The Manchester Guardian newspaper was founded (in Manchester) in 1821 by a group of non-conformist businessmen headed by John Edward Taylor.

The prospectus announcing the new publication proclaimed that

it will zealously enforce the principles of civil and religious Liberty… it will warmly advocate the cause of Reform; it will endeavour to assist in the diffusion of just principles of Political Economy; and to support, without reference to the party from which they emanate, all serviceable measures.

guardian.co.uk is a news website run by what is now the Guardian Media Group.

It is, essentially, the online version of that once-proud newspaper with some added extras.

It is – to all intents and purposes – the current day incarnation of The Manchester Guardian.

Yesterday, on its front page, that website ran an advertisement for an article.

The article was about butter.

Not about butter mountains, or butter shortages, or the health benefits or disadvantages of butter.

Just butter.

How it doesn’t spread well from the fridge.

And how it goes off if you leave it out of the fridge.

Read those last three lines again.

Then go here if you don’t believe me.

Don’t get me wrong – I like butter.  (To paraphrase Bill Hicks: if you leave this blog tonight thinking, ‘The Minister doesn’t like butter,’ you’d be wrong.)

I’m just not sure it’s something that should feature on the front page of a serious newspaper website on the day when the global economy was on the brink of meltdown and Arrivederci Gordon rang Pickfords to book the removal van.

Thankfully, I know I’m not alone.

Amidst the dross of comments beneath the “article”, sat a splendid comment:

uncleleo
Sep 16 08, 2:10pm
This article – I can’t believe its not better.

Thank you, uncleleo.

Harry Potter is a cunt.