Follow-up on Tyler. I wrote about the Washington Post article on Tyler, the five-year-old transgender youth last week.
Petula Dvorak followed up her article in her regular column which begins:
I heard from transgendered senior citizens who lamented their decades living a lie.
I got e-mails from confused parents who had their aha moment when they read Tyler’s story.
And sure, I heard from the haters. The Internet troll employment benefits package apparently doesn’t offer vacation days, so they’re always there.
The short version: there seem to be an awful lot of FtMs out there. I don't recall her specifically mentioning MtFs, but she left some ambiguous. Maybe there's room for some education here.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
What Kind of Drugs Does This Man Take?
Sometimes, I am just amazed at the stuff cartoonists think up. I know he's been here before. I have a bunch of his cartoons saved on my computer and each is funnier than the one before. Of course, I had to change the sort order from "name" to "funny (least on top)."
(Personal note: Happy birthday, Aeify!)
(Personal note: Happy birthday, Aeify!)
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
You're Invited (Results)
In my most recent poll, I asked if you'd like to participate in a wedding.
I would, and surprisingly, I fit in with the majority (well, the largest plurality if you want to get technical).
Out of 86 respondents, only 4 said they'd skip the wedding if they were invited in any capacity.
About a quarter of you would be a guest at a wedding. I'd do that, and since I have more girl friends than Really Close girl friends, that's realistically the best I can hope for.
Almost a half would accept the honour of being a bridesmaid, and I think I would as well. As a bridesmaid, you have support: other bridesmaids. You have a group of women in the same situation as you, and probably some who have done this before. And that's the problem with being the maid of homour.
About one-in-five would accept a request to be maid of honour. I wouldn't, mostly because I'd start be being completely lost and probably finish by screwing everything up. There will still be support, but not direct support. I'd be way too afraid of forgetting something vital.
I also asked about your escort. Although only four said "not interested" to being at the wedding, an additional two said they're not interested in response to this question. Another four didn't answer. I'm guessing they responded this way to say "I will NOT be bringing an escort!"
I tossed in a female escort dressed as a male, but in a regular wedding I think that would be seen as the "freak" couple, not as a male who likes to experience the softer side of life. Only four of you chose this option. A bit over a quarter wanted to being a male escort. That's not my choice, but if I was told I could attend (or be a bridesmaid) only if I brought a male escort, or if a male friend invited me as his (female) guest, I would do it, no doubt.
But almost sixty percent said they'd go as a female couple. My first choice as well. I don't think there's anything extremely unusual about a female couple. There are enough boyfriends/husbands who just don't want to go to a wedding that the female partner would bring a friend. Add in the always-female-couples and I don't think two women attending will stand out. Two men would look a little suspect, but, of course, it shouldn't.
Look for the next poll next week some time. I'm still trying to figure out work and my work schedule right now.
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Therapy the Ninth
I observed that the therapy sessions have turned into refereed arguments. We disagree a lot, but we don't really argue ~ except every Tuesday for an hour.
In what has become a rarity, my wife agreed with this assessment.
We also agreed that neither of us thought about ending the marriage until the therapy sessions started. I didn't think that was supposed to happen.
T-issues have fallen off the table, because there are bigger issues here. Yet in spite of all that's going on, the therapist tried to bring it back around to t-issues. I was very confused ~ I didn't see that as at all relevant.
Something, maybe some things, need to stop.
In other news, I'm settling into my new job although it took almost two weeks to get my computer and access and everything necessary so I can do something useful in exchange for a salary. And Dani made a good point about why the card has to stay in the computer but come with me when I leave ~ computers should not be unattended and unlocked. But I've gotten into the habit of hitting that little flag key and L which locks the screen. And I bet most of you do the three-finger-salute (ctrl-alt-del) and select lock. Look up "windows key shortcuts" and you'll find a handful of things that little key does to save yourself a few seconds a day ~but of course Microsoft turns those seconds into hours and takes them away again with reboots, hangs, and other inconveniences.
Life in the 21st century.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
What I Heard
The basic idea is, a random, known image is created and you have to type in what the computer created. If it matches, then a person typed it. I have heard that you can be "close" (off by one letter) and still be accepted, but I haven't tested this myself.
The second word is the fun (read: nerd-friendly) part. It's not a known word. It's part of a project to scan in old books. When the computer has a problem with a word or letter combination, it's put into the Captcha system as the second word. It then tallies what humans think it is, and figures out the letter(s) by consensus.
We're all unpaid labour. I'm not sure how I feel about this yet. Am I part of a great endeavour, or am I being forced to supply my time and effort for free?
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Badges? We Don't Need No Stinkin' Badges!
Actually, we do. I do.
I now have a company badge for my new job, and I have a special government ID card which gets me in to certain buildings and allows me to access computers.
Once, I had to go into a women's prison. The security was pretty amazing ~ it was easier to get into the Pentagon. The building where I report every day is harder to get into than the prison. I need that government badge, and both badges must be worn above the waist at all times. If the badge is not visible, I am subject to challenge. It is unlikely anyone in that area wouldn't have a badge.
Without the badge, one needs a red visitor's badge which will open certain doors (but not all) and an escort at all times. That's after going through airport security.
With the badge, one needs to go place the badge on a reader and go through a revolving door. You can leave through that door without showing a badge, but if someone steps into both sides at the same time the door stps and noisy things happen.
After that, is what I call an airlock: a little glass room with doors for and aft. You show the badge and the door opens. You step in, the door closes and then the next door opens. It is not for the claustrophobic. It is designed for Get Smart fans. To exit, you must show the badge to the reader on the inside side.
Finally, you get to the elevator and up to our offices. To get into the office area, you need to present your card and enter a PIN on the keypad. You don't need the card to exit. I mention this because I have been in rooms where you must present your card when you enter and when you leave ~ if you don't, the system "knows" you're still in the room and it won't let you back in.
Then your card goes into your computer to unlock it. No card, no access. Disks are encrypted so you can't hack your way in.
So it's possible to sit down, put your card into the computer, and decide you need to get rid of that last cup of coffee. You go out and... you're stuck in limbo. You can't get back in because you need your card. You can't get into the airlock because you need your card.
Why am I mentioning this in a t-blog? Two reasons:
1. entertainment value. It is pretty ridiculous. Any classified work is done in rooms with additional security. No particularly vital people work there. So I don't see the point, except to make the people who work there feel vital.
2. I now have two badges that are useable as ID for, say, voting or cheque cashing or airport security. In both I am wearing women's shirts. I made a point of touching up my gloss before each photo was taken.
Is it obvious? Not unless you look closely. So the point? I'm wearing clothes I like in both photos. That's all. It's a small thing, but important to me.
I now have a company badge for my new job, and I have a special government ID card which gets me in to certain buildings and allows me to access computers.
Once, I had to go into a women's prison. The security was pretty amazing ~ it was easier to get into the Pentagon. The building where I report every day is harder to get into than the prison. I need that government badge, and both badges must be worn above the waist at all times. If the badge is not visible, I am subject to challenge. It is unlikely anyone in that area wouldn't have a badge.
Without the badge, one needs a red visitor's badge which will open certain doors (but not all) and an escort at all times. That's after going through airport security.
With the badge, one needs to go place the badge on a reader and go through a revolving door. You can leave through that door without showing a badge, but if someone steps into both sides at the same time the door stps and noisy things happen.
After that, is what I call an airlock: a little glass room with doors for and aft. You show the badge and the door opens. You step in, the door closes and then the next door opens. It is not for the claustrophobic. It is designed for Get Smart fans. To exit, you must show the badge to the reader on the inside side.
Finally, you get to the elevator and up to our offices. To get into the office area, you need to present your card and enter a PIN on the keypad. You don't need the card to exit. I mention this because I have been in rooms where you must present your card when you enter and when you leave ~ if you don't, the system "knows" you're still in the room and it won't let you back in.
Then your card goes into your computer to unlock it. No card, no access. Disks are encrypted so you can't hack your way in.
So it's possible to sit down, put your card into the computer, and decide you need to get rid of that last cup of coffee. You go out and... you're stuck in limbo. You can't get back in because you need your card. You can't get into the airlock because you need your card.
Why am I mentioning this in a t-blog? Two reasons:
1. entertainment value. It is pretty ridiculous. Any classified work is done in rooms with additional security. No particularly vital people work there. So I don't see the point, except to make the people who work there feel vital.
2. I now have two badges that are useable as ID for, say, voting or cheque cashing or airport security. In both I am wearing women's shirts. I made a point of touching up my gloss before each photo was taken.
Is it obvious? Not unless you look closely. So the point? I'm wearing clothes I like in both photos. That's all. It's a small thing, but important to me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
