Hong Kong's Octopus

Reuters is carrying an interesting story about Hong Kong's Octopus smart card system, which serves as a mass-transit fare card and is now being accepted by merchants for small purchases. A magazine cover story from last year goes more into depth. Interesting to note that the system started off anonymous, and is now being converted into a personally-trackable system.

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what to buy?

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an increasing number of retail merchants, from Starbucks to fast-food chains and 7-Eleven, accept the Sony-made card. Still, getting around on the city's sprawling public transportation network accounts for over 90 percent of Octopus transactions.

Ha, ha, ha. How many five buck coffees do you think people are really going to buy?

If Sony makes the card, and the card is cash, is Sony a mint? Is anyone with a clever piece of plastic a mint? Banking Segfault, ahh! Can no longer distinguish between legal tender that are nothing more than tokens and prommisory notes, tokens for tokens, and digital promisory notes, tokens of tokens that simply change state instead of hands.

Now for something that has nothing to do with the price of tea in China or Octopussy, the famous Hong Kong Spy.

Condoms? Only sailors wear condoms, baby!

Not in the 90s, Austin.

Well, they ought to, the filthy beggers go from port to port.

COMPLETELY OT, but more celeb deaths.

[australopithecus]

Also, /. readers may be saddened to hear that in the past week DeeDee Ramone, of the Ramones died of an overdose in his apartment

Also, Davey Boy Smith, the beloved Bristish Bulldog of professional wrestling, was found dead. Steroid abuse may have played a role.