I think that the diversity of the reviewer pool could be a bit stronger. While there are a wide range of reviewers covering a variety of subjects, from consumer goods and local businesses to the more esoteric subjects like politics and religion, I feel like there are relatively fewer new reviewers coming around and sticking around like there were in the earlier years of the site.

My focus has always been social issues and politics. The site provides a decent platform to express these views. It's what has kept me coming back for nearly 10 years now (time flies!). But it would be nice to encourage a more ideologically diverse pool of reviewers to come in and review items of a political and social nature. A few years ago the political reviews/weblists in particular were a much stronger element of the site. Perhaps the exit of a lot of politically geared reviewers left a bit of a vacuum in its wake. Maybe the tone of the debate around here turned off some reviewers, or most likely a lot of people just plain old burned out. The point is, a lot of strong voices haven't been replaced on this site.

The challenge is clearly to ensure that we have a diversity of reviews that inform and entertain while maintaining user interest. Part of the winning formula is clearly to sustain and develop a wide base of diverse reviews.

If everyone was Conservative it would be pretty boring on here.

I agree with you, LadyJesusFan777, reviewers shouldn't fight with other reviewers or treat them with contempt, but rather should debate in a civil manner that furthers a discussion. But there are some on this site who are absolutely convinced that they, and only they, are right, and it appears that they get their jollies from and relieve their inner turmoil by being mean and nasty to others in their reviews. They can't stand to have anyone disagree with their opinions. I suspect that these types are so insecure, with such fragile egos, that differing opinions are very threatening to them. They really should get some therapy, but they won't, since that would imply that something is wrong with the way they think, which they never could admit to themselves, let alone others. People who can disagree civilly with others have much more inner strength than the shouters and screamers who can't control their emotions.

I think it's kind of interesting to see all of the different reviews and opinions as long as people don't fight and argue over differences of opinions.

Keeps me open-minded, that's for sure.

I live in a very liberal city and the part of the city I live in is even more so.I work with some libs and some righties.I like the cross section of views and I like that some people dont give a rat's tuchis about politics.

All in all, I think RIA has a pretty decent cross-section of views being expressed most of the time on the majority of topics covered. However in stating this, one area that perhaps has some slight room for improvement is the overall representation of moderate ratings/commentary. Opinion-wise, the more nuanced, subtle shades of grey tend to occassionally get lost on some weblists, yet for me, these are frequently the more interesting posts to read. Other than that I've no real complaints regarding this, for as a rule, intellectual/philosophical diversity is something that typically thrives on this site.

Well, I guess things are pretty diverse around here; things always tend to lean towards extremes, no matter where you go. But, regardless, that's something that RIA can't really control.

That's one of the things I like the best about RIA.

I think RIA is very diverse, sure it's not cool to admit it, but that's what I've observed from personal experience. Most message boards in existence are somewhat specialist ones, they will generally have appeal to people of a certain location, religion, gender, age or more likely a special interest. I've found that on most of those boards I've been too the population are NOWHERE NEAR as diverse as the people in RIA. Why is this? This is because on RIA anything goes, since anything can be discussed, with the theme not geared to any particular interest, age group, religion etc, a lot of very different people emerge as regulars. This is a good thing, most places I go I can only chat about a few things, my experience is marginalized, here I can chat politics with Redoedo, discuss Star Trek with ClassicTvFan, consider evolution with Kamylienne or just generally annoy irishgit. It's because the gate is open for everyone to come in that so many different people do, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Nothing special. I see greater diversity of opinions from my colleagues, or down at the local boozer on a Saturday night.

As a loyal reviewer and poster on RIA, I truly enjoy and appreciate the awesome diversity which convers this site. Espescially in the political area. Regardless of your party or thinking, I value most of the posts and some of them have actually made me rethink my own position on a certain issue. Out of all the posters on this website, Castlebee is my favorite. Not just because she is the #1 poster with the most number of helpful votes, but because all of her posts are so insightful. I don't necessarily agree with her on everything, but she gives honest reasons for how she feels about something. Keep it up Castlebee! And to all the other posters who make up the diverse website, keep it up. Remember, this is America, and our agreement to disagree is what makes this country so great.

I like the diversity of opinions on the site. I am a little surprised by some of the complaints of my fellow reviewers. Who cares if someone goes through all of your comments and gives you 15 "not helpful" reviews? I love it when people do this to me. . .it feels good to inspire periodic revulsion in others. . .

It's just endless when it comes to diversity on this site. I have read opinions ranging from outstanding to downright asinine (in my opinion of course). I truly enjoy reading the many contrasting opinions here. Good or bad I always learn something new everytime I come here.

America needs diversity. This site would be boring if everyone agreed on everything. Again, some people have too be so immature that they click not helpful like 15 times.

I like getting the chance to read opinions from raters from all over world and different ages. It is interesting to see what others think about different subjects, products,etc.Whether i agree with someone or not it is nice to see what others have to say. this site for the most part has been an enjoyable one to visit. Even with the spoilsports who only come on for their idea of a fun time. I have chosen to not let people like them drive me away. I am glad to see that other RATEITALL reviewers are sticking around too. It their only idea of rating is pushing the "NO" button. whatever!I will still be here, because I think the rest of the reviewers are fun to read.

To me it seems that the majority, by far, of the people who actively leave ratings and comments are fairly right-wing. This pervades every possible topic of discussion and, while its not necessarily negative, it means that when you click on a topic you won't get a wide range you'll get a very right-wing perspective of the particular topic.

It is precisely the site's diversity that i most appreciate.Before recently discovering RateItAll,other(more specialist) websites had left me feeling never properly satisfied.It's so much more enjoyable to come across such a range of interests and opinions.Even where polarised disagreements occur,(as is to be expected,and part of the fun)i still get the impression of a friendly community spirit.Where else can you come across views and information on,for example,Van Gogh,skateboards,Wales,Hinduism,perfumes,boxing,U.S /Canadian rivalry,philosophers,Egyptian politicians,other websites,beauty products,the Great Wall of China,bagpipes,Dante,Merengue dancing,the latest sitcoms and actresses,Portuguese cuisine,chow chow dogs,Spanish conquistador explorers,rap music,children's books,Salzburg,past American presidents,personal watercraft,Japanese films,board games,Caribbean islands,bird magazines,science fiction,blueberries etc etc (the list seems endless)..in close,delightfully unpredictable proximity.The main improvement i'd personally like to recommend would be for the Sports section to be internationalised a little more,and i'd also be happy for a section on poets to be added.I feel strangely at home here,find the time calming,and can publicise my beloved,neglected world cinema films,or pass comment on a completely different topic, at leisure and as the mood takes me.I'm becoming addicted,but am unconcerned.The image of the Internet user as some sad loner is shattered-so many thoughtful,interesting,(occasionally hilarious and outrageous) people on this genuinely democratic, "people's" site,and with a wide range of ages.Check out the excellent other comments on this topic.Best wishes to all,and have a lovely day.

First of all - Freak I just have to say - you really outdid yourself with your award presentations! And I'm not just saying that because I was one of the recipients - it was just a very creative approach! Kudos my young liberal friend! Anyway, once again, I digress so on to the topic. When I first saw the word diversity I was thinking more along the lines of race, culture or country. I do think we have input from several countries in the world - though it seems the U.S. has the biggest input. And more than likely many races and cultures are represented as well (but unless they specifically mention it, it can be very difficult to tell.) I also agree that we have a great amount of plain old diversity of opinion on this site. Some see it as leaning too far left or right, but I honestly see a real scattering of ideas and ideals. We cover the thought spectrum pretty well. That - and of course the chance to yap about my own ideas and views is why I keep coming back so often. So it is with sincerity that I say (though a tad early) - to all the liberals, conservatives, old hippies, boomers, the best generation, x generation, and the next generation, to those who love Disney videos to those who embrace the teachings of Oprah or the depravity of Howard, to the well read, the swelled head, the (grateful) dead head, and Freddie Mercury's most devoted fan … Happy New Year! I hope we all return to RIA - safe, happy, healthy and ready to agree, disagree and agree to disagree in 2002!

I agree completely with TheFreak. There is such a polarization of views on this site. There are the extremists (on both sides) and moderates on political issues. Same with musicians and countries. The diversity of the comments here are amazing. To have two people like Marc Chatow and noah is definitely a compliment to the site's diversity. I have to commend a few people for their articulation in comments on the Rateitall site- TheFreak, MedgarEvers, Neil8, Lord of the Waves, magellan, wiggum, and all the other people who always put thought into their comments.

Since I already explained the diversity of Rateitall in one of my previous comments, it is time for me to present my own invention that I have been planning and preparing for days: The Rateitall Reviewer Diversity International Appreciation Day. This is where I will present a couple of awards to some special reviewers who help to make RIA the diversity heaven that it is. All of these awards will be song titles or lyrics, which is why they have strange names. Even people like Dirt Dauber, who would try to take our diversity away from us, add to the big family of RIA users, no two alike. Now for my awards: The Ignoreland Award for strong arguments goes to ellajedlicka21, for his dedicated opposition to Ronald Reagan. The King of Comedy award for humor and cynicism goes to glorybox3, for his enjoyable, cynical, and sometimes downright hilarious comments. The Stairway to Heaven award for complexity goes to Neil8, for his complex, informative, helpful comments that provide us with a good read. The Life And How To Live It award for moderacy goes to abichara1882, for her rare ability to please anyone with something. The Headlong award for loveable insanity goes to Dorkavitch Chamalsky for the way he "rushes headlong" into all his cool comments and there "ain't no stopping and he can't stop rocking". The Princes Of The Universe award for debating goes to two people, a liberal and a conservative: Marc Chatow and noah, for their strong holds on their opinions and the way they lead the fight for what they believe is right. The Wakeup Bomb award for the best comment under ten words goes to Jesica's Sun, for her comment on Freddie Mercury: "Who wants to live forever?" I couldn't have said it better myself! The World Leader Pretend award for leadership (duh!) goes to Wiggum, for the way he seems to keep everything running smothly here on RIA. The What's The Frequency Kenneth award for strangeness goes to fathi gepril elgawo, for their...slightly odd...R.E.M comment. The I'm Going Slightly Mad award for FREQUENT strangeness goes to remy, for his...odd...comments about everything he rates. The Who Needs You award for useful contributions goes to CastleBee, who, regardless of whether I agree with h(im)er, I gotta admit the quality of the comment. The We Are The Champions award for superior intelligence goes to magellan, for his comments that usually contain nothing but fact and helpfulness with maybe a little emotion or humor to spice it up And finally, The One I Love award. This award was a very tough decision to make. But I have decided to award it to two specific reviewer for their all-around tolerance, helpfulness, and smooothness. For their wisdom, insight, and maturity, and how I hope they never leave this wonderful place. We couldn't do without them The One I Love award goes to...Medgar Evers and afterglow70! Congratulations to all those who won an award, and to the rest of you who make excellent contributions and make RIA what it is. If you feel I left out an award, please send me a message and I will acknowledge you somewhere. Take care, everyone!

I think this site is very diverse. it's interesting to read other people's opinions on stuff, whether I agree with them or not.

I'd have to say that the diversity of reviewers is pretty spectacular on RIA. The entire political spectrum is covered between Ruby and Neil8 with vocal and well-meaning voices such as bdram and Eric the Federalist (ETF) falling somewhere in between. RIA also boasts a full range of intellectual capacity as illustrated by the contrasting writing styles of Wiggum and the three headed monster of MChatow, Marc Chatow, and ImpeachBushNow. There are lovers of all genres of music, all professions, all countries, and all sports. There are people passionate about lizards, potatoes, tango, and the color blue. There are those that support Pringles and those that prefer Lays, and those that that would rather go out with an honest person than someone with an nice body. And there are people that wish to strike back with everything against any country implicated with terrorist activity, and those that would rather turn the other cheek. And then there is Castlebee who seems able to write a thoughtful comment about virtually anything. It seems to me that the beauty of RIA is its ability to cover everything and anything - the trivial to the crucial - and in a way in which everyone is free to contribute their two cents. I really enjoy the community that RIA has become, and want to thank all of you for sharing your thoughts... there really is an amazing collection of opinions on this site, and the fact that it was organically grown by us -the community of RIA users - is pretty cool.