Judge overturns AppleInsider and PowerPage rulings
Tom Sanders in California,
30 May 2006
California judge has ruled against Apple’s request to force several bloggers to reveal the sources of confidential information leaks. The ruling overturned an earlier verdict in Apple’s favour.
Apple had alleged that AppleInsider and PowerPage had violated its trade secrets.
Both websites published information in 2004 about a product codenamed Asteroid or Q97, a forthcoming application that would allow users to record analogue audio within Apple’s GarageBand software.
The computer maker argued that the importance of its trade secrets overruled the authors’ rights to protect their sources because the information leak amounted to theft.
Apple also insisted that the publication of such material does not serve the public interest.
In an apparent reference to the WorldCom and Enron scandals, Judge James Kleinberg said: “Business entities may adopt secret practices that threaten not only their own survival and the investments of their shareholders, but the welfare of a whole industry.
“Labelling such matters ‘confidential’ and ‘proprietary’ cannot drain them of compelling public interest.”
Although the ruling stated that several other factors in the case justified a forced disclosure, it found that the public interest outweighed those arguments.
“Today’s decision is a victory for the rights of journalists, whether online or offline, and for the public at large,” said Kurt Opsahl, a staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who argued the case before the appeals court last month.
“The court has upheld the strong protections for the free flow of information to the press, and from the press to the public.”
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
