London Predicts A Riot

We're three days (or nights rather) into the riots and looting in London and I for one am truly disgusted by the behaviour of these "tax paying citizens" who all look suspiciously young to be "getting back our taxes" as stated by one of them in Clapham last night whilst stealing a flatscreen tv...

All through this the police have been a silent and unseen presence, or so the media would have people believe. As fires swept through the capital a terrified cry rose above the noise of sirens and alarms pleading for police assistance and firefighters. And they answered the call, every single one of them, and we should be damn proud of them, I know I am.

Yes there were areas where people felt unprotected but they cannot be everywhere, it's simply impossible, they were massively outnumbered in many areas and quite cynically and simply why would the media report on areas of London where the rioters have been quelled? I doubt it would make as "good" viewing compared to the fear and suffering that could be broadcast from other areas.
And if the police had adopted a more aggressive stance then all we'd be hearing today is about their terrible heavy headed approach and police brutality! They can't win and yet they still stand up to protect us. Maybe some support and gratitude should be in order?

Then there is the social networks which seemed to cover the two extreme opinions from unquestioning support of the looters to utter horror at the degradation of our society. Warmed the heart though to read page after page condemnation for the actions of the reprobates who quite clearly thought everyone would be behind them. Well technically I'd like to be, but I'm not going to jail for the use of garrotte wire on one of those opportunistic leeches!

I spent half the night following the news coverage and trying to contact my family and friends to ensure their safety, and thankfully it would appear those dear to me have come off unscathed.
I was recounted a story last night by a friend who had heard from a good friend us his hiding on her roof because her home was being trashed by these scumbags. How is that protest? Or any statement other than "we do not deserve to be heard"?!

I would truly like to see every single one of those condemning the emergency services being forced off their sofas to kit up and stand shoulder to shoulder with the brave men and women  in uniform.
And as for those guilty of the atrocities across London who are caught and charged, if they want a fight then let's let them have one... on the front lines of the war in Afghanistan with the soldiers who've been risking their lives on these "people's" behalf for the last god knows how long.

In the face of Theresa May's assertions that costs can be cut to the force without repercussion she was proven wrong in the most truly spectacular fashion.

This morning though I was proud to be on my way to work as normal. Bomb trains, riot and loot our homes and businesses but Londoners still stand tall and keep going. Not breaking our spirit!

As I head home tonight the fourth day of trouble appears to have started once again with reports of trouble in Wimbledon already filtering through. To the 16,000 police on our streets tonight I say, those I know and those I don't, thank you and please be safe tonight.

Tube Dodger

As part of my diet and exercise kick I've started walking the four miles back to Waterloo three times a week instead of taking the tube. Now this of course has it's positives and negatives as does anything.

The biggest positive, and the reason I'm doing it really, is the exercise side of it. It means that I'm now walking between three and seven miles a day, five days a week. Great exercise and hopefully good for losing weight, oh and toning up your legs!

Negative side, cyclists in Hyde Park are even worse than commuters on the tube! There's nothing much that ranks higher on the embarrassment scale in these circumstances than having to say you were "run over by a Boris bike"... Though I'm pretty sure the people who rent them actually think of them as dodgems. As in they cycle however and wherever they want and you have to dodge 'em..!

Then you have the serious cyclists who spend too much time looking condescendingly at the Boris bike riders and not enough looking where they're going. Seriously they're a bunch of menaces, especially the ones who seem to think nothing of cycling full tilt across a busy pedestrian crossing, because they being cyclists (in their minds) rule supreme and us lowly ambulating heathens should part like the Red Sea before Moses to grant them unimpeded passage. Across the PEDESTRIAN crossing.... from the Latin "pedester"... meaning ON FOOT!!

Then you also have the horses. Now the sheer amount of horseshit in Hyde Park is stunning in it's enormity, but then I see things like these and it just puts a smile on my face!

A high up crossing signal just for horses, genius!

I have to admit, now I'm getting into it I am really enjoying the walk. It's not just the exercise but it reminds me what a beautiful city this is. It's so easy to forget with the craziness and the rush, but it is an amazing place. The architecture alone is just stunning, not even considering the river and the suprisingly large amount of greenery there is.

Plus, I'd miss out on so much entertainment by not being here and doing this walk! As we approached Embankment last week we were confronted by a mini protest, nothing major and barely held us up as it was just the end.

But as we stood waiting to be able to cross Whitehall I heard someone say "Oh I hate it when they do this!!" and turned to find myself confronted by a tall, slim man with floral shorts, wearing an aliceband and a huge amount of blusher... I would love to be able to share a photo but I was so shocked by his appearance I just sort of forgot I have a camera phone and just stared as he stormed into the middle of the road, stuck two fingers up at a police van before stropping off down the street.

Now really, how many places can you watch a tranny having a hissy fit at a van full of coppers in makeup that bright...?!

I love this city!