Boycott The Guardian!

[ParaHandy]

... thud ... our grauniad arrives late. paper-boy's playing truant again and working himsel' up for an ASBO ...

all seems in order ... picture on front page and chunk inside .. decent enough and accurate article in G2 (must have been well prepared to appear in Oxford editions)

people just don't take the time to read things properly, don't youse think .. ?!

 

[StugeronSteve]

Alex, I do not, in any way, wish to belittle Ellen's achievements. There can be few people that cannot appreciate what an extraordinary feat she has performed. However, like jimi, I do feel that I have to defend the right of the Guardian to express a view.

I do question your opinion that Ellen is of a "dying breed". Humans are just as adventurous now as they have ever been, and the exponential growth of "extreme" and adventure sports, to my mind, bears this out. The problem is that there are few places left on this planet for the "pioneer" to pioneer, and in this sense Ellen is pushing the envelope, rather than pioneering. The Vendee, the Oryx, etc, etc, are full of human beings with similar drive, when you add to this the "ordinary joe public", individuals and couples, who sell everything for their own adventures, it is pretty clear that human race is not content to just sit on its collective arse.

Yes, there's loads of bull s##t in the papers and on the news, but it is only by reading the contrasting ways in which the issues are presented that we are able to decide for ourselves what is right and what matters.

Long may journalists express their opinions. If a time comes when they cannot we really will be up effluent inlet, in a paddle free zone!

 

[Salty]

[ QUOTE ]
people just don't take the time to read things properly, don't youse think .. ?!

[/ QUOTE ]

Quite right. My post was about the on-line edition.

 

[Ships_Cat]

Well Jimi, one consolation, you will be able to have a shave in all the lather that post's whipped up /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

John

 

[AlexL]

Yeah I take your point - There probably still are alot of 'extreme' or 'pioneering' people around, It just pi55es me off that a bunch of desk jockeys empoyed by the media seem to feel the need to denigrate it all the time these days. Decades ago these people were hero's. I'm a staunch defender of free speech and quite agree that everyone has a right to express an opinion, but this climate of constant negativity and sniping by the media is getting to be too much.
Much as I dislike alot of the flag waving and jingoism of the Americans, I do admire the support they give to their National hero's. Hell I bet the French are more supportive of Ellens acheivments than most of this country is.

 

[Salty]

Imagine the scene. It's pitch black in the early hours of the morning. Wind howling, rain lashing down, stomach heaving, head reeling. No sleep for hours, nor much prospect of any. Commanders has been on the blower: 'only a few hours to go - come on you can do it'. You don't know what you're doing here, or why you ever accepted the challenge in the first place. But do it you must. You stumble to the communcations centre, tripping over things in the dark, grazing your knuckles, spilling your tea as you put it down by the keyboard.....








....And all because your editor has decided he needs to run the 'contrary view' on Ellen and ordered you to knock something up slagging her off for the first editions...Hell, must be easier to be in the sodding boat.

 

[jimi]

There are many people who pushing the boundaries of their sport or discomfort who have gone and are going unsung.

 

[StugeronSteve]

Yeah, but the French are no better.

I'm reliably informed that Le Monde never even mentioned the world gurning championships, and the things that guy did with his face, b####y amazing!

As for the Germans, there was b****r all, in Die Weld, about Claysie's "gentlemen's cruise" last year either.

 

[Ohdrat]

[ QUOTE ]
Claysie's "gentlemen's cruise

[/ QUOTE ]

Now there's extreme sport for you.. I wonder if Ellen would attempt anything like that?

 

[zefender]

Surely all "wan*k*rs" are self serving?

 

[StugeronSteve]

Nah, tough as she is, I just don't think she'd have the balls for it.

 

[amadeus]

It read to me like the musings of a london based indoor writer who knew little of the sport and was uninterested in the scale of the achievement. Fair enough; journalists are not exactly picked for their practical skills or sporting knowledge. Bob Fisher should have been ashamed of himself criticising her in the article as he did though. He should be using the opportunity to promote the sport and encourage outsiders to look further not having a sexist rant. I wouldn't want to cross the Solent with him either! Interestingly there was a similar whiny article later on about rambling and why few black or jewish people enjoy that pursuit. Seems the journos should get out of the city and see the lovely country we live in a bit more often.

 

[jimi]

Heard an interview yesterday morning with a Lakedistrict NT guide who's been told to stop taking walking tours on the fells because the ethnic mix was'nt good enough .. daft or what!

 

[StugeronSteve]

"Only appealing to white, middle class, middle aged people".

Apparently the walks have been saved, for another year, thanks to a thirty grand personal donation.

 

[catmandoo]

To throw a pebble into the muddy waters

One might deplore people getting satisfaction from other peoples successes - success leeches .

Those who sponge off others and do not get inspired to do something success ful themselves however small .

 

[Rustyknight]

[ QUOTE ]
Yes a bunch of self serving wan*k*rs who have totally missed the point. Wonder what they spend their days doing?

[/ QUOTE ]

They probably spend all their time in the office on internet bulletin boards talking about the things that really matter. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[oldgit]

No chance of you lot clearing off and doing some sailing then?

No thort not,mind you tis a bit cold out there.Still come August expect your all be getting in our way again.




A MoBo. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[phanakapan]

While I totally agree with any paper presenting contrary points of view, and as such have no issue with the Guardian itself today- I do object to a so-called Sailing correspondant (Bob Fisher) getting his facts totally wrong- he said Ellen only ever sailed solo! What about the crewed open 60's, the 2 man transats etc etc.
What a pompous and inaccurate a**

 

[Miker]

Which edition did you read? The finish made the front page of my Guardian and the G2 article seemed reasonably balanced to me. As has already been said, the part objected to was a quotation from a letter writer of the Daily Mail (?). Indeed, comparing Ellen to Amelia Earhart was quite a compliment.

 

[Salty]

It seems the on-line Guardian also decided it had maybe misjudged the mood. My moan first thing this morning was about it running with a column from some sniping tosser called Stephen Moss as its lead story on Ellen. It now seems to have demoted that down the headlines, so its lead is now 'On Top of the World'. A slight change in emphasis...