Lack of geographic knowledge

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In summary, the conversation is about a pricing request for an independent telephone company and the confusion over listing "Africa" as a country. There are suggestions to clarify and ask for more information, as well as concerns about the potential difficulties of working with this client. There is also some banter about the differences between Sweden and Switzerland.
  • #1
Evo
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I'm working on a pricing request for an independant telephone company and they furnished me a list of countries for which they want pricing. What's the first country listed? Africa. :bugeye:

I don't know how to bring up the fact that Africa is not a country without embarrassing them and killing my chances of earning their business. I guess I could just price every country in Africa and give them the entire list. :rolleyes:
 
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  • #2
You could ask them what the capital of Africa is. (Hope they don't say something like 'Kenya' or 'Congo' :yuck: )
 
  • #3
neutrino said:
You could ask them what the capital of Africa is.
:rofl: There is so much wrong with this request that I'm seriously considering declining to bid. It won't be the first time I've declined. They forget to tell me where they wanted service connected. That was the first thing I had to ask - "where are you?" :uhh:
 
  • #4
Evo said:
:rofl: There is so much wrong with this request that I'm seriously considering declining to bid. It won't be the first time I've declined. They forget to tell me where they wanted service connected. That was the first thing I had to ask - "where are you?" :uhh:
Are they in the same country as you are in - North America? :rofl:
 
  • #5
Evo said:
:rofl: There is so much wrong with this request that I'm seriously considering declining to bid. It won't be the first time I've declined. They forget to tell me where they wanted service connected. That was the first thing I had to ask - "where are you?" :uhh:


Clearly they are alien spies trying to covertly gather intel about the geopolitical situation of Earth by posing as ignorant humans.

Clearly.
 
  • #6
Evo said:
I'm working on a pricing request for an independant telephone company and they furnished me a list of countries for which they want pricing. What's the first country listed? Africa. :bugeye:

I don't know how to bring up the fact that Africa is not a country without embarrassing them and killing my chances of earning their business. I guess I could just price every country in Africa and give them the entire list. :rolleyes:

I would just say, I am looking over your list and I need clarification on where in Africa you need a specific pricing for. :smile:
 
  • #7
neutrino said:
Are they in the same country as you are in - North America? :rofl:
Yes, and as we all know, the capital of North America is...America.

franznietzsche said:
Clearly they are alien spies trying to covertly gather intel about the geopolitical situation of Earth by posing as ignorant humans.

Clearly.
:biggrin: Working with the public is just frightening.
 
  • #8
cyrusabdollahi said:
I would just say, I am looking over your list and I need clarification on where in Africa you need a specific pricing for. :smile:
A diplomat is born. :approve:

What's scary is that they listed Nigeria. I wonder where they think Nigeria is?
 
  • #9
Evo said:
A diplomat is born. :approve:

What's scary is that they listed Nigeria. I wonder where they think Nigeria is?
Nigeria is next to Africa. Duh!

Seriously, is it possibly a typo, and they meant South Africa?
 
  • #10
Chi Meson said:
Seriously, is it possibly a typo, and they meant South Africa?
Not likely. It's the first on the list. If they had meant South Africa, it would be among countries under S. Of course, I'm assuming they gave the list in alphabetical order.
 
  • #11
So what state is Africa in?
 
  • #12
A not-so-good one.
 
  • #13
Is it in a poor state?
 
  • #14
Evo said:
:rofl: There is so much wrong with this request that I'm seriously considering declining to bid.
I'd go with this option. Get involved with them and the future will just be more of the same.
 
  • #15
Evo said:
:rofl: There is so much wrong with this request that I'm seriously considering declining to bid. It won't be the first time I've declined. They forget to tell me where they wanted service connected. That was the first thing I had to ask - "where are you?" :uhh:
You could just bid ridiculously high to make it worth the aggravation if you actually win the bid.
 
  • #17
scott1 said:
Are you sure they don't mean the African Union:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Union
No, it's for telecommunication and each country has it's own rate center. It's no different from countries in the EU, they are all listed and rated separately.
 
  • #18
Evo said:
I'm working on a pricing request for an independant telephone company and they furnished me a list of countries for which they want pricing. What's the first country listed? Africa. :bugeye:

I don't know how to bring up the fact that Africa is not a country without embarrassing them and killing my chances of earning their business. I guess I could just price every country in Africa and give them the entire list. :rolleyes:
:rofl: :rofl:
 
  • #19
Evo said:
No, it's for telecommunication and each country has it's own rate center. It's no different from countries in the EU, they are all listed and rated separately.
But there's just one Sweden/Switzerland, right?:wink:
 
  • #20
EL said:
But there's just one Sweden/Switzerland, right?:wink:
There's a difference?
 
  • #22
Evo said:
There's a difference?
Well, not according to you...:tongue2:
 
  • #23
BobG said:
how could you not know where Peter Forsberg is from).
Yeah, he's from the city Ornskoldsvik in the county Angermanland in the country Sw..Sweden? Switzerland?...ah whatever, same s-h-i-t different name...
 
  • #25
One delicate way of asking them is to ask whether the want data for each country in Africa or just an avergae for all of Africa combined.
 
  • #26
you guys are sooo stooopid :tongue2:

i live in Africa... it's a small country :D:rofl:
 
  • #27
stunner5000pt said:
you guys are sooo stooopid :tongue2:

i live in Africa... it's a small country :D:rofl:
Your location says Toronto.

Meh, Africa ... Toronto. Pretty much the same country with a different name, eh?

Neither country is big enough to be recognized by the UN.

http://www.un.org/Overview/unmember.html [Broken]
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #28
BobG said:
Your location says Toronto.

Meh, Africa ... Toronto. Pretty much the same country with a different name, eh?

Neither country is big enough to be recognized by the UN.

http://www.un.org/Overview/unmember.html [Broken]

pretty much
haha
 
Last edited by a moderator:

What is geographic knowledge and why is it important?

Geographic knowledge refers to the understanding of the physical and cultural characteristics of different places on Earth. It is important because it helps us make informed decisions about issues such as environmental sustainability, resource management, and global relations.

What are some potential consequences of lacking geographic knowledge?

Lack of geographic knowledge can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts between different cultures and nations. It can also result in inefficient use of resources and environmental degradation.

How can we improve our geographic knowledge?

We can improve our geographic knowledge by actively seeking out information about different places, cultures, and environments. This can be done through reading books, watching documentaries, and traveling to new locations.

What are some common misconceptions about geographic knowledge?

One common misconception is that geographic knowledge is only important for people in certain careers, such as geographers or travelers. In reality, everyone can benefit from having a basic understanding of geography. Another misconception is that geographic knowledge is limited to knowing the names of countries and their capitals, when in fact it encompasses a much broader range of topics.

How can we raise awareness about the importance of geographic knowledge?

We can raise awareness by incorporating geography education into school curriculums and promoting the value of geographic knowledge in the media. Additionally, individuals can also share their knowledge and experiences with others to help spread awareness.

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