RNLI vs Daily Mail

[Thistle]

I'm not a Mail reader so was a little surprised to receive an e-mail from the RNLI, who I support, setting out their side of the story and pointing me towards further details at http://email.rnli.org.uk/HS?b=8M1Mk...LUdfoX2N51cPUptE0ku6&c=abspgjaIKZqGBx0Ncin7wA .
Looks like a fairly high risk strategy to me. What is it they say about "truth being the first casualty of a war"?

I think I'll settle back with the popcorn on this one.

 

[Angele]

I've just had the same email.

I think this got some airing in the recent thread started by Sybarite a couple of weeks ago. Much as I'm loathe to resurrect any thread on the RNLI, here is a link: http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?500048-It-s-that-time

 

[Heckler]

I'm not a Mail reader so was a little surprised to receive an e-mail from the RNLI, who I support, setting out their side of the story and pointing me towards further details at http://email.rnli.org.uk/HS?b=8M1Mk...LUdfoX2N51cPUptE0ku6&c=abspgjaIKZqGBx0Ncin7wA .
Looks like a fairly high risk strategy to me. What is it they say about "truth being the first casualty of a war"?

I think I'll settle back with the popcorn on this one.

Silly people, the first rule taught to me as a Councillor by our PR dept was dont get involved in a scrap with a newspaper!
So not only are they silly for doing a politically correct firing, they are being pushed forward by the PC ones to get in to a scrap with the second biggest circ tabloid in the country! Smooth move Exlax was what my old American boss used to say!

 

[Kukri]

In any dispute between the RNLI and the Daily Mail, "the Lifeboat" can count on me.

How many lives has Paul Dacre:

(a) saved?

(b) blighted?

 

[Heckler]

In any dispute between the RNLI and the Daily Mail, "the Lifeboat" can count on me.

How many lives has Paul Dacre:

(a) saved?

(b) blighted?

Its not the RNLI as we know it.

 

[lpdsn]

I wonder what percentage of the RNLI's legacy income comes from Daily Mail readers? (OK, being pedantic they're probably ex Daily Mail readers by the time the will is opened.)

Being serious though, I've tended to defend the RNLI against Sybarite's challenges, but there must've been over half a dozen serious spats between the RNLI and crews/cox'ns in the last year or so. It's very hard for volunteers to put their side of the story out fairly against a large organisation's PR machine, so I don't really know who's in the right or wrong, but they can't all be wrong surely. Sounds like the RNLI's PR machine has now chosen a much bigger target.

It does seem to me though that the RNLI's management claim their large salaries to manage volunteers and to manage PR to get donations. If they can't do either of those well enough maybe they need new managers.

 

[captainhaddock]

What a dilemma - believe the Daily Wail or believe the RNLI - probably neither!

 

[Kukri]

What a dilemma - believe the Daily Wail or believe the RNLI - probably neither!

If I yell PAN into ch 16, or fire a flare, etc., the RNLI will do their level best to rescue me, “whether I need it or no” (as was said of Queen Elizabeth the First’s strange habit of having a bath every month!).

I doubt if Mr Dacre and his lot would do as much for me.

So it’s the RNLI by a short head.

 

[Mark-1]

It's a padded version of what the RNLI produced just after the article appeared.

Inept. They're reignited an old story, confirming much of it, and in the process starting a battle with a large circulation newspaper.

I was one of the people in the previous thread arguing that there must have been significantly more to the "smutty mug" story than had been revealed and there was no way the RNLI would dismiss volunteers over a first offence of "smutty mugs". In this release, and in the previous one they're simply revealing that the mugs were *really* *really* smutty. That's pretty much a confirmation that there wasn't more to it - it *was* just smutty mugs all along. Serious yes, but not worthy of dismissal of a volunteer for a first offence. Insane.

I'm one of a very large number of people who would never have even seen this story if the RNLI hadn't widely published two rebuttals that do more confirming than rebutting.

 

[DownWest]

Don't think any sailer doubts the guys who man the boats, but there does seem to be a problem with the higher management.
I am increasingly suspicious of the ethics of many of the 'charities'. Are they doing good, or looking after themselves? The RNLI does great work in saving lives. I would like to think that retired senior military personnel would work for them for a nominal salary. Seems not.

 

[pvb]

Don't think any sailer doubts the guys who man the boats, but there does seem to be a problem with the higher management.
I am increasingly suspicious of the ethics of many of the 'charities'. Are they doing good, or looking after themselves? The RNLI does great work in saving lives. I would like to think that retired senior military personnel would work for them for a nominal salary. Seems not.

The big "charities" are actually big businesses, driven by the need to constantly raise incomes, by any means. The RNLI, RSPCA and National Trust all fit into this category, and are all receiving negative publicity because of their strange actions.

 

[Supine Being]

Don't think any sailer doubts the guys who man the boats, but there does seem to be a problem with the higher management.
I am increasingly suspicious of the ethics of many of the 'charities'. Are they doing good, or looking after themselves? The RNLI does great work in saving lives. I would like to think that retired senior military personnel would work for them for a nominal salary. Seems not.

Thing is, the guys running any large charity like the RNLI are doing a big, serious job, and that requires serious people. It’s not the same as helping out down the Scope shop on Saturdays. Those people are taking on a big responsibility and they need to be recompensed if you’re going to attract the right calibre of people.

 

[SimonFa]

Silly people, the first rule taught to me as a Councillor by our PR dept was dont get involved in a scrap with a newspaper!
So not only are they silly for doing a politically correct firing, they are being pushed forward by the PC ones to get in to a scrap with the second biggest circ tabloid in the country! Smooth move Exlax was what my old American boss used to say!

The phrase is never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel and is usually attributed to Mark Twain, but there is some dispute.

 

[lpdsn]

Thing is, the guys running any large charity like the RNLI are doing a big, serious job, and that requires serious people. It’s not the same as helping out down the Scope shop on Saturdays. Those people are taking on a big responsibility and they need to be recompensed if you’re going to attract the right calibre of people.

I actually found out what someone was being paid at a large charity (not the RNLI) and I'd go as far as to call it obscene. Maybe a little less than than someone might get for successfully running and expanding a company with a couple thousand employees, but the latter would be out on his ear if not up to scratch. However for an organisation taking donations from people much poorer than themselves who think they are helping equally poor and unfortunate people I don't think obscene is unfair.

 

[Corribee72]

It's no different to any other charity or business, the people at the sharp end get a pittance and the people at the top get the wads. Charities these days actually have supporter relations officers whose job it is to befriend old people, the rest being rather obvious. Charities do sterling work, the RNLI is an institution to be proud of in my opinion. I try to concentrate on the job they do and forget the fact that for some at the very top, it's just another exceptionally well paid position....... hey someone's gotta pay the golf fees and fuel up the jag

 

[steve yates]

Don't think any sailer doubts the guys who man the boats, but there does seem to be a problem with the higher management.
I am increasingly suspicious of the ethics of many of the 'charities'. Are they doing good, or looking after themselves? The RNLI does great work in saving lives. I would like to think that retired senior military personnel would work for them for a nominal salary. Seems not.

I rather suspect that retired senior military personnel may feel they have done their bit and have no intention for working for a nominal salary?

 

[Blue Sunray]

I would like to think that retired senior military personnel would work for them for a nominal salary.

Why?

 

[nortada]

I rather suspect that retired senior military personnel may feel they have done their bit and have no intention for working for a nominal salary?

Or working at all

 

[superheat6k]

Interesting to get this email today, personally addressed to me from the Chief Exec. Shame he did not answer my emails when asking legitimate questions about the St Helier fiasco. The absence of any sound explanation led to my resigning as a governor member in December, a fact that seems to have been overlooked by the admin department as I still get all the trappings of being a member including the membership card at renewal. I have reminded them I am no longer a member but this email was also ignored, as was the one advising my decision.

They did notice when the DD stopped, but again no acknowledgement to that reply either.

I have replied to the CEO so will be interesting to see if I receive a follow up from him, or perhaps a lacky.

Certainly seems a case of "The lady doth protest too much, methinks" !

 

[lpdsn]

I rather suspect that retired senior military personnel may feel they have done their bit and have no intention for working for a nominal salary?

I think the assumption is a nominal salary on top of a decent pension.