Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: London's Burning

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  • giovanni tiso,

    I still pay 20cents for Vodafone to text me the first 140 characters of the emails I receive on their piddly 15Mb mailbox.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    (Man, that wasn't even worthy of a proper White Whine. What the hell is happening to me?)

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • Islander, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    Sugar overload :)

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    TV1's main news bulletin leads with UK correspondent Paul Hobbs saying this is nothing political, just recreational rioting. Seriously.
    Nothing to see here. Move, move, move.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Craig Ranapia, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    Penny Red suggests people help with #riotcleanup. Maybe that is how the community will win.

    That would be nice, but after listening to the chap on the radio news who said "It took ten years to build what they smashed in ten minutes" I can't think too harshly of anyone who wakes up and says I don't even want to get out of bed any more.

    North Shore, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 12370 posts Report Reply

  • Jackie Clark,

    I can't help but be worried about my niece, her girlfriend, my aunt, and my two cousins. Who are, I am sure, perfectly okay. But still.

    Mt Eden, Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 3136 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to Jackie Clark,

    Say, this reminds me I should try to make contact with my sister.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to Rich Lock,

    The situation is more like Um not your questions but............

    Why the poor can’t possibly climb out of their class recession?

    "You're in a rut you gotta get out of, out of it."

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Rich of Observationz,

    From a Guardian reporter:

    Here’s a list of shops that appeared to have been broken into or were heavily damaged with smashed glass:

    • Betfred
    • Pawnbroker
    • Independent sports shop
    • Argos
    • Independent phone shop
    • O2
    • Carphone Warehouse
    • Phones4U
    • Cash Converters
    • Foot Locker
    • Boots
    • Bookies
    • Barclays

    Maybe, of those, the independent sports and phone retailers were honest small businesspeople who paid their taxes and treated their staff well.

    Back in Wellington • Since Nov 2006 • 5550 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    No problem for the conservative liberal coalition really so long as the govt can spend billions supporting failing banks and financial institutions, whilst slashing public spending and increasing taxes.

    What are several thousand looters, a hundred odd fires and a couple of hundred small businesses going to the wall. In the grand scheme of things it is nothing but chimp change.

    The only disadvantage is that civil unrest could eventually become an election issue, but it could be spun in favour of the conservative party as a Law and Order issue only. Who you gonna call - Andy Coulson?

    I wonder with Cameron breaking off his holiday; will he be cycling to work this week?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • giovanni tiso, in reply to DexterX,

    The only disadvantage is that civil unrest could eventually become an election issue, but it could be spun in favour of the conservative party as a Law and Order issue only?

    I think the government that chose Theresa "the British public don't simply resort to violent unrest in the face of challenging economic circumstances" May as Minister of Police might have some difficulty making that argument.

    Wellington • Since Jun 2007 • 7473 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    You mean to say she will be on her bike then?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    Dexter’s Tips – Dealing with civil unrest

    How to deal with the fluid nature of the rioters – send all the conservative liberal coalition into London on bicycles, arm them with smart phones and Ipads to locate the rioters, report their movements to the police and then have them disburse the rioters by circling and hounding them whilst playing Barry Manilow or Cellne Dion or what ever her name was/is.

    I am assuming here that all members fo the conservative liberal coalition have the coordination to be able to ride a bike.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to giovanni tiso,

    Just after being elected; in one four hour period Cameron changed suits five times for photo opps and doing PM type meeting things. Changing minister of police would be nothing to his political fortunes - just as long as he had the right ensemble for the right occasion

    Or was if four suits in five hours? He has his priorities right - snappy dresser that he is.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to DexterX,

    report their movements to the police and then have them disburse the rioters by circling and hounding them whilst playing Barry Manilow.

    What if the rioters hit back with the Sex Pistols and Body Count?

    I am assuming here that all members fo the conservative liberal coalition have the coordination to be able to ride a bike.

    Wouldn't they be a bit hoity-toity for bikes? They might just turn up in Land Rovers instead. That way they don't need to be diplomatic.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    OK - that sedgway two wheeled thang - the invetor of which drove off a cliff................in a prototype.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    So East Croydon this morning looks reasonably normal, although with a hint of smoke. Everyone is doing their normal thing by the looks of it, although all over town (where I've been) there are less people than you'd expect.

    West Croydon however, according to colleagues who use that station, looks to be in terrible shape.

    According to the local newspaper, there are thousands of volunteers expressing interest in helping the clean up, which is nice

    here is a link to the Croydon Guardian

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Islander,

    A writer friend, now, aue, long dead, once tried to set up a support system for Aborigine men taken into custody – because, she said, they were either committing suicide, dying from overdoses (alcohol or other drugs), or something else was going on.

    She had willing helpers – but the problem was too large.

    And at the same time the problems Aborigines face are out of sight and out of mind to mainstream Australia, for the simple fact that they're proportionally few in number. It's the dark side of Aussie multiculturalism policy, as Che and I agreed.

    For all the issues we're having in NZ, there aren't many Aboriginal equivs of Taika Waititi, Tipene O'Regan or Paul Reeves.

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    Pretty depressed by it all, really. PIAS, London's largest distributor of independent records, has been burned to the ground, including all their stock.

    The looting I can understand - opportunistic selfishness, for those who don't give a fuck. It's the destruction, the random arson that upsets me most.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    Message from London -

    There are plenty of disaffected chavs everywhere after all and plenty of mobile phone shops/computer shops/off-licences/snazzy sneaker vendors too - them's good looting.

    All I can personally really do is call my London friends tomorrow to make sure that they are OK. That and make sure that me and mine stay away from any areas with fancy shops as much as humanly possible.

    Then I can sit back and try very hard to channel my annoyance with the inevitable politico talking heads who are already making appearances. That and to try very hard indeed to not completely despise an entire order of people whose aspirations run no higher than the opportunity for gratuitous violence and the chance to steal an enormous TV.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • George Darroch,

    there aren’t many Aboriginal equivs of Taika Waititi, Tipene O’Regan or Paul Reeves.

    There are a few. Off the top of my head, Warwick Thornton (Cannes Camera d'Or), Noel Pearson (national stage political figure), Gurrumul Yunupingu (voice of honey). Granted, the situation with Aboriginal political representation is dire, especially in 2011, but Aboriginal Australians are making their own way, despite the repression and obstacles the rest of Australia has put in their way. It's hardly good, but it isn't all bad.

    But then things are bad enough that the Redfern and Palm Island riots were both extremely explosive. In both cases, the police killed Aborigines, and people finally pushed back.

    WLG • Since Nov 2006 • 2264 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to DexterX,

    the invetor of which drove off a cliff.

    guy who bought the company. inventor still going, thankfully

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX, in reply to Sacha,

    Cool

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Ben Austin,

    Apparently there are a few (money & valuables) safes scattered about West Croydon, freshly crowbarred open, or at least there were during the morning commute.

    London • Since Nov 2006 • 1027 posts Report Reply

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to George Darroch,

    there aren’t many Aboriginal equivs of Taika Waititi, Tipene O’Regan or Paul Reeves.

    There are a few. Off the top of my head, Warwick Thornton (Cannes Camera d'Or), Noel Pearson (national stage political figure), Gurrumul Yunupingu (voice of honey).

    Plus Gurrumul's uncle, former Yothu Yindi frontman and 1992 Australian of the year Mandawuy Yunupingu. Then there's Mandawuy's older brother, land rights activist and musician Galarrwuy Yunupingu, whose being named as 1978 Australian of the year was somewhat tainted by his having to share the honour with Alan Bond (FFS).

    Others who spring to mind are magistrate and former head of the NSW Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs Pat O'Shane, Kimberley land rights activist and 2009 Australian of the year Mick Dodson, and his brother Patrick, a former Commissioner into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody and recipient of the 2008 Sydney Peace Prize.

    Then there's the sadly missed activists Shirley Smith (Mum Shirl), and Bobbi (Dr.Roberta) Sykes. Also one of my favourite artists ever, suddenly lost a bit short of his 49th birthday, the delightful, multitalented and wonderfully funny Lin Onus.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report Reply

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