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Show Thursday, November 21, 1996 THE DAILY HERALD, Provo, Utah Not all satisfied iby altered albums By DAVID BAUDER Associated Press Writer NEW YORK A naked woman in a hammock stares back from the cover of White Zombie's new CD, her arms and legs demurely placed to avoid anything more racy than a routine lingerie ad. i The same woman appears I on the cover of the albums rt sold in but stores with a bikini airbrushed in. The changed cover is one of many packaging decisions record companies now make to appeal to conservative . retailers, a practice Wal-Ma- rt and others claim its customers demand but critics deride as a secretive form of censorship. The giant retailer, and many other stores that sell music, won't offer albums slapped with a warning sticker for explicit or violent ; lyrics. Delivered an ultima-- i turn on what will or won't fly, i record many companies 'choose to change what their ! artists give them in order to get their products in Wal-- ; Mart's 2,279 stores. It could mean removing an ! ; obscenity, as done on albums I by Onyx and the Primitive ! Radio Gods, or deleting a ' song altogether. The title of a Nirvana song was changed ;from "Rape Me" to "Waif Me." Background drawings iof Jesus and the devil were ! taken off the cover of John I Mellencamp's new album. ! Rock critic Dave Marsh ' considers the altered music a step beyond "parental adviso-ry- " labels, and an insidious way of eliminating edgy material without trying to censor it outright. "What really upsets us that they're using their financial power to change art," said executive Nina Crowley, director of the Massachusetts Music Industry Coalition. t, based in Ark., says it merely ; makes its policies clear to ; suppliers, and does nothing to alter music. ! "We do not quibble or argue with anyone's right to ; sing what they want, to print what they want and say what they want." spokeswoman Betsy Reithemeyer said. "But we reserve the right to sell what we want." The chain is cheered on by ; groups like the conservative ; American Family Association, which frequently offers i advice on albums Wal-Mashould look out for. "They wouldn't take damaged merchandise and. to me, morally, some of this garbage that passes as music is poi- ' son." said vice president Tim .Wildmon. g The popularity of "gangsta" rap and alternative rock in recent years gave rise to the fight over obscene lyrics. Many record companies say they 'give artists the choice whether to change their work to appease the retailers. Some refuse, like the ; intensely political rock band Rage Against the Machine 'whose guitarist's elderly 'mother is promoting a boycott t. lagainst ' Singer Sheryl Crow said no this fall when asked to alter a lyric on her new album that accused the chain of selling Wal-Maguns to children. isn't stocking the CD. More often than not, an the artist w ill bend. Wal-Manation's largest retailer, simply offers too many potential sales to turn down at a time when the record industry is 'suffering from a creative .slump and price wars that help Jchoke off independent retail- ers. ,j Some critics blame the record companies more than ' lartists. saying it's harder for ' musicians to take a stand when their liveli-- l lioods depend upon it particularly when their compaJnics advise making a change. ' "The record industry and the film industry should be protecting First Amendment i rights." said Richard White, S executive director of the Joint Artists and Action 5 JMusicians Political J )Committee. "I see them cav-jp- g on in wholeheartedly this. I ; Wal-Ma- California marijuana By MARK EVANS Associated Press Writer SAN FRANCISCO As celebratory from smoke curled marijuana pipes and joints at the headquarters of Proposition 215, uncertainty swirled around the future of California's newly approved medical marijuana law. Although me law allows doctors to prescribe marijuana for medical reasons, there is no mechanism for patients to legally obtain it And the measure is at odds with U.S. drug laws. "We still have a federal law that says marijuana has no medical value, and that it is against the law to grow it, distribute it and Saw prescribe it as medicine," said retired Army Gen. Barry McCaffrey, President Clinton's drug czar. "That's a law. Not my law. That's the U.S. Congress' law." McCaffrey said Wednesday he planned to meet with Attorney General Janet Reno and other officials to discuss how the initiative, approved by California voters 56 percent to 44 percent Tuesday, affects federal drug enforcement efforts. The measure legalizes me cultivation, possession and use of marijuana for health reasons. Users hailed the initiative as a compassionate way of helping ease the pain and suffering of people with AIDS, cancer and Page Al 3 faces rocky road other terminal illnesses. The controversy didn't bother Dennis Per-oone of the leaders behind the measure, who was still savoring the victory Wednesday. "People have smoked pot as medicine for thousands of years," he said. "It's like we've taken the wisdom of the past and brought it to the future." Steve Kubby of Squaw Valley, diagnosed with abdominal cancer 20 years ago, said he already has a doctor's verbal permission to use marijuana. "I told my wife Monday night that this is the last night I'll have to break the law to get my medicine," said Kubby, 49. n, The law technically went into effect Wednesday, but because marijuana is still illegal to sell, obtaining it is still against the law. "You can talk to your doctor today." sjjd Dave Fratello, spokesman for the Yes on 2 5 campaign. "But I can't tell you where to g t it. 1 can only tell you you're not subject Jo I prosecution if it's prescribed." California Attorney General Dan an outspoken opponent of the initiafor a meeting of all the statas called tive, sheriffs, district attorneys and police chiefs to discuss the ramifications of the measure on law enforcement. Lu&-gre- Companies profit by cleaning up messy crime scenes By PAISLEY DODDS Associated Press Writer MIAMI The blast from the package bomb killed its victim instantly and blew the hinges off the front door, shattered windows and ripped apart everything from linoleum tile to bedroom baseboards. Blood soaked the and stained the carpets. Michael Hosto was paid to clean up the mess. "It's a dirty job," said Hosto, owner of Crime Scene Cleanup, a in company that specializes removing signs of violent crimes, including blood stains, and body parts missed by medical examiners. Before such companies, crime scenes were mopped up by police, janitors and even victims' families. "We're providing a service to wall-boar- complete. The case is still under investigation. Once Hosto gets the from insurance companies, his cleanup crew dons masks and sterile suits to avoid contact with blood-born- e diseases. The crews put blood in special receptacles, replace contaminated drywall and remove and burn soiled rugs and carpets. The state licenses the company to dispose of biological waste. Workers sometimes find clues, including bone fragments and other body parts, even after medical examiners remove bodies and detectives collect evidence. Workers even found a pistol once. Such clues are turned over to investigators. Sgt. Bill Garrison, supervisor of Police Departthe Metro-Dad- e ment's Health Services, said crime family members," Hosto said. "Nothing more, nothing less." The oddities of the business have been captured in Quentin black Tarantino's new comedy, "Curdled," about a Florida company much like Crime Scene Cleanup. Hosto started his company in Fort Lauderdale in 1993 as an offshoot of another business. Fireworks Restoration Co., which rebuilds houses damaged by floods, hurricanes or bombs. The cleanup company, which averages about six jobs a month, covers a region from Orlando to Miami. Prices range from $100 for a basic job to $54,000 for an extensive cleanup, like the damage from the package bomb last April in a home in Plantation, near Fort Lauderdale. That took a month to go-ahe- low-budg- et "We're providing a service to amily bers. Nothing more, nothing less." mem- - Michael Hosto, owner of Crime Scene Cleanup cleanup companies not only take a load off the victims' families, they provide a safe w ay of getting rid of blood. "Families who have moved away from their support systems just don't have the people to help them clean up after murders or suicides," he said. But the hard part of the job isn't the cleanup, it's being prepared for the grisly images. "Sometimes the scenes are hard to forget," said Lisa Stein, a worker for Crime Scene Cleanup. "Sometimes I want to read the newspapers to find out I more about what happened." Hosto said he has trouble finding employees, who usually have:a medical or veterinary background. He has even hired relatives. "This is one of those jobs that you just have to desensitize yourself to," said brother Christopher Hosto. "But sometimes it's pretty difficult." Many cities, such as Los Angeles and Boston, have similar companies. Now, even small-tow- n entrepreneurs have become interested in the business. J ; get a cool way to keep in touch with your Kids. You ; ! ! ; ' Wal-Mar- J ! rt i - blunt-talkin- Your kids get a cool way to keep m touch with their friends. Wal-Mai- rt seta service rt, Pager, 1997 thrujtine fx if you're having trouble shopping for your teen this holiday season,' activation no further than a U S WEST look for only pager. Act now to get a Samsung 5600N pager (available in black, cranberry, and sea blue), Jg99S service through June 1997 and activation, all for only $89.95. 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