• Nosy question

    From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Fri Jan 9 18:19:56 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From AMuzi@am@yellowjersey.org to rec.bicycles.tech on Fri Jan 9 20:36:53 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.
    --
    Andrew Muzi
    am@yellowjersey.org
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Fri Jan 9 21:01:38 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From zen cycle@funkmasterxx@hotmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 05:24:37 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 10:31:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    zen cycle <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:
    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    Do remember one of the Mac shows in london one firm who where introducing a security software, just had models at the show, ie young women as
    decoration, and couldnrCOt answer any technical questions, which as a friend had said, his firm had paid for the tickets for the show, with a eye on exploring that technology.

    No young woman decorations next year! They really misread their audience!

    Roger Merriman

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From AMuzi@am@yellowjersey.org to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 08:00:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/9/2026 11:01 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I studied Japanese enough to be functional in business and
    chatting up girls. I found a great many Japanese had an
    equal or better command of English so I never felt any
    communication problem.
    --
    Andrew Muzi
    am@yellowjersey.org
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From AMuzi@am@yellowjersey.org to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 08:06:47 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/10/2026 4:31 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
    zen cycle <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:
    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    Do remember one of the Mac shows in london one firm who where introducing a security software, just had models at the show, ie young women as
    decoration, and couldnrCOt answer any technical questions, which as a friend had said, his firm had paid for the tickets for the show, with a eye on exploring that technology.

    No young woman decorations next year! They really misread their audience!

    Roger Merriman


    Cultural iconoclast & framebuilder Bruce Gordon hired 3
    girls to spin a hula hoop wearing a purple fez in front of
    his bicycles at a trade show around 1990. Nice!
    --
    Andrew Muzi
    am@yellowjersey.org
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Mark J cleary@mcleary08@comcast.net to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 08:57:16 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/9/2026 8:36 PM, AMuzi wrote:
    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US-a SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s mostly import but some export to Japan as well.

    Undesirable? Hum that must mean you were some crazy hippie or they were
    afraid of you for some reason?
    --
    Deacon Mark
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Ted Heise@theise@panix.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 15:55:02 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:00:44 -0600,
    AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
    On 1/9/2026 11:01 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?

    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to
    'undesirable'.

    heh


    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s mostly
    import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S.
    businessmen staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of
    informal business there to provide interpreters. I think it
    might have helped his businessa bit that the interpreters were
    women (;-0)

    I made many trips to Japan in the 2000s and 2010s, mostly to meet
    with the PMDA (delegated body that reviews new medical product
    applications for approval). We worked with several different
    interpreters, and it was impressive how good were the best ones.


    I studied Japanese enough to be functional in business and
    chatting up girls. I found a great many Japanese had an equal
    or better command of English so I never felt any communication
    problem.

    +1

    Especially in the larger cities there are a great many who speak
    English passably well--some quite well.

    Several years into my work in Japan I suggested to my boss that I
    learn Japanese. He advised me not to bother because I'd be
    retired well before becoming proficient enough to use it.

    Japan is still my favorite place to visit outside the U.S. It's
    just so well organized and clean. The public transit is awesome.
    I was always proud that I learned to navigate Shinjuku Station,
    especially finding the right platform for the express to Narita.
    --
    Ted Heise <theise@panix.com> Gretna, NE, USA
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Roger Merriman@roger@sarlet.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 16:00:55 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:
    On 1/10/2026 4:31 AM, Roger Merriman wrote:
    zen cycle <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:
    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder, >>>>>> was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    Do remember one of the Mac shows in london one firm who where introducing a >> security software, just had models at the show, ie young women as
    decoration, and couldnrCOt answer any technical questions, which as a friend >> had said, his firm had paid for the tickets for the show, with a eye on
    exploring that technology.

    No young woman decorations next year! They really misread their audience!

    Roger Merriman


    Cultural iconoclast & framebuilder Bruce Gordon hired 3
    girls to spin a hula hoop wearing a purple fez in front of
    his bicycles at a trade show around 1990. Nice!

    The issue with the Mac show, or the security software was it only had the
    young models who were lovely but couldnrCOt answer technical questions which
    is the point of such shows for number of folks. Business where not going to
    pay for tickets time off just to admire the fact that young women are attractive, and indeed they didnrCOt appear next year.

    Roger Merriman

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 15:16:03 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:24:37 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....

    What else do you call a person who can speak your language and
    another language?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 15:46:58 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:00:44 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 11:01 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I studied Japanese enough to be functional in business and
    chatting up girls. I found a great many Japanese had an
    equal or better command of English so I never felt any
    communication problem.

    One of the problems with Japanese is the honorifics. At one point I
    was running the base motor pool and my Japanese workers addressed my
    wife as "The Wife of the boss".

    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Jeff Liebermann@jeffl@cruzio.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 15:51:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:16:03 -0800, John B.
    <jbslocomb@fictitious.site> wrote:

    What else do you call a person who can speak your language and
    another language?

    Multilingual or Polyglot. For extreme cases, hyperpolyglot.

    More of the same:
    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multilingualism>
    For confusing muddles, there are lingua franca languages: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lingua_francas>
    An early attempt to make lingua franca work: <https://www.google.com/search?q=tower+of+babel+languages&udm=2>
    A later attempt, with marginally better results: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto>
    Grand prize winner is India, with 19,500 mother tongues, 122 major
    languages and 1599 other languages. Language is a good thing and
    everyone should have at least one: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_India>
    --
    Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
    PO Box 272 http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
    Ben Lomond CA 95005-0272 AE6KS 831-336-2558

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Sat Jan 10 16:04:35 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:51:07 -0800, Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@cruzio.com>
    wrote:

    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 15:16:03 -0800, John B.
    <jbslocomb@fictitious.site> wrote:

    What else do you call a person who can speak your language and
    another language?

    Multilingual or Polyglot. For extreme cases, hyperpolyglot.

    More of the same:
    <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multilingualism>
    For confusing muddles, there are lingua franca languages: ><https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lingua_francas>
    An early attempt to make lingua franca work: ><https://www.google.com/search?q=tower+of+babel+languages&udm=2>
    A later attempt, with marginally better results: ><https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto>
    Grand prize winner is India, with 19,500 mother tongues, 122 major
    languages and 1599 other languages. Language is a good thing and
    everyone should have at least one: ><https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_India>

    Come now, what might be called lingua franca in English is alive and
    well. My favorite was a term I heard in rural Georgia - "a pinch of
    pecker-wood shit".
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From zen cycle@funkmasterxx@hotmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 07:09:41 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/10/2026 6:16 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:24:37 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    It depends on whether interpreting was what she was actually hired to do.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From zen cycle@funkmasterxx@hotmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 07:28:27 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/10/2026 9:00 AM, AMuzi wrote:
    On 1/9/2026 11:01 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US-a SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit-a that the interpreters were women (;-0)
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I studied Japanese enough to be functional in business and chatting up girls. I found a great many Japanese had an equal or better command of English so I never felt any communication problem.


    In 2019 we had to get certification for our products in the Eurasian
    Customs Union (EAC), eastern Europe and Asia's answer to the EU through Sercons (https://sercons.ch/). The regulatory consultant we had was a
    chinese national based in Moscow. Her written english was impeccable,
    and she spoke english with am obvious accent but otherwise there were no translation issues to the point that she got jokes bantered about
    between the english speakers in the room. If you read her emails you
    would have assumed she was a native english speaker. She asked at one
    point that I forgive any interpretive mistakes or explanations she might
    ask for. I replied that she read, wrote, and spoke english better than
    half my co-workers (which was true). She actually laughed when I said
    that and thanked me.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From zen cycle@funkmasterxx@hotmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 07:29:28 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/10/2026 9:57 AM, Mark J cleary wrote:
    On 1/9/2026 8:36 PM, AMuzi wrote:
    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US-a SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s mostly import
    but some export to Japan as well.

    Undesirable? Hum that must mean you were some crazy hippie or they were afraid of you for some reason?


    Both - They were afraid of crazy hippies back then.
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 04:56:26 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 07:09:41 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 6:16 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:24:37 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder, >>>>>> was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    It depends on whether interpreting was what she was actually hired to do.

    Come now. You hire someone to change your tire, do you complain if
    they smoke a cigarette or two?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From zen cycle@funkmasterxx@hotmail.com to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 08:03:05 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/11/2026 7:56 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 07:09:41 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 6:16 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:24:37 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote: >>>>>
    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder, >>>>>>> was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    It depends on whether interpreting was what she was actually hired to do.

    Come now. You hire someone to change your tire, do you complain if
    they smoke a cigarette or two?

    If I hired someone to interpret and they tried to give me a blow job I
    might complain


    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From AMuzi@am@yellowjersey.org to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 09:40:07 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On 1/10/2026 5:46 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:00:44 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 11:01 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder,
    was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I studied Japanese enough to be functional in business and
    chatting up girls. I found a great many Japanese had an
    equal or better command of English so I never felt any
    communication problem.

    One of the problems with Japanese is the honorifics. At one point I
    was running the base motor pool and my Japanese workers addressed my
    wife as "The Wife of the boss".

    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    There's some problem with that??

    In our own devolving culture, there's a real and very
    noticeable lack of respect and social distance. I am
    particularly annoyed when some routine transaction is
    interrupted by 'May I have your first name?'. WTF? You may
    address me as sir.
    --
    Andrew Muzi
    am@yellowjersey.org
    Open every day since 1 April, 1971
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 07:45:05 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 08:03:05 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/11/2026 7:56 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 07:09:41 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 6:16 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:24:37 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote: >>>>>>
    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I >>>>>>>> believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder, >>>>>>>> was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    It depends on whether interpreting was what she was actually hired to do. >>
    Come now. You hire someone to change your tire, do you complain if
    they smoke a cigarette or two?

    If I hired someone to interpret and they tried to give me a blow job I
    might complain

    No, its an add attraction. Two for the price of one.
    Back in my younger days I often saw a "bar girl" guiding her "boy
    friend" of the moment around the tourist sights in Bangkok.
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 15:02:18 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 08:03:05 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/11/2026 7:56 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 07:09:41 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 6:16 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:24:37 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote: >>>>>>
    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I >>>>>>>> believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder, >>>>>>>> was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    It depends on whether interpreting was what she was actually hired to do. >>
    Come now. You hire someone to change your tire, do you complain if
    they smoke a cigarette or two?

    If I hired someone to interpret and they tried to give me a blow job I
    might complain

    No, its an add attraction. Two for the price of one.
    Back in my younger days I often saw a "bar girl" guiding her "boy
    friend" of the moment around the tourist sights in Bangkok.
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 18:02:13 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 09:40:07 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 5:46 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 08:00:44 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 11:01 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote:

    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I
    believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder, >>>>>> was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I studied Japanese enough to be functional in business and
    chatting up girls. I found a great many Japanese had an
    equal or better command of English so I never felt any
    communication problem.

    One of the problems with Japanese is the honorifics. At one point I
    was running the base motor pool and my Japanese workers addressed my
    wife as "The Wife of the boss".

    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    There's some problem with that??

    Well, in much of South East Asia you address a person differentially
    depending on their apparent age, relative to yours, as well as the
    relative social position.

    The "bosses wife" approach, while a bit unusual, would be acceptable.
    After all, what's a bloke to do? She looks like one of us but she
    talks like one of one of them.

    In our own devolving culture, there's a real and very
    noticeable lack of respect and social distance. I am
    particularly annoyed when some routine transaction is
    interrupted by 'May I have your first name?'. WTF? You may
    address me as sir.
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From John B.@jbslocomb@fictitious.site to rec.bicycles.tech on Sun Jan 11 22:17:44 2026
    From Newsgroup: rec.bicycles.tech

    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 08:03:05 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/11/2026 7:56 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Sun, 11 Jan 2026 07:09:41 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 6:16 PM, John B. wrote:
    On Sat, 10 Jan 2026 05:24:37 -0500, zen cycle
    <funkmasterxx@hotmail.com> wrote:

    On 1/10/2026 12:01 AM, John B. wrote:
    On Fri, 9 Jan 2026 20:36:53 -0600, AMuzi <am@yellowjersey.org> wrote: >>>>>>
    On 1/9/2026 8:19 PM, John B. wrote:
    Mr. Muzi has mentioned being in Japan sometime in the 1970's I >>>>>>>> believe. As I was there in that period, in the Air Force, I wonder, >>>>>>>> was he in the Service too?
    --
    cheers,

    John B.


    I was not.

    The US SSS in its wisdom set my draft status to 'undesirable'.

    I was doing a lot of business there in the 1970s/1980s
    mostly import but some export to Japan as well.


    When I was there was a hotel in Tokyo where many U.S. businessmen
    staid. A black Sargent I knew started a sort of informal business
    there to provide interpreters. I think it might have helped his
    businessa bit that the interpreters were women (;-0)

    Ah...."interpreters"....


    It depends on whether interpreting was what she was actually hired to do. >>
    Come now. You hire someone to change your tire, do you complain if
    they smoke a cigarette or two?

    If I hired someone to interpret and they tried to give me a blow job I
    might complain

    No, its an add attraction. Two for the price of one.
    Back in my younger days I often saw a "bar girl" guiding her "boy
    friend" of the moment around the tourist sights in Bangkok.
    --
    cheers,

    John B.

    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2