By the way…

Rich Pav 5 Comments

The reason I didn’t put out a podcast last week is because I was totally addicted to the 7th Son Podcast. I listened to over 30 hours of it in five days. If you like Scott Sigler’s scifi/horror podcasts, definitely give it a listen.

Considering how disgustingly wealthy authors like Stephen King and Tom Clancy are, podcasters like Sigler and Hutchins should be making at least a few thousand dollars for the entertainment they offer. If either of them decided to hold the last chapter of their podiobooks for ransom, I wouldn’t hold it against them at all.

My deep, dark, shameful secret.

Rich Pav 14 Comments

The secret is I’m registered as a Republican. Next time I go back to the US, I’m definitely going change my political affiliation. Not sure to what I’ll change it to though.

The country I left doesn’t seem like the same one that’s there now. I’ve felt that way for a long time, and I keep hoping I’m wrong. Boy, do we need a change in leadership. What we really need is a time machine. Considering how badly the Neocons have messed things up since 2000, 2008 seems a long way off.

When Clinton was president, I wasn’t the only one thinking “Good riddance” when his time in office was running down. Last week when I saw his interview on Fox News, I was in awe. I had forgotten how an intelligent and literate president is able to express himself. And now we discover that not only does Tom Mark Foley has a penchant for little boys, but it’s been known about for at least a few years. Then there’s the thing about US citizens now being eligible for Gitmo, the situation in Iraq being worse than ever, health insurance premiums up 80% since the beginning of the decade, more school shootings… Short of another terrorist attack on US soil, can things get any worse? Can the average law-abiding citizen do anything more productive than just complain?

Waking up and reading the news is probably the worst way to start off a new day. I need a change in routine, because right now I’m feeling quite depressed. Even putting partisan politics aside, our government is an absolute disgrace.

The FINAL word on used panty vending machines in Japan.

Rich Pav 40 Comments

Here it is, all in one post. Please digg it. Do it for Japan. Every misinformed Japanophile needs to learn the truth once and for all.

1. This is NOT a photo of a used panty vending machine: http://www.photomann.com/japan/machines/bizarrex.jpg

I can’t read all the text because of the low resolution of the photo and the big scratch on the face of the machine, but what I can read is, “ladies & mens brand new lingerie” in the center and “imported from USA” on the right. My guess is the machine was either in or near a love hotel.

2009/12/15 Update: Someone just pointed out to me that the vending machine reads, “米国直輸入実証済みのスゴイ商品” (Imported directly from America, tried and true amazing products.)

2. Snopes is WRONG. (gasp!)
The page reads,

We’d read that this practice ended in 1993 and reported as much in the original of this article (which was penned in 2001), but since that time numerous readers living in Japan have written to say that not only haven’t the machines gone away, but that they’ve themselves seen them.

How many of those eyewitnesses could read enough Japanese to tell if a vending machine was selling new knickers or used ones?

3. It is illegal in many prefectures to sell schoolgirls’ used panties.

This Google search retrieves page after page of the laws in many prefectures that forbid the sale or purchase of used schoolgirl panties (even fake ones) anywhere, including in vending machines. Almost all of them use exactly the same wording. The average fine for breaking the law is 300,000 yen.

So how did this rumor first get started? This page sums it up best. Apparently, in 1993 someone in Chiba City put used panties in one or more vending machines. Subsequently, skanky underpants were classified under the law as second hand goods, which require a license to sell. This law is actually to prevent the sale of stolen goods, as explained on this page, which answers the question from a concerned mother whose daughter and friends were making a killing by peddling their skid-marked skivvies over the internet.

Are we all clear on this now?

Just this second I thought of the easiest way to get proof on video, if there’s anyone out there who’s still not convinced: I’ll go to a police box with my camcorder and ask a policeman.

P.S. In Japan, there aren’t any convenience stores staffed by robots either.

Used Panty Vending Machines and other Bulls#!+

Rich Pav 16 Comments

In respone to the comments to this post on Digg.com:

Repeat after me: There are no used panty vending machines in Japan. The third most common vending machines after soft drinks and smokes aren’t the ones for porn. We don’t have supermarkets staffed by robots. You don’t see “many many bars and other services that have big signs saying ‘NO FOREIGNERS’.” Are the Japanese “beta testers for future technology”? I don’t think so. At least not the ones in my neighborhood.

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The Vending Machines of Japan (AAAARRRRRRHHHHH!!!)

Rich Pav 28 Comments

Every so often this topic comes up and it annoys the hell out of me. No matter what you read or who you tells you, from my point of view this is the truth:

1. Porno vending machines are very, very rare. Used schoolgirl panty vending machines are non-existent. If someone can find a used panty machine, I will videotape myself buying a pair and wearing them on my head all day long. And then I will eat them for dinner.
2. The “Robot Supermarket” apparently did exist at one time in the late 90’s. There was even more than one of them in Tokyo, but as far as I can tell they no longer operate. If someone can find the street address of one, I’ll vlog it. On the entire Internet, I’ve been able to find only one web page (from 1997) mentioning it.
3. What’s so amazing about cigarette vending machines? Did they disappear from the US?
4. Starting next year in 2008, there will be some kind of age verification system implemented in alcohol and cigarette vending machines in Japan. (Or maybe just in JR train stations?) I haven’t looked into it yet.

I have a new goal in life: creating the quintessential online video debunking the common myths about vending machines in Japan.

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How I Became a Lifer

Rich Pav 12 Comments

For someone who hardly ever talks, I sure talked a lot tonight. I found a printout of some questions someone e-mailed me back in January. Did I already answer them? If I did, did I give the same answers this time as last time?

Someone is going to mention this, so I’ll do it first. You know, I, like, you know, say “you know” too much. You know? Chances are you already know.

Let’s make it into a game. Wherever you are when you listen to this episode, every time I say “you know,” punch a random bystander in the face. Send me photos of the hilarity that ensues, and the person with the best photo will win a prize.
Music:

Obadiah Parker

Methlab Production

P.S. Wow, so far 90 people downloaded the 200MB hires version of Tony’s vlog. That’ll make him very happy. And I’ve only used 2% of my Dreamhost bandwidth. Merely a flesh wound. What surprises me the most is that it means I have at least 90 listeners. I only ever imagine around four, and that’s including my mother.

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Do you know about etree.org?

Rich Pav 2 Comments

To celebrate the release of iTunes 7, last night, for the first time in ages I actually loaded some music on my iPod for a change instead of just podcats. I’m listening to a Ben Folds concert I downloaded from etree.org over a year ago. If you can figure out the technology (namely BitTorrent and how to convert lossless audio formats like flac and shorten into MP3) there’s some great music available. Check out the tracker.

iTunes 7 actually fixed my iPod. It seems to have rebuilt my corrupted database file. Not only that, I could swear the screen is brighter now.