Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Filter Category: Mildly Amusing

Sometimes, when I'm in town and can't quite be bothered to go home yet, I come to the library, to check my e-mail, read blogs, google things before I forget them, all the usual kind of procrastinatory bits and nonsense. All of them apart from Facebook, that is. Try to go to Facebook and this is what you'll see:


CORNWALL LIBRARY SERVICE: ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

This page has been filtered because it breaches the Cornwall Library Service Acceptable Use Policy.

Filter Category: Social Networking

Hmph, I say.

But that isn't why I'm writing this post. The library blocks quite a few sites. In fact, when I first moved down here, it was blocking the discussion boards on the website for my MA course. Which, seeing as I had no internet at home at the time, cost me an awful lot in coffees at Cafe Cinnamon Girl (when I could work out when the bloody place was actually open). Apparently, though, some of their decisions are quite reasonable; amusing even.

Anyone who has an iGoogle hompage will know you can add little boxes that display feeds and content from other sites. On my page, I have one called Chimp-o-Matic (I think that link's right; it won't let me go there); it displays random George W Bush quotes. Or it does when I'm not in the library. I can't say that I usually take much notice of that particular box these days, even when it works, but today, for some reason, it occurred to me to scroll down and find out what exactly it is that Cornwall Library Service has against the world's most powerful idiot:

Filter Category: Tasteless & Offensive


Hmm...

GEORGE W BUSH TASTELESS AND OFFENSIVE, SAYS CORNWALL LIBRARY SERVICE


I can see the headlines now...

6 comments:

nuttycow said...

Hello. Can't remember how I found my way here but I think I might stick around for a bit. I can't pretend to understand everything you write about but hey-ho... that's the way of the world :)

Occasional Poster of Comments said...

Hello there :)

Looking at your blogroll, I suspect you were most likely brought here by the blue kitten (hmm, not even born yet and already causing trouble... :).

Erm, I can't pretend to understand everything I write either... Actually, no, I probably can. In fact, I do that most of the time. It's the actual understanding bit that's the problem. Er, except when I actually do understand and I'm just pretending not to. Or when...

Wait, where was I?

Semaphore said...

Ah yes, I ran into that problem in Penzance myself. Being a cheapo student and knowing that as soon as my parents descended and whisked me away to the wilds of Helford I would be separated from the internet, I went into the public library. And they fiendishly barred me from facebook. AND this was in the days before messages and wall-posts were shown in the email notification... *wails and rocks back and forth*

PS Also found my way here via the lovely Patroclus... May well make myself comfortable.

Occasional Poster of Comments said...

Hi Sempahore :)

So you're in Cambridge? I was there for nine years before I moved down here. It was also where I first met up with Patroclus, as it happens - we were both going to see Nick Cave at the Corn Exchange.

Actually, the next post is going to be sort of Cambridgey, as well as musical. When I get around to it...

Semaphore said...

Nine years, eh? Hardcore indeed. Was that as a student or a student-resenting resident?

And yes, the dear Corn Exchange. Saw Ross Noble there, 'twas wonderful. And periodically the town is swamped by small emo midgets going to a concert - always good for a laugh...

Occasional Poster of Comments said...

Three years as a student, a further six wishing I still was one. Bloody admin jobs.

Lovely place, Cambridge, but it was time to see if I could do something more fulfilling with my life. So far, so good...