RAFAEL ROLLS TO VICTORY

Chief Michael Collins

Commanding Officer Public Information Division

NYC Police Department

1 Police Plaza

New York, New York 10038

Dear Mr. Collins:

We are writing on behalf of Rafael Martinez-Alequin to request a hearing before the Commanding Officer of the Public Information Division to challenge the Police Department’s denial of Mr. Martinez’s application for a Working Press Card. The grounds for the hearing are 1) the denial was arbitrary and capricious and 2) the requirements for obtaining a Press Card are unconstitutional.

Mr. Martinez-Alequin is the publisher and editor of The New York City Free Press a publication that provides readers with diverse opinions on issues related to poverty, racial and ethnic issues. In his capacity as editor/publisher of this publication, Martinez-Alequin has applied for, and has been granted, a Working Press Card since the early 1990s. Last year when Martinez applied for a Working Press Card the NYPD issued him a Press Identification Card without an explanation. Although the application that he submitted this year was virtually identical to those which he submitted in the past, Mr. Martinez was denied a press card this year.

The denial of Mr. Martinez-Alequin’s application was arbitrary and capricious:

On May 22, 2007, Martinez-Alequin received a form letter from Lieutenant Whyte stating that his application for a Press Card had been denied. The letter offered three reasons which failed to justify the denial. As such, the denial is arbitrary and capricious. In addition, the proffered reasons are possibly a pretext for an unconstitutional censoring of Mr. Martinez-Alequin’s probing questions and subsequent provocative analyses.

The first reason offered for the denial is that the application “Failed to establish that applicant is a full-time employee of a news gathering organization covering spot or breaking news events on a regular basis.” While it is true that the application doesn’t establish that Martinez-Alequin is a full-time employee of the type of organization described above, that alone is not enough to deny him a Working press card. Title 38, Chapter 11 of the Rules & Regulations of the City of New York, allows for those other than full-time employees of news gathering organizations to also qualify for a Working Press Card. It reads, “Newspersons (such as freelancers), not otherwise eligible for a Working Press Card, who demonstrate a need to cover the above-described spot or breaking news events on a regular and routine basis will be eligible for a Working Press Card.” Thus the first stated reason can not actually stand as justification for the denial of the Working Press Card.

The second reason offered for the denial is that the application “Failed to establish a demonstrable need to cover spot or breaking news events on a regular and routine basis.” Since Mr. Martinez has never been employed by a news gathering organization covering spot or breaking news events, we can assume that the issuance of previous press cards was based on a finding that he fell into the category of a newsperson (such as freelancers). As someone not employed by a large media organization he had the onerous task of showing that he needed to have access to these news stories in addition to proving that he actually was producing news stories. The standard for determining need is not defined in the statute. But in Martinez-Alequin’s applications prior to 2006, the NYPD apparently found that he established a need for a Working Press Card. Since the focus of his publication, and the content of his applications have remained unchanged, it can be assumed that a denial based on a failure to demonstrate need on this one occasion is arbitrary and capricious.

The third reason stated focuses on the procedural requirements of the application process. Again, Mr. Martinez-Alequin submitted the same material he has submitted on previous occasions. The application included a letter written by Martinez-Alequin, on his own behalf as a self-employed newsperson, on Free Press stationary introducing three tear sheets of applicable articles as required by 38 RCNY § 11-01. Thus, Mr. Martinez-Alequin has met the procedural requirements and this reason cannot justify the denial of his application.

Mr. Martinez-Alequin firmly believes that the denial of his application, as not justified by the above reasons, is the direct consequence of the questions he has raised at press conferences. If this is so, the denial is not only arbitrary and capricious and the reasons pretextual, but the government has engaged in unconstitutional retaliatory actions in response to Martinez’s protected exercise of his First Amendment rights.

It is important to note that this year the NYPD failed to offer Mr. Martinez a Press Identification Card in the alternative of a Working Press Card. A Press Identification Card is an official ID but one that does not allow journalists to cross police lines in emergency situations. Since Martinez submitted an identical application to the one submitted last year it is difficult to understand why he was denied a Press Identification Card this year.

The requirements for Press Cards are unconstitutional.

The NYPD offers two types of press cards as described above. The system for allocating these cards is unconstitutional in that it allows for too much unfettered discretion on the part of the NYPD and permits police to deny cards to journalists with viewpoints that are controversial, unpopular, or particularly disagreeable to the NYPD. The First Amendment was established specifically to prevent such situations from occurring. Moreover, the lack of standards for issuing the cards runs afoul of protected Due Process rights.

In order to qualify for a Working Press Card, journalists must prove that they either work for an organization that covers “robbery scenes, fires, homicides, train wrecks, bombings, plane crashes, where there are established police or fire lines at the scene” or they must show that they are freelance reporters with a demonstrated need for access to breaking news. The card then allows for these journalists to cross police lines.

There is no established standard to determine whether a freelance newsperson has demonstrated a need to cross police lines in order to qualify for Working Press Card. As explained earlier, Martinez was granted a Working Press Card prior to 2006 after the NYPD presumably determined he demonstrated a need and then denied his virtually identical application in 2007 while the focus of his publication remained unaltered. There are numerous examples of the arbitrary issuance of Working Press Cards where reporters who need access to breaking events are denied in favor those who don’t. Such a discrepancy indicates that, in practice, there is no definable standard. The nonsensical allocation of these cards constitutes a viewpoint based restriction on free speech.

There is an additional danger in allowing the police to determine which reporters are entitled to witness their performance in emergency situations and which reporters should not be admitted. The public relies on the press to monitor the actions of its law enforcement agencies in order to ensure that those with the most power do not abuse their mandate.

The NYPD offers a different and inferior card, the Press Identification Card, to media organizations that do not cover ground-breaking news events. The Press Identification Card is limited to individuals who are employed by “legitimate” news organizations. Where the Working Press Card is issued to all who work for organizations with the means to cover emergency events without scrutiny over the organization’s legitimacy, those lacking the resources to cover such stories are forced to prove their legitimacy to the NYPD. The lack of standards as to what constitutes legitimacy again raises issues of its unconstitutionality for due process/vagueness reasons.

By granting Mr. Martinez a Press Identification Card last year the NYPD determined that his publication was legitimate. If The New York City Free Press was legitimate in 2006, and has remained unchanged, there are no grounds for denying his card this year and the failure to issue the Press Identification Card was arbitrary and capricious and unconstitutional.

The legitimacy of a news organization cannot be based on its revenue or its circulation. Nor should those producing commercially viable and favorable news be given credence over organizations that subsist without advertising revenue. By requiring those that do not work for large media organizations with the financial means to cover ground-breaking stories to establish their legitimacy, the NYPD is engaging in viewpoint based restrictions.

Where reporters and journalists are divided into classes of those who cover breaking news and those who do not and offered benefits based on this divide, the result is an unconstitutional form of viewpoint-based regulations that rewards the large and mainstream publications over the small independent entities.

Further, it seems the NYPD is basing its determination of legitimacy on the type of medium it chooses to deliver its message. By stating, for example, that those that work for online news sources are less legitimate than those that print or televise their stories, the government is engaging in unconstitutional content based restrictions. The fact that an article is published in the form of a blog as opposed to printed publication is not relevant with regard to the protection it is entitled by the First Amendment. Indeed both Congress and state courts have moved to ensure that the guarantees of a free press extended to journalists who publish on the internet. Sincerely,

Norman Siegel Steven J. Hyman Rachel Nicotra McLauglin & Stern,

LLP260 Madison AvenueNew York, NY 10016(212) 448-1100

Click on Rafael's Rant at the following:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7976778477095791121&pr=goog-sl

MORE NORTH KOREA ISSUES by Rhonda Hauben

The U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, speaking at the Korea Society's 50th Anniversary dinner in New York City on Tuesday night (5-15-07), said that he was determined not to "allow $26 Million or $25 Million get between us and a deal that will finally do something about nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula." He promised that Kathy Stevens at the Korea desk at the State Department was working on the problem and that "we are going to keep after this problem till we solve it." His statement didn't give further details about how this problem was to be solved, a problem that had interrupted the progress that seemed at last possible in the February 13 six-party agreement. (1)Just two days later, on Thursday (5-17-07), the U.S. Wachovia Bank announced that it is exploring a request from the State Department to transfer the funds from the BDA (Banco Delta Asia) to North Korea. Wachovia Bank reported that it would require the necessary approvals from bank regulators to do the transfer.Until this latest announcement, banks have been unwilling to do the transfer because of the legal action that the U.S. government took against the BDA, by ruling that it was involved in criminal activity under Section 311 of the U.S. Patriot Act. Banks which deal with a bank that has been found guilty of such illegal acts risk losing their access to the international financial system. North Korea has said that the denuclearization and other aspects of the six-party agreement that it has been part of can only go forward when the BDA situation is resolved. "To make the money transfer possible freely just like before has been our demand...from the beginning," a spokesperson from North Korea said. (2)In his daily press briefing on May 17, Scott McCormack at the U.S. State Department said, "We all want to see the BDA issue resolved, obviously resolved within the laws and regulations of the United States as well as the international financial system, and we'd like to move on and get back to the business of the six-party talks, which is really focused on the issue of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula."(3)Whether this latest development with Wachovia Bank will provide the needed breakthrough, it is too soon to tell. But there are other developments which may provide the needed pressures on the U.S. government to decriminalize the $25 million it has frozen of North Korean funds and restore North Korea's access to the international banking system. Their access was severely impeded by the action that the U.S. Treasury Department took against the BDA.The developments I am referring to are the release in the public domain of several documents related to the U. S. Treasury Department's actions against BDA. One of the documents is a sworn statement by the owner of the BDA, Mr. Stanley Au, in support of his petition to revoke the rule imposing the special measures taken by the U.S. Treasury Department against his bank. Another document is the petition in support of his case. Also the Treasury Department finding against the bank has been put online. These documents have been made available on the blog "China Matters" (4)In his statement, Au explains the history of his bank's relations with North Korea and how there was only one experience, which occurred in June 1994, when there was a problem with counterfeit U.S. dollars. At the time, the bank reported this incident to the U.S. government. Agents from the U.S. government came to the bank and questioned Au. He answered their questions and asked if the agents recommended that the bank "desist from doing business with North Korean entities." The agents said "they would like us to continue to deal with them as it was better that we conducted this business than another financial entity that may not be so cooperative with the United States government."Au explains that there was no further experience with counterfeit money showing up in the transactions of the bank. All "large value deposits of US dollar bills from North Korean sources" were sent to the Hong Kong branch of the Republic National Bank of New York (which became HSBC) to be certified that they were authentic via advanced technology possessed by that bank. Smaller quantities of bills were examined in accord with common banking practices by the bank itself.Au also explains that he had not been approached by U.S. government agents alerting him to any problem or illegal activity. The first he learned that his bank was being charged as a bank engaged in "illicit activities" came when saw a report in the Asian Wall Street Journal in September 2005 that his bank was a candidate for a U.S. money laundering blacklist. He tells how "this news came as a bolt out of the blue -- the Bank had never been informed by the United States that its practices were a cause of any money laundering concern, and the counterfeiting event that the media reported as the basis for the designation had occurred more than ten years earlier and had been promptly reported to the authorities by Banco Delta Asia." (5)Stanley Au's statement is in sharp contrast with the account in the U.S. government's Federal Register of the finding against the bank by the U.S. Treasury Department. (6)The Federal Register finding states that the bank had provided financial services for more than 20 years to multiple North Korean-related individuals and entities that were engaged in illicit activities. It provides no specific details of what such illicit activities were. It claims that the entities paid a fee to Banco Delta Asia for their access to the bank. The finding claims that the bank facilitated wire transfers and helped a front company.In his statement, Stanley Au maintained that the BDA did not charge a fee for its services nor did it conduct illicit services for North Korea or any other customer. The bank was only one of the banks in Macau that did business with North Korea. The business his bank had with North Korea began in the mid 1970s and was to assist North Korea with its foreign trade transactions. Also Au described North Korea as a gold producing country and that in the late 1990s the bank had acted as a "gold bullion trader on behalf of the North Koreans". Also the BDA bought or sold foreign currency notes for North Korea, including U.S. dollars, because North Korea had a limited banking system and so it couldn't do such transactions itself. (See Statement, pgs 3-4)The petition submitted to the U.S. Dept of the Treasury to challenge the finding against BDA proposes that BDA was targeted not because of any "voluminous" evidence of money laundering but "because it was an easy target in the sense that it was not so large that its failure would bring down the financial system." (7)In the substantial and prolific analysis of the BDA problem that has been developed on the blog "China Matters", there is the assessment that North Korea has legitimate financial activity and that the BDA was legitimately serving as one of the banks for that activity. Even with the UN's sanctions, it was not appropriate to target for blacklisting the legitimate financial activities of North Korea. The sanctions that the UN imposed against North Korea were to be aimed at its activity that was related to nuclear weapon development, not to normal financial transactions.The author of China Matters blog writes (8):"The alternative view...is that legitimate North Korean financial activity does exist, BDA had a right to solicit North Korean accounts and handle North Korean transactions, and Stanley Au should be allowed to run his bank as long as he conforms to the laws of his jurisdiction--and (the bank) not be used as a political football in Washington's dealings with Pyongyang."To put it more succinctly, the blog China Matters quotes David Ascher, who had been the coordinator for the Bush Administration working group on North Korea and a senior adviser in East Asian affairs in the State Department, in testimony to the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade on April 18, 2007, explaining why Banco Delta was chosen to be blacklisted from the international banking system (9):"Banco Delta was a symbolic target. We were trying to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys. And the monkeys were big Chinese banks doing business in North Korea...and we're not talking about tens of millions, we're talking hundreds of millions."The purpose of the action against the BDA appears not only to have been to target North Korea and its access to the international banking system, but also to send a message to China.Therefore it would appear that the action against BDA is a carefully crafted political action and that it will be necessary that there be public understanding, discussion and debate about what is behind this action in order to find a way to have the policy that gave rise to the BDA action changed.Instead of the U.S. mainstream press carrying out the needed investigation about why BDA has been targeted and what is behind this action, there have been continual condemnations of North Korea. Fortunately there are journalists like those who work with the McClatchy News Service who have made an effort to probe what is happening behind-the-scenes in the BDA affair and blogs like China Matters which have taken the time and care to begin uncovering what the BDA affair is really all about. This is but one of the stories of what is really going on behind the scenes within the U.S. government that has been hidden from the public. This is one of the stories yet to be unraveled by bloggers, and citizen journalists.(10)Notes:(1)See earlier article "North Korea's $25 Million and Banco Delta Asia", http://english.ohmynews.com/ArticleView/article_view.asp?menu=A11100&no=351525&rel_no=1&back_url =(2) "North Korea says work to transfer bank funds under way", AFP, 15 May 2007http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/276391/1/.html

THE FRED EFFECT

There are many social circumstances and theories that influence politics. Social scientists and pollsters make a living predicting trends and patterns. Of late, a new phenomenon has emerged, The Fred Effect. It seems that the closer Fred Thompson gets to announcing his candidacy, the more well tempered Rudolph Giuliani becomes. Last week, Giuliani was in town (NYC) for a series of fund raisers. He started out in City Island, the Bronx. A breakfast at a City Island restaurant produced a small crowd of big spenders. However, he was confronted outside by Sabrina Rivera. Rivera is an activist with a group called Wearechange.org. Softly but deliberately, she questioned Giuliani about his handling of 9/11. Her tone escalated to the question of "How can you sleep at night?" To the astonishment of all present, Giuliani turned to the cameras with a fixed grin. He proceeded to deal with Rivera in a patient although inconclusive manner. A remarkable feat considering his history of unbridled anger. Call it ambition, call it Prozac, call it whatever. This time......Rudy rose to the occasion. Click on the mellow Rudy at the following link:

http://video.wnbc.com/player/?id=112179

CITY COUNCIL CLASH

Viola Plummer, chief of staff of Brooklyn councilman Charles Barron, called for the assassination of black city councilman Leroy Comrie this week due to his abstention from voting on a controversial amendment to rename a Brooklyn street after Black activist, Sonny Carson. In 1984, Plummer was involved with a group that was well prepared for the work. In October of 1984, nine New Afrikan freedom fighters were surrounded and arrested by over 400 New York City police officers and federal agents. The eight who eventually stood trial became known as "The New York Eight." Police found sawed-off shotguns, sub-machine guns, dynamite bombs, and bank blueprints in the apartment of ringleader Randolph Simms (Coltrane Chimurenga). The New York Eight were charged with conspiring to free black activists Kuwasi Balagoon and Sekou Odinga. Balagoon was imprisoned for participating in a 1981 robbery of a Brinks armored car, which resulted in the death of two police officers and a guard. Odinga was convicted of conspiring to commit the same robbery. The prosecution also alleged that the New York Eight planned to rob banks in order to finance their activities.

The prosecution described the New York Eight as "a highly organized, dedicated cell of armed bandits. ... Their goal: robbery of armored trucks and liberating their confederates from prison." (quoted in the Associated Press, 10/22/84) The jury, however, saw things differently, and acquitted all 8 defendants of conspiring to free Balagoon and Odinga and to commit grand larceny. Coltrane Chimurenga, Roger Wareham, Robert Taylor, Yvette Kelley, Ruth Carter and Clay Omowale were all convicted of possessing illegal weapons, and VIOLA PLUMMER was convicted of falsely identifying herself to the police. All seven were sentenced to community service. The eighth defendent, Jose Rios, was acquitted of all charges.

Plummer's heckling of city council speaker Christine Quinn was uncalled for. But, her call to "assassinate Leroy Comrie's ass" was beyond the boundary of political radicalism. Barron, known for his sixties, black power approach did nothing to soften the rhetoric. In an attempt to fill the grassroots vacuum vacated by the now "respectable" Al Sharpton, Barron has opened a racial chasm. His tacky appeal to a return to the segregationist sixties is as outdated as his Nehru style jacket. In a city that is a microcosm of the world, the obligation of a politician is to find a common denominator amongst his constituents. And although Quinn overstepped her bounds in denying the "will of the people", Barron and company overstepped theirs by stooping to street level conduct.
If you cannot access the video via the link, go to Google Video and type in CITY COUNCIL CLASH. It appears that the link here may be temporarily disabled.

Click on the following link to view the debate.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2239767169994895886&pr=goog-sl

A LETTER FROM MICHAEL MOORE: 'SICKO' IS SOCKO IN CANNES!

A Letter from Michael Moore

May 23rd, 2007

Friends,

Well, as you may have read by now, our premiere of “Sicko” at the Cannes Film Festival has been an overwhelming success. The 2,000 people inside the Lumiere Theater were alternately in tears and laughing during the two-hour film -- and when it was over, they gave it a standing ovation that seemed to go on for nearly 15 minutes! Many came up to me and said (and critics seem to agree) that this is my best film yet. I don't know about that, and it seems weird to compare any of these movies in the first place. But I do feel
safe in saying that I am very, very happy with this film and I can't wait to show it to you when it opens on June 29th.

Cannes is a crazy place. There are film lovers here from nearly every
country in the world. And then there are the people in "show business." These dark forces have virtually ruined this art form (invented by the French and nurtured to brilliance by the country I call home). There are so many bad, awful films now and less and less people are going to the movies. Many who run Hollywood believe that the American people are too stupid to enjoy a film that respects their intelligence.

At the press screening for "Sicko," the Wall Street Journal reported that hardened reporters and critics wept. Even those who have been harsh to me in the past, or who have not agreed with my politics, were moved. Aside from my stated desire that "Sicko" ignite a fire for free, universal health care (and a larger wish that we, as Americans, do a better job of treating each other with a true sense of solidarity and respect), I continue to hope that I can make a contribution to the art of cinema and give people a good reason
to get out of the house for a few hours.

At my festival press conference, the only negative word came from the Canadians. Two critics didn't like all the nice things I said about their health care system. Yes, Canadian health care has its flaws, but when I asked the two critics if they would exchange their health care cards for mine, they said "No!" Of course they wouldn't. Canadians live longer than we do and their infant mortality is not as high as ours. Their system is underfunded because their leaders have been trying to push for more American-style health care.

The rest of the week has been good and I am now on my way back to the U.S. The New York Post reported Sunday that the Bush administration, in addition to going after me for filming scenes in or near Cuba, may now go after the 9/11 rescue workers I took with me to get the medical care they were denied by our own government. I couldn't make up irony like this if I wanted to, and I will do whatever is necessary to defend the human right of these true American heroes to receive the medical attention they deserve.

We've also received word that the HMO and pharmaceutical industries are gearing up to fight "Sicko." We received so many great whistleblower letters while we were making the movie from employees of these companies. We'd like to hear from you again! Send us the internal memos and any other plans you run across at the company copying machine or internet server. It will help to stay ahead of whatever they are up to, and it will also give us a chance
for a bit of fun at the industry's expense.

I will soon have a special section of my website devoted to "Sicko." Until then, we'll move forward toward our June 29th release date. Hope to see you all there that weekend!

Yours,
Michael Moore

michael@michaelmoore.com
michaelmoore.com http:/michaelmoore.com

RUDY'S SLIMMIGRATION POLICY

Rudy Giuliani's policy on immigration has gone from a shell game to a hell game. When he was mayor of New York City, he all but endorsed the undocumented with an occasional "harrumph". But now that he is on the fast track to FDA regulated dim sum, he has changed. The elimination of his comb over was a portend of things to come. The exposure of his pate left him vulnerable to the rays of the right wing influence. Hair, albeit bushy, pony tailed, or unkempt has been used by the left as a symbol of protest. Alas, Rudy has left the fold. But if he thinks his newly tough stance on immigration will solve a problem, he is wrong. People enter the US illegally for economic reasons. No one delights in sneaking through a desert, hiding in a cramped apartment and working twelve hours a day not knowing the language of the host country. It is American foreign policy and the US corporations in many of these countries that have made conditions such that people had to leave. As for the immigrants burdening the system, au contraire. Landlords and contractors are getting rich from cheap labour and worker exploitation. Middle class Anglo women can now afford maids. The undocumented send money back to their native countries creating a stronger economy and better living conditions. The town of Puebla, Mexico where many come from is better off today than it was ten years ago. This stability encourages people to return to their lands not only financially improved, but with a positive message about America. Exporting goodwill is a weapon against terrorism.

Is immigration a problem? Yes. A humane plan for dealing with the undocumented needs to be put in place before health care, housing and education become overburdened with the influx. If not, the Minutemen will continue to swell their ranks with the overflow from various Aryan Nation groups and a covert posse could be coming soon to your neighborhood. So beware the new knee jerk Rudy and observe the compassionate one that we occasionally saw b.911, before he lost the liberal's comb over. See Rudy the benevolent at:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5929297762706037174&pr=goog-sl

SONNY CARSON's REBATE DEBATE

On May 30th, 2007, there will be a vote by city pols to rename a Brooklyn street. Powerful politician, Christine Quinn has remained stridently opposed to the proposition of black activist Sonny Carson being the honoree. Quinn states that Carson was a racist and does not merit the accolade. However, black leaders such as Charles Barron and Al Vann are appalled. At the crux of the argument is who gets to decide. Does the street renaming committee bow to the "will of the people" or to the issue of what may be deemed offensive to a larger majority. A sticky matter to say the least. Although Quinn endorsed a street renaming of Al Jolson, Sonny Carson's name seems to be more odious. The mere subject of Carson's name invokes an instant rebate to debate. Support his name, you get a fight in return.

Nevertheless, this may be the first battle of many between Quinn and fellow black city councilmen. Quinn, who is reputed to be the heir apparent of Mayor Michael Bloomberg is becoming increasingly visible on the political front. As a gay politician, she has earned a following in that community. The question is now will she have an equal support amongst the black and Latino voters. View the opposing views of Vann and Quinn at:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4346886901690059537&pr=goog-sl

BREAKING FAKING NEWS

(click on letter)

On May 22, 2007, your blog editor attended his 11:00 appointment at 1 Police Plaza. NYC press cards are issued there. But at this appointment.....denied. The factors involving that denial are many and complex. However, at the core of the issue is the first amendment and the status of bloggers. Although, this editor publishes an online newspaper, http://www.nycfreepress.com/ and this blog, the issuing agency states that cards are for breaking news. But, in a "Catch 22" one cannot cover press conferences at NYC City Hall without a press card. City Hall press conferences are not considered breaking news. In this instance, a press card was denied as a means of limiting access to a forum in which your editor frequently asks the unpopular questions to public officials.
Today, I issue an advisory in the context of Paul Revere's quote. "The skittish are coming, the skittish are coming". The Internet has democratized the world of information. But the media police still attempt to control content. Be aware, be diligent, be vocal. As for this case, it is only the first round in a struggle. I invite you to my screening at:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4777879063209557673&pr=goog-sl

RUDY'S CHANGE OF LIFE

Rudy Giuliani is a closet liberal. He changes political positions to suit the polls and changes wives to please his passions. Just when we thought we knew where he stood on abortion, he changed. He took the same stance on gay marriage. Change was forgivable when he cauterized his comb over. Change was forgivable when he learned to keep his temper in check. But when it comes to politics, the constant changing of issues portrays a weak candidate.

The only change Rudy should make now is speechwriters. It is reported this week that Giuliani paid Judi Giuliani $125,000 per year as his speechwriter consultant. Ms. Giuliani's attempts at public speech can be viewed on YOUTUBE in her presentation of Rudy at a fund raiser. As a registered nurse and apparent recipient of some medical intervention, she would do well as a speech writer for plastic surgeons. Political speeches are best left to those who can make change profound, not fashionable. Watch a Rudy b.911, 2000 commercial for senator at:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6292272041514191656&pr=goog-sl

Sup-PRESS-ed CARD

In 1973, Abie Nathan began broadcasting on a ship off the coast of Israel. His broadcast was called the "Voice of Peace". Nathan was a leftist who did not have government approval for his pirate broadcast. His audience was limited to the few who were in range of his limited bandwidth. However, he remained on the air for twenty years, albeit illegally. He broadcast, folk songs, peace messages and alternative news. Abie became famous worldwide. That was long before cell phones and Internet blogs. Eventually, the Israeli government grudgingly tolerated Nathan's enterprise. Which brings us to the moment.

Today, this blog author is still without a renewed press card. The card which allows a journalist to attend press conferences at New York City hall. On May 15, the NYC Police Department, which issues the press cards, cancelled an appointment for my renewal. It has been rescheduled for next week. And although, the credo is that press cards are not issued to bloggers, hopefully, that will not be the case. First amendment rights must be upheld.

Today's journalist bloggers are what Abie Nathan was to the Israeli airwaves years ago. An alternative voice to the establishment press. And as the Israeli government managed a detente with Nathan, so should City Hall with YOURFREEPRESS. Nathan used to sign off his broadcast with "This is Abie Nathan.....ay shom". Loose translation is "This is Abie Nathan....from somewhere out there." So, I sign off borrowing Nathan's phrase.

This is Rafael Martinez-Alequin covering City Hall from "Ay Shom".

You are invited to my rant screening at the following link:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2926382235343136183&pr=goog-sl

NEW EVIDENCE IN RISHPY CASE

The case of the missing woman, Dana Rishpy still goes unsolved. However, on Saturday, police found an abandoned vehicle near Tulum registered to a Matthew Ryan Walshin. There was evidence of blood and a broken window. Walshin was the last person to see Dana before her disappearance. Investigators have discovered that Wilson has a history of sexual assault in Oregon. He is wanted for questioning and is believed to be in either California or Oregon. Walshin is known around Cancun and the Mayan Riviera. He was in the area between mid February and the later part of April.

This case has received no publicity in the US. Mainstream media is yet to investigate the findings. As citizen journalists, it is important that we spread the word. We live in a global community and one of us is missing.

If anyone knows the whereabouts of Matthew Ryan Walshin, (d.o.b. 12/22/68) male white, please write to this blog.

DANA RISHPY IS MISSING

Today is Mother's Day. It is a bittersweet memory for this blog author. It commemorates the second time that Rafael Martínez Alequín is without his mother, Maria Martinez Alequin who passed away, 56 days from her hundredth birthday, and the seven years that his wife, Margarita passed away. So on this day, YOURFREEPRESS honors all mothers, realizing the value and importance of their role.

However, halfway around the world, in Haifa, Israel sits a very worried mother. Dania Rishpy has not heard from her daughter, Dana since March 31, 2007. Dana, 25, went on vacation to Cancun, Mexico. Her parents received an email in March from her. In that email, she stated that she had met a German tourist. That is the last they have heard from her. Dana is a responsible woman. She works for Israeli television. Somewhat of a celebrity in her native country, she is known for commercials and voice overs. She was the most unlikely person to perform her obligatory enlistment in the Israeli army. She is an artist not a fighter. Her parents are progressives who live between New York City and Haifa, Israel. Her father, Dror, is a retired captain with El Al who also worked extensively in Uganda as a pilot. Her mother studied and practiced Feldenkrais therapy. Dana's family is offering a reward of $50,000 pesos for information leading to her discovery. YOURFREEPRESS appeals to all who take the time to read this. Your help would be greatly appreciated. If you have contacts in Tulum please pass them onto the family. Prayers, psychic knowledge and information is what is needed now. Please click on the following link for more info, video and photos of Dana.


http://markinmexico.blogspot.com/

RUDY FRETS WHILE TERRORISTS THREAT

Last month, Rudy Giuliani declared that a Democratic president would invite terrorism. He was swiftly rebuked by both presidential contenders as well as established, ranking Democrats. In his bid for the presidency, Rudy continues to flaunt his tough views on terrorism as well as his dubious record of 9/11. In fact, it was at a City Hall press conference in December, 1998, that it appears as though the then mayor took a more conciliatory stance on potential threats. There had been a theft of materials that posed a potential chemical threat to New Yorkers. Apparently, the story leaked out before the FBI and/or the Joint Force on Terrorism was able to inform Giuliani, despite his publicly avowed "great relationship" with them. Here, Giuliani states that there is very little the average citizen can do about terrorism. Now how does that contrast with the newly honed, testosterone fueled, kick butt approach of the new Rudy? Poorly. Ladies and gentlemen......the lion has no teeth.

Two months after this press conference, Giuliani held yet another press conference to announce the arrest of two men in Las Vegas. The two individuals were caught with an arsenal of lethal biograde weapons including anthrax. Larry Wayne Harris and William Job Leavitt were arrested on suspicion of attempting a terrorist attack in February 1998. Although the suspicion was not tied to an imminent attack on New York, it was noted that in 1997, one of the individuals had discussed an anthrax attack on the New York City subway system. It is not clear as to whether Giulian knew about the 1997 threat. But what is clear is that New York is still vulnerable and Rudy Giuliani is not the answer. Watch Rudy rant at:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2421971504630430277&pr=goog-sl

Bill Moyers and the Emergence of U.S. Citizen Journalism

Power of government creates need for investigative news

by Ronda Hauben

Bill Moyers is a highly respected professional journalist, an American journalist who stands out as one who is willing to speak truth to power, even at the risk of losing his job. Moyers has been a journalist since he was 15 years old, and yet he considers himself a citizen journalist. After an absence of more than two years, Moyers returned to PBS (public broadcasting system) on Friday, April 27 with the return of his show the "Bill Moyers Journal." (1)

This initial Friday night program provides a helpful framework to use in looking at the nature of citizen journalism and considering what are the essential factors needed for citizen journalism to develop in the U.S.

Often citizen journalism has been referred to as a journalism of "amateurs" as opposed to "professionals," as two prominent Columbia Journalism School professionals Samuel Freedman (2) and Nicholas Leeman (3) have argued, or as a journalism of those "who lack training as journalists" in contrast to those who are "trained journalists," as a recent article in LinuxInsider proposes. (4)

The origin and development of citizen journalism presents the basis for a very different model, however. The basis is for a collaboration of journalists as a Fourth Estate, and of citizens who are concerned with overseeing what government does so as to monitor the use and abuse of power.

The concept of citizen journalism was first popularized by the Korean online newspaper OhmyNews. When OhmyNews was started in February 2000, it was with the goal of transforming the conservative domination of the media landscape in South Korea. Oh Yeon-ho, the founder and CEO of OhmyNews, had worked as a journalist for the progressive publication "Mal" for the previous decade. His experience taught him that even when he wrote a significant story, it received little attention. When one of the conservative newspapers in South Korea covered a comparable story, however, other conservative news media provided coverage, so the story received serious attention. In starting OhmyNews, Oh was determined to bring about a change in the media environment in South Korea so that "'the quality of news determined whether it won or lost,' not the power and prestige of the media organization that printed the article." (5)

The creation of OhmyNews originally took the form of a media organization with a small staff of reporters and editors who focused on covering a carefully chosen but limited set of stories. With the concept "every citizen is a reporter," however, readers were invited to submit articles, many of which were included as part of the OhmyNews publication. The writers whose articles appeared in OhmyNews were paid a small fee. Since then OhmyNews has grown substantially. The question is raised whether there is any similar development growing up in the U.S. In order to answer the question, it is important to determine the necessary characteristics for a media to be called "citizen journalism."

On the first regular episode of the Bill Moyers Journal, Moyers invited Jon Stewart and Josh Marshall as his guests. Stewart insists he isn't a journalist though Moyers differs. Stewart's program "The Daily Show" which appears on cable television, is considered by many of his devoted fans to be closer to what is "news" than the majority of programs which call themselves news or news media. Stewart, however, describes his show as close to "an editorial cartoon."

On his initial Friday evening show, Moyers played some clips from a recent Daily Show. One clip was an extract from the testimony presented to the U.S. congress by U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The clip showed Gonzales claiming "I can't recall" in many different instances in response to nearly all the questions he was asked by the congress. Stewart comments that at first he didn't understand what the significance was of Gonzales' response. Eventually, however, he began to think he had figured out what it represented. Describing the motives of those in the Bush administration, he says: (6)

"They would rather us believe them to be wildly incompetent and inarticulate than to let us know anything about how they operate. And so, they do constitutionally-mandated things most of the time, but they don't -- they fulfill the letter of their obligation to checks and balances, but not the intent."

Stewart is commenting on why Gonzales' testimony on April 19, 2007 to the U.S. congress did not explain anything about how the decision had been made in the situation that was the subject of the hearing. Eight U.S . attorneys appointed by the justice department which Gonzales heads were fired. These attorneys were from different regions of the U.S. and so at first the pattern of justice department activity was not obvious to congress which is charged with overseeing the activity of the justice department.

Stewart comments that Gonzales was willing "to look like a pinhead" rather than provide the needed information for congress to carry out its oversight functions over the justice department. Elaborating on the importance of such oversight functions, Stewart explains (7):

"The election moment is merely the American public saying, 'We'd rather you be president than that guy.' That's it. The next four years, though, you still have to abide by the oversight process that is there to prevent this kind of bizarre sort of cult-like atmosphere that falls along. I mean, I accept that kind of veil of secrecy around Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, but I don't accept that around our government."

Another guest on Bill Moyer's show was Joshua Micah Marshall, the head of TPM Media, an online media company which is located in the flower district of New York City. TPM Media employs several full time reporter bloggers who work with Marshall. It publishes TalkingPointsMemo.com and TPMmuckraker.com The description of TPMmuckraker explains that "TPMmuckraker.com is a news blog dedicated to chronicling, explaining and reporting on public corruption, political scandal and abuses of the public trust of all sorts." A more elaborate description on the Web site says (8):

"As the site's name implies, it is inspired by the early 20th century tradition of journalistic muckraking and built on the technologies of the early 21st. Our aim is to produce journalism that is pugnacious, lively, independent, meticulously factual and fun."

The mechanism of funding is listed as "paid advertising and contributions from readers."

http://english.ohmynews.com

RUDY AND JUDY MAY BE ILL

Rudolph Giuliani is not one to shy away from the spotlight. In 2006, he was quoted in the following article. Giuliani rode the wave of public sympathy for first responders to the World Trade Site. The frequency of Giuliani’s visits to the site and the now Ms. Giuliani's, remain in question. Rudy is and always will be an opportunist. The difference is that he and Ms. Judi enjoy the benefits of proper health care. And although he touted it then, it was not one of his platforms for the 2008 Presidential race. The masses continue to bleed. Giuliani attempts to lead. Not until he understands the plight of the common man on a gut level will he ever qualify to be President.

Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who led New York through the horror of the 2001 attacks, said his health and that of his wife and aides could have been affected from exposure to toxic smoke from the burning World Trade Center.

"I spent as much time here as anyone," Giuliani said Monday, the fifth anniversary of the attacks. He said others potentially at risk included his wife, Judith; his spokeswoman, Sunny Mindel; and two deputy mayors.

Giuliani said anyone whose health suffered from work at the trade center site is "entitled to the same support, the same assistance and the same help that the families got who lost loved ones here."

Giuliani spoke to reporters after presenting checks totaling $60,000 to trade center victims' charities from former New York Giants head coach Jim Fassel's foundation.

Asked about former federal Environmental Protection Agency head Christine Todd Whitman's recent assertions that responsibility for providing masks to workers on the debris pile lay with the city, Giuliani said, "We certainly gave people instructions that they should wear masks."

"I was here five, six times a day for four months," Giuliani said. "I kind of thought of it as living here. And there were times when I wore a mask when you got near the pile. Times when I didn't. Those were the instructions. I don't remember that from EPA, though. What I remember from Christie Whitman is her saying that the air was fine."

He added, "Instead of wasting time in finger-pointing, time should be devoted to figuring out how to get people the benefits, the help and the assistance they need."

BLOOMBERG’S INCONVENIENT TRUTH

Mayor Bloomberg’s administration has been in the forefront of creating a clean environment. When he announced the congestion price $8.00 (tax?) for cars entering Manhattan South of 86th street, it seemed a win-win situation, for the environment and for the average citizen.

At the time, the mayor made his announcement citing a similar program in London as the model for New York City. Also, former Vice-President Al Gore, during a news conference at the opening of the Tribeca Film Festival, endorsed the mayor’s congestion price enthusiastically. However, Mr.Gore, does not realize the political history of previous City Hall administrations. They tried to impose tolls on the East river bridges. In a Bronx news conference, when a New Jersey reporter asked the mayor how the congestion price would affect New Jersey drivers, the Mayor’s response was, “New Jersey, and Connecticut drivers will not be affected, because they already paid a toll getting into Manhattan.”

Since NYC leaders have not been able to impose a toll on the East river bridges, the Mayor and his advisors are trying to sneak another tax on the crumbling middle-class and the poor, who are living in the outer boroughs. The mayor, his fellow billionaires and the Manhattan elites, who drive Mercedes, BMWs, Jaguars and even Roll Royces, will be the reigning monarchs of Manhattan. Manhattan will be Verbotten for the working class residents that built and maintain it. The tax works in London where citizens enjoy good wages, socialized medicine and free education. Rents in Britain are not cheap but affordable compared to New York City. The pound, (their currency) is valued at almost two American dollars. As enticing as the mayor’s congestion prices are for a clean environment, the question remains.... Why the working class has to subsidize Bloomberg’s chosen people? Watch Bloomberg blast at:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-597854670332341663&pr=goog-sl

EGYPT'S BLOG REBELS SILENCED BY JAIL

By Charles Levinson, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 12:31am BST 06/05/2007

A popular Egyptian blogger known for his withering criticisms of the government has given up writing after becoming the latest victim of a state crackdown on dissent.

The blogger, known as Sandmonkey, signed off last week, writing that he had noticed state security agents on his street and heard clicking noises on his phone. "There has been too much heat around me lately," he wrote.

Prisoner Abdel Kareem Nabil, Egypt's blog rebels silenced by jail
Abdel Kareem Nabil: four years in jail for insulting Islam and the Egyptian president on his blog

In recent months, the Egyptian regime has jailed several bloggers, ending a period in which it had taken a more relaxed attitude towards internal critics. Human rights activists claim the about-turn follows the US administration's decision to relax pressure on Middle Eastern governments to enact democratic reforms.

During Sandmonkey's three years on the internet, his was one of the most widely read Egyptian blogs, popular especially among Western readers for his unconventional opinions about his country and the Middle East. "Cynical, snarky, pro-US, secular, libertarian, disgruntled" was how he described himself.

He is a 26-year-old American-educated investment banker, and his mother is a member of Egypt's ruling National Democratic Party.

In February, Abdel Kareem Nabil, 22, a former student at Egypt's Islamic Al Azhar University, was jailed for four years for insulting Islam and Egyptian president, Hosni Mubarak, on his blog.
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Last month, another popular and outspoken blogger from the banned Muslim Brotherhood, Abdel Monem Mahmoud, was thrown into Egypt's notorious Tora prison, where he remains today.

On his blog, Mahmoud claimed he was tortured in an Egyptian prison in 2003. He had encouraged scores of other Muslim brothers to become bloggers and used the internet to organise anti-government protests.

Bloggers are not the only targets of the regime crackdown. More than 1,000 Muslim Brotherhood activists have been arrested in the past year, according to Human Rights Watch.

And on Wednesday, an Egyptian court jailed an al-Jazeera television journalist for six months for allegedly fabricating torture scenes for a documentary.

"We are in the midst of a broadening crackdown against a host of fundamental rights here," said Human Rights Watch's Egypt researcher, Elijah Zarwan.

The country's well-educated and internet-savvy opposition has seized on the internet to rally against the government, running blogs and websites to organise protests and publish anti-regime material free of censorship.

Initial ambivalence on the part of government security agents changed in November, said Mr Zarwan, when a cellular phone video appeared on dozens of Egyptian blogs showing two police officers apparently sodomising a detainee with a rod. A public outcry ensued and the officers are being tried for torture.

Hossam Hamalawy, who writes a Cairo-based blog called 3Arabawy, said that, despite the crackdown, the bloggers are growing bolder.

"Some people are intimidated but overall it's producing the opposite effect," he said. "It is radicalising the blogosphere even more. We have bloggers joining every day."

CHEMICAL JUDY

Presidential hopeful, Rudolph Giuliani, called for a troop increase of 35,000 in Iraq this week. As a timetable for withdrawal is being debated and Al Qaeda strongman Ayman Zawahiri calls for the killing of ten times that amount, the Iraqi people sit and wait. Today, even a quick walk across the street to a deli can be fatal in Iraq. Giuliani's advocacy of more manpower just serves to up the ante. And as though the Iraqis do not have enough to worry about, now...there is Chemical Judy. Rudy continues to tout Judy's virtues not only as a loving wife and advisor but as a chemical expert also. We're not talking basic roach spray knowledge here either. Rudy says that she has advised him on anthrax and other lethal weapons when dealing with his law practice. Now historically, Iraqis had their own evil scientist. Chemical Ali was Saddam's "Go to" guy when the ex prez decided to take out the Kurds. Ali was responsible for the stew brew that killed thousands of Kurdish dissidents who got in the way of Saddam. One could say it was a case of urban renewal gone terribly wrong. With Judy at the helm and Rudy pulling the strings, Iraqis have yet another round of bio terrorism to fear. Just imagine the threat of eau de roast pork, cheap perfume from Walmart and an aerial spray of Boone's Farm Apple Wine.
Such is the probable extent of Judy's chemical arsenal. A nursing degree does not qualify a person as an expert on bio terrorism. The "Buy one, get one free" scenario of a Giuliani presidency complete with wife/advisor is somewhat frightening. We live in serious times with a serious outcome if the issues at hand are not dealt with properly. Polar caps melt, bees disappear and the threat of nuclear/chemical capabilities arise every day. This requires people with backgrounds not bias to guide through the tasks ahead. Watch Rudy praise Chemical Judy:

http://www.daphnebarak.homestead.com/RudyGiuliani.html

PARIS HILTON'S NEW HOTEL ROOM

Los Angeles police fired rubber bullets and cracked heads last week at a Latino pro immigrant rally. MacArthur Park in Los Angeles was the scene of protest and ultimately chaos in a nationwide call for citizenship for illegal immigrants. Many, including injured press reporters, deemed it a gross overreaction on the part of the police. Shortly afterwards, an equally amazing drama took place across town. Paris Hilton, heiress to the Hilton Hotel fortune was sentenced to 45 days in jail for violation of probation. Ms. Hilton, 26, arrived in court fifteen minutes late. Judge Michael Sauer after listening to the preliminaries issued his conclusion. Hilton was stopped after driving with a suspended license while on probation for a DWI in September. After her DWI, she was cited for yet two more traffic stops and failure to enroll in an alcohol education program. Sauer refused a bid to buy time in a more luxurious prison. According to procedure, persons convicted can pay for a "better" accommodation if the judge allows. So, on June 5th, Paris Hilton will enter Lynwood prison for 45 days. Upon hearing the judge's edict, her mother, Kathy Hilton remarked, "This is a joke."

Well Mrs. K.....perhaps to you, but not the thousands of less privileged minions that go to jail every day for even lesser charges. As Paris passes the cells of fellow inmates on her way to her room, she will probably see many of those arrested at the immigrant rally and people who look like them. The Los Angeles police did not afford them the same courtesies that Paris enjoyed.
As the country continues to grapple with the politics of illegal immigration, perhaps the opinion makers should take a closer look at the criminal justice system. This system continues to give a free pass to those that society perceives as bad but acceptable. This system says that a low paid, fruit picking, Mexican is considered more of a threat to society than a drunken blond driving a car with a suspended license. At last, a California judge saw if differently. Now, Paris Hilton, star of the reality TV show, "The Simple Life" will have to live it for 45 days. Paris rants :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3JfCpojoFk

GIULIANI CAUGHT IN BIZARRE BUILDING 7 LIE

by Paul Joseph Watson

Global Research, April 30, 2007
Prison Planet - 2007-04-24



Claims WTC 7 collapsed in stages, Kerry Building 7 admission explodes on You Tube popularity charts

Rudy Giuliani has been caught in a bizarre lie about WTC 7, in which he claims the building collapsed in stages over a sustained period of time, when in reality the structure fell in under seven seconds. Giuliani also reveals that he expected the twin towers to collapse but "not in the way they did."

Giuliani was a speaker along with former Oklahoma City Mayor Ron Norick at an April 19th event held at the Oklahoma City Museum and National Memorial in Ahoma City, Oklahoma. The entire video can be viewed here courtesy of C-Span, but the pertinent clip is embedded below.

Giuliani is asked if he had expected the twin towers to collapse on 9/11. Here is his response.

"Yeah, but not in the way they did."

"It occurred to us all that they might ultimately collapse over....the way buildings usually collapse, which is in stages."

"It looked like at some point the top of the building would come off, and then maybe the middle of the building and then maybe there'd be a shell left....the way number 7 came down 4 or 5 o'clock in the afternoon - over a period of time - but the idea that it would implode, the implosion that took place, I actually didn't realize that until much later."

Building 7 collapsed in just 6.5 seconds - videos of the structure before its collapse show the building fully intact and suffering sporadic fires across a limited number of floors.

It has since also been proven to a reasonable degree that the smoke seen emanating from the area of Building 7 was mostly coming from Buildings 5 and 6, which had taken the direct brunt of the collapse of the twin towers and were completely ablaze.

WTC 7 imploded at near free fall speed and fell in its own footprint, barely even blocking the adjacent road. Giuliani's emergency command bunker was located in the building but he and his crew evacuated just before the collapse of the twin towers. Building 7 had been structurally reinforced to compensate for numerous floors to be taken out without compromising the integrity of the building.

For Giuliani to claim that Building 7 collapsed in stages is completely bizarre and totally inaccurate. One has to wonder if he is intentionally attempting to mislead with such a wildly false statement.

Is Giuliani attempting to re-write history in an attempt to deflect clearly documented accusations that Building 7 was brought down by a controlled demolition?

In addition, his claims that the collapse of the twin towers, though not in the fashion they eventually fell (controlled demolition), was expected, completely contradicts the words of the very people who designed the World Trade Center, who are on the record on multiple occasions stating that the towers were designed to absorb airliner impacts without collapsing.

No steel framed building had collapsed from fire damage in history until September 11 2001 when three fell within the space of seven hours, so for Giuliani to have both expected the collapse and have received a warning immediately beforehand is highly suspicious.

In a related story, John Kerry's comments that Building 7 was deliberately demolished during an Austin Texas speaking event have gone viral since the You Tube video was posted and featured in our story on Monday. Despite receiving massive traffic, Google does not list the Prison Planet.com article in its search results nearly two days after the piece was first posted.

Just one version of the video has already received over 42,000 views and rising and features in multiple different You Tube most popular categories. The clip is currently the 5th most discussed video on You Tube today.

Calls to Kerry's office for a further clarification on his comments were not returned.

Click on video at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXUmZugcRXM