January 24, 2007

50 Fun Facts About Credit Cards Okay, let's face it "facts" are never fun and "credit cards" are only fun half of the time. So how can this be fun? I dunno, it just is. Ever notice all your credit cards are of uniform shape and size? Their dimensions are governed by the ISO 7810 standard, an international standard for identification cards. Banking cards, as well as driver’s licenses and retail cards, follow ID-1 (passports follow ID-3). If your card has a smart chip, it follows ISO 7816, and if it has RFID, it follows ISO 14443. Interested to know what’s on the magnetic stripe? Check out this breakdown of the three tracks on Wikipedia (the rest of the page explains other magnetic stripes). via J-Walk blog
posted by petebest 17 years ago
  • Great read! That's no moon...
  • That's no moon... Can! you! believe it!?! Nickdanger, in only the opening comment of the thread, for the win, and this very good-natured bank holiday crowd . . here at Wembley . . are going wild! Hehe. I think the "Centurion Card" is scary enough. You know Tricky Dick Cheney's got a couple.
  • Cheney's going to start issueing his own credit cards?
  • I didn't know about https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t , Thanks!! =)
  • Oooh, Pete, Lara's gonna love this one!
  • > 7. Visa actually stands Visa International Service Association. Beep! Recursive acronym alert!
  • I don't get the "that's no moon" comment. I am dumb.
  • I don't get the "that's no moon" comment. I am dumb. *points and laughs at RTD* Seriously, I didn't get it either. My first thought was some odd reference to "shoot the moon." Then I thought perhaps it was implying that any object is attainable with the Centurion card (i.e., the moon, what's that? Bah, I can buy it with my card...) *kicks dumb self*
  • It's a reference to Obi-Wan's line in Star Wars, when the Death Star is first sighted, and assumed to be a small moon. "That's no moon ... it's a space station!"
  • *slaps forehead* Most credit cards utilize flourescent inks - - if ya pull 'em out while visiting a tawdy night spot with blacklights, check out the glowing logos... Another intersting read: Plastic How the rise of the credit card changed life for the FORTUNE 500--and for the rest of us. And finally, there is a difference between "charge" cards and "credit" cards. Charge cards require the monthly balance to be paid in-full... And I think we all know about those pesky credit cards! My great-great grannie had one of the very first J.C. Penny store credit cards issued in 1958 or thereabouts. She didn't use it very often. She tried to use it in the late 80's; the confused store clerk was baffled, and tried in vain to explain to her that she needed a *new* card, that the 30 year-old card doesn't work anymore. My grannie, not being one to give in to anyone (or to throw away receipts/documents of any kind), promptly left the store and returned home. She found the original letter that came with her store card, stating that the card would be valid unless the account was closed. She made a few phone calls, was assured that her card is still valid, and eventually was contacted by someone in the upper management who offered to buy her card (they wanted it for historical purposes, as they didn't have any surviving original specimens apparently...). Grannie refused the offer. I don't think she returned to the store.
  • She used to bulls-eye womp rats in her T-16 back home.
  • ^tawdry
  • I got yer 50 facts right here.
  • *gasps, fans self*
  • I ENJOY FACTS
  • quick, somebody find a way to segue to hunger strikes so the Koko can say...
  • I ENJOY GANDHI
  • or that she feels...
  • Actually, I was just pointing out the fact that it wasn't the moon. Seriously, "Star Wars"? Jesus, you people read a lot into what I say.
  • Star Wars Jesus? Is this that Tom Cruise thread?
  • From sugarmilktea's link: Legend has it that the revolution began over lunch at Major's Cabin Grill back in 1949. It was an old-school New York City power lunch. As waiters served martinis and steaks to the midday crowd I was born 37 years later, but I miss 1949. And from the main link: Today, the extremely exclusive card for American Express is their black Centurion card with a $2,500 annual fee! (and requirement to spend $250,000 a year Is there any financial reason for rich types to own this card, or is it just the credit card equivalent of a diamond-encrusted iPod?
  • The smartarse UK credit card company Mint, famous for their smug ads, made their card with one corner rounded off into a different shape. This caused havoc with cards being eaten by ATMs, ticket machines etc. Another triumph for marketing over COMMON BLOODY SENSE
  • COMMON BLOODY SENSE You so English!