[TarpleyG]

I want to turn up the heat a little at work. I can go to any and all sites like http://www.vpc.org but I cannot get to http://www.nra.org or http://www.goa.com.

WHY NOT???

We have a content filter that has a subscription service from another vendor. That vendor decides what is appropriate and what is not based on what "group" a particular site has been put into. Evidently the VPC is not in a GUN or MILITARY or VIOLENCE group.

WHY NOT???

I have a mind to go to my boss and ask him. I think the VPC site should be blocked as well then. Fair is fair, right? Why is it okay to get mindless propaganda from that site but it is not okay to get information from the NRA or GOA?

GT

[Quartus]

It's okay for the boss to do whatever he wants to with his computers and network.


And it's okay for you to try to change his mind.


It's not okay for him to fire you for doing so, or for him to pass you over for promotion for your views.


But he might.

[Kaylee]

Another thing to consider is whether this is an issue you *really* want to bring up, as it amounts to admitting to websurfing on company time.

Plus what Quartus said. IMHO, politics, religion, and sex are all things best not discussed in the workplace. No sense driving a wedge between people you work with every day.

-K

[deanf]

It's not okay for him to fire you for doing so, or for him to pass you over for promotion for your views.

Sure it is.

[Standing Wolf]

Leftism requires ignorance.

[Langenator]

Here at Ft Jackson the sites on the "off limits" list seem to make no sense. I can go to THR, but not 1911forum.com. I can go to the FN site, but not Colt, Remington, or Kimber. DOIM (Directorate of Information Management, which is about the most Orwellian name for an organization I've ever heard) hasn't given a logical explanation.

[Mike Irwin]

That's probably a pre-defined filter by Microsoft.

If you're friendly with any of your IS people, talk to them quietly.

[feedthehogs]

TarpleyG,
I had an employee who complained about the pro-gun atmosphere at my business.
His father also complained. I called them both into my office a few days later and basically let them know that I respected their opinion but in fact THIS WAS MY COMPANY AND I'LL DAMN WELL DO AS I LIKE.
If they didn't like it, the kid could quit.

A week later we had a surprise visit from OSHA.
The OSHA guy let it slip that the kids father had called to complain about unsafe working conditions.
They only found a few minor things that I corrected. But if I now fire the kid, I could be sued for firing a whistle blower big time.

So now I make it a daily routine to make sure this kid has the most miserable job for the day.
Last week I made him scrub out the holding tank pump out system.
He got sprayed with waste and ended up barfing all day..:barf:

There is an office pool as to the day he will quit.
I've also offered a $250.00 bonus to any employee who makes this kid quit

[Mike Irwin]

Hogs,

when you say kid, how old is the kid that he had to get his Daddy involved?

[Hkmp5sd]

Interestingly, I can use The High Road at work, but cannot access The Firing Line.

My employer gets monthly listings of everyones internet use, both amount of time and sites visited. Technically, all usage must be job related. As long as you don't go overboard, they don't say anything about going to other sites (provided they get pass the filter).

[feedthehogs]

Mike,

The kid is 23. From the conversation with the father, I understand why the kid is useless.

I got 5 employees under 25. If anyone of them were my son I'd kick their ???. They just don't raise them like they used to.

[Moparmike]

I am one of the few that they raised like they used to. Belts are meant for keeping: "up" pants and guns, and children "in line". Corporal punishment when used correctly is no more hazardous and damaging than a Bugs Bunny Cartoon.

Anyway, talk to your IS people if you are friendly with them, like Mike said.

hogs, what do you do anyway? (good job on telling them off btw.)

A word of caution: If it gets out that you are trying to get him to quit, it could have negative repercussions. I am not sure what those might be, but I am sure some crafty devil could come up with something.

[feedthehogs]

Moparmike,

I'm in the marine/marina business in S. Florida.

All offers by me to expedite this kids departure are all verbal.

The funny thing is, this kid in the beginning was real interested in firearms and showed an interest in learning about them. But he started to change his mind and I'm sure it was his Dad who did it.
But at 23 a kid should be able to stand up for themselves, even against the old man.

I really like teaching kids to better themselves and I'll really go the extra mile to help them personally. Some of these kids have lousy home lives.

But I draw the line when someone sicks the law on me when I haven't done anything. All my reasoning goes right out the window.

These OSHA guys could shut me down in a heartbeat.

[TarpleyG]

Well, I AM in the IS/IT department. I am a manager here. I just don't oversee that portion. We have a big department (200 IT employees). It's not a real big deal because I don't have time to surf that much anyway. Just principle, you know???

GT

[Quartus]

But at 23 a kid should be able to stand up for themselves, even against the old man.


Hmm. At 23 I had BEEN a sergeant in the Army and was out on my own going to school. I sure didn't need Daddy to talk to my boss for me.




quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's not okay for him to fire you for doing so, or for him to pass you over for promotion for your views.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Sure it is.


deanf, why do you say it's okay?

[FPrice]

Filters can come from different commercial sources, not just Microsoft. I used to be able to access almost anything I wanted, then it changed. I could not get to www.thehighroad.org, but through experimentation found out that I could get to just thehightoad.org, with no www.

Since the last virus scare all access to webmail sites has also been cut off.

Complaining about it will just bring attention to the fact that you are trying to use the computer in this way.

[MJRW]

is thehightoad.org a website about those frogs that you lick and they induce hallucinations?

[deanf]

deanf, why do you say it's okay?

'cause it's a private business, and private businesses should be free to make personnel decisions as they see fit, which includes firing anyone for any reason, or passing someone over for promotion for any reason.

[Quartus]

Gotcha, and agreed, from the standpoint of the law.

But would you agree that it's morally wrong?

[deanf]

But would you agree that it's morally wrong?

It may be the ultimate moral "right." Right as in the opposite of "wrong," and right as in one of the privileges and immunities of citizenship.

It is certainly morally right to make your own decisions about how you'll run your own affairs on your own private property, and it may be the most important right that we have.

[Quartus]

Hmmm. That a person has the RIGHT to run their own affairs is not in question. But that does not mean that every decision they make is a correct decsion. Right or wrong, it IS theirs to make, but that doesn't mean that it is therefore automatically right.


For example, a person may decide he will neither hire nor serve left handed Lithuanian lamplighters in his restaraunt. I think that's his right - but it's not right.

[FPrice]

"is thehightoad.org a website about those frogs that you lick and they induce hallucinations?"

Actually, I think it's about a place where a green-skinned amphibian is king.

Either that or I can't spell gud.

[deanf]

For example, a person may decide he will neither hire nor serve left handed Lithuanian lamplighters in his restaraunt. I think that's his right - but it's not right.

You've no authority to judge, morally or otherwise, if it's right or not. If it's right for him, and it doesn't directly physically harm anyone, then it's right.