Re: anonymous video rental store

>it is illegal for video stores to disclose rental records anyway.

I believe the law was passed quickly after a reporter obtained a list
of videos rented by a Supreme Court nominee (or some other nomination
that must be approved by congress).  In the particular case, there was
nothing that the most sensitive, politically correct, family-values-affirmin' 
[okay, that's enough] person would object to.  But, congress passed a law
within weeks, presumably because they didn't want their rentals scrutinized.

I wonder whether the list of books checked out at public libraries is
public information...[eh, nothing dicey there anyway, except Howl].

This shows how reactionary and patch-work oriented the legal system is.

A Simple Way to Rent Anonymously, but not cheaply:: buy the tape for cash
and then sell it when you are done.  This could cost 60% of the retail 
price, but you get the tape for almost any length of time.  Audio CDs 
are effectively "rented" in this way, with the 60% cost being average.


Paul E. Baclace
peb@procase.com

I can state with some certainty that most libraries will not reveal their
check out records. Several years ago the FBI went around to several college
and city libraries and asked for copies so they could track 'suspicous'
people. As far as I am aware every library refused on the grounds that what a
person reads is nobodys business but their own. Apparently the FBI (and
presumably other agencies) would have to go to a judge with some kind of
probably cause and request a court order.

The engineering library at UT Austin used to have it under the glass at the
check out desk.