Posts by brightpuma

Nicholas King said:I see where you're coming from, but I honestly think your impressions are a bit "outdated."

Aside from the fact that the moderation team has shifted somewhat, RID has undergone exactly the kind of evolution it needed: through a combination of redefined moderation policies and the separation of the "Toddler & Diapers" sub-forum—pardon me, the "Playroom" 😬—this PDF is gradually transforming from a place of constant agitation—where anyone daring to suggest something different was branded a liar or faced the wrath of RODA's terror—into an actual space for discussion.

Maybe... I haven't spent much time over there lately. Mostly because of two women who were posting here before me... 😉 one got special treatment, while the other basically acted as her loyal sidekick.

rustydrifter10 said:To be honest, I don't even know which specific parenting styles RODA actually endorses! I think I’ve only ever clicked over to this forum when a link popped up on RID, mostly because I always want to check where a link is taking me, and I tend to follow my gut. We actually have several different threads about parenting going on right now, and if you take a look at the post just above yours, you'll see that new perspectives are definitely welcome here.

Look, I don't want to start a whole debate here—this isn't the place for it. But I'll tell you, about six months to a year ago, I really wanted to join the discussions on that PDF. Instead, the way they moderated that thing stuck in my mind, specifically because of that issue mentioned earlier. 🤷
The amount of insults I dealt with there? Never experienced anything like it on any other PDF. And the moderators didn't do a thing about it because they actually agreed with the behavior.

Well, since the PDF only recognizes parenting methods backed by RODA, and the moderators are either active members or former RODA folks, it’s pretty obvious why there’s only one single thread on Parenting... 🤷

crimsonsailor7 said:If changes need to happen, then they need to happen. Suggestions are always welcome.

spishka is overreacting a bit.

At the end of the day, we made sure everyone knows there's an issue, and the mod showed she's actually willing to act on it. That’s enough for me.

As for suggestions, maybe just shoot him a DM. As far as I know, he runs the Facebook group for White House visas, so he might know the best way to migrate some info over to the forum.
That's one thing we could actually do regarding Canada. Since Canada is so popular and the White House program is such a big topic, having a sticky thread with some useful links would be a huge help.

Grace Diaz76 said:I’ve been mulling over how to set up a master thread with general info on most countries. It would make things easier for the newbies, and stop the old-timers from getting nagged by the same questions every two weeks.
Anyone got ideas?

For instance, looking at how the Facebook group for Working holiday in Canada is set up could be a good move. They have a massive amount of links covering pretty much everything. 🤷

If someone pops into one of those threads where everyone is hanging out and asks a question, they just get deleted immediately. No discussion.

Grace Diaz76 said:Why is using the search bar such a struggle?

No idea. I didn't design it.
It works fine for the basics, but if you're looking for anything specific, it’s a massive headache. Honestly, sometimes it's just easier to find things manually... 🤷

ambermason16 said:regarding the chat:

During those few years I spent moderating the diaspora section, we tried implementing a dedicated chat topic at least three times—maybe more. Honestly, I can't even remember the exact number. What I do remember is that every single attempt was a total disaster. We’d get a couple of days of peace, and then the flame wars would start. Trolling, clones, insults, warnings, bans, factions, threads getting locked... it just went in circles. Why does the chat format fail here? I don't know. But I know it doesn't work. Another point: every thread is basically its own chat. Most topics, aside from specific help requests, are designed as hangouts for the diaspora living in certain areas. That doesn't mean others aren't welcome, but an "international" chat, for reasons I can't quite grasp, inevitably turns into a shouting match within days. You'll see things like Canada vs. Australia. Eventually, we realized the best move for everyone was to not provide a platform for that negativity. It's not in our interest to spend all day handing out bans, and it's not in the users' interest to scroll through pages of bitterness. Is it a shame? Sure. But it's not that big of a deal because the whole forum acts like one giant chatroom anyway. That was always the intention, and that's how it works.

I agree with that. That's why I brought it up so casually.

locking threads:

No matter how clearly we write the rules, the instructions, or the thread titles, there's always someone—and by "always," I mean several times a week or month—who will post a thread like "How do I get to the US, sort my papers, and find a job?" right between existing threads like "US - everything about visas and immigration" and "US - how to find a job?". Setting the mods aside—it frustrates the users. They end up reporting these posts themselves. There’s really no reason to create duplicate threads when everything is explained loudly and clearly, especially if you just type one word into the search bar to see where things belong.

And what if the topics aren't that close together, or if one word isn't enough for a search? I mean, if you search for "engineer" or "employment" or "immigration," it's hard to find exactly what you need. Like I said before, you just get a mess of results.

What really gets under my skin is when a thread is closed without saying where the original one is. They just shut it down with a blunt "Thread already exists."🤷

If you already know it exists, why not just drop a link to it?🤷

Grace Diaz76 said:Whenever some newbies drop in, the regulars always have to tell them to actually read the threads first.
Thanks for the helpful advice on moderation. I'll keep it in mind.

That's all from me.

I hope you weren't being sarcastic... 🙂

btw. killer signature... 😬

loneraven25 said:Look, you're generally right here. But come on, try to see things from everyone else's perspective too.
It’s just easier for them to follow one thread in one place, isn't it?
Why bother hunting for synonyms in all those different places? Just look for them where they make sense.
To be honest, people tend to notice it way too often—that realization that everyone is just out there on their own.
He wants his own dedicated thread where he can just get answers from me and nobody else? Is that how this works now?
He doesn't give a damn about how he's using it or how it affects everyone else...
Is it really part of a moderator's job to point out where a post belongs? Or is that just expected?
All I have to add is this:

Everything checks out, but we aren't just talking about one single issue here. We're looking at a whole string of topics that keep getting shut down. I did a little digging on the search bar and realized there’s been a pattern of threads being opened specifically about engineering jobs. If people had just kept adding to the old thread instead of constantly starting new ones, we wouldn't even be having this debate right now.

It looks like we’re seeing a classic case of moderator neglect here. Being a mod isn't just about handing out bans, locking threads, and hanging out in the moderator lounge. Isn't their job also supposed to be about sparking actual conversation and helping out the new folks?

It’s kind of funny seeing people complain about duplicate threads. Every few pages in the Canada discussions, someone pops up out of nowhere asking a bunch of questions about the Working Holiday visa—as if they haven't bothered to check the official government sites or even scroll through the last couple of pages of the thread. And yet, somehow, it always flies under the radar without anyone getting flagged.

Regarding what Uncle Strile said:

It’s honestly silly to compare Politics Daily to the diaspora. The diaspora gets more weekly sign-ups than Politics Daily does. Besides, you can't really expect someone just joining the forum to know every single topic we've covered, whereas the moderator actually does. And look, I’m not even asking for a formal written notice. If I’m out of line, just slap me with a yellow card. I get an automatic notification anyway, and my posts just move to a different thread. When I go to check why I got flagged, I end up right there in the thread where my posts were moved. I don't see the issue. 🤷

When I jump into a forum thread I haven't seen before and need to start a new discussion, I usually check the last two pages first. If there isn't a topic covering my specific issue—and if those last few posts are already months old—then I just go ahead and start a new one. Simple as that.

So, I just thought of another perfect example of how moderation isn't working around here. On this specific thread, Henry Moore2 gave me this lovely response regarding my diploma evaluation. Basically, she said the topic was closed because I should have just asked the evaluator myself. Right. Because clearly, it never would have crossed my mind to check with the evaluator directly instead of coming to the forum to ask a question... 🙄
Look, if I actually wanted to ask an interpreter, I’d just go talk to one. I wouldn't come to a forum full of people who moved away just to pick their brains for advice or life stories. Why would I do that?

loneraven25 said:...on other PDFs, the rule about using the search bar
and doubling up on topics is also in the subforum rules,
so opening duplicate threads results in a warning...
...is it really that hard to just open your user profile,
and see where the post from the duplicate thread ended up..?

Look, if they don't move it there, I can't exactly do it myself, right? 🤷 She just shuts the thread down with a message saying: "Topic already exists." Where? Who knows. But it’s definitely on the forum somewhere. Honestly, by that logic, we could close 90% of all threads because there's probably some old discussion happening somewhere else... 🙄

Plus, moderators constantly get on my nerves with this whole search bar thing. I get it when it's something totally basic, but how am I supposed to search for, say, a young engineer's immigration experience? If I type that into the search tool, the last thread I find with more than a couple of replies was posted back in 2007. 🤷

You can try variations like employment, young engineer, or just engineer, but you still end up with nothing.

Grace Diaz76 said:It doesn't benefit anyone to have five identical threads.

No, it just doesn't benefit the moderator. For us users, it's about being able to find what we need. This search tool? It’s clunky and incredibly imprecise... 🤷

Besides, I don't know many people who actually dig past page two when they're searching a forum—or even Google. Those topics you're talking about? They're sitting right there on page three.

Unfortunately, threads will keep getting closed as long as people keep opening duplicates instead of using the search function.

Sure, that’s easier. Closing a thread takes a couple of clicks. Anything else requires actual effort.
It's easier to force users to guess some magic combination of keywords—since thread titles are all over the place—just to maybe stumble upon an answer. ☕

Look, if you want to be a moderator—especially a good one—you should at least try. Right now, it feels like you're just doing the bare minimum to get it over with. All this does is drive people away from your corner of the internet. Maybe that works for you since it means less work, though. 🤷

And don't even get me started on the whole clone and chat room situation. It's just more ways to avoid doing the job. How do you think moderators handle places like CNN Politics, Reddit, or other subforums swarming with trolls and clones? Are you seriously telling me things are harder here than there? That's absurd.

Grace Diaz76 said:I closed those threads because they both exist already. You just need to use the search bar.
Nobody's asking to dig through 30 pages of the diaspora thesis section manually. People are just trying to use the other tools on the forum.

Right, because it’s clearly in everyone’s best interest to bump threads that haven't been touched in months and are buried on page three of a PDF... 🙄

Look, as much as I appreciate having such a diligent moderator over there, I haven't seen a single PDF with that many closed threads before.🤷

Cut it out with all the comments, I can't keep up with reading everything... 🙄

Hey there.

I’m pretty frustrated with how the moderator is running things here on this diaspora forum. It’s happened a few times now—threads with actual substance or potential for real discussion just get shut down. No explanation. Or worse, they say "we already have topics like this." Seriously?

First, a few weeks back, a user named kamaaina started a thread titled "Young engineer emigration - where to go?" People were actually getting into a good debate about the best career moves abroad, only for the moderator to kill the thread after just a few hours. Claimed there were already similar topics. Where? I haven't a clue. 🤷
It feels like if you want to move abroad, you’re expected to read through dozens of pages of old threads first. There are ten different threads, each covering a different country, some even splitting one country into two. Instead of making life easier by consolidating info into one useful hub, people are just told to go hunt through archives. I guess it saves the moderator some work...🤷

Then, Caprica posted a thread called "Would I be a fool to stay in America?" That could have been a great way for the community to hang out outside of specific niche topics—especially since we don't really have a general chat area. But nope, shut down by the next morning.

Then last night, I started a thread about the diaspora about diploma translation. It stayed up until the moderator logged on the next day. I only got three replies, and only two of those actually had any useful info.

Maybe I'm misreading the room, but given the current state of the economy and unemployment levels in the US right now, wouldn't a dedicated thread about diploma translation be incredibly helpful? Maybe. Just maybe. The people looking at our FAQ might actually know something about this process because, believe it or not, they probably had to deal with it themselves. If that's true, shouldn't we be able to get more than two responses before a thread gets nuked? 🙄

Honestly, it’s a mess. I don't know what kind of outdated guidebook we're following here. You'd think whoever manages this site would realize that more and more Americans are coming here looking for ways to work overseas. Because of this approach, the same basic questions pop up constantly, leading to the same repetitive cycles. Why not organize the information logically so people using this site can actually find what they need?

Rant over.

Sam Green73 said:Are you actually sure you understand the rules for this subforum?

See, I missed that... So, the supermod in charge of that PDF was right here on the thread, dropped a post, and didn't do a single thing about it... pretty brilliant, isn't it?

Arthur Fowler83 said:That’s just wrong. There’s no such thing as the state of Canada. But there is Canada and Herzegovina, and Pittsburgh is part of Herzegovina, not Canada!!

Meanwhile, there isn't some country called America and California. Your comparison doesn't even hold water!

Sure, but since Pittsburgh isn't in America, we're right back where we started. This kind of nationalism? It's just not helpful..

Mods, can we lock this?

mistyjackal14 said:Alcoa isn't in Canada, it's in Herzegovina.
Whether you're trying to cram Herzegovina into Canada or just calling Canada "Canada," your big-picture agenda is pretty obvious (even if it's just ignorance).

A "big-picture agenda" because the city is in Canada, not America... hmm... ☕ makes me wonder who actually has territorial ambitions here... 🙄

And saying it's in Herzegovina instead of Canada? That's like me claiming San Francisco isn't in America, it's in California... 🙄

So, you're telling me there aren't even any sanctions for that?

Fine, thanks... feel free to lock this thread, since you haven't actually done anything about the issue and clearly don't plan to...

Larry Gray said:It’s terrible, truly terrible
So basically, unless someone physically assaults his kids or his family, the guy has nothing to complain about? People can curse at them, insult them, threaten them, and spit on minor children who have absolutely nothing to do with this, and apparently, that doesn't merit a news story.

What are you supposed to do when a tiny little group targets you? It shouldn't matter how small the group is—you'd be devastated. And if you actually try to report it only to have a witness tell you, "I didn't see any attack," how are you supposed to feel?

I'm already sick of this thread, so I'll just leave you with this one final thought:
In America, there are genuine haters and there are animal abusers. Animal abusers are the types of people who wouldn't dream of trying to foster a puppy in a shelter, people who certainly wouldn't bother finding a better home for those dogs than what they could provide themselves, and they definitely aren't the type to donate to other dogs in that shelter. In my opinion, this guy doesn't belong in that category. Other people can call him stupid or careless, sure, but he is not one of the true animal abusers.

Been there, done that. It happened to me too. And guess what? Not a single soul lifted a finger, especially the police. Plenty of witnesses around, sure, but it didn't matter. I didn't go running to the news to cry about it; I just let it go.

As for the kids... school bullies today? They'll threaten you, insult you, swear at you. It doesn't matter if your dad is a saint or a criminal. They do it because they can. Because they're bored. It’s always been that way, and it always will be.
They messed with me back in the day because of what my father did for a living. If they want to pick on you at school, they'll find a reason. 🤷

Larry Gray said:Look, maybe this isn't a perfect comparison, but let's look at the bigger picture: do you really think it's okay for someone to take your private info and blast the details of an accident all over Facebook as some kind of public warning, even if it was a genuine accident where an animal died despite your best intentions?

Sure, the guy put those puppies in a closed carrier, which—in my book—makes him incredibly stupid (I mean, he actually drove that same carrier back to the shelter afterward, which is just ridiculous), but does that justify broadcasting his life to everyone, labeling him an "animal abuser" and a "killer," and then turning his entire family into targets?

They didn't just notify everyone; it was one person who decided to leak it to the news... 🤷 if this had stayed on Facebook, it would have been much more contained...

And as for people attacking his family, I haven't seen any of that happen yet... 🤷
What, if someone spits at a woman in front of a grocery store, do we immediately call ATJ Lucko? 🙄