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Benjamin T Wrote: “Gear whor and gear sluut are both precise terms frequently used on backpacking forums -- but can't be used here. Methinks the immature moderators still haven't outgrown their hangup's from childhood.”
Personally, I guess, I find some of the terms such as “gear whor” and “gear sluut” a bit disconcerting, largely because of their connotative associations with sexist valuations and posturings. As a writer, I would be the last to suggest that words are inherently neutral. Nevertheless, I also find it disturbing that some people imagine that words have almost magical powers to create realities. I found it outrageously funny when a (very linguistically conservative) buddy of mine told me he had spent all afternoon “frigging around with his gear.” Granted, the word has been slowly drifting from its original meaning for the last few decades—but, as an intensifier, the word frig is still much closer to its original meaning than a word like “f**k”. What really bothers me, though, is when ignorant programmers fashion silly programs that inhibit the free and accurate sharing of information. Two years ago I taught at a religiously conservative college that wouldn’t allow me to search the internet for “Wessex Anglo Saxon Manuscripts”. Of course, "Wessex" was one of the problems—but it turned out that the other problem was “manuscripts”.
Roger C. Wrote: “As far as I know, the system simply uses a filter package which came with the system software. No custom dictionaries used, no human intervention, at all.” ***************
It never occurred to me that you would personally be the censor, Roger--in fact, it is kind of amusing to imagine you scouring the site for dirty words :-0. Still, it would ideal if SOMEDAY the profanity filters could be more liberalized, the BPL definition of profanity clearly and obviously stated, and then perhaps people could simply report posts that seem to stray “too far” from the site’s rules of civility.
OK. Enough of this. My shift is about to end, and I’ve got to get home and figure out why my #@!!*+$ sewing machine keeps snarling up in spite of all attempts to adjust it.
LIBERTAS+PAX PACIS
Edited by lrmblue on 12/28/2008 14:20:11 MST.
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