Friday morning headlines

-A gushy Seattle Times writeup on the “pay by touch” technology that’s in its fifth year at Morgan Junction Thriftway confirms our November suspicions that it remains the only store in Seattle using PBT. Nothing personal against the Thriftway, which we adore, but we still don’t get why anyone would link their finances to their fingerprints. If you use it, we’d love to hear from you; we still have never seen, or heard from, anyone who has.

-The whole viaduct-vote thing still has our heads a-spinning. OK, so never mind what the Gov said the other day, now we’re going to have a vote? All just complicated political positioning, we suppose. So how ’bout they throw The Third Option and even The Retrofit on the ballot too, while everyone’s changing their minds every five minutes? Or are we supposed to be happy and relieved now that at least we get some kind of vote?

-Thanks to the reader who tipped us to the effervescent Elliott Bay Brewery feature on the Seattle Weekly site. (We’re not much for beer but we like their burgers too!)

6 Replies to "Friday morning headlines"

  • Joy January 19, 2007 (7:56 am)

    Heh – just because we get to vote doesn’t mean we get to influence the decision, now. Remember the monorail. /snark

  • Sue January 19, 2007 (10:21 am)

    My husband uses the PBT at the WS Thriftway. Half the time it doesn’t work properly, but he does use it. Seems more trouble than it’s worth to me. In addition to having to spend time signing up, and then having it not work half the time, you have to enter your phone number after you scan your finger and you still have to sign the credit card receipt! Frankly, I think it’s easier to just swipe a card, but he’s a technogeek. :)

  • Eric January 19, 2007 (12:10 pm)

    I used it when I lived near that store. It was great on those Saturday mornings when I forgot my wallet at home (which always seems to happen early mornings when I am going to buy stuff for breakfast).

    I signed up for it when they first installed it – it always worked great.

    The more I think of it, however, the more I regret it as now my prints are on file somewhere and who knows what can happen with that…

  • Jan S. January 19, 2007 (4:33 pm)

    here’s another problem with that vote. If it’s just a formality, and doesn’t mean anything, what’s the point of spending upwards of a million bucks to do it? For Hizzoner’s ego? I think not.I continue to be furious with constantly having to pay for meaningless ballots when there are so many things that really need the money…education, healthcare…POTHOLES. If this fiasco isn’t decided in the manner that we pay our city officials for, our ballot/vote should be putting them out of office, and putting in people who will not spend a lifetime talking and and not deciding.

  • Schulz January 19, 2007 (7:17 pm)

    I am a PBT member. And have been since sometime in October.
    I signed up because I hated to dig in my bag to get out my card or write a check. I signed using my checking account instead of credit card, this way I wouldn’t have to sign anything.

    I like using the system and has worked ever sinced I signed up. I can walk into the store without my bag or anything and do my grocery shopping and then not have to worry about carrying the groceries and bag to the car. It is also nice for when I just want to rush in and get something and rush right back out the door.

    I guess the reason I trush the PBT more than the new swiping technology with credit cards, is due to the when the credit card is swiped there is a signal that travels through the air and can be picked up by the right equipment. PBT is your fingerprint. There is only 1 copy of this layout and then to use your password. Yes they suggest you use your phone number but you don’t have to.

    I guess just like anything time will tell if this is a new wave of the future just like any new technology and a person’s own experience with the technology.

    Anyway this is just my opinion.

  • Matt Durham January 20, 2007 (10:55 pm)

    I signed up for the service; ran a trial period and then canceled my membership. A password is required thus negating the advantages and belief that a fingerprint is indeed unique. The time to process a sale with a fingerprint scan is longer than that of a credit card. The only advantage I could see for the customer is the ability leave your wallet at home.
    MattDurhamPhotography.com

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