Free Speech Triumphs!

Free speech has triumphed in the Duchy. The blogs are unblocked! According to TiTS, the Web Censor inexplicably turned into a HAL 9000 and seized control of the Duchy's internet, blocking all kinds of things. The excuse the Web Censor used for the blocking was "illegal or tasteless". Please. futureofthebook.com tasteless? And what about allfiberarts.com? However, let's look at this from the computer's point of view. Futureofthebook.com discusses topics related to the preservation and conservation of the PRINTED word, BOOKS! Allfiberarts.com is about weaving, knitting, spinning and other human craft activities involving thread. If I were a HAL 9000 computer, what would I consider illegal and tasteless? Well, printed material for sure. A site devoted to preserving old books would be positively pornographic! And suggesting that humans could entertain themselves with bits of thread...definitely in bad taste. Perhaps we all need to reassure the obviously insecure Web Censor that we will continue to bow over our keyboards regularly in addition to reading books and making pot holders. There is room in our lives for both computers AND books. After all without the computer, we wouldn't have access to all of this wonderful information. For example, did you know that February 20 is Hoodie Hoo Day. To celebrate Hoodie Hoo Day go out at noon and February 20, wave your arms over your head and shout "Hoodie Hoo"! On the other hand, Hoodie Hoo Day is a copyrighted holiday. Does that mean we need to request permission of wellcat.com, the copyright holder for Hoodie Hoo Day, before shouting Hoodie Hoo? Or does it only count if someone is paying us to shout Hoodie Hoo? What are the Fair Use Guidelines for holidays? What if other holidays were copyrighted? Could you then say "Sorry, we won't be having Thanksgiving this year. It would be a violation of copyright." What holiday would you most like to see copyrighted?