posted July 06, 2010 01:22 PM         

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is blocking certain websites from the federal agency's computers, including halting access by staffers to any Internet pages that contain a "controversial opinion," according to an internal email obtained by CBS News.

The email was sent to all TSA employees from the Office of Information Technology on Friday afternoon.

It states that as of July 1, TSA employees will no longer be allowed to access five categories of websites that have been deemed "inappropriate for government access."

The categories include:

• Chat/Messaging

• Controversial opinion

• Criminal activity

• Extreme violence (including cartoon violence) and gruesome content

• Gaming

The email does not specify how the TSA will determine if a website expresses a "controversial opinion."

There is also no explanation as to why controversial opinions are being blocked, although the email stated that some of the restricted websites violate the Employee Responsibilities and Conduct policy.

The TSA did not return calls seeking comment by publication time.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_162-20009642-10391695.html

Of course, the right thing to do with employees who use company computers on company time for entertainment or other activities unrelated to their jobs...is to fire them.

posted July 06, 2010 01:31 PM         

as to book burning, forbidding certain sites during work hours hardly constitutes a parallel.

posted July 06, 2010 01:42 PM         

The TSA is an organization which is being managed..or mismanaged by O'Bomber's appointees; all of whom are far left radical "progressives". "Progressives" that is...until the heat gets too hot on their sorry butts and they have to change that name to something else.

posted July 06, 2010 05:36 PM         

It's not TSA the organization which is leftist; it's the leadership of it's appointees all the way up to O'Bomber who are leftist "progressives".

They're just doing what leftists always do, ban books, ban political speech and ban websites with whom they disagree.

posted July 06, 2010 06:42 PM         

Shouldn't they be watching training videos or something else transpotation related, you know like the movie Trainspotting!

posted July 07, 2010 11:09 AM         

One of the places Kevin used to work, had a bank for a client. Kevin regularly used to have to drive out 40 min. to go and "fix" the computer of the Bank President. It was getting infested with viruses, and spyware. One day, Kevin said to him after the 3rd time that week, "You know, sir, if you stopped going to online Casino's, your computer wouldn't get "broken" so often..." Kevin said he looked like he got caught with the canary in his mouth.

posted July 07, 2010 12:08 PM         

jwhop you would probably consider my parents leftists, after all my father marched with martin luther king and my mother worked with catherine day (community organizer in the 30s). however book burning was one of their top-list crimes against the people...

was it leftists who bonfired john lennon's stuff when he said the beatles were more popular than jesus? are the kkk, who bonfire PEOPLE with the wrong colour skin, leftists?

posted July 07, 2010 04:36 PM         

Gambling with customers money is prohibited for banks. They are not permitted to risk their depositors cash.

The Community Redevelopment Act was signed by Jimmy "The Teeth" Carter, expanded by Kommander Korruption, aka Bill Clinton, passed by democrats in congress, enforced by Janet Reno who threatened banks to make loans to those who could not possibly afford to make the mortgage payments. The resulting bad loans were purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac...all inventions of demoscats which blew up in America's face and was the principal cause of the financial meltdown.

"was it leftists who bonfired john lennon's stuff when he said the beatles were more popular than jesus?"...katatonic

Are you suggesting conservatives trashed Lennon's property, burned his house, his cars, his furniture, his records?

Or, are you saying Lennon's nonsense was so repugnant to many Americans that they stopped buying his records and going to his concerts? If so, I wouldn't call that bonfiring Lennon's stuff. Americans exercised their rights to not contribute to Lennon's lifestyle or leftist nonsense...in much the same way they reacted to the Dixie Chicks.

"are the kkk, who bonfire PEOPLE with the wrong colour skin, leftists?...katatonic"

In a word YES.

For your information, the KKK was a democrat racist organization whose Grand Kleagle happened to be demoscat Senator Robert KKK Byrd of the United States Senate. A demoscat US Senator who filibustered the Civil Rights legislation in the mid 1960s and who never saw an expansion of federal government power and authority over the American people he didn't support and vote for.

"ronnie reagan gave a huge amnesty to illegal FOREIGNERS back in the day. was he a leftist?...katatonic"

Reagan made a deal with Tip O'Neal, Speaker of the House of Representatives. Reagan would sign on for giving amnesty to 3 million illegal aliens and O'Neal would appropriate money to secure the southern border of the United States.

Reagan kept his word. In typical lying demoscat fashion Tip O'Neal did not keep his word and appropriate money to secure the border.

That's the principal reason Americans are not falling for the so called "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" hoax demoscats want.

posted July 07, 2010 07:51 PM         

3. as you well know the type of democrats that formed the KKK were not leftists at all but old fashioned southern democrats who voted dem because LINCOLN was a republican and they wouldn't be caught dead voting for his party even 100 years after his death.

4. so ronnie lost on a deal, but if obama makes a deal its rotten eggs. interesting logic there...and interesting that you think tip ONEILL was ok in "appropriating" money on his own? isn't that something congress has to vote on?

also it's getting very old you speaking for all americans as if you are of one mind with the country. again, i suggest YOU run for president since you have your fingers on the pulse of the nation it should be a snap for you!!

posted July 07, 2010 10:50 PM         

Name one bank in one instance which "gambled" with depositor's money.

"2. don't you remember the ACTUAL BONFIRES of beatles records which took place after lennon made the crack about being more popular than jesus?...katatonic"

No, I don't remember any such thing but if it had happened they would not have been bonfiring Lennon's stuff. They would have been setting fire to their own property...property they would have bought with their own money.

"3. as you well know the type of democrats that formed the KKK were not leftists at all but old fashioned southern democrats who voted dem because LINCOLN was a republican and they wouldn't be caught dead voting for his party even 100 years after his death....katatonic"

Those demoscats you speak of included Robert KKK Byrd and the so called southern coalition demoscats who were racists at their core. Further their numbers included Algore's father and Kommander Korruption's political mentor J. William Fulbright..all of whom drooled over enlarging the scope and authority of the federal government over the American people.

"4. so ronnie lost on a deal, but if obama makes a deal its rotten eggs. interesting logic there...and interesting that you think tip oneal was ok in "appropriating" money on his own?...katatonic"

Ronnie as you put it, didn't lose out on a deal. demoscats do what they always do to get what they really want; they lie. Tip O'Neal was one of the most powerful Speakers in history and could have put funds for border control into any legislation he wanted. So, don't attempt to soft peddle O'Neal's lie to Reagan.

"also it's getting very old you speaking for all americans as if you are of one mind with the country"...katatonic

I make no claims to speak for anyone other than myself. I firmly believe demoscats are going to get washed out of their cushy offices by the tsunami heading their way in November. You have me mixed up with another member here who is forever attempting to speak for others.

There is an intensity among Republicans, Independents and some Democrats to get these Socialist Progressive demoscats out of office as soon as possible. The soonest possible is November 2, 2010.

Now katatonic, if you have a different opinion on that subject and an actual reason for having that "different" opinion, please share it.

posted July 07, 2010 11:08 PM         

Couldn't take the heat.

However, it should be 2 strikes and you're out for Janet Napolitano.

TSA drops policy blocking 'controversial' sites
Revises 'acceptable use' for Internet access after criticism
By Joseph Weber and David R. Sands

After an uproar from conservative bloggers and free-speech activists, the Transportation Security Administration late Tuesday rescinded a new policy that would have prevented employees from accessing websites with "controversial opinions" on TSA computers at work.

The ban on "controversial opinion" sites, issued late last week, was included as part of a more general TSA Internet-usage policy blocking employee access to gambling and chat sites, as well as sites that dealt with extreme violence or criminal activity.

But the policy itself became controversial as the Drudge Report and a number of conservative bloggers highlighted the possibility that the policy could be used to censor websites critical of the agency or of the Obama administration in general. The American Civil Liberties Union also questioned the language.

TSA spokeswoman Lauren Gaches said the agency's revised "acceptable use" policy for Internet access on the agency's network was designed to block sites "that promote destructive behavior to one's self or others."

"After further review, TSA determined the 'controversial opinion' category may contain some sites that do not violate TSA's policy and therefore has concluded that the category is no longer being considered for implementation," she said in an e-mail to The Washington Times.

Before abandoning the guideline, agency officials said the policy changes were intended to address "evolving cyberthreats," but did not explain exactly what was meant by "controversial opinions" and whether Internet sites with conservative or other politically oriented viewpoints would be targeted under the new guidelines.

The changes were first reported over the weekend by CBS News, which obtained an internal memo sent to agency staffers. The memo was the lead item on the widely read Drudge Report site.

The agency's Office of Information Technology informed TSA staffers of the change Friday via e-mail. The notice listed five categories of sites that were "inappropriate for government access" chat/messaging; criminal activity; gaming; extreme violence; and those that feature controversial opinions.

The inclusion of the "controversial opinion" category immediately raised eyebrows.

"There's always a danger that threats are used to justify over-broad restrictions on speech and other freedoms," said Jay Stanley, an American Civil Liberties Union privacy expert, before the TSA announced it was dropping the idea. "But it's disturbing to see the TSA get the balance all wrong on that."

A number of conservative bloggers suggested the TSA policy change was an attempt by the Obama administration to target opposing viewpoints or criticism.

"We have known for years that the government has talked about the possibility of censoring the Internet to thwart opinion, but this is the biggest it has ever gotten," said a posting Tuesday on the "Conservative for Change" blog site. "When will we be able to get back to when people actually had the freedom to make sound decisions for themselves and not have some government tell them how it should be?"

The TSA episode was not the first time the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the agency, has gotten into hot water with conservative critics.

Conservatives objected strongly to an April 2009 directive by the department that warned law enforcement officials about a possible increase in "rightwing extremist activity." The details of the warning were first reported in The Washington Times.

posted July 08, 2010 11:05 AM         

"We have known for years that the government has talked about the possibility of censoring the Internet to thwart opinion, but this is the biggest it has ever gotten," said a posting Tuesday on the "Conservative for Change" blog site. "When will we be able to get back to when people actually had the freedom to make sound decisions for themselves and not have some government tell them how it should be?"

___________________________________________

do you not see the contradiction inherent in this? if "we have known for years" then we are NOT talking about the obama administration really, are we?

and sorry, but you speak consistently about "the american people" as if you were speaking FOR them. but of course one can deny anything...

posted July 08, 2010 02:41 PM         

i have been laying bets at work far longer than computers have been at every desk, gimme a break.

as long as the work is done, who cares.
our accountant likes them t!tties more than anyone i ever saw. i mean he can't wait to get to work and see em.

now the no controversial discussions! that takes it way too far!! way too far!!!!

posted July 08, 2010 11:13 PM         

Those attempting to get control of the Internet with taxes, regulation of information/news sites and get control of talk radio ARE demoscats.

posted July 09, 2010 09:11 AM         

gambling at work the old fashoned way.

check poker. on payday you take the change amount and the last 3 numbers on the check number, best poker hand wins.

dollar bill poker. everyone pulls out a random dollar bill and the best poker hand wins all the dollars. serial numbers.

plus you can always bet on willie leaverly. you know the guy that always leaves early. you can bet on if he will show up on mondays and what time he will find an exuse to leave early on friday...2 oclock is a sure winner.

betting at work the old fashoned way was FUN!

posted July 09, 2010 09:45 AM         

however i'd rather have a govt that openly tries to regulate something than one presided over by wannabe dictators and secret-agent-man coverup artists. government is NOT there merely to man the battleships and watch the skies. if it were, a military regime would be all we needed.

as to leos at work i cannot help but agree. though they will usually soon find themselves in their favoured position of organizing, delegating and planning rather than pushing paper and following orders...and the male of the species is particularly adept at getting others to do the work for them...

however i think many jobs today contain a lot of empty hours and firing employees for using the internet is a futile exercise in showing one's biceps metaphorically...unless you are worried about viruses and hackers getting in through the sites they use.