Target Centermass

Day: September 21, 2004

  • Anti-Prostitution Rule Drafted for U.S. Forces

    Had a newly-announced crackdown on our military been in effect in Viet Nam, I could not say our world would be a better place. I could, however, say a fun portion of American ’80s culture would’ve been impaired. A great movie and a popular song would’ve forever missed the phrase “Ooh, me so horny, me love you long time.”

    U.S. service members stationed overseas could face a court-martial for patronizing prostitutes under a new regulation drafted by the Pentagon.

    The move is part of a Defense Department effort to reduce the possibility that service members will contribute to human trafficking in areas near their overseas bases by seeking the services of women forced into prostitution.

    In recent years, “women and girls are being forced into prostitution for a clientele consisting largely of military services members, government contractors and international peacekeepers” in such places as South Korea and the Balkans, Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.) said yesterday at a Capitol Hill forum on Pentagon anti-trafficking efforts.

    I fundamentally agree with all of this, but returning to the icons of the ’80s, what about the portrayal of Subic Bay in An Officer and a Gentleman?

  • Rather’s Producer Assured CBS Execs on Guard Papers

    The first victim of RatherGate has been clearly identified.

    Mary Mapes, the Dallas-based producer of Dan Rather’s controversial Sept. 8 60 Minutes segment questioning President Bush’s military record, is the focus of attention following published reports that she arranged for her Texas source on the story to talk to a top aide to Democratic hopeful John Kerry.

    CBS News executives want to know why Mapes, one of Rather’s most trusted producers, repeatedly assured them that both Bill Burkett and the documents he gave her could be trusted — only to have both widely called into question by Internet bloggers and rival news organizations soon after 60 Minutes aired the story. On Monday, CBS said the story should have never run, and Rather apologized to viewers.

    On Tuesday, it was revealed that Mapes arranged for Burkett to talk to a top aide to Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry.

    Standard journalistic ethical practices forbid reporters from doing anything that could be perceived as helping a political campaign.

    Congrats, Mary, you’re deservedly the first sacrificial lamb. G’bye.

  • Flight Diverted After Cat Stevens Tied to Watch List

    Living testament to my belief that a huge chunk of the music of the ’60s and ’70s was garbage, the former Cat Stevens hit a U.S. government tripwire and caused the diversion of an inbound international flight.

    A London-to-Washington flight was diverted to Maine today when it was discovered passenger Yusuf Islam — formerly known as singer Cat Stevens — was on a government watch list and barred from entering the country, two federal officials said.

    United Airlines Flight 919 was en route to Dulles International Airport when the match was made between a passenger and a name on the watch list, said Nico Melendez, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration. The plane was met by federal agents at Maine’s Bangor International Airport around 3 p.m., Melendez said.

    The two federal officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, identified the passenger as Islam. They said Islam was denied entry on national security grounds, but had no details about why the peace activist might be considered a risk to the United States.

    ….

    He was expected to be returned early Wednesday to London, the official said.

    Look, Cat Islam may or may not be much of a danger. That said, I want him kept permanently out of the country just because of “Morning Has Broken.” My hippie music teacher made us sing that crap in fifth grade and I still bear the scars.