No blogs for government employees?

This is a bit unsettling. Seems some government agencies have decided their employees shouldn't be reading blogs at work. Ok, if it keeps them from wasting time reading gossip blogs or friends' postings, but what if there are blogs that discuss the very issues these employees are dealing with every day?

Two reports:
In E-Media Tidbits, Amy Gahran reports that the Department of Interior is blocking blogs from employees' computers. One anonymous department Public Information Officer said it affects them:

(PIOs)...who usually only care about what appears in mainstream news organizations -- were so peeved by their recent blog deprivation. "When it comes to wildlife issues, a lot of important stuff that might potentially involve our agency crops up in blogs first..."

And, the other day, Doc Searls pointed to news that employees of Ireland's parliament are forbidden to read or write blogs.