Sensationalism on DR1?

[NALs]

Originally Posted by DAKRA

Hey NALs, I really enjoy the polls and their commentary.

The purpose of a poll is to make people discuss the topic and discuss why the results are what they are.

The purpose of the poll creator is to get as many votes as possible per poll.

But, of course, even then people want to believe in "conspiracies" and "hidden agendas".

In the mean time, I ask myself why did few people voted "NO" in this poll?

And how can an agenda be propagated when a poll gives people the option to be positive or negative? Would the critics be criticizing this poll if most people would have voted "NO"?

Would the claims of a "hidden agenda" had been made had the results been a majority voting "NO"?

Well, I guess Anthony J. D'Angelo was right when he said:

“Reality doesn't bite, rather our perception of reality bites."

-NALs

[BushBaby]

Originally Posted by johne

"don't believe all of what you read" is 65% accurate in this case when it comes to the information given on DR1. Shame on me-I never would have thought my fellow posters would feel compelled to sensationalize to this degree.

Gonna buy a new pair of rose colored glasses first thing this morning.Thanks for the info Nals.
john

Following your point on 'rose coloured glasses' john, aren't WE the ones who are regularly accused of painting a 'rosier' picture so as to protect our investments?? Aren't WE the ones who play down the facts so as to make the DR more attractive to other 'wannabee' Ex-Pat?? If that is the case, then obviously the crime rate problem is BIGGER than what we are saying/posting about here??

I take your point about 'The Experts' who glean their information from "Reliable Government Data" (now there's an oxymoron) whilst they sit in a far off place checking out wikipedia each day & have to note this:-

A few weeks ago prices of oil had been coming down for a couple of consecutive weeks - therefore PRICES OF OIL WERE REDUCING. We ALL knew this was a true fact likely to last until the end of the year didn't we??

Yeah, ......... RIGHT!!!

(Sorry Chris. Don't understand your comment to Nals - are you saying that we that live here are making comments that the crime rate is REDUCING??? I don't agree with that & I don't think that YOU do either. YES, we are hopeful that Santa Claus will come with a strong & efficient police force this Navidad but being realistic ..................................... ~ Grahame.gre:

[BushBaby]

Originally Posted by NALs

The purpose of a poll is to make people discuss the topic and discuss why the results are what they are. -NALs

Errrr, back to wikipedia please Nals!! YOUR interpretation of the purpose of a poll is totally inconsistent with that of pollsters!!

Originally Posted by NALs

The purpose of the poll creator is to get as many votes as possible per poll.
-NALs

So forget putting something together which is going to produce reliable information on which to base decision making ....... it is the number of VOTES cast that is the important factor ...... correct??? ~ Grahame.

[NALs]

Originally Posted by Bushbaby

Errrr, back to wikipedia please Nals!! YOUR interpretation of the purpose of a poll is totally inconsistent with that of pollsters!!

Just because you do something doesn't mean others do it too, but thanks for projecting your habit onto me. Your secret is safe with me.

BTW, that's how every poll was created. Click and read, click and read, click and read.... in the polls forum, of course.

Polls reflect public opinion, unlike research which reflects reality.

Two different things, but of course, you wouldn't know that since Wikipedia doesn't make a distinction between the two.

Originally Posted by Bushbaby

So forget putting something together which is going to produce reliable information on which to base decision making ....... it is the number of VOTES cast that is the important factor ...... correct??? ~ Grahame.

Just like the free newspapers of the DR, with their dependence on advertising revenue for their survival.

The higher the circulation, the better!

If people want reliable information, they should do an actual research based on facts, not on the opinions of others.

But, polls on DR1 show what DR1 as a community thinks of a particular subject, unlike a newspaper which shows what happened blended with the opinion and biases of the journalist and, perhaps, the entire newspaper organization.

Unlike a newspaper, polls offer good and bad options for voters to choose and the results speak on behalf of the DR1 community.

Very democratic.

-NALs

[Chris]

Will try again, this one did not work for me ..

[johne]

Thought about this question last nite while I watched my bridge partner play her hand.Interesting how people can see a whole other way of looking at things.

So, "Do DR1's senationalize their stories about 'negative' experiences in the DR?"
My answer is >no< IF you separate out all the sankie threads. I think that many of the sankie threads are things right out of trash paperbacks. Reek of "sensationalism". Once that segment is pulled out I don't believe reports of negative experiences are sensationalized.

[BushBaby]

You can't go doing things like THAT johne - putting a 'Proviso' into one of Nals' polls!!! That would destroy the whole concept of his ill conceived & badly formulated poll questions!!

I used to think that his polls were badly put together simply because he did not know how to do this correctly - I had not realised (until today when he responded earlier in this thread) that it was because he did not understand what a poll was supposed to do. It was suggested to him some 18 months ago that he should study some basic material on how to conceive & write a set of poll questions to illicit the responses needed but although he may have READ that material, it obviously would have made no sense to him as his basic understanding of what a poll IS was flawed before starting. To then 'waffle on' about newspapers doing it & trying to justify his inability to hear what others here are saying ..... just beggars belief!

I stopped my involvement with the actual polls some time ago on the grounds that I found them totally impossible to answer correctly (badly worded, ill conceived, contradictory are just a few flaws I noticed) but I would come in to look at the debates as I found some of the posters had some interesting points to make & I am always prepared to see the views of others, even though I may not always agree with them. As you so rightly say "Interesting how people can see a whole other way of looking at things". Following the above statements by the OP as to 'why' he puts polls together in the way that he does, I doubt I shall be visiting even the discussions in future!!

To answer the question posed however, I feel that DR1 posters WILL sensationalose when they have an agenda or wish to make themselves out to be more important than they otherwise would be. 90% of DR1 posters will tell it 'as they see it' & NOT sensationalise. Maybe THAT could/should have been the question polled ..... the % of sensationalising?? ~ Grahame.

[Lambada]

Originally Posted by Criss Colon

Here is MY Poll!

This is ONLY for posters who have actually lived in the DR,"Full Time" for at least 10 years! (Thats right NALS, You don't "qualify" for this one!!!) Not for "Vacationers"!!!!

1) "IS THERE MORE "CRIME" NOW THAN WHEN YOU FIRST MOVED HERE????"

2) HAS "CRIME" INCREASED OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS, 3)THE LAST 2 YEARS?"

4) HAVE YOU,OR A MEMBER OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD BEEN A VICTIM OF A CRIME???"

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Here's one I can answer. I added numbers CCCC so as not to have to repeat:
1)Yes
2)Yes
3)Yes
4) No

Actually you have a good idea here by including question 4) because what that seems to tease out is how much perception is coloured by personal experience of crime. I am a positive person not a cassandra like hand wringer but I know what I see even though I have personally not been a direct victim.

So my experience after 15 years fulltime living here comes from what I see & know, not from a victim's perspective which may take a while to bounce back.

If anything maybe a lot of long term residents have reduced posting on DR1 about crime because they now take it as a 'given'?

[Criss Colon]

Before I moved here 12 years ago. I was a "Single Guy" and made the MOST of a good situation! I lived in Boston,and came here several times a month! I was "Head-Over-Heals" in "LUST"!! I thought the girls were fantastic! The music,food,weather,beaches,"Presidente" were unbelievable! I lived like an "International Playboy"!! I ate "Dominican"! Hung out in "Discos",and Colmadoes all night long! I thought the people were the nicest in the World! You know; "Poor",but "Happy"!I was a "Dominican Wannabe"! Just like so many of you are now!!!!
That was "then",and this is "Now"!!!

After I moved here,got married,went to work,and had 4 kids,I had a "Stroke" of REALITY!!
I,"AM NOT,and NEVER WILL BE A "DOMINICAN"!!! ....Nor do I ever want to be!!!!!!!!!!!

I have since learned how difficult life here really is! Not so much for me and my family,we have money,but for the "average" Dominican!
No money for school,health care,housing! Everyone will "Steal" from you! They may call it something else,but everyone is always "On-The-Take"!! It is their way of life. Starts at the "President",government,business,families,down to the "Limpia Bota'! One way or another you will be taken advantage of,stolen from,ripped off! Or whatever you want to call it!
In fact, my "Right Hand",doesn't trust my "Left"!!!!
The DR may be a "Paradise" is you have a million dollars a year to spend,or if you come here for a vacation,or even once a month, BUT: Until you live here "24/7" you never can,and never will begin to really "Understand" the DR,or the Dominican "Mind Set"!
When you live,work,and raise a family here,you will not only have all the same problems you have if you live in the USA,Canada,England,or Europe,you will be, "On Your Own"!!! "ZERO" government services to help out! No Police,no Fire dept. No "Real" first class medical care. (I KNOW!!) No water,lights,or sewers! Garbage Everywhere! You are on your own to provide all the above! And believe me THAT costs a small fortune! Many of the people who are extoling the virtues of the DR are "Flying Solo"! No dependents to provide for. THAT is a piece of CAKE! I worry everyday if I am doing the "right thing" by raising my children here????? I still don't know! The only person who may is "Hillbilly"! He did it,but "Believe me I know "Hillbilly",and I a no "Hillbilly! He is my "ONLY" roll model in the DR!
"Somebody please kick that "soapbox" out from under me before I
go on any farther!

Cris Colon
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[CFA123]

Criss C,
To remain on topic... your post was sensational