When will Mudcat clean up its act?

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: maeve
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 02:00 PM

"A Clean Song" Oscar Brand

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: sciencegeek
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 02:10 PM

thank you, maeve!

I have that old album, but haven't listened to it for years.... but I can "hear" it even as I type this... :D

lately I've been bemoaning the current tide of pandering to the least tolerant instead of standing up for tolerance, understanding and acceptance. what ever happened to agreeing to disagree? there are times when it feels like we're living in a particularly unpleasant episode of the Twilight Zone.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 02:55 PM

I had to look up that one. Hehe.

It's here on Youtube

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 02:59 PM

This one, on the other hand...

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Don Firth
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 03:35 PM

Comedian Penn Gillette once remarked that there are people who could walk through the debris after an explosion in a Scrabble tile factory and find something to be offended at.

Sean Mc, you'd better fasten your seat belt, because I'm afraid the ride is going to get a bit bumpy for you. The Federal Communications Commission is in the process of rescinding the ban on the "seven forbidden words," the ones that cannot be said on radio or television (shit, piss, fuck, cunt, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits).

Bon appetite.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: skarpi
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 03:40 PM

Bleep!!
where can you find a website that dosen´t have a word that needs a Bleep !!!!

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: gnu
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 03:46 PM

Spaw... "Can we all just move on now from the moronic, broke-dick, jadrool, that started this thread and allow him the privacy to go fuck himself?"

I thought that was already established, no?

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: mousethief
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 03:53 PM

Makes me wonder what Woody Guthrie would have had to say about it.

"Fuck it."

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Bill D
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 04:21 PM

even Oscar Brand's "Good Ship Venus" Peter Laban linked to is partially self-censored

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Brian May
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 04:36 PM

It's funny isn't it?

People here getting their knickers in a twist over a couple of words they don't like, whilst 'respectable' governments, ministers, industrialists, celebrities and so on are cheerfully ramming the bat up our collective arse - but they're polite about it?

Err, I wonder which one I prefer . . .

Try going to the Acoustic Guitar Forum where you can't even write 'damn' without censorship.

I described a bastard file and had it censored, I then attached a dictionary definition, I nearly then got banned for questioning the the moderator - he was actually quite rude BUT he didn't use any rude words.

So those of you who are complaining about the odd swear word, think on, that sometimes the alternative is equally as bad, it's all in the name of decency - yeah right.

Yank government bitching about BP not paying out enough money, when not a penny has been paid to Union Carbide's victims in India. That's perhaps another dose of Midwest Bible belt decency, they won't SAY it, but they certainly DO it.

Now how do you view a couple of swear words? Is it of cosmic importance? Don't like it? Then fuck off and don't come back - you can have my place at AGF.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: GUEST,Duran
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 04:58 PM

Hey, what's this song about Jane Fonda ? One of the more interesting nuggets in this slag heap. Do tell, open mike.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: skarpi
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 05:03 PM

Brian May , why tell people to F"""""""""""""" and don´t come back ??
its not your call is it ??? , its their own call to do so .

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 06:36 PM

"I always thought PG was "Pregnant" "

I've always what what Page 13 had to do with anything - and in which book?

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 07:23 PM

OK, so the Jane Fonda song is Fuck You Jane Fonda.

But now I'm wondering about this PG13 stuff. We started the tag so people could filter out the bawdy stuff so they could view Mudcat stuff on their bosses' computers.....but now I can't remember how to make a "filter out" link.

Can anybody help?

-Joe-

---

You CAN use this link to "happy" threads (which don't have bad stuff), and then filter out PG13, and that will work.

---

Search for "happy!" threads

If you have a computer that blocks you from Mudcat when thread titles have "naughty" words, copy this link.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Paul Burke
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 07:36 PM

Well trolled, Sean Mc. Classic ploy, a fatuous but inflammatory comment, and no visits back but to stir it a bit ('morons') when it seems to be getting a bit quiet. Have you considered the possibility that 'moron' might be as offensive as 'cunt'?

By the way, which one are you?

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: kendall
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 07:40 PM

"If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen." (Former president Harry S. Truman.)

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Jeri
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 07:44 PM

Joe, on the main threads page, click the box that says "Filter out". It's right under the word "filter" by the box you type in the word you want to filter for.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Bugsy
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 07:56 PM

Jeri! Are you suggesting that One should actually edit out what's offensive to One on One's OWN computer??

Surely theres a Jobsworth somewhere that can do it for One??

(I'll shut the door behind me on my way out)


Bugsy

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 08:04 PM

Hi, Jeri-

But the problem is, if today's Forum Menu has a Forbidden Word and if you're using the boss's computer, the boss's computer won't give you access to Mudcat.

But if you use mhy Happy! link, you will avoid the Naughty Word threads and be able to access Mudcat from the boss's computer. THEN you can use the "filter out" option to root out the PG13 threads and look at the rest of Mudcat.

Mind you, my boss is a nun, and she doesn't have a Naughty Word filter on your computer. Maybe that's why the Vatican is investigating American nuns.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: mousethief
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 08:55 PM

If I asked why this thread is above the line, would I regret it?

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: katlaughing
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 09:06 PM

First I heard of any PG13 filter.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 09:11 PM

"First I heard of any PG13 filter. "

PG13 filter tips were introduced for the under age smoking market....

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Ebbie
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 09:23 PM

Just for the record, Brian May: you are not accurate as you say "when not a penny has been paid to Union Carbide's victims in India."

I agree that the amount was obscenely low but government did do its thing. ver batim from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhopal_disaster

Widow pension of the rate of Rs 200/per month (later Rs 750) was provided.

One-time ex-gratia payment of Rs 1,500 to families with monthly income Rs 500 or less was decided.

Each claimant was to be categorised by a doctor. In court, the claimants were expected to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that death or injury in each case was attributable to exposure. In 1992, 44 percent of the claimants still had to be medically examined.

From 1990 interim relief of Rs 200 was paid to everyone in the family who was born before the disaster.

The final compensation (including interim relief) for personal injury was for the majority Rs 25,000 (US$ 830). For death claim, the average sum paid out was Rs 62,000.

Effects of interim relief were more children sent to school, more money spent on treatment, more money spent on food, improvement of housing conditions.

The management of registration and distribution of relief showed many shortcomings.

In 2007, 1,029,517 cases were registered and decided. Number of awarded cases were 574,304 and number of rejected cases 455,213. Total compensation awarded was Rs.1,546.47 crores.

Because of the smallness of the sums paid and the denial of interest to the claimants, a sum as large as Rs 10 billion is expected to be left over after all claims have been settled.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 09:37 PM

Joe, I'm deeply offended by your suggestion that http://mysongbook.de contains no offensive language! There are gems like 'The Steggie' to be found. (Ok, not an offensive word in sight there - you'll have to picture it in your own mind ...) And admittedly, 'She Was A Rum One' or the bawdy version of 'John Anderson My Jo' are still missing but they will eventually be included! So please don't slander http://mysongbook.de. :-)

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: GUEST,jade, can't be bothered doing cookie
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 10:02 PM

to be sensible now,
when you talk to someone face to face of course it depends on who you are talking to as to what sort of language you use.
however, this isn't face to face, it isn't instant. this is the type of place you get to know peoples writing styles and decide whether to read them or not.
banning swearing on tv wouldn't be permitted. if it is there and you don't like it, you have the choice to turn over.

if i were talking to a friend i would swear, it is how i express myself in everyday terms. if i were talking to someone in an official copacity, then of course i would keep it clean. that also applies to parents, or grandparents.

now apart from messing around, i don't noramlly swaer alot online, as i have time to consider alternatives. in real life you don't get that. although sometimes i wish there were a delete button!

take care all
jade x x x x x

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 10:04 PM

Kids seem to know a heck of a lot more about bodily uses and language describing bodily contact than I do.
Who or what is protected by 'clean' language nowadays?
Anyone using the current complete Oxford English Dictionary will find an entire column on fuck.
An English TV program run on the BBC features an English chef(?) who can't utter a sentence without 'fuck' or 'fucking' in it.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: mousethief
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 10:34 PM

An English TV program run on the BBC features an English chef(?) who can't utter a sentence without 'fuck' or 'fucking' in it.

But why? It's just becoming meaningless fluff. What are people going to use when they REALLY need to show they're angry? They say that it's possible the universe will end in a blah heat-death soup where everything is exactly the same temperature and consistency and nothing happens or changes. Our language is growing that way now. As we overuse hot words we make them cooler and cooler, until they all die a heat death and we all speak in a monotone and have no way to show excitement or anger or any other strong emotion. It's like 1984 but we're doing it to ourselves.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Amos
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 11:22 PM

The incarnation of that intellectual entropy is the movie "Idiocracy".

A

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 11:28 PM

Just noticed this thread. So someone who has all of 41 posts here at Mudcat is offended and wants the site to change?

What hubris.

Please, someone help the man find a site more suited to him. Maybe Lawrence Welk fans have something he would like.

SRS

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: mousethief
Date: 05 Aug 10 - 11:54 PM

Maybe Lawrence Welk fans have something he would like.

Mitch "Sing along with Mitch" Miller just died. I'm sure there is a resurgence of interest in Mitch, and maybe there's a new website with a policy about language that would suit our tender noob.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 12:33 AM

I thought this thread was "deja vu all over again," but I couldn't find the previous discussion until just now. You'll see other threads on the subject in the crosslinks at the top of this thread. We came up with the PG13 tags in the Bawdy song thread. We were not able to get a permanent, cookie-enabled PG13 block, but we did work up a filter that will do the trick. If you are on a computer that blocks you from Mudcat because of profanity, Google Mudcat FAQ and go to the FAQ page. I added this to the first message of the FAQ in 2005.

The Filter (searching by thread title) Toward the top of the Mudcat Forum main menu (click here), you'll see a "filter" box - put an appropriate word in the box and set the age to whatever is appropriate to cover the period you want to search. Click the grey "reset" button, and all threads with that word in the title should appear (a "thread" is a series of forum messages, posted on a specific topic). Here's a filter box you can try: Filter Age 1 Days -------------- 1 Day 3 Days 7 Days 14 Days 30 Days 90 Days 180 Days 1 Year 2 Years 3 Years All Filter Out Help Note: The forum menu is set to display all threads for which messages have been posted in the last 24 hours. If your thread has disappeared, please don't start a new one. Just use the "filter" or "search the forum" links on the main forum menu, and pull your thread up and post a new message in that thread - that will bring your thread up for another 24 hours. Your new message can be just the word "refresh" if you have nothing else to add. If you're viewing Mudcat from work or a library or another location that has a "profanity filter" on its computers, you may not be able to view our Forum Menu if we happen to have a so-called "naughty word" in a thread title. We've tried to tag these titles "pg13." If your profanity filter blocks your access, try putting pg13 in the Filter box and check the "filter out" box.

"Filter Out" Filter: Age: 3 Days -------------- 1 Day 3 Days 7 Days 14 Days 30 Days 90 Days 180 Days 1 Year 2 Years 3 Years All Filter Out

---

Or as a link you can bookmark:

http://www.mudcat.org/threads.cfm?Title=pg13&Age=1&submit=Refresh&FilterOut=1

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Monique
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 02:39 AM

Kids being chocked, true stories…
My sister started teaching some 35 odd years ago in a class of 3 years old in a neighborhood where the kids would say "bugger off, you cunt" to one another as easily as others say "Hi, how are you doing?" Once one of her student was sobbing desperately "What happened?" and the little girl pointed at another one "She called me naughty!"
A friend of mine teaching in pre-school (age 3) asked one of her boys "Where do you live?" (in French "Où tu habites?" pronounced "où t'habites" when you speak fast) and the boy said "Là!" ("There!") pointing at his groin because he'd understood "Où ta bite?" (Where('s) your cock?)
In both cases, guess who was shocked!
IMO many people tend to want to protect their own sweet vision of childhood. If they want to protect the actual children why don't they use some parental control software and/or do they let the children surf on the internet unattended?

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 04:32 AM

"An English TV program run on the BBC features an English chef(?) who can't utter a sentence without 'fuck' or 'fucking' in it. "

And I refuse to watch ANY program with that Foul Mouth C*** in it!

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: TopcatBanjo
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 12:00 PM

Chortle. As a relative newbie to Mudcat I am quite taken aback by how much is permitted here. Swearing doesn't bother me (I use far too much "bad" language myself, must try to cut down) but don't often feel the need to do so much online.

I'm probably more taken aback by what seem to be the complete lack of limits on here in terms of being able to say WTF you like to anyone with seemingly no consequences, in terms of banning/threads or posts being deleted etc.

Talking of UK/US forum characteristics, in my (admittedly fairly limited) experience the Americans tend to be far, far more puritanical. For instance, on the Banjo Hangout you can't even say "damn" or "hell", much less anything stronger!! And in general they get very touchy about what you might call robust debate, which makes it all rather anodyne and boring, although there is lots of good stuff in terms of musical resource, playing advice etc. On the other end of the scale a motorcycling forum I used to be on a lot is even more "robust" than here in terms of swearing and arguments. But it does have software which blocks "profanity" but then people just write "cnut" and so forth...!

Different strokes eh?

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 01:00 PM

I thought Cnut was a Danish king who couldn't stem the flow of the tide... I think I see the connection!

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: sciencegeek
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 01:18 PM

It is pretty evident that there is absolutely no way to please everyone all the time - or even most of the time, so the obvious fall back position is that when a site is formed and is moderated, that the owners of the site make the ground rules. They set up rules that conform to their beliefs and sensibilities.

No one is forced to visit their site or agree with their standards, nor should they be expected to conform to anyone eles's standards... unless there is jail time associated with non-conformance. ( joke here, guys)

Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder - so is "inappropriate" language (or whatever else is being objected to. And anyone who is truely upset by some of the threads on this site is perfectly free to go elsewhere to find less "disturbing" material. Enjoy the view from your bellybutton.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 02:07 PM

color me obstinately logical and tedious....but....

Joe...re: "If **you** (my emphasis) are on a computer that blocks you from Mudcat because of profanity, Google Mudcat FAQ....etc."

How, (he asks guilelessly), is that supposed to help my favorite example of a casual user who tries to drop in, but can't GET in to read your well-done explanation, because there is a thread with 'fuck' in the title showing for a few days?

If one is a regular user, and knows the issue, and just happens to have a temporary problem on a 'protected' computer, and has read the FAQ or remembers this thread...why, all well & good. Otherwise, they get the idea that the **site** is on a forbidden list....and.... *shrug*.

(Before 14 more folks make comments about free speech and for or against censorship, I repeat...I am NOT advocating censorship of lyrics or discussion, but merely looking for a way to avoid filtering programs from keeping out those who don't KNOW what is here.)

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: MikeL2
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 02:33 PM

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: sciencegeek - PM
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 01:18 PM

Hi sciencegeek

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Each to his own and if anyone doesn't like what the moderators do.....well you know where the door is !!

cheers

MikeL2

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 03:18 PM

Hi, Bill-
When we last visited this issue in 2005, I counted the days since Mudcat's inception that the word "fuck" had appeared on the Forum Menu - 75 days from 1996-2005. I asked who had been barred from Mudcat because of profanity on the Forum Menu, and very few said they had actually been blocked. We have devised a solution for the few "regulars" who encounter the problem. If they're blocked, all they have to do is Google Mudcat FAQ and use the Filter in the first message of the FAQ.
Therefore, I must conclude that it isn't much of a problem.

Now, I admit that some people on library computers might be blocked from access to the Forum Menu at times - but I would guess that most people first get to Mudcat by Googling the lyrics of a song and finding it in a thread, not the Forum menu. The people who come to Mudcat through the Forum Menu, are generally people who have been here before.
Therefore, I must again conclude that it isn't much of a problem.

I still cringe when I see "fuck" and "cunt" and "nigger" on the Forum Menu (and I cringe when I type these words now), but euphemization is far more repulsive to me.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Bill D
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:00 PM

Joe...when I worked in grocery stores many years ago, we were told to take ALL complaints seriously and treat ANY 'store problems' we saw the same way. His feeling was "if a potential customer is frustrated and disappointed and goes away, we have no way of tracking what happened and can't address their concerns."

In the same way, a survey of problems encountered by regulars really doesn't deal with or anticipate problems which 'might' have occurred with those who found the 'door closed' and never came back.
(It reminds me of the sign "If you can't read this sign, call 1-800-555-1234")

"...75 days from 1996-2005." And since?

"I would guess that most people first get to Mudcat by Googling the lyrics of a song ...etc..
That 'might' be so.... but maybe we ought to worry a bit about whether our guesses were accurate? *grin*

"..euphemization is far more repulsive to me."
*shrug*...as is obvious, I think the slight 'euphemization' of just titles, with full text available INSIDE a thread, is minor.....

Ok...I've said all I can....I'll put the soapbox back in the corner now...

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:08 PM

I think the slight 'euphemization' of just titles, with full text available INSIDE a thread, is minor.....

Exactly.

Joe, does the PG13 filter out racist terms or just the usual fuck etc.?

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Max
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 05:30 PM

Blame me, not the moderators. It is my rule.

I am not careless, thoughtless or crass. It is with much thought and great purpose that it is so.

I am sorry that you are offended and I do regret that we cannot provide a more suitable environment for you.

Just as I cannot revise the histories of our lands and lives, although not proud of some of it, I cannot leave the details of it on this site behind asterisks and bleeps.

Words don't hurt people, forgetting them does.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 06:06 PM

Thanks, Max. I've never had a disagreement with Bill D before, and I was wavering....

Kat, the "PG13" tags, much as I hate them, are only present when they are inserted. They aren't automatically triggered by naughty words. If we find that people are getting blocked because of bad-word filters, THEN we can insert the PG13 tags. So far, I have seen no need, but we developed the tags in case a need arises.

If you've studied sea songs to any extent, you know how hard it is to get the actual words of real sea songs. Generations of collectors obfuscated the genuine lyrics behind their euphemisms. The singers themselves changed lyrics because they didn't want to offend upper-class Caucasian collectors. And to some extent, what we have left is entirely suitable for children's records, but hardly a realistic collection of sea songs.

That's why I'm sensitive about euphemizing folk songs - because then it starts looking like it's the right thing to do, to obscure reality behind what we think reality ought to be. For those who love folk music, cultivating the ethic of euphemization is dangerous path to take.

I prefer to a call a spade a spade - which, by the way, is NOT a racist remark.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Rafflesbear
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 06:14 PM

your house, your houserules but the suggestion that the details of the histories of our lands and lives can only be communicated properly with swear words in the thread titles of the music section of Mudcat is interesting

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 07:09 PM

Our language is an interesting beast. Rafflesbear speaks of swear words, although we really aren't talking here of swearing at all. In fact, I can't think right off of any situation where people swear objectionably any more. I found a good list - the words people are objecting to here are profane, obscene, blasphemous or scatological (traditionally); and also racist and sexist (in these modern times).

I guess for me, the only words I find objectionable are hateful words.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Brian May
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 07:51 PM

Well said Max and thanks to Joe too.

There are just too many places, both real and virtual, where 'freedom' is a joke. (See above referring to the Banjo site, the Acoustic Guitar forum is similarly afflicted).

Undeniably political, but in UK there is actually legislation to prevent the indigenous population stating simple truths.

Sadly, that constraint does not apply to so many of those that the law was originally intended to protect. It's left us in a situation where 'we' have fewer rights and subject to outrageous exploitation. Self confessed terrorists exhorting hate and intolerance at the taxpayers' expense

This site makes me feel better because I can just 'say' what I think. I don't usually swear on forums, there's little need to do so.

BUT, I abhor being told I can't do something - especially by sanctimonious, judgemental, busy-bodies who presumably go through life wincing at every comment they hear in the street.

So, well done - you'll rarely see me swear, but thanks for the freedom to do so if I feel so moved, it IS appreciated.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Amos
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 08:47 PM

Max:

I agree with your perspective, whole heartedly. I don't use four-letter words unless I am using them as intended, to describe scatological functions, sexual appetites or actions, or peaks of momentary disapprobation. I use the to encourage perverse objects such as frozen bults to cooperate with me. I use them to chastise unexpected obstacles such as doorknobs or small boulders when I encounter them too enthusiastically. But I don't use them to --for example-- describe mini-cephalic obstructionist or reactionary prepubescent pea-headed attitudes on the part of the less than bright. That would be unkindly.


A

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 08:50 PM

Oh, you're in fine form tonight, Amos....

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Aug 10 - 10:14 PM

I was just asking, Joe. As BillD said, we're not talking about euphemizing the lyrics.

When the Run Nigger Run thread title came up, years ago, many of us were concerned about what the casual visitor might think of the site if they saw that first thing.

Max, you may say that words don't hurt people, but I don't agree, esp. when it comes to younger folks. Words can be very hurtful, esp. when written; with the written word there is a permanency which gives an everlasting effect.

Regardless, I do respect the scholarship here and the authenticity of the age-old ballads, sea songs, etc., but like Bill, I'd just as soon see some care taken in the titles only of threads.

Subject: RE: When will Mudcat clean up its act?
From: Howard Jones
Date: 07 Aug 10 - 05:58 AM

I think the question about visitors to the site being blocked by certain words in thread titles is a red herring. Why are they being blocked? It seems to me there are two possibilities:

The first is that the content settings in your browser or security software on your own PC are blocking the site. The solution is simple - change the settings.

The other is that the site is blocked by restrictions set by your employer on a PC at work. However in most companies private browsing is not allowed, or at least is strictly controlled. Again, the answer is simple - you probably shouldn't be looking at Mudcat at work in the first place, so accept the restrictions and wait until you get home.

Neither situation is a good reason to change the policy.