Randomness

[theetruscan]

The S&P's new motto is apparently "Math is Hard." I hear there's a barbie for that.

[mingrui]

So Jackson Hole meeting is in a few weeks. I hope Ben Bernanke has a god damn good speech to make. If he dresses head to toe in ccp then all the better.

[Zenith]

Looters were travelling pretty far out all across London like it was some weird road trip. Even broke into the flats near me before moving onto the chelsea area. Of course the more affluent areas being hit didn't really make the news.

[Faust]

I hope that Thatcher is turning in her grave now (even though she's still technically alive).

[syed]

My local Sainsbury's is the only shop open in the area and people are emptying shelves like they were stocking up for the apocalypse (buying, not looting thankfully). Bit surreal really.

[Dropt]

Yes, this is getting ridiculous, people are overreacting because of the medias, both looters and neighbors. All that for a few pairs of jeans.




Good ol' materialism.

[Zenith]

Twitter is the main culprit here. People stirring the pot by randomly going "it's all kicking off at oxford street now!" like its the last bastion of London under siege. I've been at oxford street from 10-4.30 and everything has been just dandy, just police presence becoming slightly more dense as the evening approaches. The Hare krishna's know what's up, they were singing and dancing as always.

[Faust]

Twitter is the main culprit here. People stirring the pot by randomly going "it's all kicking off at oxford street now!" like its the last bastion of London under siege. I've been at oxford street from 10-4.30 and everything has been just dandy, just police presence becoming slightly more dense as the evening approaches. The Hare krishna's know what's up, they were singing and dancing as always.

Thatcher and her ilk are the main culprits here. You cannot keep on destroying the middle class and driving people into poverty, not affording them an opportunity for a decent life while enriching the already rich and not expect this. I won't be surprised if similar riots break out in the US.

[Pumpfish]

Thatcher(ism) split the British working class. The top end bought their council properties and moved up. The remainder, compounded by the destruction of industry, fell back into poverty.

What's going on now is the po-lice hanging back to remind us we need them, and young people playing extreme trick or treat, and the 24 hour meedja machine working the content for all its worth.

[Zenith]

Thatcher and her ilk are the main culprits here. You cannot keep on destroying the middle class and driving people into poverty, not affording them an opportunity for a decent life while enriching the already rich and not expect this. I won't be surprised if similar riots break out in the US.

I meant for the mass hysteria on tuesday regarding central london, not for the actual root cause of the riots.

[Faust]

Gotcha. But, twitter, really? Aren't you being a victim of the modern media yourself?

[lost53]

Faust, I would never speak in defence of the "cold one", but although she did nothing to help the problem, and did indeed widen the gap between the people it did not start there.
The rising of the "underclass" has been on the up since the late 60's. This is a complicated social situation.

But a large part of the cause of the current situation can be found with the terrible situation the police have found themselves in. They are now unable to carry out their job properly for fear of the media slaughtering them for being heavy handed.... Also due to "political correctness" height and fitness restrictions have been to a large part abolished in the service, so the imposing 6ft+ officer of old has been replaced in some cases by a somewhat smaller and weaker man/woman.

I remember the tail end of the football violence to be found on a saturday all over the country, the police usually sorted that out in a swift and although not always light manor.. it did quell most of the "action", no way that could occur now with every tom dick and harry recording every movement on their iphone...

[marco-von]

thank fuck for tom dick and harry.

also please note as lost53 stated above, the recruitment of midgets to the police force due to health and safety measures.

[lost53]

..don't think I was condoning such actions... I was there (g20) btw, and it was tragic.

And as for health and safety... er where did you get that from?

For the record, the football violence that I made a ref to was by and large scum minority, the looting and setting fire to premises is in the same league. Comparison to a organized public demonstration..is not really relevant in the current light of the situation that has now spread beyond the capital. As for the midgets, the requirement to meet a certain height that has been abolished in certain areas, and has impaired the power of the "local bobby", actually two months ago it was under review to reinstate the height requirements... this is not facts gained from you tube the guardian or the sun....

[jj.still]