Wednesday, March 30, 2005

ez-link wonder

Someone out there is a genius, and it isn't me. Someone, I'm guessing a Singaporean since they strike me as intelligent and creative as a whole, created this nifty little card called the ez-link card. I've written about it before - it's the card that you can use in buses and the MRT to pay your fare. What amazes me about it is that the scanners can read it through almost anything. I hold my wallet up to the scanner and it reads it. I've held my entire gigantic Kate Spade bag, in which my wallet is swallowed, and it reads it. How does it do that without, say, charging my credit card at the same time? Or erasing my library card? I don't know. Probably some of you who know basic laws of digital cards could tell me, but don't. I like the mystery.

1 comment:

Chris B. said...

Alright, I'll tell you. They capture fairies, which they enslave inside the cards using powerful magic. The fairies are enticed with potential freedom by the signal from the scanner (which sounds like the fairie national anthem). When they scream for help, the scanner is activated, and your fare is paid. Neat, huh?

I plan to offer similar explanations for things that Ethan and Megan ask me about while I am in Singapore. Just trying to do my part to restore splendor to the world.