A couple of things...

I've had a couple of emails asking if I'm OK with all the rioting that's been going on in Britain these last few days.  Whilst I've personally answered the emails, I just wanted to reassure you all that I don't live anywhere near the places where the riots have taken place.  For a start there has been little or nothing in Leeds, mostly short incidents that have been dealt with swiftly by the police and I also live nearly 10 miles out of the centre of Leeds.  The main centres for violence in the North of England have been Liverpool and Manchester which are miles away from me.

I'm not sure how the media overseas has been showing the riots, and where their sympathies have been.  Over here there is 100% outrage by the media and the general public and a general condemnation over the lawlessness of a small minority of people.  What started out as a peaceful protest against the shooting dead of an armed man by the police, has turned into an excuse to create chaos and ruin the lives of those with a small business in some of the poorer areas of our country.  You may have seen scenes of looters targeting the large electrical chains but I wonder if you have also heard of the small furniture business owned by a family for over 100 years which was burned to the ground for no reason, or the florist shop which had all its windows smashed and interior destroyed because it happened to be on a high street targeted by rioters.  It's utterly shameful.

What is just as shameful is that these rioters and looters are not only the disaffected youth of this country, but adults who should know better.  Adults who are using their iphones and blackberries to co-ordinate the riots so that the best shops are looted.  It makes me completely embarrassed to be English.  Then yesterday three men were murdered, mown down by a car that was attempting to smash into a petrol station.  This senseless act was so unnecessary. These men were killed for what? A few packets of cigs and some chocolate bars.  The bewilderment and sorrow of the father of one of those murdered men brought tears to my eyes.

On the flip side to this has been that many in these poor communities are being brought together in the aftermath of the riots.  Many people have been going out onto the streets to help with the clean up bringing together people from different social classes and races.  It was heartening to read about this.

It bothers me that people in other countries read about the riots and think that Britain is a scary place, somewhere not safe to visit when that isn't the case at all.  Like all countries there are places which aren't safe, and just as I wouldn't feel safe walking through some areas of Los Angeles or New York, I wouldn't recommend some areas of London either, or Manchester, or Liverpool or Leeds.  The riots will pass, hopefully they are already calming down, and the country will go back to its usual state.  Please don't let these lawless scumbags affect your views on what is a beautiful and vibrant country.

On a more lighthearted note, I've discovered an amusing tumblr site which has been set up to undermine what the looters are doing by making them seem ridiculous.  The site is HERE, but this is my favourite picture:

Fianlly, I've been meaning to do a bit of a shout out to my new followers. I've picked up a number of new people in the last month so hello to you. Thanks for following :).