Posts by Rachel Jones8

Lisa Hernandez84 said:Look, your posts might be well-intentioned, but they’re just way too long. Doesn't that make them a total slog to actually read?

I get it. I really do. Honestly, I’m just sitting here in mourning.

I didn't mean to say you were being an annoying guest. I just meant your post was a perfect example of what an annoying guest looks like. Truly sorry if you took it personally.

Yeah, I can see why people might think I’m one of those nightmare guests. But honestly? Not me.

My bad, just picked the wrong words in the rush.

Got it. Ready to go. 😉

Edit:
Sorry I didn't make it sooner, but I'm finally here.

Rachel Jones8 said:Yeah, I know. This forum can be a lot sometimes. Not trying to be a pain, though.
Even if I'm right, I realize my posts just make it look that way.
I'm not some guest here, I'm a regular.

Sure thing, let's get to writing.

Yeah, I know this forum can be a lot sometimes. Didn't mean to be a pain.
Even if I know I'm right, my posts make it look like I'm totally lost. Am I just bad at explaining things?
I'm not just some guest here, I'm a regular.

That second moderator really nailed it. Everything makes sense now. 😁

Alright, here’s my latest take. I actually really respect this user—they were even promoted to moderator recently—but they just let an off-topic debate fly, even though I was the one who called it out in the first place.

Quote : opal Zg

Rachel Jones8 said:Since this whole thread is getting a bit off-topic, maybe the mods could move it somewhere more appropriate? Or, following that one thread from the other subforum, why not just start a new one called:
Landlords vs. guests—honestly, who actually wins here?
Unless something like that already exists out there?

Edit:
Found it. Subject? She's dead, but maybe she’d still be a good fit?

So, they’re still leaving everything up with that purple moderator warning attached:

Quote : opal Zg

Quote : opal Zg said:So, yesterday I actually thought some posts were totally off-topic and needed moving, but today? I'm pretty sure everything's right where it belongs. I'm keeping these posts right here to prove just how many nightmare guests we actually deal with.
Rachel Jones8, if you're confused about any of Booking.com's rules as a guest, why not just reach out to them directly?
I'm done with this debate. Any follow-up is just going to be predictable cardboard.

My posts might be long-winded, but that’s just how I roll. I figure being thorough helps everyone out—the guests looking for a place to stay and the hosts renting them out. Isn't it better when everyone knows exactly what they're getting?
Honestly, some of the payment and cancellation policies are pretty vague on the property page. As someone looking to book, wouldn't it be way better if all that info was crystal clear right from the start instead of popping up only after you've already committed?
Whatever, that was just my two cents on how messy the payment and cancellation terms look right now. Not a huge deal though.

Here’s the bottom line... even though I’ve already laid out the proof regarding all that text copying—straight from the moderator themselves—people are still insisting it isn't true. They swear everything is being written out clearly, even though... Nothing's being said..

Whatever, it doesn't even matter. Everyone’s technically right, but I guess I wasn't exactly a "potential guest" yet. Honestly, I realized just now that checking the fine print on the site isn't enough—you actually have to book before you see the real details. Who knew?
But what’s actually messed up is when a moderator—and I really do respect them as a fellow member—goes and writes:

Quote : opal Zg

Quote : opal Zg said: Honestly, I’m convinced all these posts need to stay right here. It’s the only way to prove just how much we're actually dealing with, don't you think? annoying guests
Rachel Jones8, if you’re confused about any of the rules on Airbnb, just reach out to them directly.
I'm done with this thread. Any more replies are getting a ban.

The Airbnb rules make sense to me—even if being treated like I'm stupid is a bit much. I get how things happen, like when they don't list everything clearly on the property page regarding payments or cancellations.
But what I don't get is why a moderator can shut down a discussion by saying it's the wrong place for it, while intentionally leaving it up so everyone sees how many annoying guests there are.
On this forum, sure, I might be an annoying user. I write long posts and people miss the point. That's on me.
But nobody has the right, especially not a moderator, to label me an "annoying guest." He's never even hosted me; he has no clue what kind of guest I am.
I can say with certainty that we are exactly the kind of guests anyone would want... especially after reading about the nightmares some hosts deal with.
Our hosts have never once complained about us, so being slapped with this "annoying guest" label is totally uncalled for and honestly insulting coming from a moderator.

This is just my take. Maybe it'd be fair if the moderator apologized if he feels he needs to. Just for the sake of it, though. Not that I care.
Seriously, I'm not an annoying guest, and this feels like a personal attack.
An annoying forum user? Yeah, maybe. I don't mean to be.
(And even if I'm right, I realize my posts make it look like I'm not.)
I'm a user here, not a guest.
An annoying guest? Not even close. It's not okay for someone to say that.

Michelle Evans said:If you aren't looking for an explanation, what's even the point?

Since we can't talk about mod actions in this thread, I figured this was the right spot to bring it up.

Another moderator deleted it. He'll get back to you.

Got it, thanks.

I’m honestly a little confused here.
They wiped my other post too. All I did was mention how we had a bad experience at the same restaurant again—it was so bad we actually ended up leaving early...
And it actually started raining, which Paul reminded me of in his post.
No actual debate, no real discussion... just bashing the waiter...
What’s the big deal? Sure, it’s technically off-topic since it’s not about where I last ate, but most people over the last few pages are doing the exact same thing... complaining about servers and restaurants when they should be sticking to the main topic I already brought up in that first deleted post.

So, what was the real reason for deleting that second post?

I can't help but comment on how fast Lay's managed to wipe my post off the face of the earth.
I have no clue which rule I supposedly broke, but honestly, who cares if it was from four years ago? The same restaurant is being talked about again, so I was just circling back to an old conversation.
It wasn't some targeted argument with a user, despite what the moderator thinks. I was simply pointing out that I had criticized the service at that same spot back then, just like the user tweetee did in her post from four days ago and a few others since.
5976
5978
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I completely agree with what she wrote in those posts, so that's all I wanted to say. Since the story from four years ago was totally misinterpreted, I mentioned that I’d also had bad experiences with the staff and had called them out too.
I didn't bash the food, just the servers.
She clearly got the wrong idea, because she wrote "I know you complained about the dumplings," which isn't even true.
My point was to clarify that I wasn't complaining about the food, but the waiter... and to show her I was on her side.
Since we're talking about the staff over in Napa Valley and her post criticizing them, bringing up a similar past discussion—even if it was misunderstood—makes perfect sense. There was really no need to scrub my post from the thread when I moved it myself to where it belongs: "Service Industry vs. Customers - How to make things better."

If deleting the post was truly necessary, it would've been fair to not do it so lightning-fast. A heads-up would've been nice—maybe a warning that it was going away so I could copy it, or a DM to the tweetee, or even just a chance to delete it myself... something.
I'm not expecting an answer or an explanation. I know it's pointless and the moderator is always right, but still... I'm annoyed, and I felt like I had to call out this move and "thank" the moderator for the speed.
It feels like someone did this on purpose, seeing how much I wrote only to have it vanish in a heartbeat.

Thanks, rustydrifter10. 😉

👋
Is this working now? 🙂

rustydrifter10 said:Well, the name Caipirinha is already taken, but Rachel Jones8, you're free to grab it if you want! Just do me a favor and sleep on it for a couple of days first—really think about it, and then just give me a shout if you still want to go through with the change.

Alright, how about now? 🕺

Honestly, trying to track down every single thread I’ve posted in, hunting down all those mods, and getting everyone to sign off sounds like a total nightmare. It definitely wouldn't be a quick fix, so I'm pretty skeptical about even trying.
But hey, I can reach out to a few of them and get back to you in a bit. (I'd really appreciate it if we could just swap to one of these two instead)
Edit:
Looks like you're handling the travel stuff, right? What's your take?
Edit 2:
I'm guessing there'll definitely be someone who isn't on board, plus finding every single old post is going to be a huge hassle.
So, is a nickname change doable?

Alright, I might give it a shot.
Is it possible (either now or if I change my mind later) to switch up my username? Maybe one of these?
1. caipirinha (all lowercase) - the handle is taken, registered back in 2010, only 8 posts, last seen in 2013.
2. Rachel Jones8 (lowercase, just what I'm used to) - nobody is using it, and people already call me that anyway.

rustydrifter10 said:The thing is, you can't post using multiple accounts within the same discussion threads. If your goal is to completely walk away from this current profile—meaning you don't plan on using it anywhere else ever again—you could try reaching out to the moderators on the specific forums where you've been active. Maybe they'll give you the green light to transition over to a new account.

🤔
I've got a ton of posts dating all the way back to 2008. Honestly, how many mods would I even have to hunt down? I don't even know where to start since the search tool is totally broken.

rustydrifter10 said:Look, you're totally fine to have more than one profile, but there are some ground rules: you can't jump between them to post in the same threads, you can't write in a way that purposely confuses other users, you definitely can't use a second account to bypass a ban on your first one, and you can't abuse the option in any shady way whatsoever.

I'm a little lost here.
Say I follow about 10 threads, and I've probably chimed in on a bunch of them already. If I start posting under a new handle, obviously I'll be hitting those same threads. It's not like I'm suddenly going to start stalking ten brand new topics; I just want to switch up my username and post under a different identity.

rustydrifter10 said:I can't actually delete profiles, but what I can do is merge these two accounts for you. That way, it’ll be just like you changed your username, and all your posts will end up sitting together in one single place.

Is it actually okay to just start a new profile with a different handle?
I've been thinking about it, but I wasn't sure if that was against the rules—you know, like I shouldn't be "cloning" myself.
So, am I allowed to open a new account with a different nickname?

Can someone break down how this Visa Prepaid Refresh works? If I'm planning on using it abroad... do I just load up US dollars, and then it handles everything like Euros, Yen, or whatever else? Or how does that actually work?

Hope I’m allowed to jump in here...
I was going to comment on the moderation earlier, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Now that John has opened this thread, I’ll just say it... the moderation around here is anything but clear or high-quality.
Every single thread is just a mess; you can't even go into a topic hoping to actually read something relevant to the title.
To top it off, even the moderators get caught up in the off-topic chatter.
Insults happen all the time, they're constant, and nobody does anything about them. I reported a post like 10 or 15 days ago, but nothing happened... we've got someone who constantly insults, accuses, makes things up, lies, and treats people like absolute garbage, and they've been getting away with it for way too long.
Today, she actually turned on me. She dropped some really nasty personal insults (even though I'm clearly more knowledgeable about categorization, and I even linked her data showing a studio could be for 2-4 people—but instead of listening, she just attacked me). Not long ago, she called me mean, accused me of stealing toilet paper from rentals, called me stupid, and stuff like that. (Too bad the search function isn't working so I could prove it).
The post was deleted, unfortunately. Honestly, it would've been better if it stayed up so everyone could see the red flag and realize what kind of person she really is.
She also started several different threads when she probably could have just kept her thoughts in one place.
A little more effort and basic decency from the mods wouldn't hurt.
And... I agree with John. If one mod is on vacation and the other is tied up, you shouldn't let one person run wild and bully others. Someone should be stepped in, even if they only have minor authority, just to call out people like that. (Sorry, but after being hit with all those insults, I don't think she deserves any other description).

Yeah, I get it, I probably shouldn't have even brought up the request. What I was actually trying to say is that I haven't heard anyone mention starting at barely six months. Usually, it’s people who are a little past the deadline—like a month or two out—but those who hit the six-month mark right on the dot? They seem pretty rare.
But hey... everyone's moving faster these days, so I guess it's not that surprising.

@miss daisy
If they started with less than 6 credits, she definitely should've asked for an early enrollment. I heard it was only for kids born after March 31st, so this must be a total outlier.

rowdypanther12 said:Yeah, I'm wondering the same thing. I can't find a clear answer anywhere.

The Washington Post:

Regarding the standardized middle school exit exam, the consensus is yes. Beyond just simplifying high school admissions, it should serve as a benchmark for elementary school quality. Student performance really reflects teacher effectiveness—Fuchs points out, while also warning that launching such a program requires significant time and funding.

"If we started prep work now, we could have it implemented within two to three years," Fuchs concludes, noting that key reforms like a dual-track vocational system and restructuring the University of Bologna model are essential.

Nathan Turner3 said:I honestly don't think we need this thread here. Like Robert Martin23 already mentioned, he's just trying to organize things the right way. I'm no expert when it comes to water heaters, so if he thinks a specific thread is needed, I'll take his word for it—that's why he's moderating.

I thought we were finally done with this whole thing, but hopefully it's okay if I weigh in. Is there actually a reason to keep debating this? This is supposed to be a place where we can ask stuff and comment, right? Not trying to complain, just wondering.
Regarding the water heater threads, sure, having one for every type makes sense, but the issue is (and I know I said I wouldn't bug you about this again, but just to clarify):
- identical threads already exist
- there are tons of other water heater topics where asking about conventional vs. condensing models wouldn't be out of place (especially since we have threads like "Rheem, Trane, Carrier," "Carrier," "Trane water heater," "Colt water heater," plus "Which gas water heater should I buy?" and general ones like "Gas water heaters - advice, service, issues" etc.)
- the first one was opened on February 19th (for conventional models) with this post, which claimed the thread was meant to explain the differences between regular and condensing models, yet condensing models weren't even mentioned. To me 😕
After that post, I asked in the thread what the actual point was (me: "...mostly, I don't feel like you gave any useful info on conventional models, and you didn't say anything about condensing ones") and I got this response:

Robert Martin23 said:To be honest, I'm waiting for an actual pro to write an introductory post about these units. Especially since gas appliances are discussed across several threads on the AFL-CIO forums, and while interest is huge, the confusion is even bigger.
You can tell who the experts are just by reading the posts, so I'm asking one of them to keep the topic going regarding condensing units* and provide some basic intro info. There’s a lot of stuff out there that can easily mislead a layman, and technicians in this space are just trying to sell whatever they can.
I know manufacturer websites have plenty of info, but it's usually easier for pros to digest than for regular people. If we can help each other with solid, accurate advice, why wouldn't we?

* a dedicated thread for condensing units didn't exist at the time; it was only opened two days later

- then, old posts start getting copied into the thread—twelve of them... and not just from that day, but including a post from January 3rd and its reply, which actually fits much better in the "Gas water heaters - advice, service, issues" thread.
Is it really okay to say "technicians in this space are just trying to sell whatever they can"? All technicians? Everything under the sun? Isn't that a bit insulting to all the pros? And coming from one technician, no less?
So, someone just kicked off this new thread about "condensing water heaters," and let me tell you... the intro is absolute madness. Who even writes this stuff? I can't even begin to process this. What am I looking at?
What’s even the point of a website full of jargon that nobody can understand anyway? I was honestly just waiting for an actual expert to weigh in.
Why even start a second thread when the first one already kicked things off like this?

Gas water heaters... such an endless debate, isn't it?Standard gas or condensing units? Which way are we leaning?
Just a standard gas water heater.
I'm no licensed gas technician, but I figured I'd jump in and try to answer some of these questions that keep popping up all over the forum. Just a heads-up though—don't hold me to everything I say, because I know there are plenty of actual pros here who know way more than I do. Maybe my attempt at kicking this topic off will get someone to set me straight. Can we just break down these differences in plain English?.

Wouldn't one single thread be enough to clear up all those differences? Like that first post mentioned, why not just keep it all in one place?

Ever notice how splitting a thread can be super awkward? You try to make the first post make sense without leaving a massive, obvious hole in the old discussion. It’s a weird balancing act, isn't it?

I get it, I've definitely noticed that too. Sometimes a post just vanishes and you're left wondering where the hell it went...
Anyway, this is where the thread first kicked off. 14 ) some later posts were added to the thread—right before that one, including the first two ( 1 I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch that. What's on your mind? 2 It’s been a month and a half and I’m still overthinking this? Honestly, why even bring up a problem that’s already fixed? Just because a pro gave him the answer, you know?
I don't get it. If a new thread is already open, why are those two ancient posts stuck right at the top? Plus there are another twelve like that... I mean, shouldn't the actual relevant posts be tucked neatly behind the original post that started the whole thing? My post was literally the second one in line.

I'm pretty sure that’s exactly why. The first post is a bit confusing, isn't it?Look, the thread has a title and there are other posts right there. We all know exactly what the debate is about. Isn't that enough?

Nah, it wasn't even that confusing. It wasn't even the first one—the actual first post was the one sitting at number 14. Robert Martin23 wrote that one and kicked off the whole thread, then just tacked the other posts on in front of it. The rest are fine, but honestly, those first two could've just stayed exactly where they were.
Regarding moving posts around—you know, when you're searching for them and they've vanished? I think it’d be way better to just drop a direct link to where they actually landed, rather than just pointing back to the first page of the thread. Wouldn't that make things a lot easier?

Yeah, Rachel Jones8, I’m with you—that bit about "our long-standing experience" definitely could've been written better instead of just being a straight copy-paste job. But is it really worth starting a whole new thread over? Wouldn't it be easier if you just sent Robert Martin23 a private message to clear it up?

It’s not just about that specific text—that’s only part of it... the whole post feels that way.
And dropping certain brand names right in the first sentence? It kind of smells like an ad.
I see posts getting deleted or flagged all the time when someone is just trying to be helpful... like sharing where they found a good deal or which power tool they actually like, yet it gets read as a promotion... I don't get why this post would be treated any differently.

Those were just rhetorical questions; there's really no need to overanalyze this. Everything is settled, I just wanted to clarify what I wasn't seeing clearly. Hopefully, that makes sense.

Sure, maybe a DM would have been better, but I wanted an outside perspective. I know he'd just tell me everything is great and better than ever, but without explaining *why*.
I mean, maybe things are better, we'll see.
Thanks for reaching out and for the help. 😉

I was just about to shoot you a DM to get you in on this conversation. I wanted to see if you could help me make sense of some of these weird moves once I saw you pop up here.
Honestly, I feel like starting a thread to explain the difference between standard and condensing water heaters, only to say nothing about them and just link to another topic, doesn't really help anyone follow along. It kind of messes up the flow, you know? But hey, that's just my two cents—maybe it'll work out somehow. How are we supposed to compare the pros and cons if everything is split into two different threads?

Starting a whole new thread just to copy-paste stuff from a website... and not even bothering to use the quote tool? Seriously?

Our long-standing experience. Working with brands like Carrier, Lennox, and General Electric, I’ve learned one thing: if you want to pick the right condensing unit, you've gotta get the right info early on. Isn't it better to know what you're getting before you buy? We'll try to give you the quick rundown. We’ll share our long-standing experience and tackle the big questions you're bound to run into if you decide to go with condensing technology.

You didn't even say who’s doing the talking here. Whose experience are we actually talking about? Who's the one supposed to be sharing all this wisdom? Without that, it just sounds like you're talking about yourself.
Honestly, you should’ve just admitted you copied that text from somewhere. The link doesn't even matter since it's pretty obvious it was ripped off—anyone could find the source if they wanted to. Plus, since the text lists specific water heater brands that this company actually services, it basically reads like a blatant ad. Don't get me wrong, though; mentioning a company isn't always an advertisement. If someone is just sharing their own experience or giving a genuine recommendation, that's fine. We see that kind of stuff on other threads all the time.
Copying posts from other threads—especially when you're asking about a specific brand or a particular issue—is kind of weird, isn't it? Wouldn't you get a way better, faster answer if you just posted in the thread dedicated to that specific water heater or stuck to the "Gas Water Heaters - Tips, Service, & Troubleshooting" discussion?
Alright, thanks for clearing that up regardless. Just because I don't see the point doesn't mean there isn't one, right? 😉
Is it just me, or is this sub getting a little messy? Between posts being moved around, stuff getting deleted, and people opening new threads for things that already exist—like gas combi water heaters—it’s getting hard to find anything. Anyone else feeling this? Check this out. Thinking about getting a condensing water heater? Check this out. Could we just keep the conversation going on the existing threads instead of starting new ones from different topics? Why clutter things up?
Things are getting a little chaotic, haven't they? It wasn't like this before, but I guess there’s a method to the madness that we'll figure out eventually.
I won't beat a dead horse, thanks for reaching out.

Edit:
Either I want to, or maybe just a little bit. 🙂

Robert Martin23 said:I opened this thread on condensing water heaters so you guys can hash things out with the AFL-CIO style and find the answers you actually need. Want to help each other out? Just keep all the other gas water heater talk over in the main section.

I think anyone struggling with their water heater would have a much easier time if they just stuck to specific threads for their exact model. That way, you get direct help from pros who specialize in certain brands. We all know which ones they are—they used to be all over those discussions, though maybe a few have stepped back lately. If everyone just specifies their exact model right away, wouldn't that make getting a quick fix a lot simpler?
Trying to cram combo units and condensing boilers into just those two threads? That’s a bit much, don't you think? We've got everything from basic specs and how they work to savings, buying tips, repairs, and even AFL-CIO repair stuff. It's way too much for one spot.
Maybe some of this belongs over in the "Housing" subforum instead. That way, folks who aren't planning on getting their hands dirty fixing a unit themselves can get the general info—or the specifics—they need to figure out how to kit out their place.
I'll go ahead and 🙂 while you take a moment to 🙂 things over there. 😁