China
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From: bronx
I just got back from Beijing, was there for a week checking out a factory where the curtainwall megapanels (aluminum units attached to steel frames and installed in place) for our project in NYC are being fabricated.
Much to comment on, but I'll return shortly after I catch up on correspondence. I smiled and chuckled at many of sivershadow's observations and comments!
Much to comment on, but I'll return shortly after I catch up on correspondence. I smiled and chuckled at many of sivershadow's observations and comments!
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From: The (S)Low Country
Originally Posted by Dex9,Oct 26 2007, 12:52 PM
O, and I need to take the 'S' out for a spin. I really miss driving; being driven around for a week I need a VTEC catharsis.
Haven't driven my S since I got back from FC07. Glad we had a lot of precipitation since we needed drought relief, but I need some VTEC!!!
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From: Canton, MA
Originally Posted by Dex9,Oct 26 2007, 11:50 AM
I just got back from Beijing, was there for a week checking out a factory where the curtainwall megapanels (aluminum units attached to steel frames and installed in place) for our project in NYC are being fabricated.
Much to comment on, but I'll return shortly after I catch up on correspondence. I smiled and chuckled at many of sivershadow's observations and comments!
Much to comment on, but I'll return shortly after I catch up on correspondence. I smiled and chuckled at many of sivershadow's observations and comments!
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From: bronx
I'm busy catching up on life and work, but here's a shotgum blast, not in any particular order:
Got my first nose bleed in years the day I returned. The pollution is awful, the sun looks like the moon at night, you can look at it w/o sunglasses.
Traffic is building exponentially; I was told they are adding over 3,000 cars every month in Beijing. Yes to the low rpms and general anarchy. Sirprisingly few accidents. More roads and developments outside of the City will only make things worse.
Labor and life is cheap, nothing could be built if OSHA was here watching construction sites. They're working hard to complete buildings; around 11/ midnight you can still see welders working.
It's all about money, status, and appearances.
The german car makers are in, VW/ Audi, BMW, but surprisingly few Benzes dominate upsacle cars. Lot's of marques here, fun to check out non US market cars. Most cars are new/ recent vintage.
Skyline is dominated by new boxes, each trying to be a little different, so pretty soon it's all the same. A few tor-de-force buildings, which make you scratch your head and say 'wow'!
The 'old' has been displaced, it must be deliberate that from new roads you don't see alot of poverty and vestiges of the past.
Of course, no old buildings and churches, mosques, and temples.
Relatively few billboards, neon, advertising, outside.
Internet/ TV censored (chinese hotel, I was told western hotels are not)
Our factory was primitive, work done by 20 somethings. They make up productivity by throwing more people and overtime at things. Saw a new factory also and things were as you would expect of a modern facility.
Food was great, even the non chinese places we went (admittedly upscale area)
No sign of alternative lifestyles of any kind, young folks dressing different, bikers, etc. No surprise there. Relatively homogenous.
Went to an upscale bar, yuppies are doing well. If you have skills, you have a job.
For whatever reason I managed to function well coming and going. Stayed up/ all nighter on the plane and slept at local time. 4/ 5 hrs average in China, 10 hrs when I returned, and adjusted right away.
French cinema still exists, saw a couple on my Air China flight that was engaging.
Back to work, much to do. Will check in later tonight.
Got my first nose bleed in years the day I returned. The pollution is awful, the sun looks like the moon at night, you can look at it w/o sunglasses.
Traffic is building exponentially; I was told they are adding over 3,000 cars every month in Beijing. Yes to the low rpms and general anarchy. Sirprisingly few accidents. More roads and developments outside of the City will only make things worse.
Labor and life is cheap, nothing could be built if OSHA was here watching construction sites. They're working hard to complete buildings; around 11/ midnight you can still see welders working.
It's all about money, status, and appearances.
The german car makers are in, VW/ Audi, BMW, but surprisingly few Benzes dominate upsacle cars. Lot's of marques here, fun to check out non US market cars. Most cars are new/ recent vintage.
Skyline is dominated by new boxes, each trying to be a little different, so pretty soon it's all the same. A few tor-de-force buildings, which make you scratch your head and say 'wow'!
The 'old' has been displaced, it must be deliberate that from new roads you don't see alot of poverty and vestiges of the past.
Of course, no old buildings and churches, mosques, and temples.
Relatively few billboards, neon, advertising, outside.
Internet/ TV censored (chinese hotel, I was told western hotels are not)
Our factory was primitive, work done by 20 somethings. They make up productivity by throwing more people and overtime at things. Saw a new factory also and things were as you would expect of a modern facility.
Food was great, even the non chinese places we went (admittedly upscale area)
No sign of alternative lifestyles of any kind, young folks dressing different, bikers, etc. No surprise there. Relatively homogenous.
Went to an upscale bar, yuppies are doing well. If you have skills, you have a job.
For whatever reason I managed to function well coming and going. Stayed up/ all nighter on the plane and slept at local time. 4/ 5 hrs average in China, 10 hrs when I returned, and adjusted right away.
French cinema still exists, saw a couple on my Air China flight that was engaging.
Back to work, much to do. Will check in later tonight.
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From: Scottsdale
OK I am back and relatively free from jet lag now.
Last impressions of three weeks in China.
1. I was told that the one child rule is vigorously enforced. If you are a member of the Communist Party of China and have more than one child - they might kick you out, and that would mean losing your job, and possibly getting sent to outer Mongolia.
2. The housekeeping at most of the Chinese factories I was in was appalling. If you go to manufacturing plants in Germany or even the US, they are kept pretty clean. The plants I went to and the refinery I worked at were DIRTY. Dust everywhere, floors that hadn't been swept in many many weeks. Don't even get me started on the bathrooms.
3. The air pollution - swirling mists of smog at night - the smell of car exhaust with the patina of diesel smoke.
4. The traffic - just WOW.
5. The food was awesome - I thought I would spend my time there subsisting on rice and I was very wrong. Now I am going to miss the way they fix sweet and sour pork, and Kung Pao Chicken (Cumbao Chitien).
6. I found the people to be warm and friendly - a little shy at first - probably because of the language issues, but after a week of working at the refinery, they began to show their senses of humor.
7. In the US, you can't work at a refinery without taking safety classes, and wearing a myriad of safety clothing including flame retardant coveralls, hardhat, eye and ear protection, in some cases, an H2S monitor, and steel toed boots. At the refinery I worked at, they wore regular cotton clothes (a uniform), street shoes, no ear or eye protection, but they did wear hard hats.
8. The refinery guards are Red Army. I would really get the once over when I would come in to work. The only place I have worked where I got more scrutiny was a refinery in Israel. There the guards carried machine guns. And they had no hesitation to point them at you while your passport is being checked.
9. It struck me after I got home - I saw very few pregnant women. In three weeks in Beijing, walking around after work, I maybe saw 5 pregnant women the whole time.
10. The morning I left, CNN reported that the Olympic Committee has recommended a change of venue for some of the athletic events. I have heard nothing about China's response since coming back, but I bet their response will be swift and decisive. It wouldn't surprise me if they shut down all cars in Beijing for a month or two, curtailed factory output, and scaled back on coal-burning powerplants, just to get the IOC's blessing for the Olympic events.
I'm sure more stuff will pop up as I come out of my jet lag fog, so I will post them as they pop up.
Last impressions of three weeks in China.
1. I was told that the one child rule is vigorously enforced. If you are a member of the Communist Party of China and have more than one child - they might kick you out, and that would mean losing your job, and possibly getting sent to outer Mongolia.
2. The housekeeping at most of the Chinese factories I was in was appalling. If you go to manufacturing plants in Germany or even the US, they are kept pretty clean. The plants I went to and the refinery I worked at were DIRTY. Dust everywhere, floors that hadn't been swept in many many weeks. Don't even get me started on the bathrooms.
3. The air pollution - swirling mists of smog at night - the smell of car exhaust with the patina of diesel smoke.
4. The traffic - just WOW.
5. The food was awesome - I thought I would spend my time there subsisting on rice and I was very wrong. Now I am going to miss the way they fix sweet and sour pork, and Kung Pao Chicken (Cumbao Chitien).
6. I found the people to be warm and friendly - a little shy at first - probably because of the language issues, but after a week of working at the refinery, they began to show their senses of humor.
7. In the US, you can't work at a refinery without taking safety classes, and wearing a myriad of safety clothing including flame retardant coveralls, hardhat, eye and ear protection, in some cases, an H2S monitor, and steel toed boots. At the refinery I worked at, they wore regular cotton clothes (a uniform), street shoes, no ear or eye protection, but they did wear hard hats.
8. The refinery guards are Red Army. I would really get the once over when I would come in to work. The only place I have worked where I got more scrutiny was a refinery in Israel. There the guards carried machine guns. And they had no hesitation to point them at you while your passport is being checked.
9. It struck me after I got home - I saw very few pregnant women. In three weeks in Beijing, walking around after work, I maybe saw 5 pregnant women the whole time.
10. The morning I left, CNN reported that the Olympic Committee has recommended a change of venue for some of the athletic events. I have heard nothing about China's response since coming back, but I bet their response will be swift and decisive. It wouldn't surprise me if they shut down all cars in Beijing for a month or two, curtailed factory output, and scaled back on coal-burning powerplants, just to get the IOC's blessing for the Olympic events.
I'm sure more stuff will pop up as I come out of my jet lag fog, so I will post them as they pop up.
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From: Scottsdale
OK just thought of more
Cars - some very stylish cars are being built by Chinese companies in China. The Brilliance company makes a sedan that is designed by Alfa Romeo but built in China. I saw several and the resemblance to Alfa Romeo is very apparent and not a bad thing at all.
3 and 5 series BMW's are being built in China, as are Audis, Fiats, Puegot (sp?), Citroen, Buick, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Honda, VW, and a host of others. If you don't build in China, there is a hefty import duty on the car. I was told that a BMW 7 series cost as much as $250,000 (e.g., a BMW 760 iL). Despite that, I did see a smattering of 750's and 760's and more than a few Mercedes S600's. I saw a Porsche dealership, but no Porsche's on the streets.
Honda makes the Civic, and the Accord in China, but no S2000, or Ridgeline. They also make a Honda Odyssey, but it looks like a xover station wagon.
VW makes several cars in China, and some looked familiar but with names that I have never heard of - the VW Santana?
The most unusual car-related story is that Buick is upper-middle class there, and is very cool. Buicks are driven by the stylish ubercool guys. When I told my coworkers that Buicks were mostly driven by older people in the US, they were shocked, and there was much discussion in Chinese.
Cars - some very stylish cars are being built by Chinese companies in China. The Brilliance company makes a sedan that is designed by Alfa Romeo but built in China. I saw several and the resemblance to Alfa Romeo is very apparent and not a bad thing at all.
3 and 5 series BMW's are being built in China, as are Audis, Fiats, Puegot (sp?), Citroen, Buick, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Honda, VW, and a host of others. If you don't build in China, there is a hefty import duty on the car. I was told that a BMW 7 series cost as much as $250,000 (e.g., a BMW 760 iL). Despite that, I did see a smattering of 750's and 760's and more than a few Mercedes S600's. I saw a Porsche dealership, but no Porsche's on the streets.
Honda makes the Civic, and the Accord in China, but no S2000, or Ridgeline. They also make a Honda Odyssey, but it looks like a xover station wagon.
VW makes several cars in China, and some looked familiar but with names that I have never heard of - the VW Santana?
The most unusual car-related story is that Buick is upper-middle class there, and is very cool. Buicks are driven by the stylish ubercool guys. When I told my coworkers that Buicks were mostly driven by older people in the US, they were shocked, and there was much discussion in Chinese.
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From: bronx
Originally Posted by silvershadow,Oct 29 2007, 10:03 PM
OK just thought of more
Cars - some very stylish cars are being built by Chinese companies in China. The Brilliance company makes a sedan that is designed by Alfa Romeo but built in China. I saw several and the resemblance to Alfa Romeo is very apparent and not a bad thing at all.
3 and 5 series BMW's are being built in China, as are Audis, Fiats, Puegot (sp?), Citroen, Buick, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Honda, VW, and a host of others. If you don't build in China, there is a hefty import duty on the car. I was told that a BMW 7 series cost as much as $250,000 (e.g., a BMW 760 iL). Despite that, I did see a smattering of 750's and 760's and more than a few Mercedes S600's. I saw a Porsche dealership, but no Porsche's on the streets.
Honda makes the Civic, and the Accord in China, but no S2000, or Ridgeline. They also make a Honda Odyssey, but it looks like a xover station wagon.
VW makes several cars in China, and some looked familiar but with names that I have never heard of - the VW Santana?
The most unusual car-related story is that Buick is upper-middle class there, and is very cool. Buicks are driven by the stylish ubercool guys. When I told my coworkers that Buicks were mostly driven by older people in the US, they were shocked, and there was much discussion in Chinese.
Cars - some very stylish cars are being built by Chinese companies in China. The Brilliance company makes a sedan that is designed by Alfa Romeo but built in China. I saw several and the resemblance to Alfa Romeo is very apparent and not a bad thing at all.
3 and 5 series BMW's are being built in China, as are Audis, Fiats, Puegot (sp?), Citroen, Buick, Chevrolet, Hyundai, Honda, VW, and a host of others. If you don't build in China, there is a hefty import duty on the car. I was told that a BMW 7 series cost as much as $250,000 (e.g., a BMW 760 iL). Despite that, I did see a smattering of 750's and 760's and more than a few Mercedes S600's. I saw a Porsche dealership, but no Porsche's on the streets.
Honda makes the Civic, and the Accord in China, but no S2000, or Ridgeline. They also make a Honda Odyssey, but it looks like a xover station wagon.
VW makes several cars in China, and some looked familiar but with names that I have never heard of - the VW Santana?
The most unusual car-related story is that Buick is upper-middle class there, and is very cool. Buicks are driven by the stylish ubercool guys. When I told my coworkers that Buicks were mostly driven by older people in the US, they were shocked, and there was much discussion in Chinese.
Saw a yellow Lambo and a 911, that's it for exotics the time I was there.
I believe the Santana is the old Quantum as we know it
Yes, the guys driving Buicks are James Dean wannabes