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Free Speech X-Press
Delivering Weekly Censorship Updates to the Adult Industry

Vol. VI, No. 23, April 23, 2004 -- A Member Service of the Free Speech Coalition
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Free Speech X-press is researched and edited by Kat Sunlove and Layne Winklebleck.
Copyright 2004 Free Speech Coalition. Permission to reprint granted to FSC members; please give credit.
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VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR FSC MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
http://www.freespeechcoalition.com
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SAVE THE DATE! NIGHT OF THE STARS - JULY 24
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MOVE TO MANDATORY CONDOMS REPORTED
LOS ANGELES, CA -- On the heels of the HIV virus infecting two adult industry performers, L.A. Times reporters Lisa Richardson and Caitlin Liu describe state and county officials as planning actions which might require adult industry actors to wear condoms. The state Division of Occupational Health and Safety plans to begin inspections this week, they say, marking the first time Cal/OSHA has investigated the adult-film industry.

Richardson and Liu claim that Peter Kerndt, director of the sexually transmitted disease program for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, asked Cal/OSHA to investigate the production companies where Darren James and Lara Roxx, the two infected actors, worked.

Times articles, however, apparently have an axe to grind, and are not reliable sources of information on the industry. Kerndt has historically expressed support for the highly effective testing program of the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation (AIM).
"The LA County Health Department this morning has contacted us today [4/20] and contrary to the LA Times, they are very happy with the job that we have done," AIM’s executive director Sharon Mitchell told AVN.com. “They asked for anonymous statistics on our testing program to acknowledge how well it is working. We have agreed to give out anonymous statistics; we give them out all the time."

From Lisa Richardson and Caitlin Liu, L.A.Times, 4/20/04
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-adult20apr20,1,
2789266.story?coll=la-home-headlines
And from Scott Ross, AVN.com, 4/20/04
http://www.avn.com/index.php?Primary_Navigation=Articles
&Action=View_Article&Content_ID=81269

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GROUPS ASK FCC REVERSAL
WASHINGTON, DC -- A petition filed at the FCC asks the agency to once again reverse itself on the ruling that rock star Bono’s exclamation “f**king brilliant" during a 2003 awards show was both profane and indecent. Petitioners include a number of broadcasters, unions and performers, who fear a “chilling effect" on free speech and a wave of multimillion-dollar fines.

The controverial ruling reversed an October decision by a lower FCC body, which found Bono’s use of what it called the “f-word" to not be indecent because he meant it as an adjective.

NBC, which aired the Bono profanity, said the FCC’s latest ruling essentially creates a list of words that will bring a fine, regardless of their context.

"Worse, [the Bono decision] implies, without any further guidance, that the list of ‘curse' words will grow over time, thus leaving broadcasters to guess at the future evolution of FCC judgments," NBC said.
From Frank Ahrens, The Washington Post, 4/20/04
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25605-2004Apr19.html

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INDECENCY RULES FOR CABLE PREDICTED
LAS VEGAS, NV -- House Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) told a audience at the National Association of Broadcasters that he expects Congress to extend indecency rules to cable and satellite television systems. However, said Representative Barton, the broadcast industry might be able to avoid Congressional action by self regulating. For example, the industry could adopt a ratings system for cable and satellite; or could provide tiering services so that consumers can create their own buffet-style programming menu, said Barton. He also said any legislation to extend indecency rules to cable and satellite is still three or four years away.
From Steve McClellan, Broadcasting&Cable, 4/19/04
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA411390?display=Breaking+News (requires subscription)

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GUIDELINES NOT NEEDED, SAYS FCC CHAIR
LAS VEGAS, NV -- At the National Association of Broadcasters conference here, FCC Chair Michael Powell said the proposal by Mel Karmazin, the president of Viacom Inc., asking for greater specificity in indecency statutes, was a “red herring" (Viacom owns both CBS, which aired the controversial Super Bowl half-time show with Janet Jackson, as well as Howard Stern’s radio show.)

"You do not want the government to write a red book of what you can say and what you can’t say," Powell said.

Powell compared such legislation to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which spell out mandatory minimum sentences for specific crimes. While such standards make things clearer, they also take away the ability of decision makers (i.e. the FCC?) to reach their own judgment, he said.

Powell also said he does not support a bill that would take away a broadcast station’s license after its third indecency violation.
From Ellen Simon, Associated Press, 4/20/04
http://www.newsobserver.com/24hour/entertainment/
story/1303397p-8440482c.html

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TEXAS “SIN TAX" IDEA FACES OPPOSITION
AUSTIN, TX -- Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, assailing Governor Rick Perry’s proposed tax on exotic dance clubs (see "Governor Proposes ‘Sin Tax,’” 4/16/04 X-Press) calls it “unconscionable" for the state to make money through the exploitation of women. Instead, says Strayhorn, legislators should pass a law that would deprive dance clubs of liquor licenses, effectively putting them out of business.

"I don’t want my five granddaughters growing up in a state where the governor says partnering with sexually oriented nightclubs is an acceptable way to finance their education," she said.

Perry said he sees nothing wrong with deterring people from engaging in some practices by making them more expensive, and then using the money to fund schools.
Christy Hoppe/Robert T. Garrett, Dallas Morning News, 4/21/04
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/education/schoolfinance/
stories/042204dntexsessionstrayhorn.511c3.html

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PROFESSOR AND HACKER FOIL FOREIGN CENSORS
TORONTO, ONTARIO -- University of Toronto Political Science Professor Ron Deibert has created an Internet commando unit which employs its technical skills toward activist ends. Deibert secured non-profit funding, as well as a commitment from the University, and then looked around the political science department for student recruits. Among them, he found a hacker named Nart Villeneuve, who has a degree in Peace and Conflict Studies. Working out of a basement bunker on the University of Toronto’s campus, they started a Citizen Lab project called the OpenNet Initiative. The Citizen Lab actively develops circumvention technologies designed to help citizens in say, Saudi Arabia, for example, get around government imposed blocks that restrict Internet content.

Deibert says that nothing the group does is illegal, well, at least in North America.

"We probe networks, using methods I like to say that hackers, criminals and spies use all the time use all the time," he said. “Some authoritarian regimes obviously don’t like what we’re doing. But we feel we’re working in support of broader principles of human rights, so don’t mind the controversy. Sometimes it helps."
From Clark Boyd, BBC NEWS. 4/18/04
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/technology/3632757.stm

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UpComing Events

APR 26-27, 2004 Celebrate Free Speech Lobbying Days, Sacramento, CA, 866-FSC-9373

MAY 12 16, 2004, Lifestyles, Princess Hotel, Alcapulco, www.Lifestyles.org

JUN 9-12 Cybernet Expo, San Diego, CA www.cybernetexpo.com

JUN 18-20, 2004 Erotica L.A., Los Angeles, CA http://www.erotica-la.com/

JUL 7 11, 2004 -- Lifestyles West, Stardust Hotel, Las Vegas, http://lifestyles-convention.com/

JUL 24, 2004 Night of the Stars Sheraton Universal Hotel Los Angeles, CA - 866-FSC-9373

JUL 25 FSC’s Bob Tremont Memorial Golf Tournament, Sylmar, CA, 818-348-9373

JUL 26-28 ANME, Sheraton Universal, Universal City, CA, 818-772-0100

AUG 13-15, 2004 Internext -- Westin Diplomat, Hollywood, Florida www.Internext-expo.com

Subscriptions to Free Speech X-Press are FREE to FSC members. Contact us at Sunlove@direcway.com or 800-476-7813.