I really should compile a complete list of the words the system has blocked me from using. I'd forgotten that one had to 18 to be a community-member. That aside, how many members have said openly in posts that they are 13 or 14? One girl I've got on my friends list is 12 and asked me to suggest age appropriate material that would allow her to make a smooth transition to more grown up subjects, and I felt a distinct sense of responsibility to recommend things that would not be too grown-up, and went so far as to tell her that she should make sure her parents agreed with my suggestions.

But have you also noticed that in those instances where we, as a group of friends, have addressed rude or hyperbolic comments in response to our posts, we usually find ourselves replying to individuals who are clearly either quite young, or illiterate, though given the community, the first seems more likely? It makes me wonder if we are doing a disservice by attempting to confront (though I wish I could find a less combative word) that hyperbole and rudeness ourselves. Perhaps we are better off reporting those underage members who are clearly not in a position to grasp the impact of their inappropriate responses, since we're not moderators.

That aside, there are a great number of words that seem silly to censor. I've found myself unable to use a ridiculous number of perfectly polite words in appropriate contexts and not in an abusive manner. In having a discussion about dog breeding, the system blocked my use of the word bitch. In attempting to discuss a book whose main character is illegitimate, bastard was not allowed. As you mentioned, cock is verboten, though it makes me wonder if I posted "cocksucker" without the hyphen, if the system would pick it up? I understand that these words can be used to offend and harass, but in a community of adults who have serious discussions, we should be able to use a word in the appropriate context, while using the reporting mechanism for dealing with abusive posts. Otherwise, why is it there? When we can't use a correct English word which is not in and of itself, offensive, but which could be used to offend, it seems better to err on the side of allowing the use of proper language in context, and I find it slightly off-putting that given the community, this type of censorship should take place. It's even sillier when it is so common for community members to post things such as sh!t, a$$hole, fu*ktard, &tc. &tc,.

Other words that have been disallowed by the system include "fag" and "faggot" in the context of explaining to one of those younger members that the term "pillow-biter" (used by them in a discussion of Breaking Dawn) was actually a pejorative term equivalent to the use, in North America, of faggot, despite fag and faggot meaning cigarette and twig/kindling in the UK (what if we wanted to discuss a poem containing such a word?), and also that in the UK, a "pouf" our "poufter" was similarly pejorative. The system happily allowed the use of "poufter" when another young individual used it as an insult, but would not allow the use of fag or faggot as I tried to explain what they were saying, as they actually had no idea what it really meant. It makes me wonder if we could discuss The Vagina Monologues or if we'd be blocked, or for that matter, discuss erectile dysfunction, since I'm pretty sure I've had the word "penis" blocked too… which makes me wonder if "penile" would be accepted. I'd hate to be a birder in need of discussing a particular sort of tit that I'd spotted.

On the other hand, perhaps I should be thankful that the system makes me work to express myself in as creative a way as possible by forcing me to search for synonyms or homonyms (or more correctly, homophones), and that it allows me to then write things like "That just sucks caulk!" with impunity. Also, I must thank you for allowing me the opportunity to use so many words that made me titter… (I just had a Homer Simpson flashback to "tit-mouse" teeheeheehee). I guess every cloud has a silver lining.

WT

BTW – saw a huge set of New Moon fridge magnets today, and thought of you…