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.

St. Petersburg Russia Airport Parking

I was recently inspired to take this grainy photo at the St. Petersburg, Russia "Pulkovo" Airport.
Apparently, in an effort to remove the redundancy of human workers, automatic parking meter machines were placed at the exit of the parking lot.
When an automobile arrives at Pulkovo Airport, the driver receives a piece of paper from the machine at the parking lot entrance which notes the time and date of entrance.
Upon departing, the driver will arrive at the gate, and leave his car, to go to one of the two automated pay machines that are located on either side of the five or six lane exit.
Picture harried travelers running back and forth, weaving in and out of cars that are being driven by equally harried drivers because they also just needed to make the walk to the automatic pay machine. Makes for quite the traffic circus, and I found was just the humorous outlet I needed after a long flight.

Armenia Airport and Accordion

While landing recently at Zvartnots International Airport in Yerevan, Armenia, I couldn't help but notice this:It was an airplane that had crashed on takeoff earlier this year. I got this picture off the internet. Happily, I learned that no one died in the crash. Seemed strange that they hadn't cleaned up the wreckage yet though.

Later that day, I went to the market and tested an accordion that my friend then bought. It's hard to find a decent accordion at a reasonable price anymore. That's what my friend tells me anyway.