Just 'cause It's Not Safe...

...doesn't mean it's not fun.

Hannah and Charlie try out some playground equipment that will be unavailable to them in the States this fall.

The predecessor to the treadmill reminded me of another unsafe children's recreation opportunity from a few years ago in Kharkov, Ukraine.

In our defense, it all happened really fast, and before we knew it our 4 and 2 year old were driving these mini-jetskis around without accompanying seat belts or life jackets.

Although I laugh in the video I am simultaneously taking documents and wallet out of my pocket just in case I need to play lifeguard.

Sorry for the grainy images. I plan to get a phone with a better camera this fall.

Eye On...

I see that Eye On Perm has not been consistent in blogging. Perhaps this is the greatest blog commandment of them all: "Thou shalt not blog inconsistently."

After living in Perm, Russia for ten years perhaps I no longer see the fantastic, humorous, thoughtful, or absurd aspects of this great city as unusual. We've blown out at least three car windows this year, for example, (for various reasons) and I no longer find this challenging or humorous. I just go and visit the Chinese guys on Izhevskaya street and they install a new window. Maybe we just need a new challenge...

But now, we are beginning to say good-bye to the city whose name harkens memories of bad '80's hairstyles. We will be in the USA this fall and return to Perm for only a few months before moving to Moscow in March 2010.

At that point, Eye On Perm shall inevitably morph into Eye On Moscow and everything shall seem new again. Will this create more consistent blogging? If nothing else, I suspect that Moscow prices and Moscow traffic should account for at least a couple years worth of blogging material.

For now, I am finding that Twitter is something I'm fairly consistent at. Perhaps it is the combination of the challenge and simplicity of saying everything you want to say in 140 characters or less. To follow me on Twitter click here...

More Moscow Vending Machines

In the February 3, 2009 blog I posted a photo of a Moscow caviar vending machine.  Apparently, there are a few more niche vending markets left untapped as evidenced by the above photo of a Moscow Umbrella Vending Machine spotted in late February at a Moscow shopping center.  Rain?  No umbrella?  No sales clerk?  No problem!

TOO MUCH EYE ON PERM

I wrote a book. At the very real risk of tooting my own horn, I would like to say that this is, by far, the best book I've ever written.

Do You Know Him?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upGCMl_b0n4

Does NOT get much better than this.

The World Famous Andy Klecka

I was almost famous: http://www.cleveland.com/brownsbeat/index.ssf/2009/01/super_bowl_snapshots_pittsburg.html

Have You Ever...

...been walking through East Berlin, seen a van, and just known that you must have your picture taken in front of it for a blog post?

NEXT TO THE MR. CHAMPAGNE MACHINE

I really wanted to get the 2009 blogging year off on the right foot. I found the perfect material for that, photographed by my alert wife during a December trip to Moscow. Yes, it is exactly what you think it is: a caviar vending machine.

MASTER SLEEPING ON THE COUCH TONIC

The most useful line in the recipe below, is: "It's power should not be underestimated."

Increases blood flow to the head, and decreases kissing with the wife.

We were able to find the necessary ingredients at the Metro store here in Perm.

Medical and culinary related comments are welcome.

MASTER TONIC - A Natural Antibiotic

Pro-biotic: antiviral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-parasitical.

Master Tonic

1 Cup fresh chopped garlic cloves (anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-parasitical)

1 Cup fresh chopped White Onion, or hottest onions available (similar properties to garlic)

1 Cup fresh grated Ginger Root (increases circulation to the extremities)

1 Cup fresh grated Horseradish Root (increases blood flow to the head)

1 Cup fresh chopped Cayenne Peppers, the hottest peppers available, i.e.Habanero, African Bird, or Scotch Bonnets etc. - a great blood stimulant)

Fill a glass jar 3/4 of the way full with equal parts by volume (ie. a cupful each) of the above fresh chopped and grated herbs. Then fill jar to the top with raw unfiltered, unbleached, non-distilled apple cider vinegar.

Close and shake vigorously and then top off the vinegar if necessary. Shake at least once a day for three weeks, then filter the mixture through a clean piece of cotton, (old T-shirt) bottle and label. Make sure that when you make this tonic that you shake it every time you walk by it, a minimum of once per

day. Remember that all the herbs and vegetables should be fresh (and

organically-grown if possible), and use dried herbs only in an emergency.

If you have a hard time finding any of these particular herbs in your local health food store or grocery store, try asking the produce manager for a special order. If this doesn't work look for them in an ethnic area of your town, such as Asian, Indian, southern European, South American etc.; where people use these herbs in their everyday cooking. This tonic is extremely powerful, because all the ingredients are fresh. Its power should not be underestimated. This formula is a modern day plague tonic and when added to an incurable routine it can cure the most chronic conditions and stubborn diseases.

It stimulates maximum blood circulation, while putting the best detoxifying herbs into the blood. This formula is not just for the sniffles, it has helped to turn around the deadliest infections like some of the new mutated

killer viruses that defy conventional antibiotics .

The dosage is 1/2 to 1 ounce, two or more times daily (1-2 tablespoons), gargle and swallow. (Don't dilute with water). For ordinary infections, 1 dropper full taken 5-6 times a day will deal with most conditions. It can

be used during pregnancies, is safe for children (use smaller doses) and as a food is completely non-toxic. Make up plenty as it does not need refrigeration and lasts indefinitely without any special storage conditions.

(Formula from The University of Natural Healing; Dr. Richard Schultzs'

adaptation of Dr. Christophers' original anti-plague tonic)

Do Not Do This Please

I was recently inspired to blog this gem recently spotted in the men's water closet at the Rostov-on-Don International Airport.

DO NOT THROW RUBBISH IN A BOWLHOLE!

It's a good thing they put up the sign. Every time I wash my hands or brush my teeth in a bowlhole I have to fight the urge to throw rubbish in it.

Hmmm... why does it seem so many posts surround time spent in airports? I shall need to search for another source of material.