A LAPI deconstruction

It has come to my attention that some of my faithful readers are unable to read some of my links due to the presence of Net Nanny programs that filter their web browsing experience. That sucks. I've been doing a little bit of research on how to get around such problems, and believe I'm most of the way to a solution. Pages exist that help you convert an IP address to hexadecimal, which isn't looked at by filtration programs. Here's the embarassing part: to utilize these pages, you have to get the IP address of the page. All of these sites that refer to this process say, "Ok, get the IP address. It's really easy, just PING the site." Uh, ok. Let me reiterate my status as perhaps the preeminently untechnical blogger, but I have no clue how one PINGs a site. A little help?

In the meantime, here's an intermediate solution: Safeweb will take a site and open it remotely so your filtration software doesn't see the address. Which you probably won't need for the following LAPI (monthly refresher: a LAPI is a Link Appealling to Prurient Interest): An indepth look at the US porn industry. This is an absolute must read for anyone who ever wished they could be a porn star. It may also be my penance for every other LAPI I've ever linked. As I remarked to my buddy Jeff, there is something to be said for monogamy/inexperience.

"But I don't want you to write about that. And could you not mention my real name? . . . I don't have relationships any more. They make life unstable. The only sex I have is the sex on screen."

Americans spend more on strip clubs than they spend on theatre, opera, ballet, jazz and classical concerts combined.

"I have herpes," said Chloe... "After you've been in this business for a while, you have herpes. Everyone has herpes."

From Linkmachinego, a widely respected Brit blog. I think I now read more British blogs than from any single other nationality.

Must…wash…hands…compulsively…

The Utne reader ran this article about ways to have fun. Without exception, they are not fun suggestions. Edifying, maybe. Worthwhile, yes. But… Booooooring! Here's what is "fun": studying languages, crochet, work, work, being Ira Glass (now that would be fun), and work. Of course I'm oversimplifying, but jeez. What a stupid article.

Finally, congratulations to Ellen Ripstein, who broke her longstanding hex by finally winning the American Crossword Puzzle Competition. She'd been a top 5 finisher for 18 consecutive years before she came out on top this year.

Today's picture is from I Love Bacon, the source for naughty and otherwise funny pictures and ephemera. The sign is from a bait shop in Oregon.