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by thirdcrank
18 Mar 2024, 12:39pm
Forum: Using the Forum - request help : report difficulties
Topic: Academic surveys
Replies: 8
Views: 234

Re: Academic surveys

I see a difference between the type of "poll" attached by the original poster of a thread and the type of academic survey I'm referring to.

I think the comment from graham helpfully linked above by gaz was referring to the former, the point being that a new forum member needs approval for their first post to try to ensure they are genuine but inclusion of a poll may point to spamming. For example, asking posters to rank anything and give comments in support is a warning sign.

I think genuine academic surveys are quite different although it's possible that a would-be spammer might try to disguise their motive.

This is the rationale for what I'm suggesting, based on my memory of graham's rule. Then, if somebody produced an arguably poor survey respondents would be replying only to the survey and could still offer their supplementary (?) advice directly to the creator of the survey and with no motivation to parade their knowledge to the entire forum.

My memory is that in the days of NVQs (?) surveys were typically a part of the work required to gain the relevant qualification and we did seem to get quite a lot. I think we should help and encourage academic research at any level but that help should be limited to pointing forum members towards the online link for such surveys.

I presume that most people conducting academic research which includes "cycling" in its terms does not want that to be mired in people displaying their "expertise" in conducting surveys.
by thirdcrank
17 Mar 2024, 6:13pm
Forum: Using the Forum - request help : report difficulties
Topic: Site response is slow
Replies: 31
Views: 6251

Re: Site response is slow

Perhaps the Forty Thieves have found a way back in.

:lol:
by thirdcrank
17 Mar 2024, 4:52pm
Forum: Using the Forum - request help : report difficulties
Topic: Academic surveys
Replies: 8
Views: 234

Re: Academic surveys

gaz

Thanks for that but it's not what I had in mind but it's time to let go
by thirdcrank
17 Mar 2024, 3:08pm
Forum: Using the Forum - request help : report difficulties
Topic: Academic surveys
Replies: 8
Views: 234

Re: Academic surveys

Unfortunately, my attempts to be concise seem to have led to misunderstanding.

I was trying to say that all the "etiquette" should be entirely the responsibility of the relevant academic institution. Then, if somebody wants to invite participation in a survey be that for a PhD or modern apprenticeship (if that's what they do now) then a suitably qualified member of the relevant institution should verify their genuineness. (Off the cuff I cannot think of another way of saying bona fides.) I'm not talking about grandmother's maiden name stuff but confirmation that the request is genuine

This isn't about those wanting to conduct genuine surveys. On the contrary, it's about deterring those forum members who would disrupt them, intentionally or otherwise
======================================
PS Psamathe posted while I was slowly scribing and I can only add

Anybody who thinks the survey might have been done differently can add their comments to the survey itself when they will have less motivation to parade their expertise in surveys.

====================================================

PPS Unfortunately, I cannot remember where I read graham's post about this. I don't think I'm hallucinating so this may be buried in the moderators' section of the forum, where I would have read it in my long-gone spambuster role. After all, there's no reason for the forum membership as a whole to be concerned about it
by thirdcrank
17 Mar 2024, 2:38pm
Forum: Using the Forum - request help : report difficulties
Topic: Academic surveys
Replies: 8
Views: 234

Academic surveys

Some years ago now, we had quite a lot of what I'll term "academic surveys." IIRC, these were a component of NVQs. One regular problem involved forum members who were much keener to criticise the format of a survey than to complete it.

I thought graham had formulated some rules, although I cannot find them now.

The main point was that applications to conduct such surveys had to include evidence of genuine academic origin to be personally approved by graham and once he had done so he created a thread with a link to the survey which he then locked. While this must have created work for graham it removed such surveys from the need for any further moderation.

If it's not obvious, I've been motivated to post this by a current thread inviting contributions to just such a survey, which has needed moderator invention.

viewtopic.php?p=1835107#p1835107
by thirdcrank
16 Mar 2024, 5:05pm
Forum: Using the Forum - request help : report difficulties
Topic: Site response is slow
Replies: 31
Views: 6251

Re: Site response is slow

I'm having vary slow response from this forum again. Other sites working as normal.

Imay have spoken too soon. It now seems ok
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 8:15pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54526

Re: The "Royals" Thread

I was born towards the end of WWII and was thus socialised into a certain view of the royal family and in particular the queen. One of the big events of my youth was the Aberfan Disaster. In particular, I remember that while the top men at the National Coal Board - eg Robens - were trying to dismiss the events from the remoteness of London, the queen went in person, a visit which included the rudimentary improvised mortuary.
queen-elizabeth-ii-and-prince-philip-visit-aberfan-in-wales-news-photo.jpg
No photoshopping etc in those days so no suggestions IIRC that it was somehow fiddled but she went and in person.
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 7:35pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54526

Re: The "Royals" Thread

rjb wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 3:56pm Kate's original photo released. In the circumstances I would have edited it too. :shock:
I thought this post made my point more eloquently than anything I might have said, but it seems you have to look back at it to see rjb's point.
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 5:59pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54526

Re: The "Royals" Thread

toontra wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 5:52pm This stuff matters. We need to have faith in the voracity of information we are fed by those in positions of authority (I include the royals in that category).

Prince Andrew would never have been held to account were it not for the picture showing him in a compromising position, which contradicted his story of never having met Virginia Giuffre. BTW experts have determined that particular image wasn't edited.

And that's why reputable press organisations won't touch "dodgy" pictures (despite what mattheus thinks :wink: )
Just to show I'm paying attention, I'll mention that I think you meant to write "veracity."
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 5:37pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: "Plus" vs breaker for fairy protection
Replies: 16
Views: 855

Re: "Plus" vs breaker for fairy protection

drossall wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 5:27pm On a tarmac surface, I think I'd have spotted anything like that when I was looking for the puncture. But it's true that I never did figure out exactly what happened.
I've never had anything as bad as that on a bike although in the early 1970s I picked up what was probably the remains of a spark plug in a tyre of my van and it sounded like a machine gun as it went round hitting the suspension.

Speaking as a former cycle commuter working rotating shifts, I can say without hesitation that I would not have noticed that caltrop (?) in the dark. Hence my former forum motto Gang warily
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 5:26pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54526

Re: The "Royals" Thread

Psamathe wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 5:18pm
thirdcrank wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 5:03pm
Psamathe wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 4:41pm
The image editing broke enough guidance for the agencies it was released through, guidance designed to prevent deception and fake images. Then why did they refuse to release the original? There were a lot of edits done way beyond colour/crop adjustments almost to the point where it would appear to potentially be a montage.

If there were nothing to hide why hide something? It's not the original edits as much as the refusal to release the original which strongly suggests there is deception going on.

Ian
I don't feel under any obligation to explain any of this but I do feel that the suggestion that this was part of some plot to deceive the public is bordering on the absurd. eg In what way does this image serve to deceive anybody? I mean "deceive" in the sense of a dishonest depiction.
There is the strong possibility of deception due to the fact that once the unacceptable editing was found the Royals refused to release the original and thus why? If there was nothing to hide, why hide it so obvious assumption is that there is something to hide (or we'd have seen the original and there would be no story beyond commenting on her editing skills)

There is good reason to release the original as the fake (as classified by the agencies) was apparently released to quiet down rumours about her doing badly. But refusal to release the original has (apparently) made the rumours even stronger. Release the original and they'd achieve what the set out to do but refuse to release the original and it make the situation even worse, opposite to their intent. Makes no sense unless there is deception.

Ian
I have nothing to add.
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 5:21pm
Forum: Touring & Expedition
Topic: Non-standard Bikes on Trains
Replies: 32
Views: 1242

Re: Non-standard Bikes on Trains

Perhaps the biggy here is not to assume that combining cycling and rail travel in England is easy or encouraged.

I date from the days when most if not all trains had generous provision for carrying luggage, typically in what was known as the guard's van. The fare for a pedal cycle was roughly the same as the "half" charged for child passengers. That system ended with guards vans.

If we are looking back, I remember an evocative account in the CTC mag by CJ of an End-to-End ride with his family and even with advance booking, they had problems with the bikes because the railway personnel had already filled the bike spaces with shellfish intended for top London eateries.
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 5:03pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54526

Re: The "Royals" Thread

Psamathe wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 4:41pm
thirdcrank wrote: 14 Mar 2024, 4:30pm In what way is anyone really being intentionally deceived?

As opposed to looking for something to get uptight about?
The image editing broke enough guidance for the agencies it was released through, guidance designed to prevent deception and fake images. Then why did they refuse to release the original? There were a lot of edits done way beyond colour/crop adjustments almost to the point where it would appear to potentially be a montage.

If there were nothing to hide why hide something? It's not the original edits as much as the refusal to release the original which strongly suggests there is deception going on.

Ian
I don't feel under any obligation to explain any of this but I do feel that the suggestion that this was part of some plot to deceive the public is bordering on the absurd. eg In what way does this image serve to deceive anybody? I mean "deceive" in the sense of a dishonest depiction.
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 4:30pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54526

Re: The "Royals" Thread

In what way is anyone really being intentionally deceived?

As opposed to looking for something to get uptight about?
by thirdcrank
14 Mar 2024, 2:26pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: The "Royals" Thread
Replies: 1350
Views: 54526

Re: The "Royals" Thread

I watched the BBC 10pm News coverage of this.

Clive Myrie was in the studio reading from the autocue or whatever they call it. This seems to be to promote the impression that the presentation is "off the cuff." Whatever his other qualities, CM is not the person for this:it was like something from Benny Hill but without Henry McGee.

Cut to a reporter in the street (and the pouring rain) near the outer wall of Windsor Castle, reviewing the "facts" including the suggestion that the image being discussed was part of a planned deception. Etc.