In the today's world of search engines, everybody can look up a word. We do not need a thread to discuss what it means.

How about getting back to the topic? The absolutely simplest solution is as Estel suggests, ditch the filter altogether. The second best wold be to filter whole words only. Yes it would mean blacklisting all the derivatives explicitly but that is a lesser evil than the clbuttic solution (nice catch BTW, javispero, I haven't had such a good laugh for months).

Apropos, here's my test: S****horpe.

I was always and still am now amused how exactly some words are bad, dirty or whatever. I mean, words just describe certain thing. And that certain thing is always the same no matter how we call it. When I hear ****, ****, *****, beaver, muff.......... I always picture a vagina.
I can understand that when we refer to the people, one can hurt their feelings so some racial things are inappropriate but when it comes to organs.......just different words for the very same thing.

As it happens , I did know what **** means, but not the 2 new words you gave!
It's always good to increase vocabularity.

Actually, not quite. Words do not just describe the thing, they also convey our attitude to the thing. Hence two words for e.g. the same piece of anatomy may have very different meanings: it could be neutral, endearing or derogatory. So yes, words can be "bad, dirty or whatever".

Having said that, I stand by my opinion that the swear filter should be scrapped.

yup..it's all in the delivery...
But I LOVE girltaco!

There is no way that could be perceived as bad or dirty...
Tacos are great!

That is the best conjured imagery ever!
Food and sex ...what more perfect combo is there?
Fact is studies have found that the best pheromones to attract a male are food based scents....of course as a consequence ...there are many diverse food scented perfumes out there...personally I'm a sucker for vanilla perfume....that's how my lady finally caught me.

I'd be in favour of the filter going away, or at least being toned down a little.

I like to think that most of the people posting here a lot are smart enough to know when bad language is appropriate and when it isn't, and if they aren't, their words being turned into asterisks a) doesn't make it less offensive and b) doesn't hide the intent.

Presumably that's why moderators still exist in forum software and the machines haven't yet taken over

The swear filter will have to be retained if the community wishes to maintain tmo as a mass appeal site. There are lots of folks who enjoy being offensive, & even more people who see no reason to hang out where there is microaggression & low-level recreational hostility.

I give up =)

Wait until you read about the consbreastution...
e.g. http://askville.amazon.com/United-St...estId=14152453

Hahaha....consbreastution..ah...thank goodness for low-brow humour.
While on the topic of humour and rewriting history...esp. for american convenience...
Most of the world thinks of Canadians as a pretty peaceful, sheep-like...why-can't-we-all-get-along? bunch...and we do try to be tolerant and easy-going....but . back in the day..when America tried to "liberate" us from the "tyranny" of Britain...things weren't so rosy 'tween us chummy North Americaners ...
They ticked us off...coming up here with troops....
So ...
We went down there with troops...
And burned the White House to the ground ...
Twice.
They omit that bit of glorious history from their books.