#85 Jan/Feb 2007
The Washington Free Press Washington's Independent Journal of News, Ideas & Culture
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TOP STORIES

Instant Runoff Voting OKed in Pierce County
The same ballot reform wins in every contest nationwide
by Steven Hill

Is it safe to buy a home in Washington?
Home inspectors are not required to report toxic mold
by T. McCormick

15 myths about global warming
by Doug Collins
cartoons by George Jartos

FIRST WORDS

READER MAIL
Bushco Propaganda, Mountain Time, Impeachment
cartoon by David Logan

Oops!
defects corrected from last issue

NORTHWEST & BEYOND
Mass die-offs of alpine trees; American businesses protest labor rights in China

FREE THOUGHTS

Should we save or spend?
Politicians tell us to spend, economists tell us to save
by Jim Sullivan

Viaduct Politics
Seattle needs a "Transit + Streets" option
opinion by Cary Moon and Julie Parrett

War abroad, crime at home
Just why do crime stats rise when the country is at war?
by Doug Collins
cartoon by Andrew Wahl

HEALTH

The contaminated cigarette cartel
The major health risk is not tobacco, but industrial substances in cigarettes
article and cartoons by John Jonik

Medical Marijuana Scores Major Win
Court upholds California measures
from the ACLU
cartoon by John Jonik

MILITARY

Watada hearing tackles free speech for soldiers, relevance of truth
article and photo by Jeff Paterson, Courage to Resist

NASA plans moon base to control pathway to space
from Global Network

Keeping America safe
Themes from the Federal Register
by David Ortman

ENVIRONMENT

Reducing Extravagance
There are many ways--some surprising--to address climate change
by Doug Collins

Glaciers: coming or going?
by Doug Collins

FILM REVIEW
An Inconvenient Truth
review by Demian

TRASH TALK
Wintertime savings
by Dave & Lillian Brummet

MEDIA

MEDIA BEAT
Is the USA the center of the world?
by Norman Solomon
cartoon by George Jartos

Chavez wins Time reader vote, but is shunned by editors
by John Jonik

POLITICS

Let's have public funding for public elections in WA
opinion by Robert Stern, Washington Public Campaigns

Immigration reform: finally?
by Domenico Maceri
cartoon by George Jartos

RIGHT BRAIN

BOOK REVIEW
Spanning Washington
Historic Highway Bridges of the Evergreen State
review by Robert Pavlik

Two poems by Bob Markey
The Old Man and the Tree; Waiting for Bush's Other Shoe to Drop

Poems for progressives
Empire of the Senseless; Stomach Ache

NOTABLE QUOTES
from Bill Maher, Dwight Eisenhower, etc.

TOON-O-PHOBIA
Assorted cartoons from Scott Breeze, John Jonik, George Jartos, John Ambrosavage, Andrew Wahl, and David Logan

What is the Washington Free Press?

This paper is an effort--by many individual writers, artists, and editors--to bring to you information that often goes unreported in the corporate media (to see examples, just read this issue!). In a sense, this paper is a sort of childhood dream-come-true of what journalism should be: news in the public interest and opinion from the heart. This paper is a volunteer operation in which no one is making a profit or bowing to commercial pressures. It is not distributed in newsstands, but is instead distributed by volunteers who want to get underreported news out to their neighborhoods. This paper is not aligned with any political party or other specific interest, and you'll probably find articles written by middle-of-the-road muckrakers, by Chomskyites as well as traditionalists, and by generally unclassifiable individuals, as long as they write accessibly and with a spirit of public and planetary betterment. This paper is almost entirely dependent on you--the appreciative reader--for its existence, as there are always bills to pay for printing, mailing, and supplies. We thank those who continue to help over the years, and we ask that others please also help us get the news out by subscribing and donating to the paper, in order to help spread commitment and best wishes for a better world and a better region.

Doug Collins, coordinating editor

Keeping America Safe

Themes from the Federal Register

by David Ortman

 

Did you know that thanks to President Clinton the United States has been in a continuous state of National Emergency since November 14, 1994? On that date, Clinton declared a national emergency with respect "to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (weapons of mass destruction) and the means of delivering such weapons." President Bush extended the national emergeny for yet another year on October 27, 2006. See Federal Register notice below. No mention made of the threat to the worlds national security, foreign policy or economy from the United States' stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.

Meanwhile, under a continuation of National Emergency, the Department of Defense (DoD) was busy fighting the Sale or Rental of Sexually Explicit Material on DoD Property (DoD Instruction 4105.70) and established a new review board to determine whether a material offered for sale or rental is sexually explicit as consistent with the definition in 10 U.S.C. 2489a. The Secretary of the Army and the Secretary of the Air Force shall each appoint one senior representative from the Army and Air Force Exchange Service to serve on the Board. The Secretary of the Navy shall appoint a senior representative from the Navy Exchange Service Command and a senior representative from the Marine Corps Exchange Service to serve on the Board. The Board shall periodically review material offered or to be offered for sale or rental on property under DoD jurisdiction and determine whether any such material is sexually explicit in accordance with this part. Apparently the DoD knows it when it sees it. (See below).

 

Federal Register: October 31, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 210) [Presidential Documents] [Page 64109] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr31oc06-127]

Notice of October 27, 2006

Continuation of National Emergency Regarding the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction

On November 14, 1994, by Executive Order 12938, the President declared a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States posed by the proliferation of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons (weapons of mass destruction) and the means of delivering such weapons. On July 28, 1998, the President issued Executive Order 13094 amending Executive Order 12938 to respond more effectively to the worldwide threat of weapons of mass destruction proliferation activities. On June 28, 2005, I issued Executive Order 13382 that, inter alia, further amended Executive Order 12938 to improve our ability to combat proliferation. Because the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States, the national emergency first declared on November 14, 1994, must continue in effect beyond November 14, 2006. In accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 12938, as amended.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

(Presidential Signature) THE WHITE HOUSE, October 27, 2006. [FR Doc. 06-9021 Filed 10-30-06; 12:12 pm] Billing code 3195-01-P

 

Federal Register: November 15, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 220) [Rules and Regulations] [Page 66457-66460] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr15no06-11]

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary 32 CFR Part 235 [DOD-2005-OS-0149] RIN 0790-AH86 Sale or Rental of Sexually Explicit Material on DoD Property (DoD Instruction 4105.70)

ACTION: Final rule.

SUMMARY: This rule prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on property under DoD jurisdiction. It establishes responsibilities for monitoring compliance, establishes a review board to determine whether a material offered for sale or rental is sexually explicit as consistent with the definition in 10 U.S.C. 2489a, and delineates review board procedures. This updated rule includes administrative changes and one new policy allowing materials which have been determined by the Board to be sexually explicit to be submitted for reconsideration every 5 years.

DATES: Effective Date: December 15, 2006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Commander F. Stich, 703-602-4601.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 19, 2005 (70 FR 75091) the Department of Defense published the proposed rule for public comment. Twenty-eight comments were posted, 14 of which merited a response:

1. Comment posted 1/12/06:

General Comment: I don't think the DoD should be selling or renting sexually explicit material other than artistic publications such as Playboy. DoD response: The Part, which implements 10 U.S.C. 2489a, prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on property under DoD jurisdiction, as well as the sale or rental of sexually explicit material by DoD military and civilian personnel acting in an official capacity.

2. Comment posted 2/2/06:

General Comment: In addition to appointing senior representative to the Resale Activities Board of Review, there should also be a consumer group composed of enlisted members and officers to help analyze material for decency. DoD response: Forming the suggested consumer group is unnecessary. The Resale Activities Board of Review includes civilian representatives from the Army, Navy, and Air Force who are capable of identifying sexually explicit material.

3. Comment posted 2/6/06:

General Comment: I think that the proposed rule to prohibit sexually explicit material being sold on the property of the Department of Defense and by those employed by the Department of Defense is a bit too restricting. I can understand prohibiting it on government property, however, prohibiting those employed by the Department of Defense has gone too far. It is not the government's job to regulate what people do with their private lives. It's like telling people that they can't smoke if they want to work for that person. DoD response: The Part does not prohibit DoD personnel from possessing sexually explicit material. It prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on property under DoD jurisdiction, and it prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material by DoD military and civilian personnel when acting in an official capacity.

4. Comment posted 2/6/06:

General Comment: It seems that if magazines and videos containing sexually explicit materials are to be restricted but books containing sexually explicit materials are not, then a double standard is being created. In essence sexually explicit materials are acceptable in one format but not in another. Either all sexually explicit materials should be allowed or it all should be banned. DoD response: The Part is consistent with 10 U.S.C. 2489a, which does not include books in the definition of ``sexually explicit material.''

5. Comment posted 2/6/06:

General Comment: I think the military should be able to possess whatever types of media they choose, as long as it does not violate the law. DoD response: The Part does not regulate possession of sexually explicit material by DoD military and civilian employees. It prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on property under the DoD jurisdiction, and it prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material by DoD military and civilian employees acting in an official capacity.

6. Comment posted 2/6/06:

General Comment: I don't see how the barring of sale or rental of pornographic materials is going to help anything. If the issue is pornography on property owned by the Dept. of Defense, then possession of it should be banned entirely. DoD response: The Part does not regulate the possession of sexually explicit material by DoD military and civilian employees. It prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on property under DoD jurisdiction, and by DoD civilian and military employees when acting in an official capacity.

7. Comment posted 2/6/06:

General Comment: I believe that this proposed rule is too restrictive based on the fact that all DoD property is included. While explicit materials should be restricted from certain areas under DoD's property, such as work areas, other property, such as personal living areas, should not be included. DoD response: The Part does not prohibit the possession of sexually explicit material by DoD military and civilian employees. It prohibits the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on property under DoD jurisdiction, and by DoD military and civilian employees when acting in an official capacity.

 

Editor's note: I cut the remaining seven published comments. But you get the picture: people of every rank are understandibly much more concerned about pornographic videos than about the continuation of a sham National Emergency.


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