Job Discussion Forums

WorkingVaca · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 135

Choose where you are currently living and teaching ESL.

Albulbul · Joined: 08 Feb 2003 Posts: 364

What is the purpose of this "research" ? And who are you ?

Showem · Joined: 29 Jan 2003 Posts: 31

Don't be paranoid Albulbul, I'm curious too.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Well I am paranoid abouty this sort of thing too. Do you guys ever read the newspapers ? Or watch TV ?

WorkingVaca · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 135

LOL! I didn't ask for your vital statistics. I just wonder where most ESL teachers go.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

I am not sure how to answer as the answers seem already to be given:
I work in China (so-called 'Central Asia' - 0%, 0),
but I can argue that i live not in Central Asia but rather in Northeast Asia (Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, - 20%, 2), because I am based a little over 100 kms from HK.

johnslat · Posted: Sat Feb 15, 2003 2:29 pm Post subject: For What It's Worth

OK guys - it may be time for my favorite " Viet Nam song " - " For What It's Worth " by Buffalo Springfield:

" There's something happening here
What it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Tellin' me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound
Ev'rybody look what's goin' down

There's battle lines bein' drawn
Nobody's right if ev'rybody's wrong
Young people speakin' their minds
Gettin' so much resistance from behind

I think it's time we stop, children,
What's that sound?
Ev'rybody look what's goin' down

What a field day for the heat.
A thousand people in the street.
Singin' songs and carrying signs
Mostly saying "Hooray for our side"

Stop, children, what's that sound?
Ev'rybody look what's goin' down

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
Step out of line the men come and take you away

You better stop, hey, whats that sound?
Ev'rybody look what's goin' down "

I'll agree that paranoia CAN be a survival factor - but I really don't think we need to lose any sleep over WorkingVaca's poll. That's my opinion, anyway - for what it's worth.

Brenda · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 48 Location: Montreal, Canada

Tough to say, I'm currently volunteer teaching here in Canada but plan on being in Mexico by the end of March...

kvido · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 6

Don't worry, Scott47. Seems I just managed to bugger the poll completely.
25% of us in Easter Europe? Perhaps, but most of us are too involved in other activites to vote on this forum.

As for other info and Paranoia: The site DEFINITELY uses various pieces of info for ulterior purposes.

This isn't an honest discussion forum anymore, if it ever was. They throw anything they don't agree with into the 'memory hole' and The "moderators" are way too interested in our true identities, IP addresses, locations and so on.

Are the moderators and dave trying to match up IP addresses with a country/school/individual? Probably not and no need to get paranoid, but perhaps...

johnslat · Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2003 7:31 am Post subject:

Dear kvido,
Any idea what those " ulterior purposes " you mentioned might be? The reason I ask is that, so far, anyway, I haven't experienced any of the difficulties you wrote of - no " memory holes". And, if the" "moderators" are way too interested in our true identities, IP addresses, locations and so on ", I haven't seen any indication of that ( yet ). How has this interest manifested itself to you?

Kent F. Kruhoeffer · Joined: 22 Jan 2003 Posts: 2129 Location: 中国

Dear WorkingVaca,

What the heck. I placed my vote. I currently work in Russia, so I guess "Eastern Europe" was the right vote for me. On the other hand, Russia stretches all the way to Asia, so I *could have* voted twice.

As for "where the real ESL action is" ... it's probably a much better idea to look at the total number of posts (and/or topics) per country on the main board. Statistically, this would reflect more accurately where most ESL teachers *really* are, or would like to be, in my humble opinion.

As for being paranoid: I personally have no doubts about Dave's integrity, although I can't say the same thing for 'others' who may browse this forum with ulterior motives. Rolling Eyes

Big Brother is always watching, but this forum is probably *not* his first choice. Laughing

FrozenRegardsFromRussia,
kent

kvido · Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 6

Johnslat,
Let's say a person wanted to express legitimate concerns about this industry that are out of sync with another's ambitions in attracting fresh victims to a particular country. Such a person is viewed negatively by the powers that be.

Imagine, John, if you could eliminate any voice of opposition on this board against EFL in Riyahd. No warnings to the newbie about the capital and you'd have no problems finding recruits. Not only could you delete posts, but entire conversations about IPA (if they existed). Imagine if you had the ability to know from which computer and at what time these negative posts were made. You could sit in you school's computer lab and just wait and see who come in at that time every day.

Now, here's the trail that I expect to disappear by the weekend. - you see on the Saudi Arabia forum that a moderator can identify a poster's IP address. We know 3 "whingers" in Jubail are really the same person or post from the same computer - a moderator on Dave's gave us this info.

There are other trails but they don't exists. That's the nature of a memory hole.

So god help the poor teacher who finds himself posting a complaint on Dave's about an institution where the administrator (or friend of an administrator) is also a moderator on this forum.

I've virtually given up posting on this forum because I know Dave just wants happy stories about EFL and why should I help sucker poor saps into a bad situation? My positive and upbeat posts are kept but any balancing negativity has a life of a week at most.

johnslat · Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2003 11:03 am Post subject:

Dear kvido,
I suppose that grounds for concern can almost always be found, especially on the Internet when you're posting what you consider to be an anonymous message. I think it might have been Paul Gates ( the co-founder of Microsoft ) who declared ( something like ): There IS no privacy on the Net. I presume, though, that Dave chose the " moderators ", and I have a lot of confidence in Dave's judgement. I've posted some " negative comments " about the Women's Branch of the IPA on the Saudi Arabia board. And, quite frankly ( as my " user name " may indicate ) I don't care who here sees them. I think you may be wrong about Dave's only wanting happy stories ", though; I've seen enough " sad stories ", both on this forum and in the Job Information Journal, to make that seem unlikely. Maybe you're right; maybe I'm naive. But so far I haven't seen anything to make me concerned. Still, you may have a point in that, when/if in doubt be very, very cautious.
Regards,
John

MELEE · Posted: Mon Feb 17, 2003 4:10 pm Post subject:

Mexico is a NORTH American country!

(Mel - Hope you don't mind a little help with your fonts. Paul)

Brenda · Joined: 13 Feb 2003 Posts: 48 Location: Montreal, Canada

Melee,

I know what you mean, people will never get it straight..... (What is Canada then, NORTH North America? Heh heh)

Brenda