Toadfish in the UK/Europe

[pieces o nine]

A left-leaning European gentlemen from a forum I used to frequent always posted *entire* articles from the Guardian, chock full o'big words and suspicious ideas. I suspected he did it primarily to encourage aneurysms in the most red-necked merakins, who were always having Most Patriotic Patriot Patriotizing contests. I often imagined them screaming at their monitors and stabbing forks into things before posting how wrong, athiest [sic] and stoopid [sic] he was. It's amazing how well one can 'read' volume in a rebuttal posting... 

[Aggie]

Sir Humphrey: "Prime Minister, what about the people who read The Sun?"
Bernard Woolley: "Sun readers don't care who runs the country, as long as she's got big tits.""

The Sun is the same in every country/city around the world I think.  We had a subscription in our dorm at SAIT ($40 for 3 months, meh...   it came with free (NHL) hockey AND lacrosse tickets!) and the only good thing about it was that you could finish an entire newspaper over a quick bowl of cereal. 

Our "kid" (one roommate was about 4 years younger than the rest of us) used to collect Sunshine Girls...  they actually ran repeats quite often!

[Swatopluk]

I'd like to see a (serious) paper that has never fallen for a hoax or did some sloppy research at least occasionally. At least I have seen some that are willing to correct errors without being threatened with legal measures (while there are those that will even defy court orders or "correct" in a way that worsens the situation*).
There is a reason for the "never rely on a single source" rule

*not to speak of Fox' Bill o'Falafel that can't be sued for lying because (as a judge stated!), he is so notorious a serial liar that "evil intent" would be impossible to prove (I read that as: He is a case for a shrink, not a court of law)

[beagle]

True. I don't think The Guardian is that bad really. If I had to rank the British press it would be:

The Economist > The Telegraph > The Guardian > The Times > The Independent.

I quite liked the Independent when it first arrived. Later it gave up on all pretence to seriousness though and would dedicate the whole of its front page to some rant or other.

[Griffin NoName]

I was very suspicious of the Independent at first and I disliked the format. Then it deteriorated.

I like The Times crossword best.

The main thing I dislike about the Gruaniad is the "easy" Sudoku at the start of the week.

Priorities !!

[Swatopluk]

I get the impression that most good newspapers I know have deteriorated at least to some degree in the last two decades (before that I did not really read any). Still galaxies away from those that spend 90% of space on the headlines, 9% on text and less than 1% on actual substance (fecal matter excepted).

[beagle]

How is Die Welt considered in the German speaking world? That's the one I used to attempt to read on good days, with a dictionary by my side.

[Swatopluk]

It's a Springer paper and therefore automatically on the conservative side. As far as I know (I do not read it) one can usually trust the infomation* (unlike certain other Springer papers it actually contains some ) but should expect a right-leaning viewpoint.
It started as a liberal paper (founded by the British btw) but has went right since then (as a result my father stopped reading it before I was born) and now marks the right border of quality papers**. So, it probably is closest to the Torygraph among the major German papers.
If you are willing to cross the desert of lead (until recently no pictures on the front page), the F.A.Z. (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) would be an alternative. Also conservative in general but open to other viewpoints. Some of the great controversies of FRG history took place or started here. For a non-German speaker it may be not the easiest paper to read though.

*but it will not necessarily give the whole story
**Definitely no prolefeed like e.g. BILD

[beagle]

Ah right. Thanks. It was hard to judge the politics from abroad as it's difficult to know the politicans described. I tended to read the international sections more anyway, as I'd know some of the words from other sources.

[Lindorm]

Otherwise, if you want a quality german news magazine, the weekly Der Spiegel is probably a good bet. Sort of middle-independant liberal, a bit full of themselves at times, but still lots of very good investigating and reporting, and one of the heavyweights in german-language journalism.

[Swatopluk]

Der Spiegel also has an English online edition btw

[beagle]

Goat's not going to like this.

The blessed Margaret wins the best post-war PM poll by a large margin, scoring three times higher than her nearest Labour rival.

(Admittedly Attlee suffers because no-one remembers him, and Blair because everybody does).

[Griffin NoName]

I don't think this poll makes sense to do now. It should be left at least 100 years before even attempting it. It's no better than a move in Mornington Cresent.

[beagle]

Eurasia or Oceania will have banned history from the Dark Times by then.

[Black Bart]

Chapter Three (Cronan Walks Among Us)

The Black Spot laughed his loud fruity laugh and then coughed, giving away his inner nervousness.   His men sensed the unease in their usually unflinching Captain as they picked their way through the debris from the wreck.   Still the thick fog swirled around them and the chill waters of the North Sea lapped at their ankles.

"I'll be glad when we're back in The Benbow sippin our grog" said seaman Griffin, "It be quiz night tonight...I don't loik this fog one bit...it be unnatural I tells ye."

Seaman Beagle would ave answered...but instead a low gasp came from where he stood...