

FRANCE AND THE WTO AG BIOTECH CASE

Summary: Mission Paris recommends that that the USG reinforce
our negotiating position with the EU on agricultural biotechnology by
publishing a retaliation list when the extend "Reasonable Time
Period" expires. In our view, Europe is moving backwards not
forwards on this issue with FRANCE playing a leading role, along with
Austria, Italy and even the Commission.

Moving to retaliation will make clear that the current path
has real costs to EU interests and could help strengthen
European pro-biotech voices.

Both the GOF and the Commission have suggested that their
respective actions should not alarm us since they are only
cultivation rather than import bans. We see the cultivation ban as a
first step, at least by anti-GMO advocates, who will move next to ban
or further restrict imports. (The environment minister's top aide
told us that people have a right not to buy meat raised on biotech
feed

The nature of the Internet makes detailed, concise, well thought out arguments almost impossible. The fluidity, the ebb and flow of information all conspire against the well thought out essay. In the past weeks, months even, there has been numerous attempts by myself and others to boil down the main arguments, the main points to be made, to try and shine some light into the encroaching darkness. While some have made a good go of it, placing cap-stones on some of the more pressing issues; others have failed miserably. I am forced to concede, alas, I am in the "fail" category.

I can hardly count the numerous "beginnings" of essays; which, in my heart of hearts I felt, were Surly to illuminate and keep the darkness at bay. However, it seems, new information, new spins on old information come flooding; torrents of rumors, facts and fallacies kaleidoscope round; peculate and illustrate most macabre.

This will not happen now.

The World Will Become Better.

Soft as filigree,
damming as ice;
we shudder now,
when we hear "nice"

Your day at the office,
forty minutes of it we viewed.
twenty-four hours later,
your corporate masters decried,
"the footage was skewed"

As if you hadn't killed,
Children, Journalists, Dads,
leaving their ruined bodies,
suffering in the Iraqi sands.

You said, "well it's their fault"
"for bringing their kids into a battle"
Secure in the sky,
safe from the child's death rattle.

The callousness of your action,
your eagerness to kill
the slight gratification in your voice,
haunts me still.

What was done, by you and then,
reminds me of another war,
another "them"

Untermensch "they" were called,
by those solders,
who seemed
to enjoy it all.

But that was a "good" war,
as if killing isn't anything but.
they too laughed it off
making jokes not meant to cut.

And if we hold up a mirror,
to compare the past and today,
what do you see?
are there any differences in play?

As reported by the BBC, The Sydney Morning Herald  and The

An Argument of the Heart.

I feel outclassed. I feel unbelievably inarticulate.
The information war is raging, and I am speechless.
The warring tribes have set their lines,
the corporations have told their lies.

I've starred in horror and disgust,
as Sen. Lieberman, defiles his elected office.
I've whispered praise of wiki-leaks and Assange,
and have thought hard as to what I would sacrifice.
For personal safety, I couldn't care less,
but to those connected, at this I wince.

It is a telling tale, in which one should shudder,

I sit and look out the office window.

Common Sense
(calm down you damn fools!)

Originally, I wrote a rather lengthy research paper entitled: Applied Linguistics using Information Theory Modals with three data sets:Wikileaks, Julian Assange and Western Media / Government Information Control. After spending many coffee fueled nights and countless hours of research, I realized I had essentially written my doctoral dissertation. So, instead of wasting valuable time and bytes; I decided to submit it here, in the hopes of actually graduating sometime this century.

However, not to be outdone by my own propensity to wordiness; I have written a much condensed and mathematical proof free version here with the fitting title; Common Sense (calm down you damn fools!) If you are unfamiliar with the area of applied linguistics and or information theory, a good primer can be found at the University of Bielefeld. So, with all that said, I humbly present two interesting (and tale telling) outcomes of the research.

1.Denial of Residency to Julian Assange by the Swedish Board of Immigration.
A: Residency was denied by SIB because of complicity with US wishes. (JA)

Anyone who does not believe the global community is governed by symbol and metaphor is a complete dork. Case in point: Wiki-leaks, Julian Assange and Western Narrative. The western narrative makers have been in a flurry of late, painting Julian Assange and by extension, Wiki-leaks as the evil overlords of all that is abhorrent. From the metaphorical “blood on his hands” to allegations of rape and molestation, our hesiodic tale weavers have created a web 2.0 version of a Goldstein, a Red, a Dirty Devil.

This may be over the top: but, well, that is what I am good at. Feel free to use this in anyway you deem fit. It was directly inspired by the "Persecution" statement.