Introduction: Mark Dempster said: "Some newspapers in the UK (and presumably elsewhere) seem to base their big stories on bought-in from ordinary people who have made national news for some reason, usually related to some form of personal tragedy. UK Freaks will probably recognise ‘The Sun’ as the most active publication in this area. They are always prepared to offer huge amounts of money (‘we can print our own money’) for the rights to the story, which is typically turned into a sort of mini-series which runs for a couple of weeks and attracts large sales figure.

Often the printed story bears little resemblance to what the subject actually said, hence the line, ‘when you look into the mirror, do you see a face you hardly recognise’. There are others which refer to this including: ‘If you look into the sun too long, do the things you see begin to burn your eyes?’, ‘when you kill the truth you can make a killing’ and ‘when you look in the money, do you see a face you hardly recognise?’"

‘Sun’ and ‘Mirror’
The Sun is a national tabloid-format newspaper. Its official editorial policy is that if a nine year-old cannot read it, they won’t print it. It features topless models on page three and is well known for relegating important political stories to page fifteen or whatever in order not to annoy those who wish to read about ‘DONKEY VICAR DRUGS SEX SCANDAL FOR FAMOUS FOOTBALLER’. The Sun is notoriously right wing , even printing things that are a virtual incitements to racial hatred or homophobia. Loved by thick wankers across the UK. (Since the original compilation of these notes, The Sun has come out as a supporter of Tony Blair's New Labour Party. Despite this, the Sun still continues to print things which I believe, are verging on incitement - Newspaper Ed)

The Mirror is equally piss-poor and sensationalist, but less racist and purports to have a left wing stance. Dreadful load of old pants!

The Sun, incidentally, is credited with winning the 1992 general election for the Conservative Party due to their outrageously biased coverage. It is owned by the Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who probably owns most of the newspapers and TV where you live too!

‘express’, ‘mail’ and ‘today’
National tabloid-format newspapers. All are aimed at the educated right although they share much in common with the gutter sensationalism of the papers like the Sun and the Mirror.

‘times’
A broadsheet newspaper, slightly left wing and again owned by Mr Murdoch. The Times does at least have some information in it and is one of the better British Newspapers. (What an intellectual snob I am!)

‘The Money’
The Financial Times which is the UK rough equivalent of the Wall St Journal.

‘Sailing close to the wind’
Basically a nautical term meaning to keep the vessel’s prow as close to the quarter from which the wind blows whilst keeping the sails filled’. In order to generate forward motion, a sailing vessel must keep the sails at an angle to the wind. This means that it is impossible to sail directly into the wind. It is possible to sail a few compass points away from the wind direction and keep moving, but as one sails closer and closer, forward momentum becomes harder to maintain.

‘News of the World’
Or, as it's known by journalists, 'the News of the Screws’ due to its seedy downmarket nature. The News of the World is another Murdoch sheet and is basically the Sunday version of the Sun. The NOTW is similar to the Sun but with even fewer news items in it. It is in short, a scandal sheet.