B&S Banned at Wis. Dept. of Veterans Affairs
Political Capital has the scoop of all of the blogs banned by Wisconsin’s Department of Veterans Affairs.
After word spread at the embattled Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs that an employee was reading http://www.radiofreewis.blogspot.com WDVA ,secretary John Scocos’ aide Anthony Hardie told the agency information technologists to closely monitor other employees to see what they were reading.
Apparently, the IT staff there found a lot of employees looking at http://www.radiofreewis.blogspot.com so, p,utting this delicately, the fascist management at the agency began to filter material and block the following websites (possibly more) to keep 1,100 employees, who otherwise could view the politically informative websites and punditry from their work computers, in the dark.
[...]
For more information on Banned Political Blogs (Although WDVA administrators can still view political content on their computers) contact Hardie: Direct Phone: (608) 266-0517, cell phone 414 759-1596, Fax: 608 264-7616 or Toll-Free: 800 WIS-VETS 800-947-8387.
B&S is on the list! Woohoo!
This VETERAN finds it MORE than ironic that my blog is ALSO on the list…..
<snicker>
Posted by Pete Fanning on June 29, 2007 at 1111 hrs
It actually looks like they just banned most or all of the blogs on WisPolitics.
Posted by Owen on June 29, 2007 at 1117 hrs
Me too….
Posted by Fred on June 29, 2007 at 1128 hrs
Reading blogs on state (taxpayer) time is wrong. It looks like they get the left and right, but congratulations on being on the list.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 29, 2007 at 1132 hrs
It would be interesting to learn what the real reason behind this move was.
I generally support the right of an employer to block employee access if it’s because the employee is browsing the Internet instead of doing their job.
But, there may be a “we don’t like the content” element at work here. Much of the content on Radio Free Wisconsin is heavy with criticism of the WDVA.
If that’s the case, it really doesn’t make much sense. How can you address what other’s see as a perceived problem with your organization if you prevent your employees from learning what those problems are?
Posted by Jed on June 29, 2007 at 1138 hrs
If it is wrong you should see the hits I get every day from the WI Department of Administration….
Posted by Fred on June 29, 2007 at 1141 hrs
Wow- I have been banned also.
I am so proud.
Posted by K. Carpenter on June 29, 2007 at 1142 hrs
congratulations on being on the list.
It’s like getting to sit at the cool kids table in the cafeteria.
Except, of course, that some of the company isn’t really at Owen’s level of coolness.
Posted by Jed on June 29, 2007 at 1143 hrs
They also blocked the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and NBC 15 news. That seems a bit overboard. They might as well just ban newspapers at work.
Hey! I’m not on the list! Not that anyone actually visits my page.
Posted by Mr. Pelican Pants on June 29, 2007 at 1150 hrs
I guess the real question is, should employers - public or private - want their employees to be spending time surfing and blogging during the work day?
Posted by John Foust on June 29, 2007 at 1154 hrs
I love the fact that I made the list, and Lakeshore Laments is technically dead.
That’s called respect folks.
Posted by Kevin Binversie on June 29, 2007 at 1225 hrs
Don’t go too far out over the edge Kevin. Even I made the list.
Judging by the fact that the Capitol Curmudgeon made the list it was a cut and paste from WisOpinion.
Judging by the fact that Al Arnold made the list it was compiled by an idiot.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 29, 2007 at 1235 hrs
Jed, Owen’s cool? Since when?
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 29, 2007 at 1305 hrs
The question I have, as a veteran, is all those vets in VA Hospitals that might have access to computers who are being DENIED access to Wisconsin blogs….(or even TMJ or JSOnline for that matter).
Good question to pose to our VA Administration I would think.
Posted by Pete Fanning on June 29, 2007 at 1320 hrs
I didn’t make the list… I feel so inadequate right now. Maybe it’s that damn Claude balancing my site out with quasi-liberal garbage! Phack!
Posted by Fuzz on June 29, 2007 at 1321 hrs
Wow! I’m in such special company! I’m honored!
Posted by Kate on June 29, 2007 at 1407 hrs
I didn’t make the list, and I’m on both lists allegedly copied and pasted from.
It makes me feel all sad on the inside.
Posted by folkbum on June 29, 2007 at 1515 hrs
I believe that the DOA hits are from legislative offices, the Administration, the Supremes, AND other agencies.
One great big server.
One notes that the original ‘banned’ site has a number of interesting items about DVA employees and Big Guys.
Posted by dad29 on June 29, 2007 at 1611 hrs
Do I tell them they got the wrong NRE?
Posted by steveegg on June 29, 2007 at 1825 hrs
We’ll just have to correct that oversight, Jay
Seriously, I don’t know whether to be pissed that they got the wrong version of NRE blocked or privileged that it doesn’t appear they got the current version blocked.
Posted by steveegg on June 29, 2007 at 1843 hrs
A fun thread to read from all you bloggers on or off the list.
But, if you’re going to get serious—with the backlog in processing of paperwork for our veterans in desperate need, it simply ought to be a ban on all use of the internet for anything other than work.
That’s the way it is in much of the private sector and at least some other state offices (according to a couple of workers at those).
Exceptions can be made for work-related purposes, but that’s the rule.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 29, 2007 at 2108 hrs
I’m thrilled to know my wife is among such distinguished company.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 29, 2007 at 2257 hrs
I’m on vacation and I still made the list. Imagine what they will do to me when I come back.
Posted by James Wigderson on June 29, 2007 at 2340 hrs
But Kay, what about our Veterans IN VA Hospitals? As the Political Capital post indicates (if it is accurate), the state purchased Websense for blocking at NOT ONLY the Madison HQ but at the Vet homes at King and Union Grove AS WELL…to me that is UNACCEPTABLE as a veteran….
Posted by Pete Fanning on June 30, 2007 at 0515 hrs
Wow—even Capitol Curmudgeon made the list. I haven’t blogged there since January of 2006! Obviously, I got under someone’s skin.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 30, 2007 at 0808 hrs
Pete, no, neither Owen’s post nor the link say anything about anyone other than employees that I can see. If I’m missing where it says anything about nonemployees, please point it out. I entirely agree with you that nonemployees ought to be able to access any site that they want (that will include porn, though).
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 30, 2007 at 1104 hrs
If the old vets at King want to spend their time looking at porn, more power to ‘em.
That’s one of the rights they fought for.
Posted by xoff on June 30, 2007 at 1151 hrs
It’s right there…
Web content filtering services
Former California envoy to the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, Christine Wrolstad-Hotvedt, in May 2002 approved $23,317 for Websense computer software to block Internet access at Madison headquarters and vets’ homes at King and Union Grove.
In March 2006, the agency approved an $11,875 purchase order for vendor Websense, Inc.
Posted by Pete Fanning on June 30, 2007 at 1323 hrs
Anthony Hardee used to work for Tammy Baldwin. What do you expect with Secretary Scocos fighting over in Iraq? Hardee is running the show, and he’s a dem, and the Vets Board is now controlled by dems. Get used to censorship.
Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on June 30, 2007 at 1645 hrs
Total Entries: 19628
Total Comments: 129572
Most Recent Entry: 02/03/2012 09:53 pm
Most Recent Comment on: 02/04/2012 04:57 am
Total Members: 9751
Total Logged in members: 0
Total guests: 94
Total anonymous users: 0
Most Recent Visitor on: 02/04/2012 05:29 am
The most visitors ever was 538 on 12/01/2007 02:11 pm
Protected and licensed under a Creative Commons License (some rights reserved).