The London Riots are part of the same groundswell as the demonstrations in Tel Aviv, the so-called Arab Spring, the crackdown in Syria, and the debt crisis in Greece, Spain, Ireland, and the United States. Austerity is a shiny word for poverty and people are getting sick of it.

Before the Great Depression, people made a run on the banks. So the banks learned from their mistake. Before this depression, the banks are making a run on us.

On one level, the looters in London are imitating the looting going on at the top levels of finance and government. Aaargh! We'll all be pirates! They lack the education and representation to communicate their honest grievances, grievances most of the world shares.

All that stuff they burned, and the one-mile square nucleus of sovereign evil that is the City of London is still standing. What a shame.

I'm having trouble processing the idea that the "Arab Spring," which was, to my understanding, a lot of people in a bunch of countries who are ruled by autocrats/dictators demonstrating for freedom, democracy and the right to vote, has very much at all to do with the London riots, which were perpetrated by people who live in a (somewhat) functional democracy (whether or not they bother to exercise their right to vote), demonstrating for what...truth, justice, and new trainers?

Did I miss the mission statement?

(Disclaimer that I understand the whole police brutality angle, and hardly think that the top 2% couldn't do without a pitchfork up their arse.)

Yeah, there's not a chance in hell the two are anywhere near related. If you asked any of those arrested about their relation to the Arab Spring, they'd return a vacant stare at best.

Alright, perhaps it is a stretch.

However, it is also difficult to see clearly a bigger picture unclouded by media labels and handy tag-lines. We are all susceptible to our own associations and beliefs.

I suppose I am challenging your assumption that you live in a functional democracy. Mine is challenged every day when I see powerful people on every continent committing huge crimes of fraud and theft. High Frequency Trading is theft and economic oppression. It sound slicker than Mubarrak's naked embezzlement, but what is the difference?

70,000 Isrealites demonstrated yesterday, demanding economic change and equality. Meanwhile, Isreali oligarchs flee to the City of London.

Everything touches everything. Ji ji mu ge.

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They lack the education and representation to communicate their honest grievances, grievances most of the world shares.

He's right. The exclusion of people from power who are mobile, untied to land, promiscuously employed if at all, and politically excluded yet possessing instant communication with one another is a recipe for chaos. While the spark for specific riots may be different (there have been some non-denial denials from the US Govt that they facilitated some aspects of the Arab uprisings) and the UK rioters seemed more interested in expressing anger and worshiping commodities they desired (and I STILL have not received my blu-ray player you brit-wigbers!) yet there are strong similarities.

A century ago UK workers were no more included in the political process than they are today, and probably far less so. Yet they were employed in UK factories and tied down with mortgages they had to pay. They had no time for hijinks in the streets. Idle labor, however, is a dangerous thing in any setting.

I doubt highly we are going to see anything similar in the US. Aside from how negatively violent street protests are seen in the US, the most vulnerable cities with large segments of poor, mobile, young people also have better systems for handling riots. In many states in the US shop owners can simply kill looters on sight, for good or bad.

This can change, continued, long term unemployment, the loss of title to their homes, and mounting evidence that politicians openly disdain the public now that the wealthy can pour unlimited funds to their campaign may eventually push folks too far. Second tier cities, those without hope for reclaiming the glory of industrialization and lacking funds for well trained police located in the northeast would be likely locations of such riots.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: editengine,

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I suppose I am challenging your assumption that you live in a functional democracy.

I have nearly 24,000 posts, should you read one or possibly two, you'll see the fault in the logic of that statement.

and BTW,

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

I certainly have misspoken, Boog, and with my foot-tasting mouth I apologize. I'd never slander you by calling you gullible, not intentionally anyway. Hopefully I don't sound creepy when I say that I have read many many of your posts and smiled or said amen.

Seven minute youtube video about fiat money's history in France. Disclaimer: yes, it is biased by the producer's affinity for gold, but history tends to repeat itself, especially crimes.

Part II Eleven minutes

This is a crazy and fun time to be alive.

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I doubt highly we are going to see anything similar in the US. Aside from how negatively violent street protests are seen in the US, the most vulnerable cities with large segments of poor, mobile, young people also have better systems for handling riots. In many states in the US shop owners can simply kill looters on sight, for good or bad.

You haven't seen the Philadelphia news then? They've been ahead of London for a year.

HA! No, that hasn't made national news here. Good example of what I meant when I said, "Second tier cities, those without hope for reclaiming the glory of industrialization and lacking funds for well trained police located in the northeast would be likely locations of such riots."

Party in Detroit, bitches!

Twitter says that some folks are being sentenced for inciting to riot via fb? How in the world can they be at sentencing already? UK courts that speedy?

Shit like that usually gets pushed through.

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Originally posted by Boogerhead:
Party in Detroit, bitches!

Was that incendiary?

Well, fuel was down to a buck-thirty one today. Granted, it was E10, and from a 7-11, but if that ain't confidence in the Libyan rebels I don't know what is.