Venting thread

[MacAnDàil]

Only seven digits? So that's means some hypothetically persistent person would have to have something like a one-in-a-million chance of getting it right, first, second or even third time? And probably get locked out your card on the third attempt?

[malloc]

Only seven digits? So that's means some hypothetically persistent person would have to have something like a one-in-a-million chance of getting it right, first, second or even third time? And probably get locked out your card on the third attempt?

Certainly less than a million. The cards are numbered sequentially so the replacement card will have a number considerably closer to the previous card, assuming they are issued within days of each other. Based on my back of the envelope calculations, two cards issued one day apart would differ by around ten thousand. And how can the system lock them out of my card when they haven't found the right number yet?

[Rounin Ryuuji]

I really wouldn't worry. There's a security code for which there's quite a number of possible permutations, and a brute force attempt at credit card fraud would probably not go unnoticed by the issuer.

[MacAnDàil]

Only seven digits? So that's means some hypothetically persistent person would have to have something like a one-in-a-million chance of getting it right, first, second or even third time? And probably get locked out your card on the third attempt?

Certainly less than a million. The cards are numbered sequentially so the replacement card will have a number considerably closer to the previous card, assuming they are issued within days of each other. Based on my back of the envelope calculations, two cards issued one day apart would differ by around ten thousand. And how can the system lock them out of my card when they haven't found the right number yet?

Becuase even when people forget their own credit card by getting the digits muddled up or getting one digit wrong, the card can swallowed by the hole in the wall. So someone who has never met you has even less of a chance.

[malloc]

It turns out that the replacement card got forwarded to my new address after all. Unfortunately, I already got it canceled and ordered another replacement, making it useless now. While this does mean I don't have to worry about anyone stealing my number, I still feel bad about wasting a considerable amount of plastic and an entire card number. I must also find some way to dispose of these defunct cards securely.

[hwhatting]

It turns out that the replacement card got forwarded to my new address after all. Unfortunately, I already got it canceled and ordered another replacement, making it useless now. While this does mean I don't have to worry about anyone stealing my number, I still feel bad about wasting a considerable amount of plastic and an entire card number. I must also find some way to dispose of these defunct cards securely.

The usual way to do that is to cut them into pieces with a scissor and throw them into the plastic trash. And no, nobody will go through the length of sifting through trash to salvage fragments of discarded credit cards and then reconstruct them in order to defraud anyone, because it's no use - when replacement cards are ordered due to loss, the previous cards are deactivated immediately by the credit card issuer.

[Travis B.]

It turns out that the replacement card got forwarded to my new address after all. Unfortunately, I already got it canceled and ordered another replacement, making it useless now. While this does mean I don't have to worry about anyone stealing my number, I still feel bad about wasting a considerable amount of plastic and an entire card number. I must also find some way to dispose of these defunct cards securely.

The usual way to do that is to cut them into pieces with a scissor and throw them into the plastic trash. And no, nobody will go through the length of sifting through trash to salvage fragments of discarded credit cards and then reconstruct them in order to defraud anyone, because it's no use - when replacement cards are ordered due to loss, the previous cards are deactivated immediately by the credit card issuer.

If one feels extra paranoid one can use a pair of pliers to crush the chip after one has cut it out.

[Raphael]

If one feels extra paranoid one can use a pair of pliers to crush the chip after one has cut it out.

In my experience, a sufficiently strong pair of scissors can cut a card chip, too - it isn't really stronger than the plastic of the card.

[alice]

It turns out that the replacement card got forwarded to my new address after all. Unfortunately, I already got it canceled and ordered another replacement, making it useless now. While this does mean I don't have to worry about anyone stealing my number, I still feel bad about wasting a considerable amount of plastic and an entire card number. I must also find some way to dispose of these defunct cards securely.

The usual way to do that is to cut them into pieces with a scissor and throw them into the plastic trash. And no, nobody will go through the length of sifting through trash to salvage fragments of discarded credit cards and then reconstruct them in order to defraud anyone, because it's no use - when replacement cards are ordered due to loss, the previous cards are deactivated immediately by the credit card issuer.

If one feels extra paranoid one can use a pair of pliers to crush the chip after one has cut it out.

And if one feels extra, extra, paranoid, one can dispose of the pieces in more than one place.

[Travis B.]

If one feels extra paranoid one can use a pair of pliers to crush the chip after one has cut it out.

In my experience, a sufficiently strong pair of scissors can cut a card chip, too - it isn't really stronger than the plastic of the card.

My suggestion was just to avoid dulling a perfectly good pair of scissors.

[Raphael]

Good point, thank you.

[Raphael]

I'm feeling pretty gloomy today. Partly it's because of the state of the world; partly it's because of the state of my own life; but mostly it's just undirected generic gloom with no particular reason. Great.

[doctor shark]

New partial lockdown as of Sunday. Fun...

[Zju]

partly it's because of the state of my own life; but mostly it's just undirected generic gloom with no particular reason.

Why doesn't a snowman wear snow pants?

More: show

Because his snow balls are too big.

[Rounin Ryuuji]

I'm feeling pretty gloomy today. Partly it's because of the state of the world; partly it's because of the state of my own life; but mostly it's just undirected generic gloom with no particular reason. Great.

This Gloom is upset about your gloom —

More: show

I hope the funny picture can help you feel happier.

[Travis B.]

Is that a headcrab?

[Rounin Ryuuji]

No, it's a flower; some sort of rafflesia, I think. Here's the official art:

More: show

I just thought the 3D model (it's a really old one, from something like 1998) was amusing with the eyes open and the face looking like that.

[Raphael]

Oh, thank you, everyone!

[doctor shark]

No, it's a flower; some sort of rafflesia, I think. Here's the official art:

More: show

I just thought the 3D model (it's a really old one, from something like 1998) was amusing with the eyes open and the face looking like that.

Yeah, that's from Pokémon Stadium, which came out in the West I think in 1999? (I feel old.) One of its evolutions is more directly based off the rafflesia, though, and actually is called "Rafflesia" in both Japanese and French. (Vileplume.)

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Gloom, Gloom Glooooooom?

[Rounin Ryuuji]

Yeah, that's from Pokémon Stadium, which came out in the West I think in 1999? (I feel old.)

I believe it was around then, but the Japanese release would've been earlier, so the model itself, I would guess, was made in 1997 or 1998. I also feel old thinking about it. I remember when this sort of CG stuff was really, really new. I also still have that game cartridge somewhere (and some old Gameboy games and the little thing you can use to connect the two), but not the system for it.