Saturday, May 30, 2015

Komandirskie Makes it to Android Wear

Top 10 Best Android Wear Apps and Faces...

... one of which is the KGB Watch Face



KGB Watch Face is based on the classic “Komandirskie” line of watches produced by Vostok since the 1940s. A fun watch for those obsessed with Soviet Russia as well as 80s action films. 


And Android Wear is a version of Google's Android operating system designed for smartwatches and other wearables

On google play - KGB Watch Face

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Miracle Travel Clock

Another travel clock from my watch and clock collection.

A travel clock is usually a compact (sometimes, pocket-) clock with an alarm which can be mechanical, electronic (or digital) or even an electro-mechanical clock (and I have at least one of those, of which - later).

I have several travel clocks, and already cataloged on this blog one of them and my favorite - the Ford Travel Clock.

But today I bring you another travel clock of mine, a cheap Chinese travel clock called Miracle Travel Clock.


I think this clock is at least 20 years old, as such and similar clocks were widely and very cheaply available and even ubiquitous in the early 1990s here in Russia.


So I opened the battery compartment, inserted a new battery... and the clock sprang to life! After 20 years!



Can't read what it says on the clip but suspect it means something along the lines of "brilliant' or "brilliance" or some other such stuff.


It has a clip for wearing on your belt and a chain also with a clip for same - double security, you wouldn't want to lose such a cool thing, would you now?



Tuesday, May 26, 2015

AutoZilla: LADA Priora No. 900,000

AutoZilla: LADA Priora No. 900,000: Lada makes 900,000th LADA Priora. Lada's press-release (in Russian) : Press-release photos: LADA Priora: 900,000 on May 26...

50 Gs: G-Shock #21: DW-9950 Seaman

50 Gs: G-Shock #21: DW-9950 Seaman: In April 1999 Casio released a new Frogman model, the DW-9900. It was not really the successor of the DW-8200 Frogman, as during the time...


 ↑↑↑
More G-Shocks from Sjors on his 50Gs blog.

DW-9950 Seaman.

Medvedev's Apple Watch

Echo Moskvy reports that Russia's Prime Minister (second in command to Prez Putin) Dmitry Medvedev was seen last week sporting an Apple watch (unless it is some other such device).


He is known for his tastes in sports-styled electronic watches and his likes of Apple products in particular, and once was entertained by Steve Jobs himself when he visited California as President of Russia in 2009 or thereabout.

Overall, it it is unlikely to add to his popularity as he has virtually none and is mostly seen as a clown and a figure of fun, though probably not harmless.


Monday, May 25, 2015

Moscow Ostankino TV Tower

This one is in my Monuments of Moscow (MoM) series of posts. 

One of Moscow's many iconic landmarks is the Ostankino TV tower, and it can bee seen here in photos that I made using both a mobile phone and a cheap camera in 2014.


The two spires.


Once the tallest structure in the world (1967-74), now just in Europe... still the 8th tallest in the world.


And I can't hold the phone straight... so it looks a bit like the falling tower of Pisa.







The Ostankino TV tower as seen from the Ostankino park in August 2014.




The photos below, I believe, are rare as they show a short-lived attempt to display an ad on the tower - that of Coca Cola as you can see. I took these pictures in November 2014.

It was removed soon after and now has only a generic light design showing the Russian flag.


Friday, May 15, 2015

50 Gs: G-Shock #20: Crazy White, green and bloo.

50 Gs: G-Shock #20: Crazy White, green and bloo.: August 2008 marks a special date for Casio G-Shock. That month Casio decided to bring out series of unusual colors and color schemes under...

 ↑↑↑
Another excellent G-Shock post from Sjors on his blog 50 Gs.

G-Shock # 20 for 2015.

 

Ford Electronic Travel Clock

Travel clocks are usually compact mechanical, electro-mecanical or electronic clocks (usually with an alarm function) that are compact and meant for use on the road. 

I have several travel clocks, and here's one of them - the Ford electronic (digital) travel clock. 



Functions:
  • Calendar: date, day, month, year (only in set mode) - an automatic calendar up to 2099 after which goes back to 1900).
  • Time: current time.
  • Alarm: daily alarm plus a birthday reminder, i.e. a yearly alarm.
  • Timer: yes.
  • Thermometer: yes, switching between Fahrenheit and Celsius by pressing just one button.



There is also a magnet on the back, so you can stick it to a refrigerator....


...or to a cooker.


Purchased it some years back from my Ford dealer, the clock is made in China, of course, and it's good quality.



Temperature readout is switched from Celsius above to Fahrenheit below.



Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Watch of the Day: Vostok Komandirskie 2414A

My watch of the day on May 11, 2015 was this Vostok Komandirskie 2414A manual wind watch which spent the entire 2014-15 winter at my country cottage (aka Dacha) and got its first (manual) wind in 2015 on Sunday May 10, 2015. 


On a bicycle.

Also of note is the fact that I set a new max speed record on this 13-year-old cheap bike of mine... it's not too visible as the point-and-click predictably chose to focus on the grass, but it's still 32.5 km/h. I can (and will) do more though.



Saturday, May 9, 2015

Spotted... GAZ-46

On the occasion of May 9 -- V-Day here in Russia....


... they are driving some curious vehicles today.

This one was spotted by me whilst in a line at a McDonald's drive-through.


It appears to be a GAZ-46 or some other such amphibious vehicle.


However the propeller appears to be removed.


#Victory70: Largest May 9 parade in Russian and Soviet history since WW2 (FULL)

Friday, May 8, 2015

Watchismo Times: The Green Man Watch - New Mystery Jump Hour From M...

Watchismo Times: The Green Man Watch - New Mystery Jump Hour From M...: An Exclusive New Jump Hour From Mr. Jones Watches Made In London & Only 100 Exist The face of this watch depicts the ancient...

Watch of the Day: Vostok Amphibian 2416B

My watch of the day today.... in fact it was on May 6... my 2012 Black Scuba Dude Amphibian Vostok 2416B.

Here it is - in focus. More figuratively than literally (or is it the other way round?) because I am in a Ford Focus and am shooting with a cheap point-and-click.



A 3 year veteran of many a sauna and swimming pool session, it is still going strong.



Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Car Show Car Exhibits Part 7

Continuing with pictures from the historic car show at Moscow's VDNKh that I visited in March this year 2015 -- 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.

Part 2 -- ZAZ cars -- is here -- Part 2 Zaporozhets Cars.

Part 3 -- Moto -- is here -- Part 3 Old Russian Motorcycles, Mopeds, etc

Part 4 - Lada cars -- is here -- Part 4 Lada Cars

Part 5 - Volga cars -- hit this link -- the Volga automobile.

Part 6 - Pobeda cars -- Part 6 the Pobeda GAZ M-20 Automobile

And now please enjoy Part 7 - the last part - topical exhibits. 


***

Back Yard Garage Exhibit featuring a ZAZ-965


It's a Zaporozhets, a mini-sized, air-cooled rear-engined car.








You can have a good look at this air-cooled engined. Look how easy it is to work with - plenty of access.


So who wants to take it apart put together back again?


Sunday, May 3, 2015

50 Gs: G-Shock #19: Iron Man

50 Gs: G-Shock #19: Iron Man: I might probably not have mentioned in my 50 Gs weblog before, but I pretty much like comics. Though, I think there is quite a difference ...





Yet another G-Shock expertly covered by Sjors... with super photography as per usual... and even better this time.

The Big Mac

In the words of the great late Warren Zevon, "Enjoy every sandwich".

And that is exactly what I am doing -- enjoying all kinds of food, mainly cheap, in my Food series, and enjoying (and rating) McDonald's offerings specifically in this one


The Bic Mac today... this one was taken hostage at a McDonald's drive-by window, driven out of town and executed... consumed for lunch in the country last October.


Actually, as was pointed out elsewhere, the Big Mac is a unique burger in terms of its structure -- it has not just two buns as per usual but all three with a middle bun separating the two meat putties. At the moment I can't think of any other burger with this kind of structure, not that I am an expert or anything. 


With sesame seeds.