swire
in British English
(swaɪə)
NOUN
Scottish and Northern England
a neck, or depression, between two hills

(Via Collins Dictionary)

All Your Face:

TSA going hogwild with facial recognition is going about as well as you’d expect, “but you can opt out”.

YK Hong:

 

Since folks asked what happens whenever I opt out of facial recognition, I documented it for you while going through US border patrol.

Coming out of the flight there was a row of kiosks for facial biometric capture. There were no people. Just kiosks. So I kept walking.

The next point of contact was the passport agents at their desks. Agent A asked me, “Did you take your photo at the kiosk?” I said, “No, I am opting out of biometric facial recognition.” And the agent asked, “Why?”

And I said, “Because I don’t like it.” And the agent said, “Wait here,” and then let the people behind me through.

After a bit of this punitive behavior, agent A sent me to agent B.

Agent B said, “Why? Why don’t you want to do it?” And I said, “Because I don’t want it. I want to opt out.” He paused and twisted his face.

Then he pointed at a sign and said, “Read that.”

The sign read: “U.S. citizens and select foreign nationals who are not required to provide biometrics and who wish to opt out of the new facial biometric process may simply notify a CBP officer, request a manual document check, and proceed with processing consistent with existing requirements for entry into the United States.”

It’s almost as if everyone entirely forgot how to do a manual check, which was being used for everyone until about a year ago.

And then agent B again said, “So you want to opt out?” Again I said, “Yes, I want to opt out.” And then he said, “Why?” And I said, “Because I don’t like my image being taken over and over.” And then he shook his head.

He said, “You know we already have your photo right?” And I said, “Yes, but I don’t like my biometrics continuously being captured.”

Then he said “Okay well I have to call someone.” And he just sat there looking very upset.

Then agent C arrived at the adjoining desk to begin work. And agent B said, pointing at me, “She doesn’t want to do the face scan. Which manager do I call?”

Agent C then said, “You don’t have to call anyone. Just look at her face and then compare it to her passport photo.”

And I said, “Yes, how it used to be done just a year ago.”

And agent B said, “You’re my first opt out.”

Then agent C said, you just have to enter on the screen why she doesn’t want it.” So again, I said, “I don’t like the repetitive image capture.”

Agent B said, “You’re losing the advantages of going through quickly.” I said, “That’s fine.” He shook his head.

Finally, after a lot of fumbling on their end, I was able to proceed through.

Even though it says, I can “simply notify a CBP officer,” it is not simple at all.

Opting out of facial recognition should be as easy as it is to opt in. The fact that it’s not tells you an immense amount.

Make it as hard as possible for anyone to take your very personal data.

Normalize opting out so it is never taken for granted.

Previously, previously, previously, previously, previously, previously.

Almost exactly a copy of one of the times I opted out.

Delta Air Lines Passenger Uses His Coach Seat As A Standing Desk, And I’m Here For It – View from the Wing:

A Delta Air Lines economy passenger was spotted inflight on a four hour flight using his seat as a standing desk. He’s resting his laptop on top of his seat back, and facing backwards to work. This is a power move.

Indeed, it is. I’m not sure how he is actually standing, though. The seat back of the row behind him as he stands, the row in front of him as is numbered and when he sits, seems to me unlikely to help with standing like this. Granted, the plane and the seat configuration could accommodate this approach. Also, maybe he kneels on the seat.

Regardless, I would not do this. I do not want to look away from my screen to see a sea of enraged passengers. But if I’m on a wide body and there’s a surface I can set up my laptop without interfering … that I have done and will do again.

Two Weeks Later and Twitter Is Still Up:

In the immediate aftermath of Twitter’s mass layoffs and subsequent resignations, there were widespread reports that the staffing situation and collective brain drain were so dire that the site would collapse. Two weeks later — with World Cup soccer drama fueling record usage — such concerns seem to have been overblown.

At what point would a Twitter failure make Gruber’s statement overblown? 2 weeks + 3 days? 4 weeks? Could it be Twitter’s infrastructure had been well run and resilient recently enough that it could handle a predicted spike in traffic?

Let’s remember the value of Twitter isn’t Twitter; it’s the thousands of people who ran it and the millions who shared their content on the platform. Stand or fall, Twitter is less than it was. And for a lot of people, there’s not a good replacement.

The World Cup is only half over. Let’s check back in another two weeks.

But while fears of technical collapse seem to have been overblown, Twitter’s advertising collapse is seemingly continuing unabated.

The advertising revenue, that’s what we should all care about. Never mind the gross mismanagement by Elon Musk, a selfish, often cruel, child of wealth weirdo who has marketed himself as a man who is so smart that he can do whatever he wants. And he wants to put chips in human brains.

Florida is the worst, though Texas tries to out do them:

Florida state senators on Tuesday approved legislation that regulates school lessons about sexual orientation and gender identity, defying demands from some of their youngest constituents and pushing the state deeper into the nation’s culture battles.

(Via WaPo; H/t Birchtree)

There is FUD (Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt) about sexual orientation and gender identity in these places driven by vocal minorities – mostly fear.

Here’s the thing – intellectually understanding sexual orientation and gender identity is not required to be a decent human being. By being a decent human being means being open to helping a confused and ill-informed constituency – in this case, school aged kids – understand the 9,000 weird, powerful things they their bodies and brains will, are, or have gone through as they grow.

Passing laws that pretend puberty doesn’t happen and institutionalizes puritanical shame for those who do not fit into a binary narrative is mean, immoral, and unethical.

Let’s instead equip teachers and leaders and parents with the knowledge and language to help kids navigate the biological minefield that is growing up. That cannot start with limiting the conversation in schools.

Florida is the fucking worst.

So true.

© Paul R. Jorgensen

I forgot much about this album. The last time I listened to it I was likely in high school.

I found this copy in a used record store and picked it up on a whim. Good call, past me!