THE COTTON WEARING, 4X4 DRIVING GUARDIAN READERS

Alarms went off this weekend as I leafed through the Guardian on Saturday. As usual, I could find no mention of hemp (although they did a full page feature on hemp and Hemp for Victory in September, 2006). Neither was there much mention of Muesli or sandals. The new improved Guardian was, however, awash with ads for 4x4s and other gas guzzlers. With full page ads or spreads, serious money is passing hands here. No wonder that they are printing the rather flawed science of George Monbiot and ignoring sound work by others much more qualified to take on these important issues. It seems they hardly have time to do any fact checking whatsoever, as this month they published rubbish about plans to close down the Serious Fraud Office. "There is absolutely no truth in your story," replied the Attorney General, Peter Goldsmith.

Maybe no truth, but lots of car ads, and it seems that the paper is now driven by Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Suzuki, Saab, Kia Motors, Freelander and Toyota. The Porsche people not only have an ad but a breezy editorial praising the 911. Trees are chopped down daily to promote 4x4s in this paper, which goes out of its way to call anyone questioning the US government on 9/11 a "gibbering idiot." Which, of course, includes a lot of people who work for the US government, they might look into the facts and wonder why senators, congressmen and military officers question the official story. Or they might talk to William Rodriguez, the eyewitness and hero who saved hundreds of lives by going back into the building at great risk to himself. In fact, he was interviewed by someone with a view to printing his account, but then it never appeared in print. Maybe there just wasn't room with all the 4x4 ads, promoting the automotive and mining industries, both part of or related to the military industrial complex.

So thanks, Guardian, but no thanks; next weekend I will look for another paper to read, and in fact today I found much more objective reading (and less car ads) in the Daily Mail. Two of their reporters are now questioning the so-called suicide of Dr. David Kelly, and later this week, it is expected that an interview with William Rodriguez will appear.