Living in London has benefits, mainly the public transport. Living here means you do not NEED to have a car, as getting to work using the busses or tube is a fairly uncomplicated affair, and on the whole, just as reliable as going by car.
But there has been a scary trend in the pricing...since 1997 the price of a single bus fare has risen from 40p to £2. A 500% increase, easily outpacing the rising cost of housing. However, there is an answer; the Oyster card.
This pre-paid invention is a touch-based payment system, recharge it when you can with credit, then just touch in and out of busses and tubes.
It was initially meant to work similar to a single-sign on system. Charge up your Oyster card with cash, and use it to pay for goods wherever you see the Oyster sign. Except, you dont see the sign anywhere, because the idea flopped...I mean, what is wrong with using ££££'s?
So, the mayor and crew sat down and had a rethink. *THEY* really wanted people to use the Oyster card. else the hidden agenda wont work. and we cant have the hidden agenda not working.
The rethink came through and was approved, and we now have dual pricing schemes. Use an Oyster card, and only pay £1 for the bus fare...a normal cash paying customer has to pay £2. Yes, it seems an Oyster card it such a powerful item is makes busses use 50% less fuel, and you arse takes up 50% less space on the seats. Not only that, but amazingly you can board the bus 50% quicker.
I hope they got a patent on this thing.
Discrimination? Perhaps...but it goes deeper than that.
This week *THEY* announced the Oyster card has now been blessed by the Pope with even more extraordinary prowess, and the fare for Oyster card holders has been reduced to 90p. A full 10% decrease.
The rest still pay £2, cash, queen's money. The Oyster ruleth grand.
This recent announcement made me sit up and take fresh notice on this Oyster issue..previously I had wondered "why", but now I was genuinely curious. Where is the motivation? Sure, cash has some disadvantages, but £1.10 difference in price for a simple bus journey? What if you elect not to have an Oyster card? As a free society, surely I can choose not to get an Oyster card, the same way I choose not to get a credit card, yet still have a bank account?
It would seem *THEY* will do almost anything to get everyone using an Oyster card, and the pricing reduction is a very strong motivator. Unpuzzling the puzzle leaves me with unanswered questions, but most of them point to 1984.
Mr de Menezes was shot on the tube in 2005 when he was a suspected terrorist.
Several others detonated a few crude bombs recently.
Tracking these poeople wouldve been a heck of a lot easier using an Oyster card.
Lets look at the requirements to get an Oyster card.
...
actually, I cant find the list anywhere online, but having asked a few Oyster users it seems that personally identifiable information IS needed. You cannot get an Oyster card anonymously. So, we have our bait, and we have the catch. This is almost like a little id card now isnt it..packed full of travel habits.
The Oyster card blurb (available here https://sales.oystercard.com/oyster/lul/registerCustomerCard.do?method=display )
mentions
You can view your pay as you go journey history
(p.s. naive travellers, this means so can we....)
Jackpot!
Excuse me, but how is having my travel information available to me any benefit? Do I have such a bad case of altzheimers that I cant remember weekdays I went to work, and then came home?
What price freedom? £1.10 seems to work for most of the London residents. And passwords can be exchanged for candy bars.
I'm not getting an Oyster card. It doesnt inconvenience me too much, as I only use the busses twice a week to go to the pub and get drunk. But I can see how they are using pricing pressures to get us to hand over our details, bit by bit.
When doing Penetration Testing on vulnerable systems, very often one crack leads to another, and another, and another, until you open bigger cracks that didnt really exist. The only way to have a strong unbroken chain is to inspect all the links. An Oyster card is definitely a very broken link in your privacy and anonymity.
Wednesday 20 June 2007
Thursday 7 June 2007
London 2012 Olympic Logo
Yippee! The Olympic logo has been launched. If you squint really hard, and drink brandy for fun, it look slike it says "2012" with a weird umlaut on the third character. Maybe just a typo heh...
Personally, my kid couldve done it with a crayon, while attempting to impart his artist skills and fashion a tree. But we keep getting told that the designers need to share their thoughts with us, so we can see the inner meaning of the logo.
Or, as Ken Livingstone said (him of London mayor fame, him who is paying for this shindig) "i didnt actually get a boner looking at it" (ok, those arent his exact words, but that is kinda what he said.
The truth is, he shouldve got a boner looking at it. It looks uncannily like Lisa Simpson giving a blowjob. Maybe that is the hidden meaning the designers wanted to impress upon us. Sex is exercise. Either way, a recent poll showed that we dont like the logo, we think it is pants, and, by the way, did I mention WE PAID FOR IT OUT OF OUR TAX MONEY. Four Hundred Thousand Pounds. At the current exchange rate (and the US debt) that is about 17 bazillion US dollars, or 49 google canadian dollars.
Unfortunately, we cant blame Canada for this one, we can only blame ourselves. If I actually had a choice, the goatse version woudve done better. They just forgot to draw the lubricant we need to use when the council tax goes up, traffic comes to a standstill and shops start charging ludicrous prices for everyday items. All because some chaps want to run around in circles, fast, and others feel like throwing a spear or a hammer.
I thought that as a society we had progressed past this. Gimme the non-competitive olympics. That way the lone chap from some long forgotten african dictatorship who goes to the olympics all by himself, and in the opening ceremony is the only twat that carries his own flag will get a chance for a medal.
Personally, my kid couldve done it with a crayon, while attempting to impart his artist skills and fashion a tree. But we keep getting told that the designers need to share their thoughts with us, so we can see the inner meaning of the logo.
Or, as Ken Livingstone said (him of London mayor fame, him who is paying for this shindig) "i didnt actually get a boner looking at it" (ok, those arent his exact words, but that is kinda what he said.
The truth is, he shouldve got a boner looking at it. It looks uncannily like Lisa Simpson giving a blowjob. Maybe that is the hidden meaning the designers wanted to impress upon us. Sex is exercise. Either way, a recent poll showed that we dont like the logo, we think it is pants, and, by the way, did I mention WE PAID FOR IT OUT OF OUR TAX MONEY. Four Hundred Thousand Pounds. At the current exchange rate (and the US debt) that is about 17 bazillion US dollars, or 49 google canadian dollars.
Unfortunately, we cant blame Canada for this one, we can only blame ourselves. If I actually had a choice, the goatse version woudve done better. They just forgot to draw the lubricant we need to use when the council tax goes up, traffic comes to a standstill and shops start charging ludicrous prices for everyday items. All because some chaps want to run around in circles, fast, and others feel like throwing a spear or a hammer.
I thought that as a society we had progressed past this. Gimme the non-competitive olympics. That way the lone chap from some long forgotten african dictatorship who goes to the olympics all by himself, and in the opening ceremony is the only twat that carries his own flag will get a chance for a medal.
Wednesday 6 June 2007
4 Iconic Tech Toys that deserve to be owned and loved
I've had a fascination with techie toys for most of my adult life. My name is Warren and I like gadgets. However, meagre wages dictate that certain things are not to be owned from new. As such, they go on my wishlist.
Sometimes, the items I want go out of production before my wishlist and $bankaccount have agreed on favourable terms. What follows is my list of items that are still on my wishlist, but probably wont be mine, ever. If they do, they will make it into my little computer museum. I will get a boner.
1) Empeg - I cant really say it any better than wiki, this item really was so hot you just had to own one, but the price tag was stratospheric. Some died and as spares arent available it means most units that come up for sale are snapped up by empeg owners, and used as spare parts. Even with the state of current car-pc systems, something that just slots into a single din unt is very desirable. The active developer community behind this item gives it longevity.
2) Apple emate 300 - once again there is a lot of info on wiki about this very popular item. What use does it have in this day and age? Well, something that takes very little energy, is still handy for quick notes etc and is available cheaply always scores highly in my books. This little cutey is right up there with the best..
3) I-Opener - this internet appliance was a little Jeckyll and Hyde when it came out. Marketed as a dumb internet appliance it could be easily hacked to run windows 98, with networking, sound and usb. What better way to quickly set up a second pc in the kids bedroom for web surfing duties?? The price was attractive too, but was only available on contract in the USA. The UK was left behind. Donations accepted :-)
4) Abacus PDA watch (by Fossil) - ok, this here little watch is actually an (almost) fully functioning palm computer. Where this concept shines is in the developer community. Third party applications extend this watch to a point where you seldom need anything else on you. Plus, you can change the watch faces with a lovely utility, giving you almost endless watch displays. I would love to see this watch integrated with the time telling systems over at TokyoFlash , hehehe
There we have it, a few lovely little items which will surely brighten up my birthdays:-). The astute reader will notice a common trend in these devices (besides the fact that they all use electricity)...each one of these is easily hackable to perform functions never intended by the original manufacturer. And on that note I would like to end this post...A certain exec once said "Developers, Developers, Developers" and then threw a chair (unconfirmed rumour). I would like to add, when designing a product, think of its expected lifetime, then once that lifetime is up, open up the sdk, grab the developer community and let them extend your product, and then take that feedback and learn from it.
Sometimes, the items I want go out of production before my wishlist and $bankaccount have agreed on favourable terms. What follows is my list of items that are still on my wishlist, but probably wont be mine, ever. If they do, they will make it into my little computer museum. I will get a boner.
1) Empeg - I cant really say it any better than wiki, this item really was so hot you just had to own one, but the price tag was stratospheric. Some died and as spares arent available it means most units that come up for sale are snapped up by empeg owners, and used as spare parts. Even with the state of current car-pc systems, something that just slots into a single din unt is very desirable. The active developer community behind this item gives it longevity.
2) Apple emate 300 - once again there is a lot of info on wiki about this very popular item. What use does it have in this day and age? Well, something that takes very little energy, is still handy for quick notes etc and is available cheaply always scores highly in my books. This little cutey is right up there with the best..
3) I-Opener - this internet appliance was a little Jeckyll and Hyde when it came out. Marketed as a dumb internet appliance it could be easily hacked to run windows 98, with networking, sound and usb. What better way to quickly set up a second pc in the kids bedroom for web surfing duties?? The price was attractive too, but was only available on contract in the USA. The UK was left behind. Donations accepted :-)
4) Abacus PDA watch (by Fossil) - ok, this here little watch is actually an (almost) fully functioning palm computer. Where this concept shines is in the developer community. Third party applications extend this watch to a point where you seldom need anything else on you. Plus, you can change the watch faces with a lovely utility, giving you almost endless watch displays. I would love to see this watch integrated with the time telling systems over at TokyoFlash , hehehe
There we have it, a few lovely little items which will surely brighten up my birthdays:-). The astute reader will notice a common trend in these devices (besides the fact that they all use electricity)...each one of these is easily hackable to perform functions never intended by the original manufacturer. And on that note I would like to end this post...A certain exec once said "Developers, Developers, Developers" and then threw a chair (unconfirmed rumour). I would like to add, when designing a product, think of its expected lifetime, then once that lifetime is up, open up the sdk, grab the developer community and let them extend your product, and then take that feedback and learn from it.
Sexual Abuse and two-faced women
Here I was, nothing much to do, so went channel hopping on our (meagre) selection of channels on offer. Joy of joys, Big Brother 2007 seems to have started (my sarcasm cup runneth over forthwith). This excuse for a tv program seems to have reached a new low this year, what with 11 women and one ex-boyband bloke all sharing a few bog rolls. If I was him I would find the nearest rope and hang myself.
Either way, the swimming pool was the setting. The bloke in shorts seems to be getting some lady attention and he found the urge to make a move and mission out of there, post haste. Around 8 women chased him, trapped him in the corner and were trying to pull his shorts off. All the time he was saying "no, no , no...no no"
It was all rather funny. Everyone was giggling. The didnt succeed though and he escaped with his pants intact.
And then my cogs went into action. Imagine the scene, Big Brother 2007, alternate-reality edition. 11 blokes and one woman (ex-girlband)..she wants to go for an innocent swim but the blokes wont leave her alone, they chase her into a corner and try to pull her costume off. She keeps saying "no, no, no...no no" but they persist.
Yes, now you know where the travesty lies. In this day and age we all strive for equal opportunity, equal representation and gender neutrality. In actual fact, things are far from equal. The males still get all the stick, and women still get liberties and the benefit of the doubt. The first scene was "innocent enough" yet the alternate-reality edition wouldve seen police arrive and not one of the blokes involved would be able to work in the public eye again.
Apparently, it is not possible for a woman to sexually abuse a man, even in 2007. Even if there are 11 of you against one man. And even if you do it on live tv. While he keeps saying "no, no no...no no" in protest.
Either way, the swimming pool was the setting. The bloke in shorts seems to be getting some lady attention and he found the urge to make a move and mission out of there, post haste. Around 8 women chased him, trapped him in the corner and were trying to pull his shorts off. All the time he was saying "no, no , no...no no"
It was all rather funny. Everyone was giggling. The didnt succeed though and he escaped with his pants intact.
And then my cogs went into action. Imagine the scene, Big Brother 2007, alternate-reality edition. 11 blokes and one woman (ex-girlband)..she wants to go for an innocent swim but the blokes wont leave her alone, they chase her into a corner and try to pull her costume off. She keeps saying "no, no, no...no no" but they persist.
Yes, now you know where the travesty lies. In this day and age we all strive for equal opportunity, equal representation and gender neutrality. In actual fact, things are far from equal. The males still get all the stick, and women still get liberties and the benefit of the doubt. The first scene was "innocent enough" yet the alternate-reality edition wouldve seen police arrive and not one of the blokes involved would be able to work in the public eye again.
Apparently, it is not possible for a woman to sexually abuse a man, even in 2007. Even if there are 11 of you against one man. And even if you do it on live tv. While he keeps saying "no, no no...no no" in protest.
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