Yeah @leo_carr13, that's a solid point. Torque specs matter more than most people think.

@skylercooper I actually think the button setup is fine and people just need to pay attention. Every machine has instructions printed right on it in three languages including English. The slot is dark because it saves power when not in use, plain and simple. If someone just slows down for two seconds instead of jamming their ticket in like it's a race, they would see the green light telling them to press the button. Tourists in Shanghai have been using these machines for years without issue. The real problem is people rushing through stations without reading anything first.

Yeah the "I thought I had 500" is a classic comic collector thing. Once you actually tally up all those random one-shots and mini-series from the 90s, it's always way more than you think. I remember doing that with my own boxes and realized I had hit around 650 issues, and half of them were just stuff I'd picked up at flea markets for a buck.

This is a good question. Did the lockable pouch make you feel secure enough or did you end up trying a cable lock too? I switched to one of those compact Pacsafe bags after my phone got swiped at a coffee shop in Bangkok. The anti-theft zippers and cut-resistant strap make it a hassle but I don't leave it on the floor anymore.