The Guardian, Life' a Breeze, sailing NW Scotland

He's a very good author. As it happens, I'm currently reading "The Seabird's Cry". He owns the Shiant Islands where he often spends much of the summer in his bothy.
 
I wouldn't trust the "guardian" to guard my old aunt's cabbage patch.

I realise that someone will post "they aren't in the garden security business", yet any fool could be given a flashlight and a whistle, and told "Don't let anyone take those cabbages!" with fair odds of a good harvest.

I repeat, I would not trust the "guardian" (or its readers) with this task.

Their asinine begging aside (I would send money to Boris before I sent them a bean), I would also be unhappy to see them compared to, say, Google, Wikipedia, or a similar source of information. It would, of course, be ridiculous and farcical to compare a process instigated and maintained by a million, million, (yes a proper billion) mostly honest users, to the unsupervised, biased, and agenda driven tripe the "guardian" represents as journalism these days. And what do they want all that money for, anyway?

I would recommend a cross section of information, gained from friends, families, colleagues, and acquaintances, or better yet, read the Sun. For entertainment it cannot be beaten, and you can discomfort strangers with the informative pictures. Forums have their place as well... the more the merrier.

Some might wish to see this this rag closed down, or labelled with a health warning (they did it to ciggies!). Others might want them dragged to capital account, kicking and screaming and yelling "Oh, God, Please! Not Yet!".

I could hardly comment, but would encourage anyone who asks, to find a better, real, unbiased, and genuinely forthright source of conversation material to bore me with.

I would discourage you all from taking up your boathooks, your cocktails and your scythes, and visiting Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9GU.

It serves no purpose, their time will come.
 
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I wouldn't trust the guardian to guard my old aunt's cabbage patch.

I think you are very astute and you are obviously very discerning - I don't think they have any skills at guarding cabbages patches, they are not really geared up for it.

However they did publish a rather stimulating article - for which I am grateful.

Jonathan
 
@Johnathon... Did you enjoy their little begging note at the bottom of the article ( I haven't read it ofc but can guess)?
Seems trite stuff from a paper owned and controlled 30%+ by HSBC.
 
I'm not entirely sure that the 'begging note' necessarily reflects on their ability to defend your Aunt's cabbage patch nor, more importantly, on their opinions. I've seen the same sort of suggestion to fund, for example Wikipedia - and I don't think it impacts the reliability, or not, of Wiki's information. I'm also not sure what impact HSBC has on editorial bias - I'm a bit far away to be au fait with any relevant debate.

Your suggestion that you would not trust them seems to imply you would rather they were closed down on the basis of them being some sort of menace - which suggests you think they may alter opinions - which further suggests they are opinion makers - and their prose must be more powerful that I had thought and reaches a significant audience - Hetherington would be pleased.

I personally like to have a cross section of opinions - as we (and the nebulous 'they') are all biased in some way of other.

But this debate is one for The Lounge - and life is too short for me to become involved there :)

Jonathan
 
I see the Eda Fransen round here quite a lot. Stunning boat.
Adam has written some good books, unfortunately I started with SeaManShip which is not his first, and it took a bit of persuasion to try the others.
 
+1
A right old toff, but an engaging one. Sea Room is an excellent read, too.

Just finished Atlantic Britain - another good read! Some insightful and honest passages about the skipper taking all the risk and all the blame.. and about seamanship..

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I did have to wonder why the ownership of the Guardian might impinge on an inoffensive, and I thought interesting, article - and why the posting of a thread highlighting the article might rate the ire of - well - anyone.

I was also under the impression that the Scott Foundation had defined editorial independence (another topic for The Lounge - which I hasten to add, again, I'll not even read).

There's nowt so queer as folk.

Jonathan
 
We had a wonderful week aboard Eda Frandsen last May and would thoroughly recommend it (booked via Wilderness Scotland). Reading the article brought back many happy memories, not least Chloe's incredible talent for producing full gourmet meals in a galley the size of an old phone box.

Happy times...
 
So The Guardian is accurate after all, despite being unable to defend a cabbage patch and maybe (still waiting for proof) having owners someone did not like (who apparently control the editorial content of such stories - surely the CEO of HSBC has better things to do that editing newspaper articles?).

Jonathan
 
@Neeves ... my finger slipped.
@Neeves, macd, anyone else interested in the owners of this rag ...

HSBC / "guardian" links ...
https://www.jonathan-cook.net/blog/2015-03-03/hsbc-and-the-sham-of-guardians-scott-trust/

Try google ... That link above... the first of many google gave me, from around the planet, from people far more sensible than you or I.

I'm not going to argue the point. Many will believe whatever nonsense comes out of a TV or from a broadsheet, so there is little point in trying to change their views, short of funding an advert. I would only ask you to consider the matter. George Orwell would have a line... it's years since I read that book ... but doesn't it make sense that the people who have most to gain from manipulating your opinions would seek to do so? Put another way ... should you wish to do so, how would you achieve what amounts to the mass hypnosis of an entire population?
 
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I don’t think anyone cares that nutters keep recreating accounts every time they get booted off the forum so long as they stick to the lounge, but can they please just stick to the lounge and away from the sailing discussions?

To make this easy: nice article about sailing, whether it’s in the graun, the wail or the morning star: relevant
Your opinion of the politics of the editorial staff or it’s owners: not relevant. Except possibly where related to anchorages near brecqhou
 
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Without a full investigation, public or otherwise, it would be difficult to prove the reach and influence the corporates have over content, and pointless too. If this were the only issue, then you might think ... "OK .. they're crooks .... but who cares?"

The problem is their posturing as a trustworthy source of information, and you lot sucking it all in like cabbages!

I repeat; Finding fault with the "guardian" because of it's owners is like having a go at Jimmy Saville for the smoking! There are worse problems lurking in the cupboard!

I would like to add, on a personal note, that I have not stated a political view... my points revolve around the practical issues of dealing with a country full of people like you. I am trying to prevent that outcome in the only way at my disposal ... by talking about it honestly and frankly with people I respect and in some cases even admire a little.

Laika, I notice your thread entitled "blogs" ... a little rant about people "advertising their blogs" etc. Well ... I agree with you, and that is exactly what the OP looked like to me... more prop from the beastly guys at the "guardian", so I landed on it. The OP comes back with more prop... so ... well... the result is this thread.

Lastly, I resent being called a "nutter".

The correct term is "Pirate" ye dog!
 
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