[Nicola_Red]

It's frighteningly catchy.

[Ilovematt]

The fact that Cher Lloyd is number 1! it shows the British public will buy anything that's total crap nowadays. But this is the same public that sent that atrocity Crazy Frog to No 1 beating Coldplay (while I'm not a big fan of them, are infinitely better) a few years back.

Anyone on here like that song? Come on, don't be shy!

Agree .. How the heck did that get to No 1. Got to be a fix surely !

[MK Chris]

Not so much annoyed as a bit apprehensive about my brother's night shift tonight. He's a North London firefighter and has been on day shifts the last two days, but is on nights from tonight. Seen reports that although no firefighters have been injured, some have been threatened by rioters.

Hmm. Paul Lewis at the Guardian has been passed examples of the messages going round on Blackberry's messaging system:

Paul Lewis is back in touch with some more on the role that Blackberry Messenger is playing in all this:

There is no doubt that that BBM — Blackberry Messenger — is being used to organise disturbances. Again, I've had multiple sources confirm that this BBM message, encouraging people to loot in Enfield Town, was widely disseminated as early as 2pm on Sunday. It appears to have been the main message that was being shared, although there were variations.

Everyone in edmonton enfield woodgreen everywhere in north link up at enfield town station 4 o clock sharp!!!! Start leaving ur yards n linking up with you niggas. Guck da feds, bring your ballys and your bags trollys, cars vans, hammers the lot!! Keep sending this around to bare man, make sure no snitch boys get dis!!! What ever ends your from put your ballys on link up and cause havic, just rob everything. Police can't stop it. Dead the fires though!! Rebroadcast!!!!!"

Paul adds:

We have to be careful not to fan the flames in situations like this, and I am reluctant to reveal the (many) BBM messages that are circulating with instructions for tonight. They are all hard to verify, but generally suggest plans to gather in at least six boroughs in north London. You can send other BBM messages about tonight's activities in confidence to paul.lewis@guardian.co.uk

My brother tells me three fire engines were smashed up last night, but that the Police are doing a good job of protecting the Fire Service.

[Yudster]

Topher, its his job, I'm sure he'll be fine. Some occupations bring with them inherent issues, and his is one of them - as you say, he'll have good protection. And he chose this with his eyes open. Try not to worry. Easier said than done I know.

[SAV1OUR]

On the subject of rioting, I saw this and found myself agreeing wholeheartedly with it:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14443866
Refreshing to hear a sane voice of wisdom and insight like that - pubs into flats, I've seen that happen a few times!

[MK Chris]

Topher, its his job, I'm sure he'll be fine. Some occupations bring with them inherent issues, and his is one of them - as you say, he'll have good protection. And he chose this with his eyes open. Try not to worry. Easier said than done I know.

Ah I know, he'll be fine, I'm just being stupid. He's doing the job he loves at the end of the day.

[Yudster]

You're not being stupid at all. But sometimes you just have to trust them. People who do dangerous jobs take the risk on board, so the people who love them do too - but it was his choice, not yours so its not so easy to do.

[MK Chris]

He's fine, he was restationed at Kentish Town and went out to Camden. Had two bin fires and a shop fire, at the shop fire they were verbally abused and spat at (which is disgusting) but nothing more thankfully. He's due off in five minutes, but about 25 minutes ago I had a text from him to say he's on his way to the big Enfield fire.

[R94N]

I've had to stop watching the news coverage of the riots, it's annoying me too much. Just so pointless.

[Johnny 1989]

These riots are really starting to * me off now, my mood has changed from fear to anger, how dare we be made to feel prisoners in our own homes because of these inbred, backwards, lazy *. All this "society failing us" is a load of crap, they're using it as an excuse to satisfy their own greed & selfishness.

So far, thankfully, Ilford has escaped unscathed more or less, so far, with the exception of Ilford Lane, the Police sirens have been minimal here, however poor old Croydon got completely battered last night, and now other cities are experiencing the same shit.

I'm not a violent man & would never ever hit a woman (men who beat their wives/partners disgust me) but that stupid bitch with the red hair on (I think) Channel 4 news earlier saying (in ghetto speak) "Da Police show us no respec, so until they do we wont like" I could have slapped her, what * respect do you deserve you brain dead cretin, you can't even string a sentence together properly.

* it, the Police have my 100% support, a friend of mine is a Police woman and she has been drafted in tonight although she was on holiday this week, I hope she's OK and I hope the vaster Police presence in London sorts this shit out once & for all.

I've stopped watching the news earlier this evening, it's just winding me up far too much.

[Nicola_Red]

Me too. I spent two and a half hours battling my way thru the rioting to get home from work (normally a 40min journey), then sat watching the news with the police helicopters above my building and the smell of burning drifting in from the balcony. After a while I had to flip over to Friends repeats and bake a batch of cupcakes to take my mind off it.

[Yudster]

Don't get sucked in to the idea that these people are trying to say something. People have been comparing this to the Middle East riots - there is NO comparison, the people over there had no voice, no representation, nothing - their only way of being heard was to do what they did. That is not the case here, even if these people DID have something to say.

This is not a reaction to society or anything else, its just an action. Thoughtless, pointless, baseless and selfish. And to the parents of the 9, 10, 11 year olds out there in balaclavas - where the * do you think your kids are? That's who I want to thump, the parents of these kids. Make them take responsibility too. I'm not saying let the kids get away with it and punish the parents instead - do the kids for the damage they have caused and do the parents too because ultimately they ARE responsible.

Rant over. For now.

[Nicola_Red]

The rioters here mainly looked 14/15. The Ugg store was looted - I'd say any parents whose daughters suddenly have a new pair of Uggs should be suspicious...

[Yudster]

A lot of the stuff getting looted from shops is being found dumped anyway - they aren't doing it because they want stuff, they're just doing it.

[bmstinton93]

Well at work we've been told that if anything happens we're just supposed to let it happen. Yeah, I suppose they're slightly concerned about our safety but any other time that we would have thieves in we would stop them and I believe we still should.

[MK Chris]

Where is it you work?

The fact is the sheer numbers of people make it impossible to stop them. Seems to be under control now though, for the most part.

See @SkyNewsOlympic (bizarrely) on Twitter for coverage of the rioters appearing in court.

[bmstinton93]

Sainsburys.

Tbh nothing will happen in Worcester anyway as I don't think the kids have the guts to around here as it is generally a good place, but as they were saying earlier you never know what could happen and don't just expect it not to.

[Ilovematt]

The rioters here mainly looked 14/15. The Ugg store was looted - I'd say any parents whose daughters suddenly have a new pair of Uggs should be suspicious...

Parents who let their children out at that age and time will not be bothered

[Yudster]

I may not get on with my parents much but I am thankful for them bringing me up to respect everything around me.

There's a hell of a lot of difference between what you are referring to as "respect" and the "respec'" that these fools are bleating about. One of the better social trends should have been the understanding that all individuals, rich or poor, priviliged or not, black, white, pink or green, have an inate human right to "respect". The problem was that no one was mentioning that along with rights come responsibilites, and that such things go both ways. In an attempt to make everyone aware of their own individual specialness, we've created a section within a generation that sees their own but doesn't understand anyone else's.

People used to get, but example mostly, their principles and their personal integrity firstly from family, then from scool, and to an extent from church - none of these things mean a lot these days do they. Families hardly exist any more, the whole concept of family now is of something disposable. Schools have been messed around to such an extent that they aren't able to influence anyone any more, and the church is all but dead in most places. Well, this is what's happened.

And yes, I do know its not as simple as that but I'm tired.

[MK Chris]

I heard on Five Live this morning that some listeners were suggesting National Service be brought back... * right off. I'll be using ALL my powers of persuasion to try and persuade Reuben when he's old enough NOT to go into the Armed Forces.

[Yudster]

I heard on Five Live this morning that some listeners were suggesting National Service be brought back... * right off. I'll be using ALL my powers of persuasion to try and persuade Reuben when he's old enough NOT to go into the Armed Forces.

National Service was important when it was in force, made a huge difference to national recovery after the war. And it doesn't mean a future in the armed forces either. Although why you think that's such a dreadful thing I can't imagine, the armed forces offer some of the best career opportunities you will ever see, and they offer them to people who wouldn't normally be able to get them either. I reckon a career in the military could be incredibly rewarding, and if Reuben was interested in that, why on earth would you try to talk him out of it?

I heard boot-camps mentioned which I like the idea of. If they're anything like MCTC in Colchester that'll wake the spoiled little shits up.

[DevilsDuck]

problem is...they are reducing the size of the armed forces anyway! We dont need more

[SAV1OUR]

EVERYTHING.

Staying off the booze for a week isn't easy.

Back to riots, Russel Brand looks at the bigger picture, not just the shattered glass, a good read:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/1 ... vidcameron

A good read in the Torygraph:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/peter ... he-bottom/

[Nicola_Red]

My flatmate has a lung infection and he's been referred to the hospital for tests and x rays. It's not life threatening or anything, but he's coughing so much he literally sounds like he's gonna fetch up a lung, it just sounds awful. I'm worried about him.

[Nicola_Red]

Following the previous post...Dan's just been diagnosed with pneumonitis and told he can't fly. He was meant to be leaving for Italy tonight for his sister's wedding. He's gutted.