It’s the third installment of what’s apparently becoming our “free from the government” series – articles highlighting governments and agencies around the world who are, whether they know it or not, giving brilliant hand-outs to the public (previously: free hookers, free Viagra) — and this time, a lucky passenger arriving Japan’s Narita Airport yesterday left with about 5 ounces of herb in his bag… put there by airport security.

It’s true. An officer at Narita Airport stuffed the side-pocket of a random incoming bag with cannabis, as an exercise for his drug-sniffing dog’s nose. But the dog didn’t find the weed, and then the officer forgot which bag he put the package in… Basically, one thing led to another and now the luggage is gone – presumably collected by its owner.

We’ve got two thoughts on this one: either A. the officer was getting high himself (which explains forgetting what bag he chose), or B. the officer was actually supplementing his meager Airport Security wage by slipping some government pot into a bag which an accomplice could casually exit with… which would be sheer genius. 

And of course, C. is “damn, wish that was my luggage”….

This just in from our friends at Swagger… 

“RockersNYC shot out of the Lower East Side of New York in 2002.

Their unique visual style is showcased worldwide at specialty boutiques including

UNION (NYC/LA),

MHI (London),

Patta (Amsterdam), and

Don’t Come (Melbourne),

among others.

Swagger is pleased to present an art showcase of RockersNYC poster art at Swagger Flagship Harajuku, beginning Saturday May 10th.

Also, we will holding a reception party, hosted by Sean Reveron and Marcus Burrowes from RockersNYC, at Swagger Flagship Harajuku on the May 9th.

Please invite your friends and come thru.”

In New York, we’re shoving people off the train.

These guys have actually found gainful employment pushing people around. They’re called Oyisha (or “pushers”), and they stand on train platforms during morning & evening rush hours and shove.

Tokyo may be one of the world’s safest cities, but it’s easy to see why their pickpockets are still a big scene. Sneakthieves over there have been known to use hardcore distraction techniques, too; from teargas to mace, Tokyo pickpockets don’t play around. Professionals emigrate into the city from S. Korea and Vietnam to set up shop pickin’ wallets off suckers and tourists; they come for the crowds, but stay for the exchange rate.

In case you’ve never used YouTube, we’ll explain.  An anime music video (AMV) is a fan-made (unofficial) music video, created by chopping and pasting clips from Japanese animes (and some video games) so that the animated action matches the audio track.  

The style began in Japan (obviously), but has since become a worldwide phenomenon, to the point that a website — Animemusicvideos.org – has been founded to provide a unique home for the clips.  They even have annual awards, top ten lists and discussion boards where users can share tips on editing techniques and such.

Of course, the RIAA is outraged over the AMVs, and has been fighting to have them removed from circulation, but what’s new?  It’s worth noting that next to none of the animation studios who produced the sampled cartoons have complained. 

Below, find two our recent AMV favorites.  The first is a Pokemon battle set to a seriously tough battle riddim by Tempa T (AMV by Tenchuassassin).

The second, by a team called IdiotWork, isn’t quite so traditional an AMV… ’cause it’s not actually a music video, see?  Instead, it uses clips from  He-Man, set to dialogue from what might still be the Coen Brothers’ best flick, The Big Lebowski.  Sheer genius. 

(Thanks, Danny Boy)

Reuters is reporting on a Japanese thinktank’s proposition for a new robot-based workforce – which they claim offers a solution to the country’s imminent labor shortage. 

In other news, sales of heavy weaponry and sunglasses among Japanese Matrix fans are skyrocketing….

JapaneseBugFights.com is the premiere site for the heaviest in bug fighting action.  You didn’t even know there were bug fighting sites, let alone premiere bug fighting sites, did you?

Well, there are.  And they’re incredible. 

The rules are simple.  Two bugs enter; usually, one bug leaves.   Fights last “as long as they have to” and no outside weapons or influence are allowed.  It’s the Insect Thunderdome.  

Wonder why animal activists aren’t more angry about the phenomenon?  Seriously, this shit is vicious.  Check out this hardcore clip : Praying Mantis vs Japanese Hornet.

A couple of things we’ve learned from this site: 1) contrary to expectations, scorpions can’t fight worth a damn; 2) beetles are like miniature living tanks.

The ironically named Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr. passed away today at the age of 92. He was the commander of the Enola Gay, better remembered as the plane that dropped the first atomic bomb, named ‘Little Boy’, on Hiroshima in 1945.

“The use of the atomic weapon was a necessary moment in history. We have no regrets”.

Atomic Bomb Little Boy - Original Footage - For more amazing video clips, click here

This guy looks thoroughly cool and very satisfied, and it’s surely due to the effectiveness of this item Frank discovered on Rare Mono Site.

Frank151 and Frank’s Chop Shop are pleased to announce that there is an extremely limited quantity of Swagger x Frank x Ghostface New Eras left over from the 2006 Japan Tour.

Caps will be available at the Chop Shop starting at 12pm on Wednesday, August 1st, or at 1:51pm on Frank151.com/store.

They’ll be gone within one day, period. Either be at the Shop, or hit the online store, fast. This could be your last chance to own one of the best collabos since peanut butter and jelly.

Swagger Flagship in Harajuku

Go here for interior shots

and here for shots from the Grand Opening