bobby_novatron
Photon Collector
For those of us who have purchased or collected FSU / Soviet cameras, maybe you have noticed the 'quality' or 'kvalitat' symbol on the camera. It supposedly reflected a level of quality of control on consumer products (an area where the USSR was notoriously far behind the West).
If you look at this photo of my 'Fed Micron' you'll see it on the back, it's a pentagon with CCCP in the middle:
I was reading a completely different forum (related to pianos -- the USSR didn't make very good pianos) and a Russian said there was a joke in the USSR about the 'quality' symbol. I thought I'd share it here because it was quite funny.
Warning: off-color humor. Mild scatological references.
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The joke has to do with a little symbol called 'znak kachestva' or 'the mark of quality'. It's a little pentagon with, as I recall it has the letters CCCP. Good solid, commie symbol. It appears on the underside of nearly every Soviet-era consumer product. To those familiar with Soviet-era consumer goods, it is considered something like a "Mr. Yuk" sticker.
So the joke goes:
The Delegates are wandering in to the chamber of the U.N. Suddenly, someone lets out a gasp. *Gasp!* There is a large piece of excrement on the table at the center of the room. Whispering ensues with speculation as to whose excrement it might be. The denials start immediately!
The American delegate says, "well, it can't possibly be American...it's not big enough."
The German delegate says, "it is not German, it is not perfectly round."
The British delegate says, "it certainly is not British, it is not the correct color."
The French delegate says, "I am sure it is not French as it does not have the proper odor."
The Russian delegate picks up the piece of excrement, looks at the underside and says, "it is not Russian, it does not have the mark of quality."
If you look at this photo of my 'Fed Micron' you'll see it on the back, it's a pentagon with CCCP in the middle:
I was reading a completely different forum (related to pianos -- the USSR didn't make very good pianos) and a Russian said there was a joke in the USSR about the 'quality' symbol. I thought I'd share it here because it was quite funny.
Warning: off-color humor. Mild scatological references.
---
The joke has to do with a little symbol called 'znak kachestva' or 'the mark of quality'. It's a little pentagon with, as I recall it has the letters CCCP. Good solid, commie symbol. It appears on the underside of nearly every Soviet-era consumer product. To those familiar with Soviet-era consumer goods, it is considered something like a "Mr. Yuk" sticker.
So the joke goes:
The Delegates are wandering in to the chamber of the U.N. Suddenly, someone lets out a gasp. *Gasp!* There is a large piece of excrement on the table at the center of the room. Whispering ensues with speculation as to whose excrement it might be. The denials start immediately!
The American delegate says, "well, it can't possibly be American...it's not big enough."
The German delegate says, "it is not German, it is not perfectly round."
The British delegate says, "it certainly is not British, it is not the correct color."
The French delegate says, "I am sure it is not French as it does not have the proper odor."
The Russian delegate picks up the piece of excrement, looks at the underside and says, "it is not Russian, it does not have the mark of quality."