назад в СССР!

[peacetraveler22]

I'll never know or experience life during Soviet times, but during some of my visits to Russia I feel like I'm transported back to that era, or even another century. The road trip is coming to an end, with the final stop today in Yaroslavl. Along the way, I explored many small towns and spent an entire day and night in a village, talking to the locals in their homes, eating freshly prepared meals, and sleeping alone in an old house in the forest! But that will be the topic of another post. Yesterday in Soligalich, I entered a small meat shop and discovered this woman. I don't know for certain, but this blue uniform looks very Soviet, especially the hat. However, the most interesting thing in the provincial shops was...can you guess from the photo? :)

The object below! I became so confused when the shop owner started moving the balls, and thought she was offering to play some type of game. Then, my Russian travel companion informed me this is the shop's "calculator" or cash register, to add up the total cost of your purchase. How does it work? I still don't understand, but I was always bad at math. :)



The woman in the cheese shop next store was wearing this same blue outfit, but she is progressive! She had a normal adding machine, and even modern day scales to weigh the cheese.



I think it's always good to preserve your culture, including some old customs. But, yes, I was shocked to enter many small shops in Russian provinces and see no cash register, but this wooden contraption to calculate sales. Not just one or two shops, but a lot. Is it normal for a "modern" country? I think not. But maybe older people are so tied to tradition that they don't even want to purchase a basic calculator, which I assume is inexpensive in Russia. Progress in thought, technology, infrastructure...all signs of a healthy nation and culture in my view.

So many other things to write about, but I have no time on the road. :( On this trip, I've  met a lot of friendly Russians, and experienced no hostility based on the fact that I'm American. I'm very happy about both of these things! More to come soon...

Comments

[sasadad.livejournal.com]

Wow!
It's marvelous! They use electronic device and old "Scheti" together.

This is not the soviet artefact - It is old Russia indeed

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It's good to keep the brain active, and this requires more thought than punching buttons on a calculator. :)

[mjol1nir.livejournal.com]

This is our nano technologies! The last issue of Skolkovo innovation center.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I read online that they also use this thing in Asia and Africa. I've been to a few Asian countries, but have never seen it anywhere until this trip.

[perycalypsis.livejournal.com]

What you call a normal adding machine is actually a full-featured cash register machine with encrypted data storage unit, cooler than in USA

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I prefer more modern inventions, esp. for math and number calculations. :)

[aslapintheeye.livejournal.com]

Oh, some of us, stilll remember, how to calculate manipulate Big Data on that stuff ))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You know how to use this? And what did you use it for? Next time I'm in Russia, you can teach me. :)

[asharky.livejournal.com]

«Wooden contraption»™ can operate without electricity and without batteries or rechargeable batteries. Even if a power failure in the village shop will continue to work.

[natasmirnoff.livejournal.com]

I lived in the Soviet time, all my childhood and youth in the Soviet 70-80e. Uniforms Soviet sellers was white)) was a special standard and sanitary standards for uniforms sales staff .. The sample photos for perestroika era
strange to see the abacus .. very few people can use them))
I knew a woman, she could multiply and divide, and calculate the square root by abacus

[andruhon.livejournal.com]

Wow. I haven't seen these abacus things for ages.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I never saw them until this trip, probably because we were in much smaller cities this time.

[naysayer15.livejournal.com]

Then, my Russian travel companion...

belenki is Jewish. Stop calling him "Russian". He has nothing to do.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Yes, a Russian Jew. And, what does it have to do with anything?

[homo-creativus.livejournal.com]

Well, even for me as a native it's very hard (next to impossible :)) to explain why they keep using "shoty" instead of a calculator. One of the darkest corners of mysterious russian soul ;)

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

Что загадочного в том, что в глубинках прогресс отстает? Разве это особенность России?

[vasha-masha.livejournal.com]

Меня счеты смущают меньше, чем отсутствие шапочки у продавца сыра.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

And no gloves! In U.S. stores, workers are required to wear them when cutting meats and cheeses.

[addiska.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen abacus since my childhood. I really feel nostalgic remembering the old times. I visited Russian province lask week and expected to see the abacus in the small shops, but I didn't see any. And here they are. You've made my day :) Thanks for the photos!!

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You're welcome!

[anishenko-v-v.livejournal.com]

Один мудрец сказал своему ученику:
- Оглядись и постарайся запомнить три вещи коричневого цвета и закрой глаза.
Ученик сделал как было велено. Но мудрец ему задал следующий вопрос:
- Теперь назови вещи... синего цвета!
Ученик растерялся и возмутился: «Я ничего синего не заметил, ведь я запоминал по твоей указке только вещи коричневого цвета!»
На что мудрый человек ответил ему: «Открой глаза, осмотрись ведь в комнате очень много вещей синего цвета.» И это было чистой правдой. Тогда мудрец продолжил: "Этим примером, я хотел тебе показать, что ты должен видеть всё, а не только то, что желаешь."

Избирательность признак дурного воспитания.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Russians love proverbs! :))

[vitsky.livejournal.com]

Calculators are for dweebs! Only счёты, only hardcore! :)

By the way, wikipedia say, that in English it is called "russian abacus":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abacus#Russian

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Parts of this trip were extremely "hard-core," esp. spending the day and night in a real Russian village. But it was the best experience of the journey.

[me-frai.livejournal.com]

in some aspects wooden calculator is more useful than a "modern" digital one. especially under conditions of russian provincial town.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

How is it more useful? I think a basic calculator is more useful, regardless of whether it's being used in a big city or province.

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Abacus#Russian

Ancient mechanical calculator, basically.

[qi-tronic.livejournal.com]

BTW on these photos they both have cash registers with memory (they have to, by the law).
On the first photo you can see it partly on the very left.

The other question is why they use an abacus instead of an electric calculator.
I read somewhere that people who are used to it can make calculations using an abacus faster than you can press buttons on a calculator :)

Of course, younger people don't know how to use this ancient device :)

[alter ego (from livejournal.com)]

помню, мы в школе счёты на математике проходили, один урок занимало. сейчас наверняка уже нет в программе.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

You had a lesson about using the abacus?

[boytsev.livejournal.com]

The reason they're using "mechanical contraption" is because:
1) some of them they think a calculator would give an incorrect answer, whereas mechanical contraptions never lie, cause you can actually see the process of counting
2) most calculators need batteries and when you'll get used to it and battery will finally die, you won't be able to service the customer

If you stay long enough in shops like these, you can see them use the calculator first and then switch to abacus to check the calculator's answer.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I've used a calculator for my whole life - that's over 40 years. I've never once encountered an error. :)

[sergej-vl.livejournal.com]

Your friend cruelly deceived you.
It was not a calculator.
It was a massager for a back :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

It's very funny! :) Today in Vologda, I stopped at a tourist stand and they had something that looked like this. I asked the woman if it was an abacus, and she said no - "foot massager." :))

[vssangre.livejournal.com]

Fatality:



Russian slide rule)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

My brain exploded with all those numbers and calculations! :))

[uniala.livejournal.com]

У меня дома такие же лежат в чулане. )) Реликт. А ребенку я детские игрушечные счеты покупала. Вместе учились считать. Удобнее, чем со счетными палочками, кстати.

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Cool! Maybe I have inspired you to pull the old toy out of the closet and play with it! :)

[zhanorus.livejournal.com]

Купили себе такое приспособление для подсчета суммы оплаты? :)

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

No, I did not buy! I don't know how to use it and am too impatient when I can receive a math or numerical answer from modern technology in an instant. :)

[a000796.livejournal.com]

after all, it works! moreover, making math themselves, salesmen would take responsibility for any mistakes personally. There were the times, when they have been forces to use old-fashion abacus even is they already had calculators or something else - just to doublecheck. Certainly it looks a bit "retarded" but it does work. It's like using credit card imprinter for Germans, or even simple cash for Swedish.

you just always make you choice between this



and this

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

I still use an old school tooth brush. The electronic ones tickle my mouth and remind me of my sex toy. :))

[a000796.livejournal.com]

... personally i would rather complain about those ladies not using gloves :))

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's a problem! But many things in Russia are unsanitary. Hello Russian toilets! :))

Все путешественники делают это

[andrey-kaminsky.livejournal.com]

http://www.ee.ryerson.ca/~elf/abacus/feynman.html

Re: Все путешественники делают это

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

This is like a nightmare! Math was my worst subject in school. I always loved literature, grammar and writing. A few years ago, I went to tutor young kids in a low income neighborhood and they asked for help with math homework. It was something with fractions and I couldn't even remember how to do it, because I never, ever use math in my professional life. So, I asked the kids if they had English homework I could help them with instead. :))

[tropical-degree.livejournal.com]

Счеты ! Wooden" scheti "- truly great, haven't see them for ages:)
I still remember how my grandmother teached me to work on them...

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Do you think you still remember how to use it? If you wish to practice, just visit a remote Russian province. :) I saw them many places.

[raad-traat.livejournal.com]

Oh, schyoty is good. Very effective and secure - no viruses at all!
Long time ago, in deep childhood I knew how to use it and was very familiar with it.
Bot not anymore...

[peacetraveler22.livejournal.com]

Calculators do not get viruses, or even cash registers are far as I know. If we do not use our skills, we lose them. So, I doubt future generations of Russian children will have any idea how to use this wooden device.