Thread: PM and non American members

This is an American forum, no doubt about that It's also definately one of the best (if not the best) forums of its kind I've seen. This is why it puzzles me why there aren't more non American members than there are.

English is the most used foreign language so the potential is great. There is a surprising (or is it?) lack of Asian members and I for one would be interested in hearing what Asian countries think of this and that. Could a Japanese, Chinese or South Korean machinist/engineer give any new first hand insight into what is going on in their country or area or are some PM members perhaps just a smideon too hostile to things not "American"? I've put it in inverted commas as it doesn't seem to mean the same to all in here.

I don't agree with all Danes on Danish things just as all Americans don't agree with each other as do people in all countries. Surely a remark can be uttered without tempers being lost and curses uttered. John (Welden) is excused as he curses at eveyone regardless of nationality

To formulate a question. Would new non American members be welcomed by the majority of members and are there any that would prefer if there were only American members?

One of the things that always fascinates me is how inventive folk are in Asia when it comes to transportation. Some of the things on wheels have to be seen to be believed.

Tuk-tuk (Bangkok Thailand) - YouTube
bangkok traffic - YouTube
Hanoi Vietnam Traffic Intersection - YouTube
Beijing Traffic - Wudaokou - YouTube
The Worst Traffic In the World? - YouTube

Gordon

Personally I find it odd that there doesn't seem to have been a member here yet who works as a machinist for any machine tool builder, or they sure are quiet.
I'd like to think that with the number of people haas, mazak and a few others employ, there would be one guy who says " yeah I'm one of the guys that mills the beds on that machine, or grind the spindles " or whatever. Nope, nothing, I guess a lot of people do something else after their 40hr/week, whatever that is...

Originally Posted by Gordon B. Clarke

........ "American"? I've put it in inverted commas..........
Gordon

Hey we all call those quotes. More properly parenthesis.

Yeah, English is widely learned language.... But Americanese isn't. Maybe they don't know what is being said when they see words like "y'all" or "yunto". Or maybe they are confused by OX's mispellings like "skewl".

But really, it is interesting to see word from others. Definately several from Europe. But many Mid-eastern countries hate americans. And maybe out of politeness, some of asians don't come in because they read the guidelines and see that chinese machines are banned, so they don't bother out of respect. But there are plenty of people here in the states that come up talking about the china machines, or course to get the threads closed.

I have seen one member from China though. Is there any from Russia or Australia? New Zealand? Any South Americans?

Maybe they have read posts from Mr Weldon

Doe wan no forin somebitches on dis Merican Forum! Merica best contree on earth! Merica vented marsheenin! Buncha somebitch forin somebitches doe no nuthin bowt cuttin metal! My papa wuz ah marsheenist, my papa's papa wuz ah marsheenist an my papa's papa's papa wuz a marsheenist. Gots chip makin in ma blood real deep like. Sum forin somebitch gunna tel me howtado ma job? Hell no! Best keep der pie hol shuted unles dey wana git der toothes nocked cleen out. Prolly ain't never dun run ah marsheen dat ain't gots no conpiter runnin da somebitch. Pushin butins ain't marsheenin!

Originally Posted by John Welden

Doe wan no forin somebitches on dis Merican Forum! Merica best contree on earth! Merica vented marsheenin! Buncha somebitch forin somebitches doe no nuthin bowt cuttin metal! My papa wuz ah marsheenist, my papa's papa wuz ah marsheenist an my papa's papa's papa wuz a marsheenist. Gots chip makin in ma blood real deep like. Sum forin somebitch gunna tel me howtado ma job? Hell no! Best keep der pie hol shuted unles dey wana git der toothes nocked cleen out. Prolly ain't never dun run ah marsheen dat ain't gots no conpiter runnin da somebitch. Pushin butins ain't marsheenin!

See.... there is only five words in there that are the "King's English" and the rest they don't know that they are being rejected, but they don't understand it so they don't bother

It is pretty obvious people from what I would call 3rd world countries get pretty rude receptions here with good reason. Who wants to help a Chinese guy take work from USA companies? All intelligent "foreigners" from highly developed countries get a decent reception.

Originally Posted by Gordon B. Clarke

To formulate a question. Would new non American members be welcomed by the majority of members and are there any that would prefer if there were only American members?

It seems we let you in..... (not that I have any pull around here, but it sound's better)

I like to think that if you mind your P's & Q's, be honest and upfront as to who you are,
treat others as you wish to be treated, don't try to sell anything, anyone will be just fine.

Not from here, but came here (from Melbourne) when I was thirteen. Quite the transition but at least not so much in regard to 'English'.

And I agree, some things, especially environmental issues, seem to be of less value here by some. For instance, I worked in Japan for almost 3 years (2001-2003) and it was very rare to see much cutting being done with flood coolant as many of the factories were really pushing dry and minimum quantity lubrication. Because of the 'push' in Europe and Asia, many new coating technologies have been developed to aid in that goal. I see everyone eventually going to MQL because of costs.

Interestingly enough, this is also an issue of much interest to Big 3 auto makers due to the costs associated. Some things are still flood like gear cutting operations, titanium machining and high-volume aluminum but there's a push to get away from it that hasn't quite caught on here yet.

Mention it to most people and you'll get some very strange looks.

I could go on about other things as well...

Originally Posted by John Welden

Doe wan no forin somebitches on dis Merican Forum! Merica best contree on earth! Merica vented marsheenin! Buncha somebitch forin somebitches doe no nuthin bowt cuttin metal! My papa wuz ah marsheenist, my papa's papa wuz ah marsheenist an my papa's papa's papa wuz a marsheenist. Gots chip makin in ma blood real deep like. Sum forin somebitch gunna tel me howtado ma job? Hell no! Best keep der pie hol shuted unles dey wana git der toothes nocked cleen out. Prolly ain't never dun run ah marsheen dat ain't gots no conpiter runnin da somebitch. Pushin butins ain't marsheenin!

Move to Scotland for a month John

Burnistoun S1E1 - Voice Recognition Elevator - ELEVEN! - YouTube
iPhone has problems with Scottish accents - YouTube
Scottish Weather Report - YouTube

Gordon

I think they all have their own forums in their own languages so it's only natural that they'd gravitate towards those rather than to a foreign language one.

Originally Posted by cmailco

Not from here, but came here (from Melbourne) when I was thirteen. Quite the transition but at least not so much in regard to 'English'.

And I agree, some things, especially environmental issues, seem to be of less value here by some. For instance, I worked in Japan for almost 3 years (2001-2003) and it was very rare to see much cutting being done with flood coolant as many of the factories were really pushing dry and minimum quantity lubrication. Because of the 'push' in Europe and Asia, many new coating technologies have been developed to aid in that goal. I see everyone eventually going to MQL because of costs.

Interestingly enough, this is also an issue of much interest to Big 3 auto makers due to the costs associated. Some things are still flood like gear cutting operations, titanium machining and high-volume aluminum but there's a push to get away from it that hasn't quite caught on here yet.

Mention it to most people and you'll get some very strange looks.

I could go on about other things as well...

I have air blast fitted on all our machining centres. When we bought not the last one but the one prior, about a year and half ago, I spec'd air blast as one of the options. The salesman claimed it was only an option and not standard as the americans weren't interested in it. I've no idea how much truth there was in it, but it seems to support what you say.

I have no reason to doubt that at all.

It's not so uncommon to see machines specifically targeted towards die & mold with air and MQL system options, but very rare in more conventional machine tools. More general purpose machine tools rarely offer such options, especially MQL.

English is an extremely popular language world-wide.

I'm a member of a photographic forum hosted in New Zealand.
Although it has several different sections, each dedicated to a different language, the mast majority of threads are in the English section.

We certainly try to welcome people from all over the world on PM.
One advantage of English is that it can be understood even in the presence of significant errors.
We try not to dump on non-native speakers for making mistakes.

Anyone who wants to participate, by asking or answering questions or just posting comments, is certainly welcome as far as I'm concerned.

But Gordon...
I don't know what we'd do if a Scotsman showed up here. The haggis 'd be in the fire for sure.

- Leigh

Originally Posted by The real Leigh

English is an extremely popular language world-wide.

I'm a member of a photographic forum hosted in New Zealand. Although it has several different sections, each dedicated to a different language,
the mast majority of threads are in the English section.

And Gordon...
I don't know what we'd do if a Scotsman showed up here. The haggis 'd be in the fire for sure. ;D

- Leigh

Watch out, Mark McGrath is around here somewhere... I can hear the bagpipes now.

Gordon,

I for one, would not like for it to be All-American. We have had Chinese, some of whom were very informative. We have had at at least one Indian, we have, of course, many Canadians, including a Quebecois, whom, I am sorry to say, I have to work to read. NOT that I cannot understand him, bet he speaks French converted to English, and the words come before they do when you translate. I welcome you.

Aussies and Brits, we have a number of. Israelis, we got at least one, Swiss, another. One of our former Germans, I forget his name, who was only active of converting to Metric, has not posted in a while. He was a US citizen, I think, still adamant. Is HE still alive?

We ALL die, you know. My daughter knows I inhabit this Forum. I do not know if she would open it and advise you that I had died, though I auto log, and this is my home page.

I wish there more non-USA who came here, not, as for me, for machining, but to pick their brains. How is stuff IN your Country, and the like.

George

Originally Posted by Dualkit

It is pretty obvious people from what I would call 3rd world countries get pretty rude receptions here with good reason. Who wants to help a Chinese guy take work from USA companies? All intelligent "foreigners" from highly developed countries get a decent reception.

I'm trying to figure out your post

Are you saying that a stupid foreigner from a non developed country could do what we do?
I'd rather compete with a foreigner on price and quality than send financial aid to stop them from starving. Competition keeps most of us one step ahead and avoids complacency

Gordon

Originally Posted by The real Leigh

But Gordon...
I don't know what we'd do if a Scotsman showed up here. The haggis 'd be in the fire for sure.

- Leigh

I think many tend to forget that haggis is usually served with whisky
I have eaten it although last time was a very long time ago. It isn't as bad as it's made out to be

Try caviar and haggis - Food to eat before you die - BBC - YouTube

Getting back to serious machining stuff - in Scotland I was used to a 1 hour lunch break. In Denmark I was shocked to find that ½ an hour was standard. That took me months to get used to What's with all that siesta nonsense in Spain?

Gordon

Originally Posted by Gordon B. Clarke

I think many tend to forget that haggis is usually served with whisky
I have eaten it although last time was a very long time ago. It isn't as bad as it's made out to be

It couldn't be!

Originally Posted by Gordon B. Clarke

Getting back to serious machining stuff - in Scotland I was used to a 1 hour lunch break.
In Denmark I was shocked to find that ½ an hour was standard.

In the US, a full hour is common for office workers and others who typically go out for lunch.

The 30-minute break is common in industrial environments, or at facilities with in-house cafeterias.


- Leigh

I think all of you have answered the question quite proficiently...

How a thread like this can be allowed amazes and astounds me!

To quote Gordon: "I'd rather compete with a foreigner on price and quality than send financial aid to stop them from starving."

Thats really considerate of you!
I presume you have never left the safety of your own country and actually bothered to see how some people barely survive in third world countries.
At least we all know you are motivated by price and quality!

It is threads like this that keeps the people you call "foreigners" away from this site!
Not to mention that any whisper of Far East machinery is taboo....

Long live the fearful America!

Disgusted...

Originally Posted by Gordon B. Clarke

I'm trying to figure out your post

Are you saying that a stupid foreigner from a non developed country could do what we do?
I'd rather compete with a foreigner on price and quality than send financial aid to stop them from starving. Competition keeps most of us one step ahead and avoids complacency

Gordon

Compete with a foreigner on price AND QUALITY? What planet are you living on? Usually the work going overseas is only about ONE thing... and it "ain't" the quality. Its about Price, and how they can make it work to fit their needs even if it means cutting corners to save a buck. Blame our shortsighted MBA genius types.

Gordon... I've read that you are and have been heavily involved in quality programs, and equipment... BUT.... do you actually produce any goods and compete with others locally or even globally??? Or just sell...? Honest question...

Not trying to hijack the tread, continue on. I wouldn't mind at all to see more foreigners on here.. .the problem is the bulk of "foreign" newbies are spamming sales adds... not participation and exchanging knowledge on the board. So there is a kneejerk reaction sometimes unfortunately.