Free Speech Coalition



Tuesday, July 10, 2007

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

Vol. VIII, No. 12, Feb. 10, 2006 -- 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 2005 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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COME ON DOWN FOR ROCK N ROLL BINGO
Check it out: Win great prizes! Have fun at a bingo benefit for Free Speech Coalition next Thursday, February 16, 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm, at the Cranes Hollywood Tavern, 1611 N. El Centro Avenue (between Selma & Hollywood). The benefit will be hosted by Joanna Angel from Eon McKai’s New Wave Hookers (VCA). Co-Hosted by Rock Star Tim Armstrong from “Rancid”! Price: $5 for each bingo card.
    Rock-N-Roll Bingo is a non-profit organization formed to bring together musicians, fans of music, grassroots political organizations and community members to support various social charitable organizations and events. This week the grateful beneficiary of the organization is FSC. Don’t miss this perfect opportunity to have fun and help the cause of free expression at the same time. Bring friends. And don’t forget this secret: the more bingo cards you buy, the more chance you have of winning! For more info call 323-993-3666.
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CRISIS OVER CARTOONS GROWS
BEIRUT, LEBANON -- A massive demonstration here with an estimated 800,000 Shiite Muslims and followers of the Hezbollah movement capped a week of escalating uproar throughout the Muslin world over 12 cartoons which first appeared in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten, and subsequently were re-published -- first in several European newspapers and later in a limited number of other publications around the world as a statement of solidarity with Western principles of free speech.
    The cartoons, innocuous by Western standards but offensive to Muslims, may seem like a flimsy pretext for such strong reactions, and indeed, there are indicators that the flames are being fanned by extremists with other axes to grind. Despite pleas urging moderation from both Islamic authorities and Western governments, the uproar seems to be gaining momentum each day with Danish embassies as the main target of arson and threats.
    In addition to an international crisis. the cartoons have provoked intense intellectual debate, with searching editorials and provocative essays taking strong positions on many sides of the issue. Essays we thought interesting include: Niranjan Ramakrishnan in Counterpunch; Dominic Knight in the Australian Fairfax Digital Radar; Mick Hume in Spiked-Online; an editorial in the conservative National Review; and Mark MacNamara in the liberal Salon.com.
    At the core of the debate is a fundamental issue long familiar to adult entertainment industry infidels: Freedom of speech necessarily includes the freedom to offend. Not everyone agrees.
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ANTI-PIRACY GROUP STRIKES AGAIN
AUSTRALIA -- On behalf primarily of American producers, Adult Industry Copyright Organization (AICO) has won a $50,000 legal judgment here after identifying 18 pirated DVD titles from Vivid, Wicked, Red Light District and others. A Federal Magistrates Court judge awarded the damages recently, based on a ruling last year that Kaos Shop, Platinum Interactive and local businessman Theo Armenis were in violation of Australian copyright laws.
    AICO’s success is the third victory in a series of actions against pirates. Last July a judge ordered Venus Adult Shops and Tropher Installations to pay $150,000 in damages and about $100,000 additional costs and damages for pirating Private Media Group DVDs. Then, last November, AICO helped win a $200,000 settlement with another firm that had allegedly pirated Private labels.
    The accumulated judgments and settlements are bound to have an effect on the heretofore rampant piracy of American as well as some Australian adult product in Oz. Piracy has been a standard operating procedure for many distributors, especially since the advent of DVDs in the adult market.
    Todd Blatt, head of Antigua Pictures, which oversees licensing agreements for the American production companies, said he’s pleased with the work AICO has done.
    “It’s amazing what they’ve been able to do with so much piracy that was going on,” said Blatt.
From Carlos Martinez, AVN.com, 2/8/06
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CHURCH PASSES THE PLATE FOR COUNTY FIGHT
SPENCER COUNTY, IN -- $1094 from special collections at the First Baptist Church in Huntingburg has been donated to the Spencer County Community Defense fund to help the county get rid of the Love Boutique, an adult shop which has opened in a former truck stop along a freeway. Pastor Gerry Otahal says his church also plans to solicit money for the fund from area businesses. Otahal says many more churches in the area also plan to collect money for the fund.
    The funds will bolster the $40,000 that the county has set aside for legal fees to fight the shop. They expect a legal battle because the county commissioners recently strengthened an ordinance and the owners of Love Boutique are expected to appeal the changes.
From Associated Press, 2/8/06
And from Lisa Danver, WFIE Channel 14, Evansville, 2/9/06
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DANCERS ARRESTED FOLLOWING COURT LOSS
DAYTONA BEACH, FL -- No doubt still smarting from their recent loss to an exotic dance club in a high profile Federal court case, (Daytona Grand Inc dba Lollipop’s Gentlemen’s Club v. City of Daytona Beach, See X-Press report, “Victory in Secondary Effects Trial,” 1/27/06) local authorities, it appears, are fighting back by raiding dance clubs, including Lollipop’s. After a few hours of preliminary police work -- which included undercover lap dances -- Pasco County deputies arrested 25 dancers from 6 clubs, including, in addition to Lollipops: Calendar Girls, Vegas Showgirls, Brass Flamingo, Bare Assets, Foxy Lady, and Club Extasy. The dancers were charged with cocaine peddling, prostitution, lewdness, exposure of sexual organs, and the improper solicitation of alcohol sales.
From The Smoking Gun, 2/8/06
Thanks to Steven Watanabe for the news alert.
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STORE CLERKS ARRESTED ON OBSCENITY CHARGES
CLARKSVILLE, AR -- Cops here have arrested Jonathon Frances, 22; Amanda Graae, 22; and Cassandra Phung, 23, employees of the X-Mart Adult Supercenter, on felony charges involving selling obscene materials. Detective Greg Donaldson and a team of undercover investigators deemed certain DVDs to be in violation of Arkansas law. The store itself was allowed to remain open, however, because, according to police, most of the items for sale were in compliance with the law.
    “Our only concern, right now, is the DVD and video tapes we feel are obscene. We’re not trying to put them out of business. The city is not trying to put them out of business. We’re just following the law, like we would for any other business," Donaldson said.
    In the meantime, the young store clerks are free on bail, awaiting a court date March 10. If convicted they could go to jail for up to six years or pay a $10,000 fine.
From Ft. Smith Radio KFSM, 2/7/06
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ADULT BUSINESSES LAW INTRODUCED
CHARLESTON, WV -- Delegate Greg Howard has introduced a bill (HB 2124) in the House of Delegates that would ban contact between exotic dancers and customers by requiring that dancers be at least 10 feet from patrons and on a stage at least 2 feet off the floor. Tipping of dancers would also be banned under the bill, and hours of sexually oriented businesses would be restricted to 10AM -- 11 PM, Monday through Saturday. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, with no action taken so far.
    The first thing lawmakers will have to do is make sure the bill presents no constitutional problems, said Delegate John Ellem, (R-Wood), a Judiciary Committee member. “I’ll certainly take a look at it,” he said. “I’m all for the concept.”
    “I don’t see it going through,” said Robert Ferrell, manager of the Lion’s Den adult bookstore, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days-a-week, in Mineral Wells. “The Mineral Wells location has been open for 15 years and cutting its hours would severely affect business,” he said.
    Judiciary committee member Tom Azinger, (R-Wood), said he would not be concerned with the negative effects the bill could have on sexually oriented businesses. “I don’t think those are the kind of businesses that do anything for the community,” he said.
From Evan Bevins, Parkersville News and Sentinel, 2/7/06
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TALENT AGENT FOUND NOT GUILTY OF PANDERING
VAN NUYS, CA -- Adult talent agent David Forest has been found not guilty in a jury trial on charges of pimping and pandering stemming from Forest’s “Meet the Stars” program. For a fee, fans could meet gay porn stars. Although Forest charged the fans for the introductions, he received nothing from the stars. Forest was offered a plea bargain, but did not accept it, a courageous decision, since the charges carry serious mandatory prison sentences. What a great relief it must be for Forest to put this behind him!
    "I was pretty sure the pimping charges would not hold up," he said, "because I don't take money from the stars. During their deliberations, the jury wanted to know if it's pimping if I don't know there's going to be prostitution. It isn't."
From Doug Lawrence, AVN.com, 2/8/06
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COME CELEBRATE FREE SPEECH IN CALIFORNIA
It’s time to mark your calendar to attend our acclaimed lobbying training program, Celebrate Free Speech Lobbying Days (CFSLD), in Sacramento, California. The dates are Monday and Tuesday, April 24 and 25, 2006, and as always, space is limited.
        The two-day event will include a full day of political action training for participants, as well as our popular cocktail reception for legislators and staff. Deadline for applications is March 10, 2006. Call the Legislative Affairs Office at 1-800-476-7813 or e-mail layne@inreach.com for more information and an application form.
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UpComing Events

FEB 16 -- Rock NRoll Bingo, L.A., CA -- FSC BENEFIT
FEB 16 --19 Sexpo Brisbane, Australia
FEB 21 -- ICRA Roundtable III – Sunnyvale, CA
FEB 24-26 -- Mr Cleveland Leather, Cleveland OH
MAR 9 -- GAYVN Awards 2006, Rage Nightclub, Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, CA
MAR 10-12 -- Erotica Expo, New Zealand
MAR 15-18 -- Webmaster Access Getaway, Cancun, Mexico
MAR 18 -- Fieldens Bal De Sade, Richmond, VA
MAR 16 -- 19 -- Fifth Annual San Francisco Fetish Ball Weekend, S.F., CA
MAR 24-26 Erotic Art Festival, Seattle, WA
March 25-26 Adultcon 10, Los Angeles, CA
MAR 30 - APR 1 -- The Phoenix Forum Tempe, AZ Mission Palms
APR 3-5, International Lingerie Show - Las Vegas, NV
APR 6-9, SSSS Western Conference – Redondo Beach, CA
APR 7-9 -- Leather Leadership, New York, NY
APR 24-25 – Celebrate Free Speech Lobbying Days, Sacramento, CA,
APR 28-30 -- Venus 10, International Trade Fair, Berlin, Germany
APR 29 -- 2nd Annual Sin City Chamber of Commerce Spring BBQ, Chicken Ranch Brothel, Pahrump, NV (Benefit for FSC)
May 5-7 -- Leather Fest, Washington, DC
May 10-13, Webmaster, Toronto, Ontario
May 25-29 -- Mr International Leather, Chicago, IL
JUN 8-11 -- Cybernet Expo 2006, Shelter Pointe Hotel, San Diego
JUN 9-11 --Exxxotica Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL
JUN 14, Celebrate Free Speech Day, Flag Day, Washington, DC
JUN 18 -- Folsom Street East, New York, NY
JUN 17 -- Leather Pride Night, New York, NY
JUN 23-25 -- Erotica Los Angeles, Los Angeles Convention Center
JUL 12-14, XBiz Summer, Las Vegas, NV
JUL 15-22, Gay Games, Chicago, IL
JUL 26 -- AUG 5 -- Outgames, Montreal, Canada
JUL 19-22 -- Lifestyles West, Las Vegas Stardust
AUG 4-6 -- Internext Summer 2006, Weston Diplomat, Hollywood, FL
AUG 22-25 -- Gentlemen’s Club Expo, Las Vegas, NV
AUG 25-28 -- Erotica Expo -New Zealand
SEPT 4 -- West Coast Rubber, Palm Springs, NV
SEPT 24 -- Folsom Street Fair, San Francisco, CA
SEPT 23-24 -- Adultcon 11, Los Angeles Convention Center
OCT 20-26 -- Everything To Do With Sex Show, Toronto, Canada
OCT 21 -- Exotic Erotic Ball, San Francisco, CA
DEC 1-3 -- Black Rose 2006, Washington, DC
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Subscriptions to Free Speech X-Press are FREE to FSC members. Contact us at Sunlove@direcway.com or 800-476-7813.