"Seeing is believing."

What I find even more interesting than that anybody with a 10-cent Bic pen can open a fancy-shmancy Kryptonite lock ($30-$55 retail) is how long it took the news to arrive in the "real world."

Yesterday's New York Times ran the story; this morning's Washington Post has a piece about it as well, but the news - and an actual video made by the guy who discovered the flaw, Chris Brennan - first appeared online last Monday.

How many Times and Post readers, and other non-web connected people, all over the world, have had their locks picked and their bikes stolen this past week while they went about their business, ignorant of the kludge?

I'll bet thousands.

The Post's story, perhaps because of sour grapes at arriving so late at the station, long after the scoop train had left, doesn't give either the names of the two guys who made the lockpicking discovery, nor the websites where a skeptical reader could go to see for him or herself.

Good thing you've got me, following behind the elephants in the parade with my broom and bag.

Meanwhile, Benjamin Running, the guy who really put the news out there, has perfected his Bic technique so well he can now open a Krytonite U-Lock as fast as if he had a key.

Check this video out if you still don't believe all this is true.

I timed him at 4 seconds flat.