And you thought I was the one with no respect for my fellow Americans' intelligence...?

Okay, I'm here at the library with my laptop, trying to get online to this site, CollegeHumor.com. I found it on Craigslist (they're looking for interns), and although it sounds tawdry, I don't think it's porn. But I wanted to see if they're worthy of my talent and genius, so I went to the site and ran into the New York Public Library's adult content filter, which is, in fact, mandated by our nanny state.

In order for the Library to remain eligible for certain federal funding, commercial filtering software has been installed on the Library's Internet connection. The filter is designed to protect against visual depictions of obscenity, child pornography, and materials that are “harmful to minors” and is required by the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). All Library users are expected to adhere to the Library's Policy on Public Use of the Internet.

Contact the Library at filtering@nypl.org to request that a site be unblocked or to suggest that a site be blocked. Other feedback regarding filtering is also welcome.

If you are 17 years of age or older and would like to have the filtering software disabled for a period of 10 minutes, please read and confirm the following certification: I hereby certify that I am 17 years of age or older and that I am requesting that the Library disable the Internet filtering software to permit my access to the Internet for bona fide research or other lawful purposes.

And there's a button that says something like "I certify that am 17 years of age or older" and another one that says "I am not 17 years of age or older". And for adults who can't take responsibility for themselves, there's a third button that says "I am 17 years of age or older but I would like to keep the filtering software enabled."

Now I know our school systems are complete shit, but if our kids can't figure out how to get past this porn filter, then it's no wonder all of our technical jobs are going overseas. I feel bad for the kids who are honest and, because of it, remain disenfranchised. They're the ones who need the porn the most!

By the way, Federal Government, even if you wise up and get rid of the "Click me to de-activate the porn blocker" button, I'm sure there's a book somewhere that'll give me a step-by-step on getting around this software. But I don't know where I would find one. If only there were some building where you could borrow books, some sort of library maybe. Oh, wait...