PATRIOT ACT RENEWAL PASSES KEY COMMITTEES
WASHINGTON, DC -- The House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees have both approved their versions of the 16 expiring provisions of the U.S. Patriot Act, which must be reauthorized before they expire on December 31. A few modest amendments were allowed but, in general, the committees made permanent both of the expiring provisions from last year’s intelligence reform bill and 14 of the 16 expiring PATRIOT Act provisions.
         The other two provisions -- section 206, which allows “roving wiretaps’’; and section 215, which allows federal investigators access to such things as tax, library and medical records -- were renewed, but given a 10-year sunset date. The entire House is expected to consider the Patriot Act reauthorization (H.R. 3199) next week.
         The Committee actions, no doubt influenced by the recent terrorist attacks in London, were not what civil libertarians had hoped for. Many Democratic amendments were rejected. The ACLU described the committee changes as “cosmetic.” Lisa Graves, the group’s senior counsel for legislative strategy, said the new proposals “mimic the same flaws of the initial Patriot Act. They continue to place extraordinary powers in the hands of the executive, with… diminished oversight by both Congress and the judiciary.”
         Graves suggested that Congress should pass alternative legislation called the Security and Freedom Enhancement Act (Safe Act), which she described as a bi-partisan bill that “strikes the right balance in securing the nation and protecting our freedoms.” FSC members and supporters can urge Congress members to vote for the Safe Act at this URL: http://www.nostrippingliberty.org.
         The outcome of the reauthorization bill in the Senate is uncertain. Judiciary Committee members Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) have introduced a version which has four-year sunsets instead of ten-year sunsets on the controversial sections 206 and 215 described above.
         The Senate Intelligence Committee has already approved a bill that would actually expand law enforcement powers by authorizing so-called administrative subpoenas that can be issued without a judge’s order.
From The Associated Press, 7/14/05
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-07-14-house-patriot_x.htm
And from Carolyn Bolls, CNS News, 7/14/05
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=
%5CNation%5Carchive%5C200507%5CNAT20050714c.html
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LAP DANCE BAN PROPOSED
       LOS ANGELES, CA -- City Councilman Tony Cardenas has introduced a motion which would, in effect, ban lap dancing in the city. Two years ago the council backed away from a similar ban when exotic dance club owners threatened to sue. The clubs gathered signatures on a petition and organized towards a citywide ballot measure.
       This time around the city may be in a stronger position for a fight. The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in January upheld an ordinance in La Habra, California, that required dancers to remain at least 2 feet away from customers. Cardenas says he plans to use the La Habra law as a model.
       Also, according to Councilman Greig Smith, who seconded Cardenas’ motion, the city is in better financial health than in 2003 and in a better position to fight off an attempt by club owners to challenge the ban.
       No date has been set for the council to consider Councilman Cardenas’ proposal.
From KNBC-TV, 7/14/05
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8567623
And from Steve Hymon, Richard Fausset The L.A. Times, 7/14/05
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/
la-me-council14jul14,1,6703437.story?coll=la-headlines-pe-california&ctrack=1&cset=true
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NEW DANCE CLUB RULES PROPOSED
SEATTLE, WA -- Mayor Greg Nickels has asked the City Council to change the rules for exotic dance clubs. Entertainers would be required to remain 4 feet from customers when performing dances for tips. Other changes include new lighting requirements, the wearing of clothing when dancers aren’t performing and use of tip containers.
       In part, suggests an editorial in the Post-Intelligencer, the proposed changes may be in anticipation of an onslaught of new exotic dance club applications when the city lifts or is forced to remove its 17-year-old moratorium on new clubs. Every year for 17 years the council has renewed its “emergency” moratorium. This year, however, a potential club owner has challenged the moratorium in a lawsuit, and could well prevail, since the length of the emergency has become patently ridiculous.
      If new restrictions were adopted, however, Seattle’s clubs will lose customers to nearby suburban communities that allow lap dancing. And would-be club owners may well choose to locate outside of the city.
From The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 7/11/05
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/231853_rulesed.asp
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UNITED NATIONS COULD TAKE OVER THE INTERNET
       CYBERSPACE -- CNET News correspondent Declan McCullagh says there is a growing consensus, particularly among developing nations at the United Nations -- but also including Brazil and China -- that the U.S. has undue influence over the Internet through the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
       “An international political spat is brewing,” says McCullagh, “over whether the United Nations will seize control of the heart of the Internet.”
       The Bush administration has announced that it will not hand over control of Internet domain names and addresses to anyone else. However, if the U.S. snubs the world on the issue, there remains what is, in essence, a nuclear option: a fragmented root. That means, explains McCullagh, a new top-level domain would not be approved by ICANN -- but would be recognized and used by large portions of the rest of the world. In the long run, the nuclear option could create a Balkanized Internet where two computers find different Web sites at the same address.
       A formal proposal from a U.N. working group will be released soon. However, a preliminary summary claims there is a “convergence of views” supporting a new U.N. organization to oversee the Internet. Among the possible roles mentioned for such an organization are “surveillance,” “consumer protection,” and the power to tax domain names to pay for “universal access.”
From Declan McCullagh, CNET News.com, 7/11/05
http://news.com.com/Will+the+U.N.+run+the+Internet/
2010-1071_3-5780157.html?tag=nefd.ac
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SEX IN A SHOOT-EM-UP
       THE WORLD OF GAMING -- A brouhaha has developed around the popular video game “Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.” It seems that a downloadable modification to the recently released PC version of the game enables or unlocks sexually-explicit mini-games. Gamers then have options that go beyond the usual activities of, for example, stomping the heads of prostitutes to bloody pulps. With the addition of the “Hot Coffee” modification, gamers can watch the virtual protagonist romp instead of stomp, and even control some of the action.
       So far, everybody is ducking responsibility for putting sex into the blood and gore killing game. Rockstar, the games creator, says they did not insert the explicit code. Patrick Wildenborg, the Dutch gamer who authored the modification, says the code was already in the game.
       However, said Wildenborg, “…all this material is completely inaccessible in an unmodded [unmodified] version of the game. It can therefore not be considered a cheat, Easter Egg or hidden feature but is most probably just leftover material from a gameplay idea that didn’t make the final release.”
       Nonetheless, family groups such as The National Institute on Media and the Family are in a tizzy. Even Senator Hillary Clinton, perhaps wishing to embellish her credentials as protector of family values, has gotten involved. She has asked the Federal Trade Commission to investigate. The big question: Who knew that code was in there and when did they know it?
From Gamespot.com, 7/11/05
http://www.gamespot.com/news/2005/07/11/news_6128837.html
And from a BBC report, 7/12/05
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4682533.stm
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INTERNET SELF-REGULATION SYSTEM IMPROVED
       CYBERSPACE -- The Internet Content Rating Association (ICRA) has unveiled a new labeling system, based on the Resource Description Framework (RDF) standard. The independent, non-profit organization is touting the new system as a much improved technology to help webmasters self-label the nature of their content. For example, the new system allows clearer differentiation between medical and adult entertainment sites, and includes shortcuts to generate labels for adult entertainment sites. It promises greater ease and accuracy for adult industry self-regulation.
       Technically, the move shifts the ICRA system from the PICS (Platform for Internet Content Selection) to the newer W3C RDF standard. RDF is increasingly used in the latest web applications.
       Over 100,000 websites worldwide have already self-labeled using ICRA systems, including such brand names as Microsoft, AOL, Yahoo, T-Online and Hustler.

From Iain Thomson, vnunet.com, 7/13/05
http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/news/2139689/internet-content-rating
And from an ICRA Press Release, 7/12/05
http://www.icra.org/press/rdflaunch/
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GRAPHIC SPAM IN DECLINE
       REDWOOD CITY, CA -- A research study by the security software vendor Clearswift reveals that spam which advertises adult entertainment now accounts for only 5% of all spam. This is a dramatic drop when compared with a similar study in 2003 in which spam advertising adult entertainment comprised 20% of all spam.
       Healthcare spam -- mainly libido-enhancing pills -- now consistently dominates e-mail inboxes. Shaky financial offers are a close second, together accounting for 80% of all unsolicited commercial e-mail. In 2003 financial and health care junk mail accounted for 39% of spam.
From Network World, 7/14/05
http://www.networkworld.com/weblogs/layer8/009500.html
And from a Clearswift Press Release, 7/13/05
http://www.clearswift.com/news/item.aspx?ID=864
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Save the Date
June 17, 2005

5^th Annual Bob Tremont Memorial Golf Tournament
8:00 AM Shotgun
Angeles National Golf Club
9401 Foothill Blvd.
Sunland, CA 91040
www.angelesnational.com
“One of the 30 Best New Courses of 2004” says Brian McCallen in the January-February 2005 issue of Travel & Leisure Golf.

18^th Annual Night of the Stars
7:30 pm–10:00pm
The Hollywood Highlands
6801 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood CA 90028
www.thehighlandsla.com
 
This year’s modern theme and streamlined program is a return to casual Hollywood chic at the Kodak Theatre complex in Hollywood. Vert, a brasserie by Wolfgang Puck, will provide a delightful menu, while you meet and greet the stars and freedom fighters of the industry.

1st Annual Night of the Stars After-Party
10:00 PM
The Hollywood Highlands
For the first time, FSC throws a star-studded after-party! Party like a porn star and make America safe for adult entertainment!

UpComing Events

JULY 18-20 – AVN Adult Novelty Expo, Pasadena, CA. www.adultnoveltyexpo.com

JULY 26-28, -- VSDA's Home Entertainment 2005, Bellagio Resort, Las Vegas, NV, http://show.vsdahomeentertainment.com

AUG 5-6 – Internext, Hollywood, FL., www.Internext-expo.com

AUG 23-25, – Annual Gentlemen’s Club Expo, Madalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, NV http://www.exoticdancer.com/expo.php