Air Force blocking access to more blogs.
By on Feb 27th, 2008 at 9:00 pm
Air Force blocking access to more blogs.
Danger Room reports that the Air Force is “tightening restrictions on which blogs its troops can read, cutting off access to just about any independent site with the word ‘blog’ in its web address.” One official called the move so “utterly stupid, it makes me want to scream.” Sites like The New York Times, however, will be allowed because they are “established, reputable media outlet[s].”
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NYT? I guess no one at the AirForce read the McCain story? Or has heard of Judith Miller?
February 27th, 2008 at 9:03 pmAh, ironies abound here, the Bush Defense Department “protecting” Air Force personal from the “freedom” to web surf and read and think as they choose; this is the “freedom” that they are supposedly fighting for…
February 27th, 2008 at 9:06 pmI can understand the military blocking some sites just as any employer would (mine blocks a variety of sites — yet somehow TP managed to get through their filter). The rationale is usually that the employer wants to block sites that have nothing to do with the job at hand, so employees won’t waste gobs of time surfing the net.
But I assume we’re talking here about website access for troops during their leisure time, which is a completely different story. I’m pleased that the Air Force is blocking all blog sites without regard to political leanings, but still — it’s absolutely stupid. To allow “established, reputable media outlets” to be viewed by our troops but to ban blogs is essentially saying, “we don’t want you to be exposed to any kind of thinking except what has passed through acceptable filters.”
February 27th, 2008 at 9:07 pmthe Air Force is “tightening restrictions on which blogs its troops can read
This sounds like sheer desperation to me. The brass knows that they can’t let the troops know the truth. And they are well aware that their talk of “patriotism, the flag and fear” is on the verge of a major meltdown!
The troops are beginning to “believe their own lying eyes” as the saying goes. There could be rebellion in the ranks unless the outside world is muzzled.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:08 pmThe Air Force has for years been the service of choice for those who want to wear uniforms but not actually fight. Now it’s apparently for those who don’t want to learn either.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:09 pmAll we have to do is to find out which “outlets” they intend to allow and infiltrate them, take them over and let the Air Force personnel who want to be knowledgable about their world read the truth. Or at least we can let them know how they are being hosed by our exhalted politicians.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:12 pmMissmolly, while I can understand you comment in concept, I disagree. When your job entails you putting your life on the line day in and day out, I don’t think there should be any limitations. If they want porn, LET THEM SEE PORN! Christ, it might be the last time they ever see a breast. A normal employee can go home (or to a bar or whatever) to see it. If the women want to see Playgirl or whatever, good for them. If they want to read right wing or left wing blogs, great! (BTW, are right wing blogs blocked, too? Just curious.)
This isn’t a normal 9-5 job.
And this is the freedom they are fighting for? Bah!
February 27th, 2008 at 9:12 pmMilitary Intelligence is an oxymoron
February 27th, 2008 at 9:34 pmThose asked to give all for freedom for us get none for themselves.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:36 pmComment by Ms_Joanne — February 27, 2008 @ 9:12 pm
If I could, I would recommend this post over and over again.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:49 pmComment by alpuz3 — February 27, 2008 @ 9:49 pm
Thank you, kindly. I am enormously flattered.
I live for the day when posts like this aren’t needed.
February 27th, 2008 at 9:52 pmBlogs are the new Tokyo Rose.
February 27th, 2008 at 10:19 pmOh yeah…this is the political commisar for the USAF doing this. Comrade Bush has these people everywhere now. Remember it’s not the substance of what the Bush war criminals are doing, it’s the appearance. We certainly don’t want any of our Air Force personnel getting ideas from the internet. Oh, I remember the days when America was America and we were free!
February 27th, 2008 at 10:21 pmCan you say “cult”?
February 27th, 2008 at 10:26 pmCan we all say “mind-control cult”?
Can we all say “mind-control cult which needs/wants robots more than it needs/wants human beings”?
Can we say all of the above, and also “with endless, mindless flesh-devouring/crushing weapons”?
Our government wouldn’t lie to our soldiers./sarc off
February 27th, 2008 at 10:34 pmFREEDOM –
February 27th, 2008 at 11:17 pm
Comment by kdoug — February 27, 2008 @ 11:17 pm
Is that like screwing for virginity?
February 27th, 2008 at 11:22 pmIf the US Air Force can’t handle some leftwing blogs, how can they take on Al Qaeda?
-GSD
February 27th, 2008 at 11:24 pmExcellent question, as always GSD.
Don’t they know we’re just hanging out in our jammies?
February 27th, 2008 at 11:27 pm…but thanks to Republican procedural maneuvers…
And you’re proud of this you traitorous piece of $h!t? Get your lazy a$$ over to the recruitment stand and over to Iraq. If it’s Ok for others to do it, you should too.
Gin, may you rot in hell.
February 27th, 2008 at 11:51 pmMsJoanne, you’ve been on fire for a couple days. :-)
February 27th, 2008 at 11:55 pmZooey, I am finally home and sicker than a dog. Ain’t life grand?
These maroons have earned my wrath. And now is a good time for me to send it. ;-)
February 27th, 2008 at 11:57 pmI’m sorry you’re sick!
**spraying disinfectant on my monitor**
I guess if you were going to pick up some virulent germ, it’s better to be sick at home. :(
February 28th, 2008 at 12:00 amPansies? Pansies says the internet tough guy?
Gin, you would be remembered as a coward. But, you’re such a pansy that no one will ever know who you actually are.
that must get you through a restless night.
anonymity.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:01 amAir Force blocking access to more blogs.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:02 amWhy and what are they up to that must remain a secret? After all we have been through from this giggling murderous Bush crime family, can’t help but feel a sense of paranoia and dread upon reading statements as this. We still have 10 months and 22 days until the Obama administration is sworn in…
On the upside, it is good to see a reichwinger like Gin lending credibility to an organisation such After Downing Street.
From their website:
Exposing Fraudulent Basis for War Key to Ending It
After Downing Street has worked closely with the peace movement in the U.S. and abroad, organizing national days on which events have been held in hundreds of cities, lobbying in Congress for investigations, censure, and impeachment, introducing and passing pro-impeachment resolutions at the local and state levels, and organizing the peace movement to address the issue of accountability for the war.
People, please visit the website’s Impeachment Resource Center and sign one of the online impeachment petitions.
Thanks for the link, Gin!
February 28th, 2008 at 12:04 amMUCH better at home. Had I been in a hotel they would have had to send in the biohazard people to clean up the place. I am at the place where death doesn’t sound as bad as losing more bodily fluids – violently.
Yeah, I am sick enough that some of the dickweeds here are gonna get the wrath of me. There ARE plusses to feeling deathly ill. ;-)
February 28th, 2008 at 12:05 amLet ‘em have it, Ms Joanne!
But feel better soon. :)
February 28th, 2008 at 12:07 amThe definition of insanity…..
Comment by Gin — February 28, 2008 @ 12:04 am
February 28th, 2008 at 12:07 amIs what, shitbird?
Nah, Gin…this time we’re going to get a majority that will blow your mind.
And hopefully no new goopers; we’ve had enough slime to last a lifetime. Wonder how many more of your little darlings are going to retire? The more the merrier. Let’s hope they all go away. These days it’s gonna be hard to install any new ones.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:08 amRepeating the same action, expecting different results…
Isn’t that what Pres Bush is doing with his “surge” in Iraq?
Insanity, indeed.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:09 amThanks, MissZ. I’ll do my best!
February 28th, 2008 at 12:09 amfellow tp’ers i know this is ot, but please make sure gg gets this link. it’s probably a friend of hers.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/115280
conservatism = pedophilia
February 28th, 2008 at 12:13 amAnother GOP scumbag with his nose buried in the stinking, abject failure of his own parties policies, mocks the “democrat party”. You’re a winner, gin.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:16 amComment by joe cantwell — February 28, 2008 @ 12:13 am
The guy seems to be a braying jackass, but I didn’t see anything about pedophilia.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:20 amAs for the Air Force efforts to block blogs, what a monumental waste of time.
Yet another example of people believing reality can be changed by ignoring it & living in a bubble -a la Bush II.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:25 amYah – we don’t want no Hippie Commie Liberal Obama lovin Troops readin any of them Blogs that might challenge what the military is feeding them. Nope no sir ree………………
February 28th, 2008 at 12:40 amComment by Gin — February 28, 2008 @ 12:42 am
Nice attempt at a distraction.
Problem is, “they did it too” is not an excuse Pres Bush can hide behind. Not to mention this was a war of choice. Against a country that was no threat. The occupation of Iraq is nothing but the continuation of that war of choice.
Because, you see, this is 2007, not 1917, nor 1943, or 1950, and the man in the White House isn’t any of the names you mention.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:47 amThe only thing that surprises me is that anyone who continues to compare Iraq to any previous conflict is not too stupid to breathe.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:55 amOT…Zooey, why doesn’t TPZoo link to http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com ? That’s one of the best blogs around.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:56 amComment by Gin — February 28, 2008 @ 12:42 am
February 28th, 2008 at 12:56 amWWI- a victory WWII- a victory, in less time than we’ve spent in Iraq. Korea -still free. S.E. Asia- Nixon promised a solution and drew it out into a catastrophe. Kosovo-over and done, genocide averted. Looks like dams actually know how to fight a war and win if they’re called to. Bet Al gore wouldn’t have let Osama go. Thank God chimpy wasn’t president in 1941. After Pearl Harbor he would have attacked Australia, what with all those kangaroos threatening our liberty.
As the conservatives and wack jobs like to say.
Freedom isn’t free.
Keep up this crap and we will continue to get more people on the dems side.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:00 amKeep up this crap and we will continue to get more people on the dems side.
Comment by totallynext — February 28, 2008 @ 1:00 am
From your keyboard to the spaghetti monster’s ears! (Hmmm…wonder if it has ears. :-)
February 28th, 2008 at 1:02 amAt least Gin the Bush cultist agrees that the invasion of Iraq was fraudulent. Which would make his Dear (mis)Leader a liar, a swindler and a crook.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:05 amWhat a complete tool. WWI was NOT started by Wilson. WWII was NOT started by FDR. Korea was NOT started by Truman. Vietnam was NOT started by JFK. Clinton did Not start anything either! Idiot! God Damn republicans are quite possibly the dumbest people on the Earth!
February 28th, 2008 at 1:07 amPlus, when “our side” committed atrocities? The guilty were held accountable.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:07 amComment by AustinSF — February 28, 2008 @ 12:40 am
Obama is toast. The Main Stream Media has begun to turn on Obama the same way it turned on Hillary. I predict that within 4 weeks, every news outlet will be talking about McCain’s patriotism and Obama’s (imaginary)links to terrorism.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:08 amHave you ever noticed that republican’s arguments just fall to pieces in a pathetic heap because they can no longer say, “It’s Clinton’s fault.”
February 28th, 2008 at 1:12 amIf Gin is any guide, it seems alternative history in Wingnutia contends the Earth is 8,000 years old, both WWI and WWII were started by the US, and Iraq’s WMD have been found.
It’s no surprise, since they use the Conservapedia as a reference -you know, to sanitise science, history, and reality from any “liberal” bias.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:16 amOT
“Rev” John Hagee endorsed McCain. If he ends up with a voice in our government, I’m leaving.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:17 amConservatives reference resources:
Wikidipshitia
February 28th, 2008 at 1:27 amLiars guide to the Universe
Boys R Us
Crooks and Liars (so they can learn how to top the day’s headline)
Scatology (they learned how to shit on us somewhere)
no, the bible clearly talks of precession, a 26k year cycle.
The Earth goes through one complete precession cycle iThn a period of approximately 25,800 years
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precession
Mankind knew of this cycle long ago before writing
February 28th, 2008 at 1:28 amPete, take me with ya. I don’t know this man…is he worse than James Dobson? He could easily be Satan in disguise to me. :-)
February 28th, 2008 at 1:28 amComment by Ms_Joanne — February 28, 2008 @ 1:28 am
As nearly as I can figure, “Rev” Hagee is dedicated to the preservation of Israel because we have to beat the Ruskies and Chinese there before Jesus will return and fix everything in accordance with the King James Bible. About the kindest description I can come up with is “apocalyptic idiot”.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:34 amOT…Xisithrus, that story on your blog about McCain in Iraq is some terribly scary stuff. Apparently there is another puppetmaster who’s driving the Straight Talk Express of late.
YIKES!!
http://manifestlyso.wordpress.com/2008/02/27/mcdepends/
February 28th, 2008 at 1:38 amOh man…these End of Daysers are TRULY scary!!
I tell ya, if I was a religious person, I’d be $h!tting in my pants about the End of Days…for it sure seems like the Four Horsemen are approaching. And I gotta tell ya, these so-called Xtians (as in Who Would Jesus Torture, maim, kill, not insure, feed, or generally give a $h!t about) ain’t gonna be the ones making the cut.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:42 amComment by Ms_Joanne — February 28, 2008 @ 1:38 am
Holy Shit! (oops, maybe that too)
February 28th, 2008 at 1:45 amComment by Mr. Evil — February 28, 2008 @ 1:45 am
Uhm, I think it depends upon who is doing the defecating. ;-)
February 28th, 2008 at 2:02 amHa Ha Ms_Joanne. Thanx for the link. After reading that article some of McCain’s mannerisms come into better focus. BTW hope you feel better soon!
The truth can trump a thousand lies. Whack a troll today!
February 28th, 2008 at 2:26 amStrike? Such as…?
February 28th, 2008 at 3:23 am#67 – “The real question in the McCain scandal isn’t about whether McCain had sex with an attractive blonde female lobbyist, or whether he improperly intervened with letters to Federal Agencies on her client’s behalf.
Both are so commonplace as to barely qualify as news.” Comment by ccokz — February 28, 2008 @ 2:45 am
That’s only because the right-whiners refuse to hold their candidate to any standard, and only consider “unethical behavior” to be something that only other people are involved in.
February 28th, 2008 at 7:35 amIn the matter of facts it is the holy right of war (becaause it is war we talk about) – isolation to get rid of any phisical obstacles.
February 28th, 2008 at 8:45 amIt reminds me of ancient times when the rulers knew much more about the world but kept info away from the “people” and soldiers to keep them blindly obedient.
Pitiful but inavetable rule of every conflict – KEEP MY MEN THINK LIKE ME OR LOSE.
What’s new? Nothing!
This Administration has always used a SOVIET type of behavior for everything. Denying the troops the freedom to access information is just another aspect of it.
I hope 10 more months won’t be enough for them to take our freedom completely from us. I hope, also, that the American people will be smart enough (this time) to vote against the continuation of this administration and its tactics as McCrazy wants to.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:14 amthe AF blocking blogs. Can’t let the troops have access to the truth now, can we?
Kind of like during Vietnam, base commanders would put GI coffee houses near bases off limits. Didn’t work then, won’t work now. Underground papers, etc.
If you haven’t seen it yet, do so. Sir! No Sir! is available on DVD.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:38 amGoogle Translate can often be used to get around blocks like this.
http://www.google.com/translate_t
Just translate the desired URL from any language to English. If the page is already in English, then most of it is unchanged. I usually use “Japanese to English”.
I haven’t tested this on an Air Force blocked system, but knowing the military’s approach to computer security, it’ll probably work.
Feel free to pass this information along to your friends and family in the USAF. :-)
February 28th, 2008 at 10:32 amI’m shocked I tell you! Shocked! /sarcasm. “…allowed because they are “established, reputable media outlet[s].  that can be counted on to lie for the powers that be.
In Dubya’s dada universe everything is assbackwards. For instance, propaganda is reported as truth – truth as propaganda, you’re rewarded not punished when you participate in criminal activities, treasonous when you tell the truth – patriotic when you tell lies. I could go on and on but that would be getting away from the point. Loyalty to the Party and The Mission – that’s what’s most important to the all-knowing almighty Commander Guy.
February 28th, 2008 at 12:44 pmHow do they do that? Do they issue a directive telling airmen they can’t visit a blog site, under penalty of court martial, or what?
February 28th, 2008 at 1:18 pmWell obviously keeping all news away helps Bush as he wasn’t aware that gas could hit $4.00. Or that Bernanke just said we are heading into a recession. So, guess the Air Force thinks it will work with our thinking military. Like not allowing Playboy to be sent to our sons. Yeah, that really worked out well. Old enough to die but not to read Playboy.
February 28th, 2008 at 1:24 pmMissmolly, while I can understand you comment in concept, I disagree. When your job entails you putting your life on the line day in and day out, I don’t think there should be any limitations. If they want porn, LET THEM SEE PORN! Christ, it might be the last time they ever see a breast. A normal employee can go home (or to a bar or whatever) to see it. If the women want to see Playgirl or whatever, good for them. If they want to read right wing or left wing blogs, great! (BTW, are right wing blogs blocked, too? Just curious.)
This isn’t a normal 9-5 job.
And this is the freedom they are fighting for? Bah!
Comment by Ms_Joanne — February 27, 2008 @ 9:12 pm
Actually, we agree. I am AGAINST website blocking for the troops. Most are not going to be surfing the net while they are on duty, and what they see in their leisure time is nobody’s business.
I must not have made that clear in my original post, where I said that the military differs from other employers in that their website filters affect their personnel during their own time as well as “company” time. My apologies.
And yes — the ban is for all blogs, right AND left.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:16 pmHow do they do that? Do they issue a directive telling airmen they can’t visit a blog site, under penalty of court martial, or what?
Comment by judyinnm — February 28, 2008 @ 1:18 pm
Website blocking software has become fairly standard these days, and is used by many employers to keep their employees from goofing off on the job. Some parents use it to keep their children from certain sites, too.
Entire categories of websites can be blocked — shopping sites, religious sites, blog sites, pornography, gambling, message board and forum sites, real estate sites, society and lifestyle sites, etc. etc. Just pick what you want to block, either by individual site or by category, and you can block any individual who accesses the internet via your server from seeing it.
When one attempts to access a blocked site, they just get a screen saying that the site is blocked — something like “Your organization’s Internet use policy restricts access to this web page.”
And because the only way most troops can access the internet is via the military servers, they are pretty much at the mercy of the military filters.
February 28th, 2008 at 2:23 pmMissmolly,
Part of the problem is that the military often has control over the Internet tents or “cafes” because they are run by KBR or some other contractor. I think it is ludicrous for the government to limit the freedom of those that, they argue, are “fighting for our freedom”. It is an insult to their intelligence as well as to the ideals that they are supposed to be defending.
This crap really ticks me off.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:19 pmUp is Down and Black is White.
America – once mighty for its ideals, sadly is no longer.
February 28th, 2008 at 6:13 pmWashington, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, et al weep for us.
After all, these troops are expected to fight for freedom, not actually expect to be able experience it for themselves.
February 29th, 2008 at 12:41 am