Meet Mr. Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow
June 18, 2018 8:43 PM   Subscribe

If you're going to change your name, you might as well go with Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow or just Meow-Ludo Meow-Meow for short. Meow-Ludo, a self-described biohacker, who has previously run for office and had an RFID chip planted in his hand today had his conviction for fare evasion overturned. He's been in the news here in Australia often enough that newsreaders can now say his name without even pausing.

I have not be able to discover is actual name, although I'm pretty sure it's not Eric Reed Boucher or Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
posted by maxcelcat (14 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
I assume his actual name is Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow. If you're going to go by that, and it's not a stage name, you'll want it on your credit card.

I'm not a fan of chip implants but the initial decision definitely seemed outside of the spirit of the law. A card without the chip is nothing but a piece of plastic. There is a certain pleasure in being able to support somebody who you would never want to be.
posted by solarion at 8:59 PM on June 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


I'm betting he didn't read the standard terms and conditions that allow card issuers to cancel cards at any time for any reason before (a) agreeing to them and (b) implanting one.
posted by flabdablet at 9:06 PM on June 18, 2018


I am glad that his fine got overturned. That election profile of him is good, he has some reasonable ideas for what to do in the electorate. There's a definite agriculture & natural resources slant - but that makes sense considering the profile is in The Land. If I'd been in his electorate I'd've voted for him - though honestly, running against Barnaby Joyce that's a no-brainer.

The whole chip-in-the-hand thing gives me the heebies, but so does the idea of having your mobile phone's location switched on and reporting everywhere you go to Google. I am just old school like that.

But the name. I'm in Melbourne so I hadn't actually heard of him before, so I think I am still at the shaking-my-head-in-disbelief thing. I mean, that's clearly one too many Meows.
posted by Athanassiel at 10:50 PM on June 18, 2018 [4 favorites]


The RFID chip isn't even for bank cards. It's for public transport. It was a dumb decision and I'm glad it got overturned.

I'm betting he didn't read the standard terms and conditions that allow card issuers to cancel cards at any time for any reason before (a) agreeing to them and (b) implanting one.

I'm pretty sure those terms and conditions are superseded by Australian consumer law, especially in the context of tracking public transport fares.
posted by Merus at 12:03 AM on June 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


I'm not a fan of chip implants but the initial decision definitely seemed outside of the spirit of the law.

Absolutely. He paid his fare and was able to verify that he had to the ticket inspector at the time - the ticket inspectors carry devices for the purpose. Charging him was petty in the extreme.

I'm betting he didn't read the standard terms and conditions that allow card issuers to cancel cards at any time for any reason before (a) agreeing to them and (b) implanting one.

He knew - he spoke to the media about the possibility. He just thought it was dumb.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 12:25 AM on June 19, 2018 [3 favorites]


I have not be able to discover is actual name, although I'm pretty sure it's not Eric Reed Boucher or Reginald Kenneth Dwight.

Meow-Ludo... etc. is his actual name. He changed it by deedpoll.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 12:27 AM on June 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


You can completely legally and officially use your chip implant as a train ticket in Sweden. Apparently there's some fancy supertech company where the employees use chips instead of access cards, and they were like "hey SJ (government-owned train company), wouldn't it be cool to be able to upload our train tickets right into our fleshy tissue?". SJ agreed.
posted by Vesihiisi at 12:34 AM on June 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


Yeah I've been on Mr Meow-Ludo Disco Gamma Meow-Meow's side through this whole saga. Look, I like the train guards, the RTBU is good, but cmon, cut him some slack eh. It's certainly not causing anyone (except maybe him) harm.
posted by AnhydrousLove at 12:36 AM on June 19, 2018 [2 favorites]


I'm glad the conviction has been overturned. I'd never implant a public-transport chip myself, but I do have a contraceptive implant which makes my life much easier so I get what he's doing here. If he's paying his fares and that can be verified on the spot as is done for other passengers, then anyone charging him fines is just being a petty arsehole.
posted by harriet vane at 5:30 AM on June 19, 2018 [4 favorites]


He won but still had to pay prosecution costs? I don't see the public policy reason for that.
posted by exogenous at 5:30 AM on June 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


I'm all for it. But then, I have a credit card chip implanted under each of my nipples.
posted by greenhornet at 6:16 AM on June 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


Do Australian systems tend to handle hyphens better than those in the US? Otherwise, he'd better get used to being just Mr. Meow in any number of systems. Which is maybe fine with him, actually? Or possible the point? Maybehe just wants to be called in the hospital waiting room by a medical assistant hollering "MEOW?" Maybe he just wants to be the namesake for a lot of cats (who, to be fair, are way ahead of humans in the subdermal microchip department).

Anyway I would have told him to ditch the hyphens, as a perpetually-angry hyphenated usability person, but he didn't ask me.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 6:41 AM on June 19, 2018 [1 favorite]


But then, I have a credit card chip implanted under each of my nipples.

What are the points you're getting on those
posted by Merus at 6:43 AM on June 19, 2018 [5 favorites]


Perhaps I should have said "I haven't been able to determine his birth name". Having said that, you could argue it's impolite to ask. I know a surprisingly large number of people who have changed their names, and occasionally it can be for profound reasons like escaping a horrible family-of-origin.

...Although I suspect Mr. Meow Meow might have more flippant reasons.

BTW has anyone sat through Super Troopers, the apparent inspiration for his name? I'm curious about what the connection is, but not curious enough to watch a film with a rating of 35% on Rotten Tomatoes.
posted by maxcelcat at 7:58 PM on June 20, 2018


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