The contracter the State Of Tennessee hired for website security is blocking the SDMB.
Not Cecil’s online columns, just the SDMB.
I think it’s the word “dope”. :rolleyes:
So, I can’t get the SDMB at work. :mad: 
:smack:
I put in a request to free up the site.
<grump>Welcome to North Korea</grump>
Sheer poppycock, I say. Although I’d find it hard to pull that request off.
Me: Would you mind unblocking the Straight Dope Message Board? It has nothing to do with, you know, actual dope.
Contractor: Oh. I’m mistaken. What is it then?
Me: It’s a Message Board where people ask & answer questions. It’s actually very interesting. I’ve found I learn a lot.
Contractor: That is rather interesting. Do you think it would affect your productivity?
Me: (looking at post count) Can I get a raincheck on that?
I blame the weapons threads. 
I’m pretty sure it’s the word “boards” in the URL that causes it to be blocked. That is a standard hit for message boards, and to the best of my knowledge there are few filters that do not block discussion boards/forums by default.
Same thing happened to me at work when they installed new filters. All boards are automatically blocked. I can still read the columns too, though.
It’s for the best. Keeps me focused.
Pray to Og to smash their evil Dope-blocking servers.
So would it still be blocked if you use http://208.100.26.199/sdmb/? No more boards in the URL. And I don’t see “boards” anywhere in the source code for the main page.
Well, the boards are also blocked where I work, for the federal government, but I just wanted to pop in to say that I’m going to try that link tomorrow and if it actually works I will want to kiss you!
The boards will probably still be blocked. When I was security administrator at work we installed SurfControl. At the site you can test a site. If you enter either the URL or IP address it will tell you that SDMB is classified as *Blogs & Forums *.
Most web content controls work from a database of site categories so that administrators can allow access to individual sites that otherwise would be blocked by using content filtering. So as administrator I could permit users to access message boards that the organisation deemed OK, while a rule blocking anything with “board” would be an aministrative and auditing nightmare.
Just before 9/11 my company blocked the SDMB. I was on the road on 9/11. I sent a request in for the SDMB to be unblocked and gave my reason (I was out of the country, the country was under attack, these were my friends etc)
they unblocked the SDMB and it is still unblocked to this day.
Try begging.
Well, fortunately that doesn’t appear to be the case with me. I tried out the link that Patty O’Furniture posted and it’s actually working! I can’t say how excited I am that I have the SDMB here at work again.
Pucker up 
So that’s how things operate in our nation’s capital! :dubious:
The government did this to me when I was deployed. I had a job (mostly office work) that was either insanely busy or very dull depending on the day. My post count was way up. Then they changed the firewall and the Dope went away. I know it wasn’t about me. I knew the guy in charge of the people monitoring computer usage. Dumbasses were still accessing porn and other stuff that would get them in trouble (it was no secret that everything was monitored, usually in real time). After a few article 15s they decided to put in some preventative measures. I didn’t fight it since I couldn’t justify using it for work even though it didn’t interfere with my job. They did have some MWR (morale welfare and recreation) computers available for after work but they were sooooo sloooooow that I only used it to get in my Death Pool picks. War is hell.
My work did it for a while too. They still ban a fair number of boards, but not all… it’s hit or miss when you get the “naughty” message.
SDMB is back though!
If my job started blocking the Dope, I’d bring in my laptop.
All message boards are blocked where I work, which sucks because a particular product’s user forums were very useful for my job. But when I requested it unblocked the answer was sorry, company policy, no exceptions. I tried to go through few proxy sites but they were all blocked too.
I did figure out a workaround that enables me to look up information on that board, though. If I use Google to search the site for a particular topic and then click on the cached version of the page instead of the usual link, I can read the posts. It’s not a perfect workaround. I still can’t post myself and graphics are replaced with a “web site blocked” message. But at least I can usually get to the information I need.
Somehow, I think the “problem” is not the word dope, but the fact that it wastes time at work. They undoubtedly just went down the list of heavily used sites and checked off those with no business connection visible.
Cecil would be spared because there are a lot fewer hits to that site.
Here’s how I get around the blocks at work, and I HIGHLY recommend this!!
1 - From your HOME COMPUTER, go to www.logmein.com and setup a computer account there that will allow you to remotely access your home computer.
2 - Go to work and log in to logmein.com, then start a connection to your home computer
3 - Remotely control your home computer and look at the SDMB, run Yahoo Messenger, or anything else you aren’t allowed to do at work! Works great!
If people use the internet where I work for any reason, they’re fired immediately. Laptops are also banned. Sadly, we’re actually expected to work for the entire amount of time we’re paid for.