Last Wednesday, Oregon Court of Appeals Judge Jack Landau ruled that women involved in "simulated sex" is not legally permissible under free expression laws. The case began in 1998, when two undercover policemen paid to watch a "toy show" at Angels. "They [the police men] were taken to a performance room," reads Judge Landau's report, "in which, two women dressed in lingerie performed a striptease, sat on the officers' laps, and rubbed their breasts on the officers' chests. One of the women then inserted a dildo into her vagina, while the other manipulated it. The two kissed, touched each other, and engaged in oral sex." The club's owner, Charles Ciancanelli, was charged with promoting unlawful sexual conduct in a public show, promoting prostitution, and one count of compelling prostitution. KATIA DUNN
Gee, Thanks Boss!
For the past several months, the bike messengers at Transerv, an outfit specializing in delivering court documents, have been lobbying their bosses for a union. At times, the fight has been spiked with bitterness; employees believe the management has nit-picked about minor safety violations (like failing to buckle helmet straps) and lorded the messengers' continued employment over their heads.
Last Tuesday, to celebrate Employer Appreciation Week, several messengers gave their bosses an ironic greeting card. "When it comes to treating people nice," the card read, "you deliver."
An hour later, while taking a break at Pioneer Square, a few bike messengers noticed one of the administrative staff members nearby, videotaping them. The latest tit-for-tat is par for course, says Pete Beaman, one of the messengers. A week ago, a messenger was fired after failing to fully report that he had ridden on a public sidewalk.
The struggle over the union chapter at Transerv is one of the primary fights for the local IWW chapter. Although the messengers know that one solution is simply ditching their jobs, they assert their loyalty to the company and just would like to see more open communication. PHIL BUSSE
