Anonymous Video Rental

[Duncan Frissell <frissell@panix.com>]

P>So, when I go to Huntsville Utilities and ask them to turn on the
P>power at my house, rather than writing a check or giving them personal
P>information, I just tell give them a blinded token which they could
P>use to withdraw $X from my account at the Austin-Internet Credit
P>Union.

As always the UK is ahead of the curve on this one.  It is still possible 
in certain UK apartments to pay gas *and* electricity bills anonymously.  
The electricity and gas meters have coin boxes on them.  You want 
electricity or gas and you just put the coins it.  True.  This used to be 
the standard method of paying for utilities.

This is less common for electricity now but any office of British Gas will 
still sell you plastic "keys" that are shaped like keys.  They turn on 
your gas for a set period of time and presumably break off in the process 
so they can't be reused.

Cutting-edge high tech!

DCF

"Buy Extra Gas Tokens For the Holidays"  Poster inside BG offices this 
time of year.

--- WinQwk 2.0b#1165