Day: March 17, 2005

I bet you’ve never heard this Spinal Tap song played on the bass clarinet before. Edmund Welles rocks! Check out the rest of their “cover songs” list. And Yes, they even play “Frizzle Fry” by Primus.

Word is out that Websense blocks foxnews.com because it’s categorized as an “Advocacy Group”. Meanwhile, CNN, MSNBC, CBS News, ABC News, and other MSM sites are not blocked by the enterprise security filtering software (for the exception of some sports content).

According to the source, if you attempt to access the news site from your desktop, the filtering software will send you the following error:

Access to this web page is restricted at this time.
Reason: The Websense category “Advocacy Groups” is filtered.
URL: http://www.foxnews.com/

Websense defines Activist/Advocacy Groups in the following manner:

Activist/Advocacy Groups

Sites sponsored by or devoted to organizations that promote change or reform in public policy, public opinion, social practice, economic activities and relationships. Excludes commercially sponsored sites (4, 13, 21), sites dedicated to electoral politics or legislation (10.2) or to the abortion issue (1), sites advocating hate or violence (16, 18, 27).

Peacefire.org has been looking into Websense for some time. They have logged a number of examples where the company has miscategorized various websites.

Mudvillegazette wrote about Websense back in September of 2004, complaining that the filtering software blocks a variety of blog sites.

If your company runs Websense on their corporate servers, give it a try. See if you can view Fox News in your browser, and try the others too. If one is blocked and the others are not, let me know.

I have contacted Websense and have asked them to confirm or deny that Fox News is being blocked by their software and explain why this news site might be unfairly singled out. When I get their response, I’ll post it here.

UPDATE: Thanks to those who have commented and emailed about their experience with Websense. It appears that some are experiencing un-filtered access to foxnews.com, while others are being blocked. I’m still awaiting the company’s official reply to my inquiry and when I receive it, I’ll post it here.

UPDATE II: Still no official response from Websense on the Fox News allegation. I have poked around a little more, and I’ve found further evidence that suggests Websense website blocking is more about attitudes and opinions of local individuals who manage the enterprise security software than any “out of the box” covert bias from the creators themselves.

I believe all companies have the right to decide how much Internet access they provide to their employees. Millions of dollars in productivity are lost every year due to “on the clock” amazon browsing/eBay bidding/score checking, not to mention the damage that’s done when a virus finds its way into a large computer network lacking proper security.

I didn’t find Websense guilty of any crime, so I don’t feel like I owe anyone there an apology. I merely brought a complaint to a larger audience and asked for explanation. It would be good to close the chapter on the issue, and a short, to the point reply from their corporate office would effectively do that for me. We’ll see…

Via Drudge:

**Exclusive Fri Mar 18 2005 00:50:07 ET** The Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pension (HELP) Committee, Mike Enzi (R-Wyoming) has requested Terri Schiavo to testify before his congressional committee, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned. In so doing it triggers legal or statutory protections for the witness, among those protections is that nothing can be done to cause harm or death to this individual.

Members of Congress went to the U.S. Attorney in DC to ask for a temporary restraining order to be issued by a judge, which protects Terri Schiavo from having her life support, including her feeding and hydration tubes, removed.
Developing…

Earlier today, this is what President Bush had to say on the matter:

“The case of Terri Schiavo raises complex issues. Yet in instances like this one, where there are serious questions and substantial doubts, our society, our laws, and our courts should have a presumption in favor of life. Those who live at the mercy of others deserve our special care and concern. It should be our goal as a nation to build a culture of life, where all Americans are valued, welcomed, and protected – and that culture of life must extend to individuals with disabilities.”

Thomas Nelson Inc., a company that publishes Evangelical Christian books, is grappling with issues that come with the decision to launch a corporate blog aggregator site. Michael Hyatt, President and COO, has his own blog, and has posted a draft of terms and conditions for employees of Thomas Nelson who wish to blog about the business. He’s asking for comments so he can make them ready for prime time. Go check it out, and if you have any experience with blogging corporately (good or bad), let him know.

As I was about to begin my lunch hour today, I thought about that scene in the Airplane! movies where the two guys are speaking jive. Even though I’ve seen that movie hundreds of times, I still belly laugh on that scene.

Ever wondered what bloggers would sound like if they posted in “jive”?

I have.

Take The Blogfaddah, Instapundit for example. Here’s a post he wrote on March 1st, regarding a camera he recently purchased:

D70 UPDATE: I’m happy with my Nikon D70, but as I mentioned a while back, it’s had one annoying glitch, an occasional refusal to fire until the exposure mode is changed. Following the advice of the Nikon tech support people (fast!) I reset the camera, but that didn’t help, so I’ve returned it for warranty service. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Meanwhile, despite my earlier drooling over the newer and (much) more expensive D2X, Ken Rockwell offers some persuasive reasons why the D70 is actually better for many purposes.

But, what if Glenn wrote the above post in jive? It might read something like this:

D70 UPDATE: I’s happy with mah’ Nikon D70, but as ah’ menshuned some while back, it be had one annoyin’ glitch, some occasional refusal t’fire until de ‘sposho’ nuff mode be changed. Followin’ de advice uh de Nikon tech suppo’t sucka’s (fast Right On!) ah’ reset da dang camera, but dat didn’t help, so’s I’ve returned it fo’ warranty service. What it is, Mama! I’ll let ya’ know how dat goes.

Meanwhile, despite mah’ earlia’ droolin’ ova’ de newa’ and (much) mo’e ‘spensive D2X, Ken Rockwell, mama offers some puh’suasive reasons why de D70 be actually betta’ fo’ many purposes.

Here’s Jeff Jarvis, with a recent post about Vlogging:

Vloggers take over the world

Here are amazing instructions on how to build your own teleprompter.

I’m installing the latest version of Serious Magic this weekend (I used the earlier version for my now more-than two-year-old primitive vlogs.)

And here’s Jeff, all jiveified and such:

Vloggers snatch ova’ de wo’ld

Here are amazin’ instrucshuns on how t’build yo’ own teleprompter. Ah be baaad…

I’s installin’ de latest version uh Serious Magic dis weekend (I used da dang earlia’ version fo’ mah’ now mo’e-dan two-year-old primitive vlogs.)

OK, one more. Over at Little Green Footballs, this was posted yesterday:

Kos Kidz Konference

Last September, Markos “Screw Them” Moulitsas Zuniga of the moonbat haven Daily Kos encouraged his followers to infiltrate the Republican National Convention and disrupt the proceedings.

There should be more of this. I know of several groups of people who have “infiltrated” the hall.

And memo to the Secret Service — I don’t have any names, so don’t bother trying to contact me.

Now, like a gift falling from the heavens, the Kidz plan their Yearly Kos Convention.

And the Jive rendition?

Kos Kidz Konference

Last September, Markos “Screw Dem” Moulitsas Zuniga uh de moonbat gots’n Daily Kos encouraged his followers t’infiltrate da dang Republican Nashunal Convenshun and disrupt da dang proceedings.

Dere should be mo’e uh dis. ah’ know uh several groups uh sucka’s who gots’ “infiltrated” de hall.

And memo t’de Secret Service — ah’ don’t gots’ any names, so’s don’t botha’ tryin’ t’contact me. What it is, Mama!

Now, likes some gift fallin’ fum de heavens, de Kidz plan deir Yearly Kos Convenshun. ‘S coo’, bro.

Wanna try it yourself? Be my guest and step into…

The Jive Compiler

Disclaimer: The Jive Compiler is something I think is funny. If you’re the type that doesn’t appreciate this kind of humor, please accept my apologies and don’t follow the link. No disrespect is intended.