FI2: Tidbits
Freedom Issue 2, February 28, 1993
File 7/7
Tidbits
This is a new section consisting mainly of smaller articles that in my opinion weren't feasible to split into separate articles.
Mild Anarchy
Fed up with impersonal corporations? Want to get even without breaking the law? There are several methods of mild anarchy that will cost the corporations money and in some cases benefit you.
- Get a credit card and use it responsibly. How is that anarchy some people will ask. Well some credit cards have no service fees or monthly fees but charge a preposterous amount of interest on an outstanding balance. The anarchist though will never have an outstanding balance, and thus defers payment for a month and can collect interest from the money that instead remains in the bank. You also build up a healthy credit rating for your future. Bank of Montreal Mastercards work well with this.
- Are you in a book or music club like Columbia House? Frustrated or pissed off at having to send back things saying you don't want the "selection of the month"? The anarchistic solution is simple: don't send them back. Then when they send you the tape, CD, book, or whatever, you can listen to it (tape it if you want), read it, or whatever you do with the object. Then put it back in its original package, seal it up, and write REFUSED on the front of the package. This way you get to sample and or copy the product for free, and the corporation pays the postage. I'm in a book club and a CD club and this works fine all the time. It is also handy if you don't want to keep receiving garbage from them all the time. If you haven't sent something back to them they figure you own them money and don't send anything until you have paid up. Keep the "gift" for several months, have a good laugh at the form letters they keep sending (You are such a good customer, please pay up or we will be forced to sick Guido the collection agent on you), then send it back.
- Free stuff! This is a good idea even if you don't want to annoy the company. Most businesses really want to maintain good public relations, and a wily letter writer can frequently take advantage of this. The result is often free stuff, delivered to your door. An example: write a letter to a computer disk manufacturer and tell them you bought a box of disks but it didn't come with any labels. They will probably send you a bunch of labels and an apology. Labels are no big deal but this one has worked several times in the past. Tips: 1) be creative with your complaint, but never be belligerent, 2) never write the same place twice with the same address, 3) don't expect too much...major complaints are dealt with by service centers, not through the mail.
- Not quite shoplifting is also good for laughs, especially in stores where the "undercover" guys are obvious. Wear a baggy coat or whatever into the store, find the "undercover" guy and start acting suspicious, put stuff into your pockets, use your shifty eyes to maximum effect. The idea now is to walk around the store a lot, maybe do some real shopping. It's very important that you don't start laughing whenever you see the "undercover" guy slinking around behind you. Once you are ready to leave and feel you've tied up the store's crime fighting resources long enough you go to a counter near the check out. Here you leave everything you don't wish to purchase and then go through the check out or leave. This also serves as a vital service to keeping students employed as the store must now pay a stock boy to put everything back in place. Ha, a double whammy. This works because store security cannot stop anyone until they have left the store with unpaid for goods. If you wish to cause more havoc this can be done with a partner. One person fake shoplifts and gets the security to follow him while the other partner REALLY lifts whatever he can. This of course is breaking the law and is a "no-no". In Winnipeg, a while back, a group of people were suspected of doing this but were never caught. Apparently a dozen or so fake lifters would work with on or two real lifters. It is rumored that they made off with a LOT of loot. Remember though, the cost of shoplifting is most likely passed on to other consumers.
Next issue I hope to bring you something more technical in the realm of destruction. I hope the above was entertaining, if not informative.
Lazarus Long (LAZ)
February 1993
How to Steal a Library Book
- Flip open only the cover of the book you want and make a clean cut along the inside spine. If you do this properly then you'll be able to see the security strip. It will be located inside the cover on the inner spine of the book. It is best to use a really sharp knife like an surgical knife.
- When you locate it then remove the security strip.
- Now the book is yours.
Excuses
Here is a hint. If you want to steal a book it is advisable that you have also some signed out books with you. So if by any chance you get caught by the alarm due to you're own human errors you will have an excuse.
"Ahh... I guess the lady forgot to undecenticize this one, I was carrying alot of books as you can see..."
"Oppss... Sorry, boy is this embarrassing. I guess I forgot to sign this one out...I was in a real big rush...sorry about the inconvenience.."
Well you get the idea. Just BS your way through.
Having fun at the library
Get yourself some security strips off some lame shitty books. Put them in peoples purses, bags, jackets etc. Or if you're really brave put one in the library's security guard or in your teachers coffee. The ideas are almost countless. The best part of it all is that no matter how hard they try they will almost never find it.
I Hope you enjoyed this file. Remember that the phun never ends, it just finds a new victim...
PRIMUS
Defeating Knogos
Have you ever been caught shoplifting? Did you feel embarrassed about the ordeal? Well come get your chance to gain your rep back. There is a minor flaw in the system that virtually lets you walk straight out the door without setting off the alarm.
Well first of all I have only experimented with what some retail stores call KNOGOS or simply security tags. They are either a disk or a rectangular security tag. If the store is using the new technological security strips(like ones in music stores) then just peel of the strip and it's yours.
The method to surpass the KNOGOS alarm system
This is a pretty simple technique but takes a bit of good hand and eye coordination.
- First of all you should be in a normal standing position. Next place the KNOGO facing upward in the palm of your hand. The procedure must be performed out of the detection area. The detection area is the area between the two detection devices standing at each end of the entrance.
- Adjust the angle of your palm until the KNOGO is parallel to the ground. VERY IMPORTANT! It means that the widest area of KNOGO must be parallel to ground. If the position of the KNOGO is bent at an angle at more than an about an inch in the detection area the alarm will go off.
- After you are sure it is almost parallel to the ground. Just walk out the store. Passing the detection devices. Another CAUTION the knogo must not ever come with in 1 foot and a half to the detection devices. As this will trigger off the alarm.
- Cover your ass if anything goes wrong with your hand and eye coordination (being drunk). Always be ready to make a fast exit out the door if the alarm goes off.
Well that's all there is to it, pretty simple. Hope you enjoyed this article. See y'all later! and remember "That knowing is half the battle".
PRIMUS
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End of Freedom Issue 2 - Freedom, Copyright 1993
