Be Excellent To Each Other

And that's why we're #1.

Super Bonus Point Opportunity: Install the chip in a real oyster and use that.

Remember to house the oyster in a salt water aquarium to keep it alive.

So, being serious for a second, and keep this amongst yourselves, a certain tv london news corp just emailed me to ask to do a piece on this whole oyster card wand thing.

Er, what the fuck?

I don't know what to do, I'm not that tempted to look like a tremendous geek on TV. Thats what I do on the internet....

That and I don't want it to be a sting for terrorism, or some kind of "what if the terrorists are doing this!>!?! piece"

Though the guy who emailed me did say it would be "fun"

I'm baffled at the security aspect, it's not like you're subverting the technology in a dangerous or strange way. You're not getting free train rides, you're not aiding terrorism, you're just rehousing the chip the card uses. Silly, but fun!

Depends if you want that kind of exposure. Sounds like a laugh to me, never hurts.

meh, life's too short. If it's not going to pose you with any problems have some fun and do it!

Plus, the Scientologists who are watching you will have to go away and discuss your hold over powers both arcane and alchemical...

I wonder if you could dissolve a DC8 and rehouse the innards to transport the thetans of aliens in a different kind of recepticle. They probably haven't though of it before now.

DO IT!

It'd be awesome, and they could name the inevitable trend of doing it after you!

Do it! Do it! Try and get a Skeptobot series out of it!

The Scientologists are on to you.

RUN!

I'm so glad I was wrong on that one. Phewey.

I've emailed the guy back. We shall see....

You should definately do it.

So we have video evidence of you destroying a companies property and be sent to prison with the other terrztz.

I'd have said no simply on the basis that it won't be half so cool to open the gates with a sonic screwdriver if everyone knows how you did it.

Shit it's in the b3ta newsletter now and the news guy is ringing me over the weekend...

What have I wrought?

U R TEH FAYMUSS!

Out of interest, what sort of traffic are you getting from the b3ta newsletter? And congrats!

Do it!!!!

In the 75 minutes it's been in the newsletter I've got about 2000 hits.

Fuck me.

One of my flash games was featured in the b3ta newsletter (issue 106, fact fans).

The night before the newsletter came out I had a total of 100 hits.

The night after I'd had 50,000.

Wahay! Well done Laveman.

Similar when PTS started, does anyone remember? 400 one day, 4000 the next, 15000 the day after that, and so on.

Ah, I meant to say. Channel 4 are running a "pimp my sofa" competition I think it was on Grand Designs Live or perhaps Grand Designs today.

I wonder if MTV know.

Malc

bunch of twatburgers, I think MTV only pick on the little people who are unlikely to mount a legal defense. Pissing off channel 4 with some thin legal argument probably isn't a good idea.

Aw, well done Lave, but it's kind of a shame that fewer people wil be baffled, amazed and possibly a little frightened when you do it.

Just saw that. Well done.

Soon you'll be as famous among internet nerds as Dr A. If Noseybonk doesn't eat your brains first.

I just saw this in London news!! Sadly with no sonic screwdriver, but they had loads of the bare loop and chip shots.

They also said, "TFL have said, 'anyone without a valid oyster card will be fined a penalty fare.'"

Miserable Bastards.

What's not valid about it though?

If you're rich enough, simply buy* an additional Oyster Card and use that one as well. Then you get cool points but a handy thing to give the inspectors when they moan. Ha!

Err, how much are Oyster Cards anyway?


*Or steal.

I didn't get this either. Technically I suppose it is vandalism, as you only rent an oyster card, but to say it isn't valid is incorrect.

In addition, I say "Yes!" to the "should I go and do this news item?"

It may turn out hilariously awful for you, but I for one will enjoy reading about the negative side of fame as much as the positive.

In all seriousness though, give it a shot. That way you can have your cake by sonic-screwdrivering in a controlled environment, and not run the risk of having the pants fined off you in real life usage. Or something.*

*Pete reserves the right not to be held responsible for his, "Ugolave!"-ing.

And congrats, btw.

What? I'm currently talking with them to film it today for tonights show, but I'm saying no because I want the guy who originally did it to be featured instead.

What did they say?

Oh and was this ITV london news?

I'm guessing it was the London News free paper.

And then they check if it's been validated for that trip, it hasn't, and they fine you anyway.

Hmmm, interesting.

Metro? or maybe the london lite? London Paper?

Hmm, yes. Conceivably my advice would be worthier if I had actually ever used an Oyster Card. Or indeed seen one. Or indeedy-deed, heard about them before this thread started and Boris Johnson mouthed off about them.

All the more reason for Lave to do this on TV and get some precedent going that they would look like killjoys to shut down. Have you spoken to the bloke who did it first, Lave? Seems like you could both be on there. At least one of you should do it though.

Well thats the thing. I've talked to him (Chris Woebken)and he's spent 6 months on this (and related things) for his degree, and so wants to do it himself. And I'm not going to be dick and steal the limelight from his idea.

But (this is speculation) the ITV guy wants me to do it, because he wants it to be trival fluff piece, and I would feel even worse is I allowed them a way to dumb down science even more into a fluff piece.

Either way I told him I wouldn't do it because it isn't fair on Chris Woebken and now the ITV guy is trying to get us both to do a bit for the story. Which I'm happy with (but I'm not certain he won't just try to pretend chris has agreed to that)

That and they keep pushing it to be done today, but my supervisor is going on maternitiy leave at the end of the week (massively screwing me over) so I'm rather busy for all this messing around (which I've caused to be fair).

It was on ITV London news as there aside thing at the end of the breakfast news bulletin.

The went something like, "as part of an internet craze people have been dissolving their oyster cards to get at the chips inside. .... Using chemicals such as nail varnish remover." And a picture of a card bent double in a pot of liquid. Then it showed people walking up to n oyster card swipe macine with the loop and and chip, then someone with it really tightly coiled and it working, and then they said "TFL have said....." which I quoted earlier.

"internet craze" Now all I can see is loads of spotty spods, foaming at the chops, mad googly eyes, dissolving cards manically.

Awesome thanks Bobbyaro.

It's a long shot, but as I've no way to record the TV anymore (progress, progress) could anyone do me a massive favour and record tonights ITV london news if they get a chance?

Doesn't matter I've realised I can just record the TV with my digital camera, looks rank but better than nothing.

I'm going to start taking important things out of more everyday items, and see if they still work.

* gets carving knife and teaspoon, looks around for pet gerbil...

I really think the dressing up as a wizard or magician should be utilised. Especially if you could make more of a show of it somehow. Though of course there's always the danger of being shot by the police.

KILL HIM!

Okay!
\

Chin. Chinnnnnnnn. NNNNNNNnNNNNnNnNNNnNNnN. Chin.

No problem, I saw it and thought of this thread and assumed that you had already sorted it. TBF, they didn't have any "repackaged" cards, so maybe that is what they are more interested in.