Free Republic

Maryland has pushed forward a bill that would make condoms available within vending machines throughout K-12 schools, leaving hundreds in outrage as they refer to the plan as 'absolutely sickening.' Introduced by Democrat Del. Nicole Williams of Prince George's County, Bill 380 seeks to repeal a decades-old ban on condoms and other contraceptives being available within vending machines at kindergarten, nursery, elementary or secondary public schools. The state's House of Delegates advanced the bill as it passed the House vote 89-to-41 on Friday. It is now on the way to the Democrat-controlled Senate for further consideration where it is expected...

New York City health officials on Monday unveiled the city's first public health vending machine, featuring free drug paraphernalia and anti-overdose meds for addicts. The big blue box was installed in Brooklyn on Monday and will offer potentially life-saving Naloxone to drug users who have overdosed on opioids, along with instructions on how to use the drug. Instead of snacks or sodas, the vending machine also has hygiene kits and safe sex kits for anyone with a New York City ZIP code to claim. Officials say similar machines in the U.S., Europe and Australia have demonstrated effectiveness at reducing overdose...

Here is a video of a Grey squirrel, or as my friend Carlos likes to call them, "A rat with a better pr campaign", breaking into a vending machine to get a candy bar. If you have trouble reaching the video by clicking on the image of the squirrel, then follow this link to see the, Squirrel Breaking Into Candy Machine

NYC has seen vending machines for engagement rings and Brooks Brothers shirts, as well as PPE like gloves and sanitizing wipes, but this new Manhattan machine is really testing the limits. Since January, a storefront at 225 W. 34th St. — formerly home to a Lane Bryant — has hosted two of health company Wellness 4 Humanity’s new vending machines, which sell DIY at-home COVID tests instead of snacks or sodas. For $149 — credit or debit cards only, no cash — you can pick up a PCR saliva test, use it at your leisure, mail it to one of...

Student vending machine project comes to a closeThe Vending Machine It is with great sadness that we must announce the passing of the Ohio Pork Council's bacon vending machine after an all-too-short sojourn at the Meat Sciences Department of Ohio State University.The vending machine allowed hungry students to sate their penchant for porcine produce with just a $1 bill. Alas, all good things must come to an end and, as scheduled, the plug has been pulled on the pilot piggy project that ran from the 6th to 13th December.The OPC pitched the wonderful machine as a way of "giving back...

There's nothing like a fresh baguette, hot out of the oven. And one company has made it as easy and quick to get as a Snickers bar. Le Bread Xpress has opened vending machines in San Francsico that produce hot and fresh baguettes in seconds. The machines are operating at the new Myriad market in the Castro. The baguettes rise at a bakery in Burlingame and are slighty baked. The baking process finishes in the vending machine. Operators say the machine is a hit in France. "In a mall next to transportation, people come back from work, get their fresh...

If you’ve ever been to a public shooting range you might have experienced long lines to check in, buy targets and buy ammo. Well one shooting range in Pennsylvania is taking a more efficient approach to selling the ammo. The Beaver Valley Rifle & Pistol Club has installed a vending machine for ammo at their range. Also, the guy who installed it? He’s running for county sheriff. Sam Piccinini is a Republican candidate for sheriff who also owns the small ammo company that operates the machine.

An automated pot-selling machine was unveiled at an event held at an Avon, Colo., restaurant Saturday, promising a potential new era of selling marijuana and pot-infused snacks from vending machines directly to customers. Its creators say the machine, called the ZaZZZ, uses biometrics to verify a customer's age. The machine is climate-controlled to keep its product fresh. You may be picturing a vending machine on a sidewalk, ready to dispense pot brownies to anyone with correct change. That's not quite what backers of the machine have in mind. For now, at least, the ZaZZZ is aimed for use only by...

They’re calling it the future of marijuana in Colorado. No long lines and no sales person needed. Marijuana entrepreneurs unveiled a high-tech marijuana vending machine in Eagle County Friday night. The machine isn’t in use yet, but it went on display at Montana’s Smokehouse barbecue in Avon. Stephen Shearin’s company, American Green, delivered the “Zazz.” It’s Colorado’s first marijuana edibles vending machine. “Many people could look at this and say that’s just a vending machine, and they’d be right but mostly wrong.” …

The Japanese have long been known for their innovations in unusual vending machine technology, but one of the newest offerings takes things to a whole new level. Recently a bra-dispensing vending machine debuted in a Tokyo store. According to the web site Kotaku, Japanese lingerie maker Wacoal unveiled the bra vending machine at its Une Nana Cool branded specialty shop in Shibuya shopping district in Tokyo. The vending machine is packed with the popular wireless “Fun Fun Week” bras. The vending machine includes a handy size chart and offers a wide-range of bra colors. The bras cost about $30. The...

This video is of an early prototype of our pizza-making machine. We've since made a number of design and recipe improvements, and look forward to posting more. You can find us at pizzametry.com, and on Twitter as @Pizzametry.

In Chicago they now have a 24-hour vending machine for prescription drugs. "Doctors enter prescription details electronically so the machine can determine patients' insurance information including co-pays. Patients can use a debit or credit card to make their purchases." The service is called InstyMeds and it's for emergency room patients at MetroSouth Medical Center in Blue Island.

FREEDOM, Pa. -- Police say a western Pennsylvania man told them that a vending machine "made him" attack his mother, breaking her wrist. Thirty-three-year-old David Huffman was jailed unable to post bond after his arrest on assault charges Tuesday by New Sewickley Township police. Police Chief Ron Leindecker tells the Beaver County Times that Huffman's father reported his son was "flipping out" and attacked Ethel Huffman, who was found lying in bed with a broken wrist Tuesday afternoon. Police say Huffman claimed "that the Pepsi machine at Costco made him hurt his mother" and he repeatedly apologized for his actions...

Here is a video of a Grey squirrel, or as my friend Carlos likes to call them, "A rat with a better pr campaign", breaking into a vending machine to get a candy bar. If you have trouble reaching the video by clicking on the image of the squirrel, then follow this link to see the, Squirrel Breaking Into Candy Machine

A Russian vending machine company has installed machines dispensing red salmon caviar and roe at 33 Moscow locations, including the mayor's office. The machines have been installed at Mayor Yury Luzhkov's office and 32 other government and affluent office locations around the city, with more machines planned for sites including the Russian parliament, Britain's Daily Telegraph reported Friday. The tins and glass jars of the luxury food, available in various sizes, dispense for $5 to $20. The machines have proven popular with civil servants, leading the machine at the mayor's office to break down Friday, The Telegraph reported.

    Shoe's that ... designer hides with only her feet poking out    Japanese have a canny disguise   Published: Today         CANNY Japanese folk have found a way to hide from muggers – by disguising themselves as VENDING MACHINES. They wear this amazing cloth outfit which transforms from a skirt to look like a Coca-Cola dispenser. Then they blend into the background to dodge muggers plaguing the streets of Tokyo. The only giveaway is the pair of feet sticking out of the bottom. Designer Aya Tsukioka, 29, said the outfits were inspired by ancient...

ELKHART, Ind. - A 3-year-old boy upset that his mother wouldn't let him use a crane vending machine to try to win a small stuffed animal took matters in his own hands. He climbed up the chute to get the prize himself. Danielle Manges said she took her eyes off her son, James, for a moment to pick up a juice bottle he threw. When she looked up, he was in with the plush toys. "I bent over to clean it and within two seconds he had climbed through the hole, into the chute and pushed the door shut so...

Boy Climbs Into Toy-Vending Machine, Gets Trapped Fire Department Frees Child POSTED: 3:07 pm EST May 20, 2005 ELKHART, Ind. -- A 3-year-old boy upset that his mother wouldn't let him use a crane vending machine to try to win a small stuffed animal took matters in his own hands. He climbed up the chute to get the prize himself. Danielle Manges said she took her eyes off her son, James, for a moment to pick up a juice bottle he threw. When she looked up, he was in with the plush toys. "I bent over to clean it and...

Boy Gets Trapped Inside Vending Machine ELKHART, Ind. - A 3-year-old boy upset that his mother wouldn't let him use a crane vending machine to try to win a small stuffed animal took matters in his own hands. He climbed up the chute to get the prize himself. Danielle Manges said she took her eyes off her son, James, for a moment to pick up a juice bottle he threw. When she looked up, he was in with the plush toys. "I bent over to clean it and within two seconds he had climbed through the hole, into the chute...