diff -r 961a8a3acb9a -r bb6990c0dd1a org/sonews/mlgw/SMTPTransport.java
--- a/org/sonews/mlgw/SMTPTransport.java	Mon Aug 17 11:00:51 2009 +0200
+++ b/org/sonews/mlgw/SMTPTransport.java	Thu Aug 20 14:31:19 2009 +0200
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@
   public void send(Article article, String mailFrom, String rcptTo)
     throws IOException
   {
+    assert(article != null);
+    assert(mailFrom != null);
+    assert(rcptTo != null);
+
     this.out.println("MAIL FROM: " + mailFrom);
     this.out.flush();
     String line = this.in.readLine();