Runners shall not be geniuses

Runners in central London do my head in. They run on the pavement, zig-zagging through the pedestrians, running them (me) over whenever they "can't stop".   At the traffic lights, they hop on the spot. That is the most irritating thing. Why don't they just continue running to the end of the road or something then come back instead of the stupid hopping? Not only that, but they get really close to you.   I am like: 'oi! bugger-off over there, you are all sweaty!'   In the summer it might actually get to point where sweaty splashes on innocent bystanders; surely that should be illegal??!   Then there is the attitude. "I am a r-u-n-n-e-r, I am all spoooooorty, I am heeeealthy, you are all lazy faaats, tut tut, get out of my waaay..."   No, YOU get out of my way, you self-righteous amateur hopper! You stink, you hop, and you run like Mr Bean! If you want to run unimpeded, plan a better route, cos running in the middle of this crowd of pedestrians also makes you stupid! All that Lycra surely can't be good for your head! 

London burning

I watched in awe as students took to the streets again yesterday to protest against the Tories cuts. Before this rioting started in London, I had been watching, with some enthusiasm, the Greeks and French going bonkers on the streets protesting, and I wondered why the Brits were so passive. But now it seems that we will be seeing more action against unfair cuts. 
The Tories love to remind us that the mess we are in now is all Labour's fault, but in my view that is misconceived. I was jolly happy whilst Labour was in power: I had a safe job, my salary was going up, VAT was reasonable, unemployment was down, etc. It might have been eventually doomed, but it felt good. Then the bankers fucked it all up. But it happened all over Europe, so how can the Tories point their scissor-like fingers exclusively to Labour? 
I don't feel so good anymore. And I am guessing the Nation isn't either. By the time the cuts in jobs and benefits and VAT increase take place, starting from next year, we might start seeing a lot more of bus stops being thrashed. Thrashing bus stations is pointless, by the way, so those angry students who smashed that bus stop in Trafalgar Sq, take note: try something a bit more empowering to make your anger noticed. Rotten eggs anyone? 

Millbank Battle: the next day

This is all that is left from the siege: broken glass, graffiti, police rope

The Millbank Tower Siege: the first of the big riots.

Millbank Tower was under siege today by students protesting against the Tories' education cuts. Placards, converse trainers, spots and fire bombs, awesome. The students stormed the reception of the Conservatives HQ, then they made it to the roof with big red flags, to the cheer of the crowd below, and more smoke bombs. The police were outnumbered but clearly didn't seem to be too bothered, they simply watched on as the kids broke yet another glass panel; probably aware that their own kids will have to suffer the cuts under the Tories whilst the adults are made redundant. The messages were obviously arty and creative: "keep the Eton mess at Oxford"; "having his cake and Eton it"; "make the bankers pay"; a black board with white letters saying only "angry sign"; a graffiti on the wall "Tories Scum" beside a big cock. Now the news are saying that the public is angry about the protesters' vandalism. I am not angry. I am impressed. However serious, violent, fun and justified the protest was, the Tories should take this as a warning that education should not suffer. After all, the students first stormed the wrong building before realising it; so in fact they need more, rather than less, education.