@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social cover
@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar

dgoldsmith

@[email protected]

Started in #physics, landed in #computers. Flipping bits since 1971. Software Engineer at a large tech company. I write #fanfiction in my nonexistent free time. Trans girl when JFK was President. San Francisco Bay Area.

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@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

I hope our civilization survives this bout with the cancer of fascism, but if we allow it to keep erupting eventually our luck will run out. It's not like the preliminary signs aren't obvious, but twice now we've just ignored it while it grew into a serious crisis.

@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

27 years ago today, I came out at work; that was the last day I presented male anywhere. I could never go back.

Exactly one year later was the first Transgender Day of Remembrance.

These are very bad times for the trans community. There are not enough of us to fight back on our own: we need allies, many allies. Please help. Stand up for trans people whenever you can. Challenge transphobia and scientifically illiterate views of gender and sex. Donate if you can. March if you can.

Thank you.

@NicolaElle@chaosfem.tw avatar NicolaElle , to random

And, @lisa ... I hope everything goes well today. :QueerCatHeart_Trans:

dgoldsmith ,
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@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

In English, what would be a good term to describe someone who puts a lot of effort into seeming strong, to cover up their many weaknesses?

In Danish we say, "he inflates himself" (as a balloon), when someone always work to seem stronger or better than everyone else, even though they are weak.

We call them "inflated clowns".

E.g. a young man wearing expensive suits to appear rich, although he still lives with his parents. Or a politician who spray tans to look healthy but eats at McDonalds.

dgoldsmith ,
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@randahl “a legend in his own mind.”

@Gargron@mastodon.social avatar Gargron , to random

I upgraded my phone to iOS 26 and it mostly looks and works fine. Most of the issues with Liquid Glass seem to have been addressed, although I feel like the new UX is a lot less conductive to people learning more advanced functionality... Anyway, why the hell is "Stop timer" a slider now.

dgoldsmith ,
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@Daojoan@mastodon.social avatar Daojoan , to random

No matter what I do, I can't get my iCloud podcast library to sync with Podcasts on my Mac. It syncs on my watch, my iPhone and my iPad. But never, ever to my Mac. Turned iCloud off and on. Deleted local files. Everything.

dgoldsmith ,
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@Daojoan If you have an Apple Store nearby, I think this is the kind of thing the folks at the Genius Bar are good at sorting out. If your Mac a laptop or desktop?

@randahl@mastodon.social avatar randahl , to random

This is the positivity we need right now:

With Trump intimidating the US with ICE agents, Canada sends NICE agents on a mission to talk to US tourists.

https://youtu.be/S1yYGb1U31o?si=MbDe8auC2V-xiEiW

dgoldsmith ,
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@randahl N.I.C.E.!

@dangillmor@mastodon.social avatar dangillmor , to random

One of the New York Times people who most exemplifies the organization's arrogance -- often based in shallowness -- is Kevin Roose, and this Defector piece explains it. https://defector.com/toward-a-theory-of-kevin-roose?utm_campaign=defector&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

dgoldsmith ,
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@dangillmor An excellent analysis, which AFAICT applies to the entire New York Times organization.

dgoldsmith ,
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@dangillmor Thank you for posting this, and excuse my first reply where I demonstrated I hadn’t read your post completely.

@briankrebs@infosec.exchange avatar briankrebs , to random

Whatever this is, it's probably not great. WaPo writes: Pete Hegseth orders rare urgent meeting of hundreds of generals, admirals

"Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered hundreds of the U.S. military’s generals and admirals to gather on short notice — and without a stated reason — at a Marine Corps base in Virginia next week, sowing confusion and alarm after the Trump administration’s firing of numerous senior leaders this year."

"The highly unusual directive was sent to virtually all of the military’s top commanders worldwide, according to more than a dozen people familiar with the matter. The directive was issued earlier this week, as a government shutdown looms, and months after Hegseth’s team at the Pentagon announced plans to undertake a sweeping consolidation of top military commands."

"In a statement Thursday, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell affirmed that Hegseth “will be addressing his senior military leaders early next week,” but he offered no additional details. Parnell, a senior adviser to the defense secretary, voiced no concerns about The Washington Post reporting on the meeting, scheduled for Tuesday in Quantico, Virginia."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/09/25/hegseth-generals-quantico-meeting/

dgoldsmith ,
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@briankrebs The first thing I thought of was the scene in “Goldfinger” where he gassed a whole room of other criminals. If I’m remembering the right Bond movie.

@Gargron@mastodon.social avatar Gargron , to random

Offering up the to the lake deity for a bountiful federation.

A small apricot colored Mastodon stuffed toy being held up in front of Buttermere.
ALT
dgoldsmith ,
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@Gargron As long as the deity takes good care of it and cuddles it appropriately.

@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

I want to hear a lot more noise from cis allies than I'm hearing right now. A lot more. The trans community should not have to be dealing with this mostly by itself.

@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

I cannot convey what hearing rhetoric like this (and knowing it could become reality) is doing to me and other trans people. If you're not trans, imagine this was speech about you.
https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:m65ifh7vn5zdgs7izcmht4gy/post/3lz2awbzpss2s

@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

Very uncomfortable driving around the San Jose area today, seeing flags at half mast and knowing they're honoring a man who advocated “eradicating” people like me.

@dangillmor@mastodon.social avatar dangillmor , to random

I'm reaching the point where I'd support any politician who campaigned for a 100% tax on any estate over $100 million. Just for starters...

dgoldsmith ,
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@dangillmor I would support that, but the main problem is not the estate tax (it's already pretty hefty) but that it's so easy to evade.

@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

Did you know that all 4-star female officers have been purged from the US military? I didn't until I read this article.
https://journa.host/@atrupar/115015769548101144

@mercedesallen@mastodon.social avatar mercedesallen , to random

"The silence… From colleagues I thought would stand up with me. This is civil rights work. If you can’t speak up when people are being harmed, what are you even doing here?… And yet, the silence has been deafening. However, the trans and queer communities have checked in on me regularly. They don’t owe me anything, and still they reach out… That lifts me. It reminds me that this is about more than me…"

https://www.marieclaire.com/fashion/summer-fashion/j-crew-arrivals-pandora-charm-jewelry/

dgoldsmith ,
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@mercedesallen That looks like the wrong link? There's nothing about trans people on that page.

@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

“Were he alive today, there is little doubt he would be drawing the same parallels that modern readers of Berlin Diary can now trace. Decades later, Shirer wrote of his home country: ‘It would be easier here for a right-wing dictator than anyplace else.’”
https://thetyee.ca/Culture/2025/07/04/Back-Fuhrer/?utm_source=daily&utm_medium=email

@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

They are pouring an enormous amount of money into ICE, over a 10x increase in its budget, making it bigger than the FBI. Draw your own conclusions about what they intend to do.
https://mas.to/@gleick/114765845504919257

@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random
@dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

If you're a US citizen, a trans woman, the gender on your passport is F, and you've reentered the US since March 1, what was your experience at the border? Please boost for reach.

@_elena@mastodon.social avatar _elena , to random

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    dgoldsmith ,
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    @_elena @thisismissem Also:

    1. Open the folder in the Finder
    2. Select all
    3. Copy
    4. Paste the names into any document
    @transworld@masto.ai avatar transworld , to random

    ‘One hell of a turnout’: trans activists rally in London against gender ruling

    https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/19/trans-people-rally-london-gender-ruling-supreme-court

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @transworld As always:
    People supporting trans rights: “activists”
    People against trans rights: "concerned”

    @_elena@mastodon.social avatar _elena , to random

    There should be a word for it: the feeling of disappointment / sadness when you realize interesting people you got to know on the Fediverse have since decamped to Bluesky.

    Of course, there must be valid reasons for it. Still, this makes me a little sad.

    I have a dormant Bluesky account and from time to time I check in and see them posting so much there.

    Not me. Why? I don't trust a place funded by Crypto Bros -> https://www.blockchaincapital.com/portfolio

    I'm 1000% ALL IN on the Fediverse, not going anywhere ❤️

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @_elena @erikkemp The lack of bridging is what frustrates me the most.

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @_elena @erikkemp It's so easy to turn on! And it's not lack of knowledge — some people just refuse to do it.

    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

    Boycott all professional international meetings in the US. Protect your colleagues!
    https://mastodon.social/@ll1t/114207744205347170

    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

    I was reading Heather Cox Richardson's newsletter this morning, about the political philosophies of the people destroying the government, and my mind went to Pol Pot. I hope that is not where the US winds up.

    @arstechnica@mastodon.social avatar arstechnica , to random

    All by ourselves? The Great Filter and our attempts to find life.
    The Universe should be full of alien civilizations. Why can’t we find any?
    https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/03/all-by-ourselves-the-great-filter-and-our-attempts-to-find-life/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @arstechnica I think there is a very good chance there are other intelligent civilizations in the Universe. My guesses for why we don't see them (some points already made by others here):

    1. Space is very big and stars are very far apart
    2. All evidence to date and our best theories of physics say FTL travel is impossible (yes, I know about “warp drives," and they are impossible too AFAWK).
    3. The closest one may be too far away to detect.
    4. Only a few survive long enough.
    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

    PSA: if you get a phishing email and you don't know the right place to send it for the organization the phisher is pretending to be, just forward it as an attachment to [email protected] (the Anti-Phishing Working Group). It will make its way into the block lists for most browsers.

    @gbhnews@mastodon.social avatar gbhnews , (edited ) to random

    ice cream

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @gbhnews Chocolate!

    @harriorrihar@mas.to avatar harriorrihar , to random Spanish
    dgoldsmith ,
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    @harriorrihar @arteesetica This is the only thing I could find that still appears to be under development: https://github.com/pinry/pinry/

    @dansup@mastodon.social avatar dansup , to random

    When we brought my dog to the vet today, I never imagined he wouldn’t come home. He is my baby, my best friend and the best doggo ever.

    I’m heartbroken. Fuck cancer.

    May we meet again buddy ❤️

    Drake my black lab, rest in peace
    ALT
    dgoldsmith ,
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    @dansup I’m so sorry.

    @dansup@mastodon.social avatar dansup , to random

    My partner is pretty sick, so I've been taking care of him.

    I'll be back coding and pushing out updates tomorrow folks!

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @dansup I hope he feels better soon.

    @transworld@masto.ai avatar transworld , to random
    dgoldsmith ,
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    @transworld I think it might account for the speed of erasure, but the right wing think tanks have been talking about eradicating trans people for years. They've been working on this since they lost on gay marriage. It's not just a Musk thing. It's all in Project 2025.

    @dansup@mastodon.social avatar dansup , to random

    Not a lot of people know about Pixelfed Shortcodes, soon all urls will be much shorter and consistent!

    pixelfed.social/p/r4hMxOoKCl

    is the same as

    pixelfed.social/p/StreetArtUtopia/790527747630866597?fs=1

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @dansup What happens if someone picks a user ID that's the same as an existing shortcode?

    @dansup@mastodon.social avatar dansup , to random

    My new M4 mbp arrived, no more running out of disk space! Just wish the migration was faster 😅

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @dansup How are you doing the transfer? If you have a Thunderbolt cable try connecting them that way (you don’t need to start over).

    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

    The next time you hear someone say “the Constitution will keep that from happening,” remember, the Constitution is not going to leap from its display case at the National Archives and fly to the rescue. People who want to uphold the Constitution will try to keep it from happening. So when you hear that, make sure to ask: “Which people? Do they have enough power to do so?”

    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

    It seems painfully obvious to me that, however flawed the Fediverse is (and it is), to fight back against US oligarchy control of social media it makes far more sense to promote decentralized social media and work hard to improve it, rather than just jump to the next US VC-owned monolithic system. But here we are.

    "This time, Lucy will let me kick the football for sure!”

    @dansup@mastodon.social avatar dansup , to random

    Wow

    Pixelfed is the top 12th free app
    ALT
    dgoldsmith ,
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    @Gargron@mastodon.social avatar Gargron , (edited ) to random

    Have you already deleted or are planning to delete your Threads/Instagram/Facebook/WhatsApp account in light of recent policy changes? (If you have or had one)

    dgoldsmith ,
    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar

    @Gargron I deactivated FB/Instagram many years ago.

    @dansup@mastodon.social avatar dansup , to random

    [Thread, post or comment was deleted by the author]

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    dgoldsmith ,
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    @thejapantimes@mastodon.social avatar thejapantimes , to random

    The shinkansen is an engineering wonder, an enduring symbol of Japan's postwar economic miracle and the country's technological prowess. But the world just doesn't seem to want to buy it. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2025/01/01/tech/shinkansen-overseas-sales/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon

    dgoldsmith ,
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    @thejapantimes The world is stupid.

    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random
    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

    💯 agree with @tillybridges here. Three things I am very worried about from the coming regime:

    1. Forced medical detransition
    2. Forced legal detransition
    3. Forced social detransition
      I don't think I can cope with any of those. I've been living as myself since 1998, and I didn't transition until I simply couldn't function any more without doing so. I can't go back. I'm privileged enough to leave if I have to, but these policies will kill people.
      https://mastodon.social/@tillybridges/113742615477145647
    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

    Welcome to the family's new arrival!

    Mastodon plushie in an armchair.
    ALT
    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random
    @dgoldsmith@mastodon.social avatar dgoldsmith , to random

    You know... I wanna be Canadian. Please?

    @Impossible_PhD@hachyderm.io avatar Impossible_PhD , to random

    An actual line from this week's Ranma:

    > "Coming out is hard, but I've been hiding the fact that I'm a woman!"

    Do go on, hun. 🤭

    dgoldsmith ,
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