You're saying that these stupid people actually let starbucks access their bank account directly? That's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. Even my bank doesn't have access to my bank account to pay my mortgage. No one can touch a single dollar of mine except me and a judge. Why the hell would I let a coffee shop have unfettered access to my money?

Thanks for explaining the scam to me. Although I'm more pissed off now than ever before. Who's this stupid?

Then what's the use in hacking one? So I can buy coffee with your card? Don't I need your physical card for that? Here's the easier version for you: Why can starbucks gift cards be used without starbucks gift cards?

I fail to understand how that's any different than walking into the store, buying coffee, and then selling it in the local flea market. the gift card is nothing more than pre-paying for a purchase that you intend to pickup -- and, as with all gift cards, there's absolutely zero benefit to doing so in the first place. Why the hell would you buy a cup of coffee before it's brewed? Why would you give your money away, and then risk losing the gift card? There's certainly no financial benefit to the consumer -- and there's a lot of risk to the consumer. Why not just make your gift card look identical to a five dollar note, out of the same materials too, then contract your national mint to print them for you? A note is a note is a note be it a card, paper, plastic, from a bank or a print shop. It's worth five bucks it's worth five bucks.

that's the problem. a gift card is designed, by it's very nature, to not be currency. It's supposed to be a pre-purchase, such that the financial component is entirely removed. Show up with the card, get the product, no monetary transaction of any kind.

What starbucks is using is simply not a gift card. It is a bank card. So who's surprised that a bank card issued by someone that isn't a bank lacks any sort of procedural security whatsoever?

Stop giving your hard-earned money to someone who isn't regulated and insured to keep it. Welcome to the words: "at your own risk", "not responsible for stolen funds".

Maybe actually think before giving money to someone. Maybe, just maybe, make an actual decision for yourself.

Starbucks = Nigeria.

No one will ask for your credentials, certifications, qualifications, or skill level of any kind. Outside of very large corporations, military, or government bodies, no one asks -- that's just not how business works. It's been 25 years of running my own business from scratch. Maybe when I'm dead, someone will check to see if I was certified to do anything at all. I'm not, by the way. But, like I said, small business, and even medium business operates on direct trust, which comes from reputation and referral, not from accredited trust.

Why can starbucks gift cards be used for anything other than buying starbucks products? Why is the cash accessible in the first place? Anyone stealing starbucks gift cards, hackers or thieves, ought to be stuck with boat-loads of coffee, after having visited a starbucks store. Otherwise, folks, it ain't a gift card, it's a charge card, credit card, or direct-monetary-device -- and since starbucks ain't a bank, you ought not be entrusting them with direct access to your money.

What's the point of a starbucks "gift card" if it operates no differently from the attached credit card?

so your answer would be "no", and you agree with me completely. Humans won't be living on mars within the next 50 years, which is consistent with the interest thus-far. Thanks for your support.

...and you think that means we'll have people living on mars within 50 years?

I'm using the cross-country inconvenience to support my argument that mars ain't the next step any time soon. Nothing more.

you just listed more than 7 hours. And you're upset with my 8 hours?

Sorry pal, but it's illegal to pitch a tent at the gate. Besides, my television won't be very watchable with all of those big terminal windows, and I like my privacy too much given all the people.

So, for us normal humans with a 3'000 square-foot house about 30 minutes away from the terminal:

we pack into small luggage
we call the taxi
we wait for the taxi
we ride the taxi
we get to the airport early, so as to not get there late
we wait in line
we check in
we check our luggage
we walk through about three miles of airport hallway
we wait in line
we go through security
we wait in line
we walk onto the plane
we wait, for nothing
we taxi out to the runway
we wait for the previous plane
we de-ice in the winter
we take-off
we land
we taxi
we wait for an open gate
we wait in line
we disembark
we walk through three miles of hallway again
we wait for luggage
we walk to the door
we wait for a taxi
we ride the taxi
we arrive at our destination

oh yeah, we also bought the ticket and waited for our flight-time.

So, right now, as you read this, don't pretend, stand up, and go 3'000 miles in any direction. Find out how long it takes. I'm sure there isn't a plane going where you want exactly when you want it, but even if there is, all of the above takes time.

EIGHT HOURS. Do it, and wear a watch when you do.

I live in Canada. My government's actually really quite fantastic. But yeah, we do pay taxes don't we. But we also have no actual problems.

Although, while we're on the topic, most of the wonderful fun-driving roads in the U.S. were built as a make-work project back when there were no jobs and the government just paid people to build roads from nowhere to nowhere. That sounds pretty socialist to me.

In any event, there are school shootings and riots in the streets on a monthly basis. That's just embarassing.

we have not had people travel through space -- i.e. to the moon or to orbit. No human has gotten up and gone.

What we've had is about thirty thousand humans get up, to send five humans. Much like your arm is attached to your body, those astronauts are attached to the space program, and hence to the ground.

Your hand can move around seemingly freely around your body, but only within the range of your arm. Sending your hand even thirty feet from your body is a much more difficult task.

That's what I'm saying the trip to mars really is. Orbit and moon don't have significant communication delay. So you can ask for help and you can get it. Advice, opinion, analysis. "Houston, we have a problem." . . . and then dead silence for a length of time long-enough that the problem has changed.

How many tries did it take to get to antarctica -- which I think is a really great example. So is everest. Congrats, after many attempts, someone got there. Who's gone back to build a house? Do you want to go build one?

stand up right now, and be 3'000 miles away within 8 hours. You can't do it. You don't live in the airport. The plane doesn't leave right now. There's a line. There're about three miles of airport hallway. The taxi isn't at your door yet. You haven't packed. You haven't gone through security. You don't have your ticket. The plane is sold out. You live thirty minutes away from the airport. The airplane doesn't take off from the gate. It's also not the next plane to take the runway.

Stop making shit up that you read in a newspaper. Get up, and make the journey yourself. Not for pretend. Do it in actuality. It takes eight hours -- in the summer.

I'd forgotten about the infinite nuclear energy. That's going to be my new example. Especially because we very much could have infinite nuclear energy, except for about six dozen cultural issues, legal issues, and our all-time-favourite deterant of civilization advancement: perceived property values.