New Mondeo in Moscow

Went to have a look at the new Ford Mondeo (fourth-gen Mondeo / Mondeo Mk V) Saturday - local Ford dealer was throwing a party aka presentation.

Here are some cheap camera pics.

Test drive unit.

It was taken on a test drive quite soon.

A view on the passenger compartment through the front passenger window.

The rear end... some complain it looks too much like that of the Ford Focus III sedan.

50 Gs: G-Shock #14: Red DW-5600E with Bull Bars

50 Gs: G-Shock #14: Red DW-5600E with Bull Bars: I wrote this article after I got a question from Ilari Kaario and thought this was a nice subject. As I bought today's G-Shock in a sh...



Sjors' G-Shock posts are very good. Photography is excellent too. 

Arbat Street in Moscow Today March 27, 2015

Moscow's Arbat street today.

Mosselprom Building, a landmark

ZAZ Cars - Zaporozhets

Another car show at Moscow's VDNKh -- Cars of Our Back Yard -- USSR cars.

Not the first car-themed show I saw at the location -- in August last year we saw Car Industry of the USSR.

But that time I was lazy to make too many photos. This time however I made over 200!

So it is in parts.

Part 1 - the Moskvitch -- is here -- Part 1 Moskvitch Cars.

And now I present Part 2 -- ZAZ cars - Zaporozhets.

All Zaporozhets, except the very last one called Tavria, were small rear-engined, rear wheel drive cars, air-cooled.

1960 ZAZ 965, 1960-69, the first Zaporozhets (Zaporozhets is a local version of the Cossack).

The organizers claim its 965 and the fascia certainly corresponds.

Unusual color, though.

1962 ZAZ 965A, 1962-69

For some reason they are missing the side moldings like on this one.

Bloomberg - The Nine Ugliest Watches of Baselworld 2015

An interesting look at Baselworld 2015 from Bloomberg

The Nine Ugliest Watches of Baselworld 2015

Some of them don't look too ugly to me... and in any case I'd wear any of them... for what it's worth. 

Shortwave Radio... Veras RP225

Continuing to catalog my shortwave radios... before throwing them all out (just kidding hehe).

Radio No. 3 is this 1999 VERAS RP 225 Radio Receiver, made in Grodno, Belarus.

 

Veras radios made by the Grodno Radio Factory (which is no more, thank you international capitalists) were clones of the famous Soviet-era OKEAN (meaning Ocean) radios. 

Here it is against the original box it came in.

It says Grodno Radiopribor Factory, the maker of this fine radio.

The box also shows the date of manufacture - 05.1996. And I think I bought in early 1999 in Moscow.

It cost me RUB 500, i.e. about 20 in dead presidents which is dirt cheap for a capable post-WWII type analog tuner, though outmoded and outdated at the time, of course. Still that's the way I like them.

Specs

• Year: 1996
• Type: Broadcast Receiver - post WW2 Tuner
• Semiconductors: transistors
• Wave bands: Broadcast, 1 LW, 2 MW, 5 SW and Russian UKW
• Power type and voltage: mains 220 V / 6 x 1.5 V
• Model: Veras RP 225, Grodno, Belarus
• Material: Modern plastics (no Bakelite or Catalin)
• Shape: Portable set with handle (usable without mains)
• Notes: Coverage 2 MW, 1 LW, 5 SW bands and UKW (66-74 MHz)
• Net weight: 2.5 kg

Extra functions - electronic band switching and ability to tune to up to 4 stations and remember them for subsequent quick tuning. 

Adidas Sneaker Sculpture, Ode to City

An Adidas sneaker sculpture in Goncharov park in Moscow, not far from where I work (occasionally).

A left-over from Adidas' last year advertising campaign styled Ode to the City.

After the winter, showing some wear and tear.

Clarkson Not Bad

Seen today on an unwashed Volvo 740

This is the culprit, a Volvo 740 (I believe)

50 Gs: G-Shock #13: Defying Gravity

50 Gs: G-Shock #13: Defying Gravity: What if you are a pilot and you want the ideal Pilot Watch (Flieger). Probably your answer is that the watch needs to be large and extr...

MJR - YouTube BEGINNER Tips - Make better Videos!

USSR Cars Exhibition

Another car show at Moscow VDNKh -- Cars of Our Back Yard -- USSR cars.

Not the first car-themed show I saw at the location -- in August last year we saw Car Industry of the USSR.

But that time I was lazy to make too many photos. This time however I made over 200!

So it's in parts.

Part 1 - the Moskvitch -- they were the most numerous. 

Entrance to the Exhibition - Pavilion No. 2.

Tickets - RUB 250.

Exhibit No. 1 - 1954 Moskvitch 401-422, Woodie station wagon, typically used as a light commercial vehicle (LCV) at the time, to use present day's terminology.

A look at the motor.

Cargo compartment.

1954 Moskvitch 401

This car deserves to star in an own movie.

1957 Moskvitch 410, full wheel drive

Front wheel.

Like a real car, it drips, which further proves that these cars are real.

1963 Moskvitch 403 - export model

Different fascia, somewhat gentrified.

1964 Moskvitch 408, quad headlights, also coach lights (kind of) on C-pillar.
 

Quad lights! 

In my opinion, this is the best front end the Moskvitch ever had.