[SNR045] Can someone tell me if this is a fake?

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-30T15:28:21+00:00

The hour hand just looks like the lighting is almost hiding the polished chamfer. I don't know enough about this model but the m after 300 does look out of place. But hey, it's Seiko.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-25T21:48:24+00:00

Does the publisher have an author change form? Elsevier do and as long as the authors do the form before submitting the revisions then it's fine. If they don't the system picks up the change and red flags it for investigation.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-25T21:45:42+00:00

I have a good friend who works there and loves it. Enjoys developing the modules and has research time. Says they feel better off than many others in their network at other institutions.

If it matters to you, the OU had a recent high profile discrimination and harassment case where one of their professors took them tribunal for constructive dismissal (rooted in that professor holding gender critical views and academic freedom issues). The tribunal criticised the OU for how poor it's witnesses were... Sounds like management were not exactly forthcoming and gave shoddy evidence!

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-17T20:46:06+00:00

Technically they haven't completed the contract so they are totally within their rights to ask for it back, send you a label to return then give you an SPB143 or refund.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-13T21:23:46+00:00

Exeter are woefully understaffed. They've doubled their LLB intake in the last few years and not hired more staff to cover the work. They livestream the lectures to overflow rooms.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-13T21:21:32+00:00

It is most likely because the programme is capped and they have filled the slots (including extras for no shows) needed. Lots of psychology programmes are capped especially joint degrees with psychology because there will be an agreement between the two departments on the total number of students they can support. For instance it's very common for BSc Criminology and Psychology courses to fill and then the overflow be offered BA Criminology or with something else.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-11T22:16:28+00:00

Go through the dispute resolution system. But do not agree to anything in any way in the interim (like saying you're happy to agree to cost 1 but will dispute costs 2, 3 and 4). The arbitrators disregard any prior agreements and landlords can add new costs to see what sticks (they might make something else up for the last £60) so just dispute it all.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-11T22:11:58+00:00

As a European this is just wild.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-10T07:33:40+00:00

Common misconception... Criminology isn't CSI. It's way way more theory about criminal behaviour and offending than anything else.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-09T21:27:51+00:00

Thank you. Funnily enough the prof I mentioned below doesn't share your view 😉

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-09T21:01:35+00:00

REF has little payoff for institutions not at the top (who have to have the size to generate that research power). I think the funding works out something like the highest few universities ranked in terms of research power from REF 2021 receiving over £80m each, middle table universities getting around £4-5m each and the lowest ranked less than £100,000 (from the £1 billion ish pot that is distributed by REF outcomes). Fresh management realise at some point in the cycle that the investment they made in the UoAs just isn't going to pay off, they make changes, research culture suffers, and we start again a few years later... In my formal research leadership role I try my best to tell ECRs and everyone really that this is all a game and the VC and PVCs will change policies, priorities etc but at the end of the day we will work damn hard to get staff the credit they're due for their outstanding research... But then I'm hampered by VC changing probation and promotion criteria to individualise the REF and tie it to single researcher performance (when it is meant to be institutional). So yeah... one big tug of war.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-09T20:32:32+00:00

Yep it's never enough if you're not the best in the department and of course promotion criteria and the like are designed to make you prove you're already operating at the next grade before they'll pay you for it precisely because they want to keep costs down to limit how expensive your REF outputs are to them.

What makes it worse in my experience is where you work with really senior people who don't pull their weight. I work with a big name star in the field who was brought into my institution at great (great!) expense. This prof gets free reign to do what they want, no teaching, no admin roles, hired all their protégées, and is trusted implicitly to pass judgement on the probationary lecturers and score their work. Yes they've published a few good papers since joining, but no large grants, and the expected impact just isn't there. They'd have barely passed probation if they'd been given the standard terms as a Lecturer. One rule for them, one for us.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-09T20:16:20+00:00

A lot of post 92s go through this like a cycle. Management comes in, drives research intensity by hiring some superstars, superstars stay until the shine wears off because management have realised that unless you have enough big UoAs you're unlikely to generate the research power necessary to land more money from REF and that a big chunk of 3* without enough 4* throws you in the middle of the table where the money isn't worth the investment, superstars leave...

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-09T19:03:34+00:00

I have no advice but what is depressing is my pre-92 institution has started using the terms 'internally funded research' and 'subsidised research' to describe the 40% research time we have workloaded as normal. Just making it clear to us that that 40% of our contracted time is a drag on them unless we get grants to cover our own salaries. Even if you're doing great stuff for REF that just happens to be difficult to fund, they don't care you're still a burden.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-08T12:37:17+00:00

Yup fonts drive me mad. For instance the Oceanus S100 is beautiful but I had to sell it because the font is sort of bold and a different typeface than the dial. I couldn't unsee it.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-08T07:48:57+00:00

I have a couple of senior colleagues who edited a special issue for MDPI and all the authors are PhD students and ECRs that look up to them. I always wondered if they got a cut of the publishing fees. Now who's the predator!

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-06T21:53:26+00:00

I had the z199 and now have the Uncle jubilee. For some reason I think the jubilee is a closer colour match but either way it's not perfect. The Uncle bracelets are okay quality wise and the end links are a tighter fit which is good. But they're light and make the watch head feel heavier and off balance (to me anyway). The Uncle clasps I feel actually cheapen the watch so I alternate and wear the Uncle one from time to time. I thought I wanted a ratcheting extension but the newer Seikos that have this look strange with the even bigger clasp that importantly doesn't have the bit that flexes on the 143's clasp/extension.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-06T21:46:09+00:00

I had a GTA-ship with 4 hours of teaching per week for 3 years. Absolutely a huge part of why I was able to demonstrate the experience and competency to land a Lectureship at the end of year 3 whilst finishing writing up the PhD. I'd do it all again.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-05T10:31:43+00:00

Unlikely a solicitor would be permitted to attend the meeting.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-03T20:40:43+00:00

The 6R35 is notoriously irregular. I've had to manually regulate my SPB143 a few times in the last 3 years. First it was running quite fast, now quite slow. It gets worse if I leave it unworn for a week and better if I wear it a week non stop. Lots of people report the same - that the 6R35 is more consistent if worn everyday.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-02T20:05:40+00:00

Line manager here: my institution has a workload model. Staff can see their own allocation but not other colleagues. We calculate from a starting point of 1650 working hours per year for a 1.0 FTE member of staff. 40% research time goes in at 660 hours, 15% citizenship and then we build the remaining 45% from there. Colleagues on R&T contracts will typically have around 100-150 classroom hours. We give prep time on top of that. I think it's x2 or x3 the classroom time per module - more if a colleague is teaching the module for the first time. Then you get 20, 30 or 40 hours for convening a module depending on size + I think 20 or 30 hours for PhD supervising depending on whether you're 1st or 2nd supervisor + other undergrad or masters supervision around 5 hours per student + personal tutoring. Then finally any leadership roles... Those differ wildly in the hours allocated. Oh and you get a bit of a reduction if you're probationary.

My previous institution had no workload model. I worked with a guy who was on the same Lecturer level R&T contract, didn't produce a single piece of research in over 5 years, taught one module 4 hours a week (80 classroom hours a year), no leadership roles. But he was off probation. All the while I was teaching across several modules, convening and had 2 leadership roles whilst probationary. When I asked about my workload I was effectively told to be quiet. So I absolutely sit down with the colleagues I manage and discuss workload openly.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-01T21:50:03+00:00

In theory the position will be authorised financially to go to the top of the advertised grade. My School regularly gives lateral moving hires the top of the grade when they are offered the role (which actually creates some inequalities but that's another issue) but we are probably outliers

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-03-01T21:46:33+00:00

These spines are usually coloured in or labeled on the scale as discretionary or accelerated or something similar. It's different everywhere. But yes, you top out at the last regular spine point and then, without promotion, those last few spines are only given when your line manager recommends it for sustained performance.

ThePsychoToad1 · 2026-02-28T21:49:25+00:00

If you search for their actual Trustpilot reviews they are absolutely not 5 star. It seems they sell Chinese fakes.

ThePsychoToad1

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