A major change in style

6 years into our trip round the world.

Last post was South Africa, and technical problems with the boat.

Since then, we've crossed the South Atlantic to St Helena (hi Napoleon!), then on to Salvador in Brazil, where we spent some 4 months, then on Northwards towards Cabedello, Fortalerza and French Guyana (hi Ariane rocket!).

We then went on to Trinidad and the Eastern Caribbean, where we spent almost 3 years, basically drinking rum while fixing major issues on the boat (again...how boring).

Then Cuba, a different world, Belize in shit weather (so no diving in one of diving's top three spots in the world, darn!), then Rio Dulce, the "sweet river" in Guatemala for the hurricane season.

Anyway, why this title?

I've decided to start a new style blog, where I will express opinions about the world and humanity.

Ambitious, but WTF, I've had a rich life of education and an even richer one of experience in my career. And then the time to reflect, and bounce off ideas with like minded, and extremely interesting people amongst the sailing community.

So I'll talk about the world and humanity. About social issues and the stupidity of mankind, about the politically incorrect and about FACTS (as opposed to beliefs, opinions or propaganda).

Facts seem to be a thing of the past. In our new world of immediate information, facts seem to have become secondary. Speed is essential, as any media person needs to be the first one to report, leaving no time for verification, homework or reflection (that's when it's not invented news, opinions, belief or propaganda).

The media (most of them anyway) don't sell information. They sell advertising. This is via the "eyeball concept", i.e. how many people buy a paper or magazine, how many people have watched TV or any other electronic media at any one point. This drives the cost of an add. Low circulation papers sell advertising at low rates. High circulation ones sell at high rates. So circulation drives income, which drives survival/profitability of the paper (same for any other rmedia). Circulation thrives on how exciting the media is. Truth is less relevant than hype. So most of this planet's people actually get their news from organizations that care less about the facts than about how exciting the news is. (When there is nothing exciting, why not create it?)

I'll get back to this, but how sad is it that a technology that could be used to EDUCATE people and TEACH things is diverted for making mankind more stupid (and make money in the process)?

Anyway, this being the first "new style" blog, I'll stop now, as no one has time to read more than 5 minutes a day... Future topics will include: media, politicians, democracy, world over-population, NGO's, capitalism vs other forms, education, linguistics, Asian values, spying, religions and anything else that happens to tickle my mind.

A far cry from "Mary Ann around the world"? Not really. This our world. The only one with chocolate.

And always remember: when there is no solution, there is no problem.