Nov 01 2009

Eight Pence To Cross The Road?

Category: Kazakhstan,PicturesChrisM @ 6:26 pm

Once again the gallery function in WordPress decided that I didn’t really want to choose this post for the uploaded pictures. You’ll just have to survive reading this text with the photos thrown in at the end. A difficult task, I appreciate…
Anyway, these pictures were took back in September, Irina noticed that the button you press to cross the road was broken, and had (eventually) been fixed with a 20 Tenge coin. (Roughly eight British pence). For a while, if you wished to cross the road in one direction, you either had to wait for someone from the other side to press the button from their side, or shout at someone passing to do so. If passing pedestrian traffic on that side of the road was too light, and you had a wife and baby waiting to cross with you, run across (imagine a game of frogger, with different lanes of traffic moving at different speeds, and no extra lives – hit one Kamaz and it is ‘Game Over’ immediately.
Anyway, someone came along and fixed the faulty button by wedging the aforementioned coin in. This didn’t last that long, however policemen have been noticed trying to fix it again with the coin trick. One even offered 50 Tenge to anyone who could give him a 20 Tenge coin! Good to know that some of the force are genuinely concerned about the safety of Astana’s residents – you often feel as though if you aren’t driving a car, the authorities concern about your well being is somewhat diminished.

Pedestrian Crossing In Astana With Coin

Pedestrian Crossing In Astana With Coin

Sharper Zoom Of Pedestrian Crossing In Astana With Coin

Sharper Zoom Of Pedestrian Crossing In Astana With Coin

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Oct 15 2009

Mac Users Beware

Category: Friends,PicturesChrisM @ 3:40 pm

A few weeks ago we visited a friend’s flat for a lovely meal, and a few (?) drinks. Whilst I was hovering in the stairwell having a cigarette, I noticed that the entrance to a different collection of flats had an interesting doorbell fitted. I don’t know whether it is good enough to be published on ThereIFixedIt.com or not, but I definitely think it is worth posting here. Although the screws could have been painted over, the idea of using one of the mouse buttons as a replacement doorbell really struck me. Once more, Irina came to the rescue as after a few vodkas, I completely forgot to use the camera, however she took a few shots for me 🙂

Mouse Doorbell

Mouse Doorbell

It got me thinking that if you had a mouse with extra buttons, you could probably rig up a security system that would only let you in if you pressed the right combination of buttons, and as your fingers would naturally fall on the buttons, and not much effort would be required to press them, you wouldn’t have to worry about people watching you and being able to easily discern the combination. Oh, and why Mac users beware? Because they might get confused which button to press 😉

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