Blog may be blocked?
A reader reported that my site and Air Vent are blocked at his workplace. Other climate blogs he sometimes visits are not. Evidently, his work place evidently uses Websense.
We don’t know the precise reason the blog is blocked, but I consider it a problem if some people are blocked for no good reason. Anyway, I’ve contacted WebSense here. I didn’t know Air Vent was blocked at the time, so I didn’t ask about them. But, if any of my readers notice that our blogs are blocked at their work places, could you do me a favor:
- Find out what web filtering tools your work place uses.
- If you can, contact that web filter and ask them if we are blocked, and if so, ask why. (Sometimes, blogs are blocked by mistake. Sometimes, a mischievous troll files a report.)
- Let us know about the issue in comments so we can investigate further.
I know everyone in the world is not going to read my blog. But, if companies do permit some surfing, I’d like those who do want to read the blog in their spare time at lunch to be able to do so.
Written by lucia.Comments Closed: If you would like them re-opened, Contact Lucia
Comments
Gary C (Comment#13899) May 26th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
We also use websense and there is no issue here.
lucia (Comment#13900) May 26th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Thanks Gary C.
So it may not be Websense! Or, it may be certain specific choices made by the company.
Gary C (Comment#13905) May 26th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
Yes it is highly configurable. But I don’t know why the company would put you on the list.
Gary C (Comment#13906) May 26th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
No issue here also with Jeff ID’s site. I have full admin access to the web so I thought I would double check with some one with limited access and still got through to both sites with no warnings.
lucia (Comment#13907) May 26th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Thanks Gary C. Maybe it’s just that one company. Maybe the problem is we let TCO post some icky swear words wayyyyy back and some software “learned” we have potty mouths? Who knows.
Scooter (Comment#13909) May 26th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Maybe someone thought this site was about an unacceptable type of “exploit”. I’d better include in this paragraph something about Blackboard and Climate Change talk, to reduce the chances of the ads emphasizing the wrong kind of thing.
Andrew_FL (Comment#13929) May 26th, 2009 at 9:07 pm
I still remember my school days trying to get around the firewall. CA never got blocked by my school.
You know what’s funny? Here on vacation, I’m technically the Andrew that is actually in Kentucky. Go figure!
lucia (Comment#13947) May 27th, 2009 at 10:33 am
Andrew– We’ll still know you as Andrew_FL.
You know, so far, I’ve never needed to be “Lucia_IL” at any blog.
Andrew_KY (Comment#13948) May 27th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Andrew_FL, we can’t be in the timeline/history or geographic location… the universe would implode.
Not only am I both Andrew_XX’s, I’m also all the Gavins.
Andrew?
Andrew_FL which part of KY you in?
Carrick (Comment#13970) May 27th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
So Lucia, are you seriously asking people to let you know if they can’t hear you?
Gary (Comment#13973) May 28th, 2009 at 4:36 am
Carrick,
There is more than one way to hear. I’m writing this from my home PC. At work the Lucia’s site is blocked. Also having trouble with WUWT. Only first page is loading and then get “error on page” ( ever since the google ads went on?)
schnoerkelman (Comment#13992) May 29th, 2009 at 2:25 am
I’m not sure if it is related but my Avast virus scanner is insisting that your top level URL has a gzip virus in it and blocks the whole site. I’ve been offline for the last 10 days or so and the change occurred in that time frame.
bob
Andrew_FL (Comment#14061) June 1st, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Now I’m in Georgia. Internet has been sketchy. Jeez. Hm, uh, ever hear of Horse Cave?
lucia (Comment#14062) June 2nd, 2009 at 7:51 am
Andrew_FL–
Well.. you haven’t missed much here. I’ve been swamped at work, then hit by a hacker, then gardening… now I have something else to do!
HarryG (Comment#14098) June 3rd, 2009 at 4:17 am
Lucia – if you ever become blocke then it is time for you to declare.
HarryG (Comment#14099) June 3rd, 2009 at 4:18 am
Woops spelling error spelling alert – meant BLOCKED
Steve McIntyre (Comment#14194) June 5th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
I’m at the internet terminal at Sudbury, Ontario and climateaudit is blocked by their internet filter Softforyou.
lucia (Comment#14199) June 6th, 2009 at 5:16 am
Steve
I dropped a note at http://www.softforyou.com/contact.php . I figured the product must be “I Protect U”, since that’s their web filter.
I figure it’s worth sending notes whenever a non-porn , non-hate site is blocked. These filter services do get sent information from mischievious souls who suggest blocking decent sites.