Gerry McGovernJul 16

I'm writing a story about hidden e-waste. Chips and electronics in products such as children's toys, shoes, clothes, etc.

Anyone has some funny / weird examples of products you don't expect to have chips / or that have no useful reason to have chips--but still do? Or examples of really throwaway electronics such as vapes?

Show threadAnne OminousJul 16

@gerrymcgovern

there are NFC chips in at least some ctities' metro tickets, maybe many?

i know boston and montreal both use paper, disposable tickets with chips in them

they are useful i guess, but one would think they'd have some better methods with less waste

Show threadCadenJul 16
@rustoleumlove @gerrymcgovern I thought the paper tickets in Boston were hole-punched? At least I see people getting some kind of tickets punched when I use the commuter rail.
Show threadAnne OminousJul 16

@tarix29 @gerrymcgovern

whatever it is or was, i specifically said metro meaning a metro rail, excluding commuter.
and if you want to see the chip inside - thee's a reddit post --

https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/1cg2br2/accidentally_put_a_used_charlieticket_boston/

Show thread-rb
@rustoleumlove @tarix29 @gerrymcgovern what’s the difference between a metro rail and a commuter rail? I have been using the terms interchangeably for decades! 😳
Jul 17 at 3:36amWeb
Show threadCadenJul 17
@dashrb @rustoleumlove @gerrymcgovern in Boston the Commuter Rail is a specific set of lines that extends outside the city of Boston, and has a different ticketing system. Metro rail, I assume, refers to all the other lines, but most people in Boston just call it the T
Show thread-rbJul 17
@tarix29 @rustoleumlove @gerrymcgovern thank you! (I’m not from Boston)
Show threadAnne Ominous6d ago

@dashrb @tarix29

a metro/subway (or L or T) serves a city.
the commuter rail serves the extended area.
but in the US, theyre usually 2 different systems

caden explained Boston..

in Chicago, we have the L, but not always elevated so some ppl say CTA & Chicago commuter rail = Metra.

DC has a Metro, + Maryland's MARC commuter & Virginia's VRE commuter

Philly has Metro + PATCO, & SEPTA commuter rail

NYC has a subway, then Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North, & NJ Transit,

for some examples!

Show threadAnne Ominous6d ago

@dashrb

a totally different example (bc i feel like someone is gonna jump in and mention this...)

would be san francisco, which has Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) -- covering everything - the trains that go into SF, trains that go into Oakland, trains that go into San Jose -- the BART trains connect it all.

Show thread-rb6d ago
@rustoleumlove @tarix29 ah yes I am vaguely familiar with VRE but never been on it. I should have made the connection (no pun intended)!