So a page on Wikipedia showing a “potentially illegal child sexual abuse image”, has been blocked by many ISPs in the UK on the advice of the IWF. The blocked page shows an album cover of German heavy metal band Scorpions, released in 1976. According to the BBC News site many UK users are angered by the block. The whole page has been blocked not just the image.
Now the blockage itself doesn’t bother me, in fact I applaud anyone doing stuff to protect children. But this ban is not equal. Other sites that show the album cover are not blocked by the ISPs and the IWF has not said they should be.
Now this smacks of double standards to me. Sites like Amazon are not blocked but sites like Wikipedia are. Is this to do with the ability of the site to afford to legal action? Perhaps. But if the safety of our children is the aim then all images of the album cover should have been banned no matter which site they are shown on.
Out of interest I went to the Amazon UK site and looked at the cover in question. It shows a naked family, man, woman, child (circa 10/11) and a baby. The woman has one breast showing, the other covered by the baby, the man is showing nothing and the girl has her back to the camera. Outside the cage are a lot of wild animals. A bit like a zoo in reverse. I would have put up a copy on this blog but don’t want the IWF banning my site too 
but here is a link
I have to say I did not think it at all pornographic, the images weren’t sexual in a pornographic sense, and I think the IWF should spend time on the real problems of child abuse on the Internet. Or perhaps they will go and tae down all the pictures from the grand masters in the art galleries too. Get real IWF and tackle the real issues.
What do you think?
Today I’ve been making curtains for the new house and it got me to thinking about the impact teachers have on our lives.
So what’s the connection between making curtains and teaching? Well simply, that I did needle work at grammar school and the skills/techniques are still with me 35 years later. Some other stuff has long been forgotten, I mean I don’t do quadratic equations anymore!
Some teachers made great impressions on me and others have just got lost in time. Here is a round up of the positive ones:
- Mr Granger 1965-66, York Mead Primary School, Birmingham, UK. The first person to teach me to play the recorder. Thanks, your teaching is still with me, I still play, though I need to practice to get back up to grade 8 level where I was at teacher training college. I appreciated you taking me on the the “advanced” group to learn treble.
- Miss Chapman, 1967-72, Yardley Grammar School, Birmingham UK. Thanks for teaching me to write correctly. Do you know how valued I felt when you put one of my essays up on the wall for parents evening? Sending me on an Outward Bound week was great. Sorry I never got to go on one of your Skiing expeditions.
- Mrs Carradine, 1967-72, Yardley Grammar School, Birmingham UK. Your recognition of the difficulties of adolescence was very comforting. Although I haven’t done any sewing in years, you’ll be glad to know I haven’t forgotten what you taught me. I didn’t get a Bernina machine however, have gone with Janome.
- Mr Richmond, 1967-72, Yardley Grammar School, Birmingham UK. I did think music would be a large part of my whole life. Got that wrong. But it has stayed with me and it was great to be musical director of the Lincoln University Choir (NZ) before I took early “retirement”. Thanks also for lending me your ear.
- I think you get the picture.
Those who had a positive influence on my life, were those who believed in me. They believed in me. I’ll say it again as I think it is important. THEY BELIEVED IN ME. I was a very shy student, not at all outgoing, got picked on, wore specs, had a lisp, but for all that these people saw past my inhibitions, saw the potential I had and encouraged me. THANK YOU. Because of your faith in me I have had a great career and life.
If any of you read this blog, do get in touch, I’d love to catch up.
Image “Teach me” by Foxypar
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