Larssen
Member
+99|1858
Recognisable problems. Cross-border contacts would in my current role thankfully only be incidental. I sympathise with my colleagues who are in the international team most of all. The best part about that job is going on all sorts of trips, from beijing to washington. Now they have to deal with massive time zone delays and related communication issues. The already epically boring multilateral engagements are even worse as well in that it's all digital too.

Last edited by Larssen (2020-12-02 14:10:12)

unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

KEN-JENNINGS wrote:

i did not like japan very much tbh. It's very clean and neat but as you touched on, it's very anachronistic in their way of doing a lot of things, especially business dealings. And severely lacking in english, which sucks if you don't know the local language. I found that while not overtly rude, they are closed-minded and judgemental in a lot of daily interactions. I haven't spent a lot of time in Japan though, and have only been around Tokyo, so my experience is not by any means exhaustive.

Koreans like to work hard and party hard. You will see old men in suits shitfaced at 4am on a weekday, only to have them show up to work at 7am and knock 12 hours of work out. It's kind of insane, and, like Japan, they respect their seniors to the point that the junior staff will not leave the office until their bosses or big bosses do. They also love to add corn and sugar to their street food.
According to some Japanese I know, that's true in some ways, but not every place in Japan has that vibe. But I'd surely go print out a bunch of business cards if I ever had to meet a businessman from there, just in case.

I don't know how things are in Korea, but I don't think I've ever met a Korean (at least locally) who responded to my attempts at uttering a few things from the language with anything like contempt. Seems like a friendly thing to learn. Contrast to English speakers in America turning their noses up at funny accents or anything foreign.
DesertFox-
The very model of a modern major general
+794|6655|United States of America
One of my friends actually also moved to Korea several months ago when she lost her job at the zoo where she worked. It certainly was a bit of a surprise to hear "I got a new gig in Korea" since that wouldn't have been my first guess.
Larssen
Member
+99|1858

uziq wrote:

this guy has vlogged from china for about a decade. i'm pretty sure he was the first youtube vlogger about life in china. he's married to a chinese woman, has a mixed-race kid, speaks fluent chinese, loves the place, etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq1Vgh_Ux34

in this guy's own narrative of accounts - and you can see it develop over several years of content on his channel - the tone has markedly changed in china since you were there 6-7 years ago.
Good video. I believe all of it of course, but 2 important notes:

1. There's a number of provinces that are off limits. If you go to inner mongolia, xinjiang or tibet you could or even will be followed, harassed or get assigned a 'state guide'. I think HK is getting dodgy too, there's also other areas. My original plan was to go to xinjiang but I couldn't get there for several reasons this being one.

2. It's a group of foreigners filming and producing in China who also happened to have had their videos manipulated and put up on chinese youtube. Doubly bad. Getting out your camera, let alone near state buildings nevermind in an off limits province, even worse if you're there with an entire crew... that will attract the wrong attention.

China does have rabid nationalists and some real narcissistic fascism is gaining more ground. I was also always very wary of anyone who approached me being able to speak fluent english. In all cases these were either people trying to scam me or, worse, curious state officials. I had a few suspicious encounters and some very disappointing/nasty experiences there too.

I was still in uni at the time on a tourist visa just backpacking. I know that it would be impossible for me to go there now in anything but a purely work related capacity. Too many risks. Having said so though I've travelled to a lot of hairy places and China isn't that bad if you put it in perspective. Big cities and the coastal region from Beijing - Shanghai are entirely fine and see a lot of foreign visitors. I would argue it's even safer there than many places in Europe.

Most dangerous places I've been as a tourist would be parts of south africa, brazil, el salvador and some of the former soviet -stan countries. Interesting contrast is though that in those places in certain areas you know the ground rules going in and what to expect. Don't wander around salvador at night, stay out of bad parts of joburg - you know what could happen and it's physical. My unpleasant moments in China however were completely unexpected/caught me off guard and were more about a feel of unease. Getting taken advantage of, blatant racism, or impromptu interrogation of sorts when I was at an airport in a lesser visited part of the country.

Last edited by Larssen (2020-12-02 16:45:24)

Dilbert_X
The X stands for
+1,810|6076|eXtreme to the maX

KEN-JENNINGS wrote:

I'm in the same boat. I'm already used to working with remote, cross-functional teams in different time zones and across multiple languages so the frustration around the lack of in-person meetings has already left a long time ago, but the meetings themselves are just less effective when remote. More distraction, less ability for break outs and parking lot type follow ups. I'm more comfortable talking to a room of people than I am into a computer screen, regardless of technological advances that have made these meetings seemingly more fluid.

That doesn't even cover the inability to properly resolve outstanding issues by getting on a plane and sitting down with key contacts to come up with solutions. I can email, demonstrate, build out slide decks, etc until my face is red but the best way to resolve a lot of issues is to sit down with the key stakeholders and get everyone on the same page. I need to go to Taiwan badly but I can't afford to sit in a hotel room in quarantine for 14 days before I can talk to people. It's a waste of time at this point.

It's been very difficult to navigate these new issues, but it's also a testament to personal and communal resiliency that we still find a way to move forward, even if the solutions are expedient.
I've always found 1:1 communication most effective and efficient, by phone, email or in person, group meetings are usually a timewaster and travelling to group meetings is a massive timewaster. Making an 18hr round trip to Germany for a meeting which never happened was probably the kicker.
Its occasionally useful to meet face to face during kickoffs but after that I don't see the point.

Another exception is when someone is being recalcitrant a meeting can embarass them into action.
Conversely one thing that really fucks me off is someone calling a meeting to say they've completely failed to plan a project, the design is fucked, everything is late, the customer is pissed, their customer - usually the govt - is pissed and its now my problem with the fate of the company and two customers resting on me. This does not embarass me into action, it'll get done when it gets done.

Conversely conversely my father spent four years at a conference. Four years of "I will have to check with my govt, oh we have an election, OK I'll get back to you, or someone like me will get back to you" repeated 27 times in parallel would have tipped me over the edge.
Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!
Larssen
Member
+99|1858
'We're having elections so we can't decide or agree to anything' is a common cop out in the EU.
SuperJail Warden
Gone Forever
+634|3690
The box lady posted some wood burned ornaments for sale.
https://i.etsystatic.com/9629872/r/il/e19c64/2709075896/il_794xN.2709075896_62n3.jpg
That gave me an idea! I actually miss Jay. It's a shame we had a falling out that was completely his fault and I did nothing wrong (just like the Maronites). Anyway, my idea was we lure Jay back to bf2s by mailing him some Etsy Christmas ornaments. We each pick one we like and I will pay to have it delivered to him in time for Christmas.
https://i.imgur.com/xsoGn9X.jpg
Dilbert_X
The X stands for
+1,810|6076|eXtreme to the maX
If I get round to it I shall make some BF2s mementos with my CNC robot.
Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!
uziq
Member
+492|3423
the idea of us all posting things to jay’s doxxed mailbox is just too funny to contemplate.
Dilbert_X
The X stands for
+1,810|6076|eXtreme to the maX
The new barrel I made for my revolver groups pretty nicely, ~20mm ctr-ctr at 25metres, can't really get much better than that.

Thumb for scale

https://i.imgur.com/SmLsvlG.jpg
Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!
uziq
Member
+492|3423
jesus your thumb looks like guiliani's hairline.
Dilbert_X
The X stands for
+1,810|6076|eXtreme to the maX
I smacked it with a hammer about a month ago.
Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!
uziq
Member
+492|3423
not such a fuckin' smart engineer now ARE YA?
Dilbert_X
The X stands for
+1,810|6076|eXtreme to the maX
After riveting 200 eyelets to make COVID barriers for the shooting club I lost focus on the very last one.

You're right, I should have held off until the tooling for the toggle-press was completed.
Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй!
SuperJail Warden
Gone Forever
+634|3690
Doing progress reports and emailing parents status updates. It warms my heart knowing that a great email from me (a really tiny thing for me to do) will make a child and their parents have a happy weekend.
https://i.imgur.com/xsoGn9X.jpg
lil_droo
Member
+19|1466
macbeth do u really feel better after donating to charities when you sin? i think i might do it today. i do donate to a few select charities but its always random.

i sinned last night and need to feel better
gang shit
SuperJail Warden
Gone Forever
+634|3690
Yes, I do feel better. You should donate to the Red Cross.

What was your sin?
https://i.imgur.com/YCmAIGL.png
https://i.imgur.com/xsoGn9X.jpg
lil_droo
Member
+19|1466
i popped a bean with a girl and also engaged in acts of sodomy with her. mostly i feel bad about the drugs since i havent done anything other than a little bit of weed and alcohol in the past 6-ish months

https://i.imgur.com/BKODKPr.png

i feel better already though
gang shit
SuperJail Warden
Gone Forever
+634|3690
First off, thank you for helping the needy. Good things are coming your way!

Was the girl married or something?
https://i.imgur.com/xsoGn9X.jpg
lil_droo
Member
+19|1466

SuperJail Warden wrote:

First off, thank you for helping the needy. Good things are coming your way!

Was the girl married or something?
no. oral sex and eating ass is considered sodomy i think
gang shit
SuperJail Warden
Gone Forever
+634|3690

lil_droo wrote:

SuperJail Warden wrote:

First off, thank you for helping the needy. Good things are coming your way!

Was the girl married or something?
no. oral sex and eating ass is considered sodomy i think
Well I just looked it up and now Google has a record of me searching "Sodomy wiki" but yes you are right.

Hold on, you put your mouth on her ass?
https://i.imgur.com/xsoGn9X.jpg
lil_droo
Member
+19|1466

SuperJail Warden wrote:

lil_droo wrote:

SuperJail Warden wrote:

First off, thank you for helping the needy. Good things are coming your way!

Was the girl married or something?
no. oral sex and eating ass is considered sodomy i think
Well I just looked it up and now Google has a record of me searching "Sodomy wiki" but yes you are right.

Hold on, you put your mouth on her ass?
ya tongue and everything, inside and out like when you stiffen your tongue to try and pick a piece of meat outta your teeth. she was clean tho. but the past is the past anyways. i am working on becoming a better person
gang shit
SuperJail Warden
Gone Forever
+634|3690
I am happy you feel better. I truly am. I highly suggest against doing anything with your butt or other people's butts in the future. God clearly meant that to be a one way route.
https://i.imgur.com/xsoGn9X.jpg
lil_droo
Member
+19|1466

SuperJail Warden wrote:

I am happy you feel better. I truly am. I highly suggest against doing anything with your butt or other people's butts in the future. God clearly meant that to be a one way route.
I agree. Any oral sex for that matter is degenerate. I put my face mask on after leaving her place unshowered and the slight scent of sodomy juices was trapped inside and I almost felt sick to my stomach for a second
gang shit
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,053|6742|PNW

You two should start your own religion.

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