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This story amused me the other day

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in General Chat
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1861380.html?menu=

Erection ban causes chaos

A council planning department has been thrown into chaos - after the word 'erection' was banned from emails.

The word is obviously one of the most commonly used terms in applications for building works, says the Sun.

But it was included in a list of obscene expressions to be filtered out by software used by Rochdale Council.

Local man Ray Kennedy, 51, sent three emails to the council objecting to a neighbour’s new extension.

The first two were blocked because they included the word erection, which the computer thought was a sexual reference.

The third email slipped through the screening net but by then the neighbour had already got permission for the work to go ahead.

Ray, of Middleton, said: “Erection is a normal term in planning. But it was stopped because of its other meaning. I was shocked. Maybe if it didn’t affect me I’d find it funny.

“This proposal was clearly passed without my objections being heard. It is not fair.”

A Rochdale Council spokesman said: “The software is not designed by the council and we don’t control which words are blocked. We will be apologising to the resident.”

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd have got a bollocking if I'd threaded this from Ananova. Wonder how you'll do. :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Someone told me about this yesterday, find it amusing that all this high tech email filters can get in the way of real issues and mail getting through. Although I guess filters need a word like 'erection' in them to stop the influx of all that viagra spam floating around...
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A Rochdale Council spokesman said: “The software is not designed by the council and we don’t control which words are blocked. We will be apologising to the resident.”

    So how new can they get? Surely an e-mail filter allows some degree of setting preferences. But in an office, surely, why do they need filters on obscene words? They're all grown ups!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hotmail once sent an email back to me because I put three kisses on the end of it.

    I felt so naughty it said I had included a profanity!!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    NHS systems occasionally block words like vagina or penis. Not helpful in a hospital.
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    stargalaxy wrote:
    I'd have got a bollocking if I'd threaded this from Ananova. Wonder how you'll do. :p
    Yes, but you used to link us to ALL of their stories :p I didn't mind, but meh.

    Either way, more stupidity, hahaha.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    NHS systems occasionally block words like vagina or penis. Not helpful in a hospital.

    Oh dear. In some way though, slightly humourous. Maybe I'm peculiar :chin:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    NHS systems occasionally block words like vagina or penis. Not helpful in a hospital.
    Does that mean you have to write things like "the patient's v@gin@ was..." and such? (anyone who knows how to finish that sentence gets a prize)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote:
    Does that mean you have to write things like "the patient's v@gin@ was..." and such? (anyone who knows how to finish that sentence gets a prize)
    It gives consultants an excuse to moan about the management, which is always amusing.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    stargalaxy wrote:
    I'd have got a bollocking if I'd threaded this from Ananova. Wonder how you'll do. :p
    I actually thought of you when I posted. The difference between me and you is I don't posts 100s of them in a day :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kentish wrote:
    It gives consultants an excuse to moan about the management, which is always amusing.

    like anyone who's not in the management needs an excuse to moan at them in the NHS :lol:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    lea_uk wrote:
    I actually thought of you when I posted but the difference between me and you is I don't posts 100s of them in a day :p
    I haven't done an Ananova thread for months. I've put them into retirement after Bongbudda, the sardonic old git, complained about them. :p
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Rich-E wrote:
    I guess filters need a word like 'erection' in them to stop the influx of all that viagra spam floating around...
    But people who send out viagra spam know they can't write erection so they just write ER3CTION!! instead so there is not much point in filtering it.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Actually, using statistical analysis you'll notice that some words very seldom appear in junk e-mail, for example 'mummification'. Now, if you compare the content of 10,000 junk emails and 10,000 'normal' emails you'll build up slightly different profiles. Then get a random e-mail and see which profile it fits best. This is how most junk e-mail filters work, along with checking who it's from (i.e. if its a dodgy sounding e-mail address) and some other stuff.

    Seems to work pretty well for me. G-mail stops them all! :D
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