def verified_blacklisted_tag(x, tag):
    """
    check for '<' + blacklisted_tag +  ' ' or '>'
    as in: <head> or <head ...> (should not match <header if checking for <head)
    """
    initial = x[0:len(tag) + 1 + 1]
    blacklisted_head = '<{0}'.format(tag)
    return (initial == blacklisted_head + ' ' or initial == 
        blacklisted_head + '>')
