Wednesday, September 22, 2010

PedoBear: Wanted Criminal

Recently, PedoBear (aka Roy Harms) has received some very negative press and these anti-PedoBear sentiments are sweeping the nation!
 

His origins are based in Japan as a meme found throughout the 4chan forums and has become the most recognizable internet characters across the world in recent years. Originally known as Kuma, literally (bear) in Japanese. They never added the prefix "Pedo" out of fear of redundancy, since most everything from Japan is sexually perverse. For a long time he has been used and sent in humored fashions to signify someones creepiness as a joke not as an actual red flag for pedophilia. He's been the victim of rather poorly executed photoshopped antics. Fans have pasted his face over hundreds of photos and videos wherein pedophilia is or becomes prominent (due to his presence). Casual web users and internet addicts alike can find solace in his cute face while getting a laugh at the fact that he truly is not what he seems. The fact is, that because of his mixture of appeals, PedoBear has become the world's most well-known meme.


 PedoBear has become so well known that merchandisers have even taken advantage of his popularity. You can now find many PedoBear goodies for all the perverts in your lives. PedoBear hats, hoodies, T-shirts, decals and more!


PedoBear's popularity has grown to such an extent since his days in the 4chan forums that he has been spotted throughout mainstream media across the world. In 2009 a blogger created a composite image depicting Pedobear grouped together with fanart of the cartoon mascots of the Vancouver Winter Olympics. This image was then mistakenly used by other media, most notably the Polish newspaper Gazeta Olsztynska for a February 2010 front page story about the Olympics in Vancouver. Dumb asses. Later in 2009 Pat Buchanan, a conservative commentator, wrote a column about the early days of president Barak Obama which included a picture of PedoBear. Earlier this year, at Brooklyn's Renegade Craft Fair, felted collage pieces depicting  a wide variety of internet and geek culture figures, including PedoBear, were presented.

PedoBear stands to teach us a very important lesson though. Masked with a cute and cuddly exterior with that sweet smile and saucer-like eyes, PedoBear comes off as a most trust worthy friend. Although he appears to be nothing more than a  sweet and lovable stuffed animal, something far more sinister lurks below. Which isn't too far from real-life pedophiles whose acts of lechury usually pray upon children they know very well. Rare is the case of pedophilic acts and abuse against complete strangers. No, most common is the case that child sexual abuse is committed by someone that the child knows, loves, and trusts making the act committed even worse. 
Many websites have recently declared full on war with PedoBear telling their users and subscribers that they are no longer permitted to use or send anything related to the meme claiming that his presence is offensive and users will be banned upon any use of his images. He's been forbidden from a variety of sites including Gaia, Gamespot, Energy Gaming, Diviantart, Tinypic and Image Shack among others. Photobucket states "Pedobear is a violation of terms. We do not allow images of Pedobear and we are actively removing all images containing Pedobear. Sincerely, Your Photobucket Support Team."  Facebook's judgement on PedoBear is still pending. However, a group of holier than thou bible beaters has a Facebook group solely dedicated to the removal of PedoBear from not just Facebook but the entire internet! Sorry folks! What goes online stays online, so suck it!
 
PedoBear is not a mascot for pedophiles. He is not  a sign of the presence of pedophiles and other people with inappropriate sexual behavior. He's a fucking joke! Get it? They let Micheal Jackson wander around for years and no one cared! A Cosplay participant dressed as the character was accused of being a pedophile at a recent convention in San Luis Obispo County California. The cosplayer was seen handing out candy to children and posing in pictures. He was escorted off of the premisis.  Afterward, the sheriffs department issued a public safety report concerning the popular meme (found below), a warning to local media, warning parents that the image can indicate the presence of pedophiles. The story was picked up by a few of the local news broadcasters, blowing the story out of proportion. Then, the police department in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and a local television station there, falsely reported that the person wearing the costume was a registered sex offender. 
To think that a real pedophile would actually be stupid enough to hide behind the meme and use PedoBear to mask his sickness is just stupid. Real pedophiles are much more covert and much harder to pinpoint. If only it would be as easy as rounding up all the PedoBears across the web, I'd like to think that we would once and for all be rid of pedophiles. Truth is, it will never be so simple. So keep yours eyes on your children, talk to them often and leave the kids in the bear suits alone!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Wipeout vs Takeshi's Castle (MXC)

When Wipeout hit the air waves I about went crazy. I was pissed. How could they do this?! Format a show as a direct and blatant copy and not give any credit. It still drives me crazy every time I see a facebook post saying something along the line of "OMG I love Wipe Out. Greatest show ever." I get totally steamed. If you really want to roll on the floor laughing, watch MXC.


Wipe Out is an American game show series in which contestants compete in what is billed as the "world's largest obstacle course" (I beg to differ). The series premiered on June 24, 2008 on ABC. During an episode, contestants compete through four rounds of competition until a final winner is chosen. The first round features 24 contestants, while only the top four will make it to the final round called the Wipeout Zone, where the winner earns the title of Wipeout Champion and a $50,000 grand prize.



Apparently, I'm not the only one worked up over the hit copycat.
The concept and style of the show are taken directly from several Japanese game shows, most notably Takeshi's Castle and Sasuke. This was brought to the attention of the Japanese broadcaster Tokyo Broadcasting System, who filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against ABC, charging that Wipeout is a "blatant Copycat" of several of it's classic Japanese competition game shows. Among the charges are that ABC brought up search terms such as MXC (an Americanized version of Takeshi's Castle) on Google to help drive traffic to the official Wipeout page, and that specific obstacles in Wipeout were knock-offs of challenges in those Japanese game shows. Wipeout creator and executive producer Matt Kunitz, aka Douchy McGee, states that Wipeout is "90% Fear Factor-inspired, 10% Japanese game show.
Lies! Lies and slander!
The lawsuit went forward earlier this year.


 Wipeout doesn't hold a candle to Takeshi's Castle (MXC) and Sasuke (Ninja Warrior).
 Takeshi's Castle: 
風雲!たけし城 Fūun! Takeshi-jō, literally Turbulence! Takeshi Castle was a Japanese game show that aired from 1986 to 1989 on the Tokyo Broadcasting System. It featured the Japanese actor Takeshi Kitano as a count who owns a castle and sets up impossible challenges for players (or a volunteer army) to get to him. The show has become a cult television hit around the world (also known as Beat Takeshi).
It is a silly game show on which contestants are painfully eliminated through barely possible stunts and events, most taking place above pools of mud. 


MXC:
Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (later known as MXC) is a re-edit of the footage from Takeshi's castle with rather hilarious dubbings that aired on Spike TV for several years. MXC is both property of Tokyo Broadcasting System and RC entertainment.
The dubbing over the Japanese voices is absolutley classic! In the dubbing they have completely changed what contestants are saying, and it is hilarious. Before a try at each round contestants pose for the camera and shout out the most random of absurdities (i.e. "I swallowed a comb!", "Yeah, I'm lactose intolerant!", "This is for all my homies in Battle Creek!") in whatever strange costume or uniform they have thrown on.
The contestants are ridiculous in how far they will go. Seeing them run into doors head-on, fall face first into rolling logs, try and catch balls flying at incredible speeds, violently spin and swing from enormous mushrooms, and try to survive through the general mayhem is great. This show is definitely a must see for anyone who is looking for a laugh. 


 How could Wipeout possibly beat obstacles like Sinkers and Floaters, Rotating Surfboard of Death, Boulder Dash, Brass Balls, Dope on a Rope and Eat Shitake, to name a few. The dubbed version splits contestants into teams (i.e. Team USA vs the World, Meat Handlers vs Voice Actors, Organ Donors vs Recovering Addicts, Superheroes vs Myspace). And sets them against one another trying to earn points as they successfully pass through the obstacles, which is rare.  
Narrated by Vic Romano (Takeshi) and Kenny Blankenship (Takeshi's assistant) and accompanied by a variety of characters like Guy Ladouche, Captain Tenneal, Skanky, em on em, and more, MXC is sinfully funny!


To think that ABC was stupid enough to believe that no one would even notice. I'm surprised it took so long for someone to even point the accusatory finger. 
Copycatting is a usual thing on american tv. Networks make shows just like other shows that people already like, just hoping to bank on it. But the similarities between Wipeout and its Japanese Counterparts is so obvious that ABC is going to get their asses handed to them. 
GO TOKYO TV!
 And don't forget! You can now pick up your very own copies of MXC on DVD!
Hit the link to watch a little MXC!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWghNd1lpQE

Friday, September 10, 2010

Japanese Vending Machines: Weird and Weirder

Everyone who knows anything about Japan will know that it is not only the Land of the Rising Sun, but also the Land of the Vending Machines. Japan has some of the worlds most unique and interesting vending machines to say the least. The quirky country has the highest number of vending machines per capita, with about one machine for every 23 people.
 What most travelers find strange is that many vending machines in Japan are located outside. Machines are most commonly lined up in front of buildings, but they can be found almost everywhere—even on small streets in the middle of the countryside.
What many people also find surprising is the lack of snack machines. Snack and drink machines may go hand-in-hand in the States, but if you want a snack in Japan you are better off going to a convenience store. In contrast, machines selling hot canned soups, ice cream, or even full meals can be found. Stranger yet are the service machines, dispensing everything from batteries and umbrellas to adult movies and used panties. 



Thursday, September 2, 2010

Full-on Double Rainbow Guy Commercial!

 Somebody at Microsoft was apparently a fan, because the company recently hired the rainbow-worshiping maniac to star in a commercial. In the ad, Vasquez takes photos of a double rainbow and then edits them together using Windows Live photo editing software, while mumbling some of his best-known lines.
Hit the link for the ad:
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/8176783/21697454