Riots & Uniforms

I must say I do detest all the political posturing and sound-bites from MPs who feel they have to be seen to inspect the damage and photographed with a broom, as if that's going to do a jot of good. I'd rather they were sat behind their desks giving power to those on the ground and have their spokespeople liaise with the media instead.

I was incensed listening to one yob blaming the riots on Poles coming in and 'taking our jobs'. How on earth can someone 'take' jobs from people? The only reason the Poles get the jobs is because many Brits simply don't want to do them in the first place, or can't because they're illiterate! This ill-informed misconception of foreigners coming over to 'take jobs' is nonetheless popular among the illiterati - and a very dangerous one that the far right and the Daily Mail peddle to their advantage.

My recent spell of unemployment demonstrated to me that there are plenty of jobs out there if you're willing to work for the minimum wage. Sadly, there is little incentive when you're being paid benefits by a faceless bureaucracy for sitting at home and doing nothing. However, I can quite understand that attitude, but it is totally selfish and demonstrates a deep lack of respect for the society that hands out the money.

Hay is convinced that rioting is caused by an incessant diet of chips and junk food - plays havoc with the hormones apparently.

The boy was out most of yesterday, which was a pleasant change from sitting in a darkened room playing with his PS3. I was part expecting him to return after dark with a new pair of trainers and some unexplained luxury electronics, but it was not to be.

I'm still not sure about the riot police uniforms. I still prefer the Empire Storm Trooper jobs; they're a tad more intimidating, if somewhat impractical in a close-quarters situation with a Jedi. Perhaps Viv Westwood should be brought in to add a touch of glamour? The policeman in the photo below is just asking for his nads to be kicked, if you ask me - no protection at all!

An Imperial storm trooper (left) and a British riot policeman (right)

Posting will once more be sporadic after today - if at all. We're off to the Scilly Isles for a week, St Agnes, to be precise. No broadband and very little GSM.

I have loaded the HTC Sensation with a variety of e-books to keep me occupied - The Borgias (must catch the TV series with Jeremy Irons on Saturday evening), Meditations, The Antiquities of the Jews, Dracula, Ivanhoe, The Age of Reason, &c - all the stuff I've been meaning to read (or re-read) for ages, but never got round to.

The boy is off to stay with his grandparents in Latvia for two weeks - flying on his own for the first time, so that will be an adventure for him. I will probably have to control him remotely via GSM from Gatwick airport car park to ensure he finds the right gate.