Well, first off, I have to observe that it appears that tomhudson either did not bother to actually read what I wrote, or perhaps did and decided to create straw arguments. It comes down to him either being incapable of understanding, or him being dishonest. Your choice.

Second, as I said, the transgender extremists react very badly to HBS, even when it is presented truthfully.

In short, I find it interesting that I presented a calm, rational view without attacking and tomhudson cannot respond without ad hominems and insults.

I have to wonder, what is he so afraid of? If his ideas are so superior, why does he have to use insults to defend them?

And finally, what he describes in his fourth reason above pretty much explains it all. He is right about crossdressers feeling the need for a more socially acceptable term. That is why they like to call themselves "transsexuals." But, the true transsexuals don't appreciate this, and that is why first tried taking the term back and have now tried to push for the adoption of a new term.

And yes, we have learned a lot, like the fact that so-called non-op transsexuals really are just crossdressers looking for a more socially acceptable term. That is why they fall back to insults when challenged on it.

"Frankly, I have read your JEs, and I do not understand why it bothers you that Tom considers herself transgender. It is, after all, her life, not yours. I've seen many a flame wars here, friends having falling outs and the like, but they haven't tried to change who the other person is. They will argue over opinions, but not ever over someone's right to simply be who they are."

Let me be clear... I have no problem with tomhudson considering himself to be transgender. That is certainly his right. In fact, the ONLY thing I have a problem with as far as that is concerned is that he has tried to force that label on me. I have NO problem with people calling themselves transgender. I have a problem with people telling me I have to be transgender.

Transgender is an artificial social/political construct that has objective reality. In truth one cannot really change one's gender. One's brain is either male or female at birth. One can change how one "expresses" gender, either to one's true gender (as I did when I began living as a woman) or as the opposite gender (for example like a crossdresser doess when he dresses as a woman). But one cannot change one's true gender.

"I met Tom as a him, and now know her as a woman. I haven't met her in real life yet, so she is still Tom to me. I support her in who she is, and the decisions she has made. Just as she has supported me. So I would encourage to think about what it is, exactly, that you are trying to accomplish. It seems that you have come some here simply to continue your disagreement with Tom, not to be a part of this community. And, as long as that is the case, you will not find whatever success you may think is here."

I came here to defend myself from tomhudson's attacks. Might I have come here otherwise? Possibly, as I am an admitted geek. But a simple question. Do you think that tomhudson has a right to attack me here, when I was not a member, without me having a right to defend myself? And if so, why?

Actually, no... I knew nothing about Diane following said person to the book group until I got this message from him:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.support.srs/browse_frm/thread/589186e4d4ff5ee5/2a4df6f96817e7a?ie=UTF-8&q=Usher+shoe+group:alt.support.srs
Path: g2news1.google.com!news1.google.com!news4.google.com!newshub.sdsu.edu!elnk-nf2-pas!elnk-pas-nf1!newsfeed.earthlink.net!pd7cy1no!shaw.ca!pd7tw3no.POSTED!53ab2750!not-for-mail
X-Trace-PostClient-IP: 70.77.12.8
From: "Willow Arune" <arune1...@shaw.ca>
Newsgroups: alt.support.srs
Subject: Bad News For Usher
Lines: 34
X-Priority: 3
X-MSMail-Priority: Normal
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441
Message-ID: <2VdWf.193230$B94.152935@pd7tw3no>
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2006 16:56:30 GMT
NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.67.253.205
X-Complaints-To: abuse@shaw.ca
X-Trace: pd7tw3no 1143564990 24.67.253.205 (Tue, 28 Mar 2006 09:56:30 MST)
NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 28 Mar 2006 09:56:30 MST
Organization: Shaw Residential Internet

I fear I have some bad news for Usher.

I view Usher and Diane as one and the same. Earlier today, Diane stalked me
to another group to which I belong. She posted her normal crap and the
members of the group soundly rebuffed her - that nonsense does not travel
well outside of this ugly NG. She posted the nonsense and every member of
the other group basically told her to go fly a kite - or worse.

Now, let us return to Usher...

I was going to hold off on this, noting that nothing had happened Monday and
thinking perhaps that Usher has come to her senses. With her partner's
antics, I no longer feel so lenient. So, unless Usher has totally
denounced Diane and sent me a private post confirming (if true) that Usher
has not been a co-participant with Diane on this little venture, along with
some other bits and pieces of which I shall advise her, the shoe is dropped
on Usher tomorrow. As some of you know, this is an especially uncomfortable
shoe.

Diane, all you really did in respect of the other group was show yourself to
be an idiot. We know that already but now others do - and so stated. You
have also managed to get Usher in more trouble, which I am certain she
really appreciates. Usher, your posts are unblocked now and I would suggest
you get in touch privately real soon.

TTFN,
Willow

--
Hugs,
Willow

I mean, in retrospect, it seems totally hilarious. The juxtaposition of his over the top macho threat against his classic faux female signatures is classic. But at the time, it made me more angry than anything else. Arune had previously tried to out me to the school I was attending, but this claim that the "shoe is dropped" (which was actually a vague and meaningless threat) was just too much. Had it not been for this message, I would not have visited that group. Had it not been so much absurdly over the top macho bullying, I might have just been satisfied with my reply. But I felt he deserved to not only be defied, but defied in as extreme a manner as possible.

XNU is the basis for Darwin, the free OS from Apple. You seem to have that confused with OS X and again have proven that your reading comprehension is zero.

You should have looked up the article on OS X, where you would have learned that it is based on Mach, not XNU. Mach was developed as the kernel for BSD UNIX.

You seem to keep assuming you I am less knowledgeable than I really am...and that you are smarter than you clearly are.

Flash is still a proprietary format that is controlled by Adobe. They control the format, determining what can, and cannot, be added.

Some iPhone apps offer similar functionality. Many are improvement on previous ideas. Not really copies.

Yes, one can purchase an earlier model for less. When the new iPhone comes out, the current model will drop by half, and the previous model will disappear. No, they are not dirt cheap. Like most phones, the price is partially subsidized by the carrier. Without the subsidy, the iPhone can be relatively pricey.

Apparently tomhudson is not familiar with OS X, which is full Unix. Of course, the GUI allows those with less knowledge to use the system, much as some modern variants of Linux are easier for users. Apple provides value for a range of users, unlike some systems.

As to his list of "failures" most of those came during the time that Steve Jobs was not CEO. He also made his share of mistakes before he hit his stride.

Now, Apple is taking the lead over even Microsoft.

Actually, that is basically what I said that led tomhudson to claim that I admitted that I was not really stealth at work...

He should really try to keep up.

<quote><p>
It's worse.
</p><p>
The woman who was raped went to an on-line support forum. Usher has attacked her continually there, calling her a 'man in a dress' and a bunch of other things. Now appearances shouldn't count - some people are less "passable" than others - but if you've seen the pics of Usher you know how Usher is in no position to attack anyone over their looks.
</p><p>
Over the years, we've tried to reason with Usher, and gotten burned.
</p><p>
Usher did many of these attacks from a UCSF computer until we complained. Since then, no more postings allowed to that support forum from work, but that hasn't stopped Usher.
</p><p>
Enter Usher the cyber-stalker. Usher follows this woman to other forums, other web-sites, and does the same thing there, dumping the whole rape story. along with Usher's "interpretation" of events. Usher does this both at the Mission Hotel and at work at UCSF. This is just f***ed up.
</quote>

First off, it should be noted, it was not a woman who was raped. It was a man, not unlike Karr, who went to Thailand, got in trouble, and who then decided to have a "sex change." tomhudson is trying to snow you.

As to the rest, it is mostly crap. I have not followed this person anywhere. I did once make some posts to a Usenet group on books after another person, ironically the stalker "Diane" Lask, had followed this person there, and he then came after me and demanded I denounce Lask for doing it. Now, personally, I thought Lask was wrong, but I did not appreciate the rather silly demand that I denounce someone, or that the "other shoe would drop."

tomhudson, as usual, just makes up his "facts."

As I have said, a wise programmer does not blame his tools. If you program for the iPhone, it is Objective C, period. Not my choice (I would prefer straight C) but you do have to follow their rules.

tomhudson is entitled to his opinion. The market seems to disagree.

"many of the people?" I wonder, can he cite sources, or is this just his opinion.

Ah, the old open source argument. As to Flash, it really is crap. Jobs is right on that one. And for someone who is so smitten with open source, one has to wonder why he is defending a closed system like Flash?

In another words, HTC cranks out crap and revises as it has to. Apple delivers a solid product that people buy. Of course, I realize, not everyone can afford the iPhone. It does require a bit more of an investment (i.e. the don't give them away) and the monthly cost is a bit more than some phones. But, people seem to be willing to pay.

Oh, and I would imagine having one solid standard does explain why there is a huge amount of software for the iPhone, compared to others.

And to Apples credit, they generally don't offer features until they can get it right. They don't try to fool people with features that are not well thought out.

The only thing I wonder is why tomhudson thinks that calling names is a substitute for having a real argument.

"The weaker the argument, the louder the insults."

People do think they can drown out the truth with name calling.

Now, talk about bad pornography...

What I have to wonder is, did "Diane" Lask write this from scratch, or did he adapt something from his collection.

In any case, all I can say is "yeech!"

Whoever wrote this is one sick puppy....

I think I already replied to this one...he repeats himself so much, it is hard to keep up sometimes, but to revisit it...

I have now dealt with this bit of silliness in my journal.

  And again, he has not provided the names of these two mysterious sites he has made up. Why? Because they don't exist.

Oh, and the "community?" Now that is a joke. The imaginary community....

Once again, like a broken record...

Granted, that analogy is lost on many who possibly never saw a broken record. Suffice to say, he repeats the same tired stuff.

And again, tomhudson is incredibly transphobic and homophobic. Referring to a pre-op having sex as "gay sex" shows his true colors. Yes, definitely, deep down, a straight male crossdresser who has just gotten carried away.