What Are You Thinking?

[V]

VB: I guess I'm lucky out here where nothing happens... in fact I don't think even the dumbest person in this village would smash up the shop here because they know it's the only place for miles around to buy their stuff. :/

The rioters have 'no stake in conformity' as someone on a BBC article wrote today. A person who feels no responsibility or ties to their own town or city in other words... or they are kids, who tend to suffer from diminished responsibility. They are smashing up their own town centres and stealing from them... which helps, well, nobody in the long run. But you know what I think it is? I think it's just always there, waiting to come out, and some people will always be ready to do it. Looters come out after natural disasters, flood and tornadoes and so on... because the police are too busy to stop them in the chaos. This is why I think it's important to make a show of putting these riots down. Not because people robbing flatscreen TVs or whatever is the worst thing on earth... but because everyone else is feeling unnerved or scared or robbed by this, and because the police force's weakness has been shown up - and it won't get any better without the threat of punishment. I think it's all that stands between decent society and this kind of thing - the fact that people are punished if they commit crime... and now the mobs have realized that they're not being punished, what do they do? Rush out to capitalise on it. I hate to say it but when people start behaving like this, I'd say the police need to get heavy-handed with them. Tear gas, water hoses and plastic bullets in extreme cases if there's going to be a crowd of 200+ people wandering down streets setting fire to things, smashing up buses and ripping the shutters off shops, or just attacking passers-by. If we let it happen, it'll keep happening.

Although the UK government is kinda adverse to water cannons and calling the army in, although I don't know why given the situation. Are we going to sit around watching stuff get wantonly wrecked because we're afraid of the image of the army having to be called? I wish they'd wake up to what some places in the UK have become. 'Course, MPs probably wouldn't know or care since I doubt many of them live on housing estates or in deprived areas. This is the problem I guess... government is completely out of touch with what it's like to be an ordinary person in the UK, and many ordinary people are out of touch with what it takes to run the country. The public expect instant answers to the economic and social problems, and the government expects the public to put up and shut up because 'they know best' when clearly they don't. It's a bad mix.

 

[Vergil'sBitch]

Ah yes, the great Village idiot. Mind you, stick the village idiot next to these people and he'd probably come out with the highest IQ.
And again, I agree The trouble with the British police is that they are too 'namby-pamby' in the way they deal with criminals. I'm pretty sure if this was Ireland (going by the trouble they've had in the past), the army would've been called in.
It's all well and good to say that these idiots will be punished but our prisons are full, what are they going to do with them? Give them a smack on the hand, tell them not to do it again? Because, that is all it will be.
We need tougher laws, and tougher punishments (outta go back to chopping off hands again just like... Tudor times?).
Does the government think that, "If we call the army in, we're showing the yobs that they are winning? We're showing that we are hypocrites? (ie, we can interfere in foreign affairs like Libya/Iraq/Afghanistan, but we can't deal with our own problems)"

Apparently the local police force has sent 25 officers to help in London... 25?! I'm sure they'll make all the difference. (not...)

There are members of the community in London that are willing to protect their way of life from the mob by fighting them themselves... utter madness especially if someone gets killed (which, lets face it has already happened).

Let's face it, the police force is in the middle of being cut, and It has now backfired.

[I do know one thing though... They can't blame this on Video games...]

EDIT: Gone 10pm, I'm off. Stupid GAME reward card won't register!

 

[V]

I think you could be right there... that calling in the army equals some kind of defeat in some people's eyes. but if I were in one of the affected areas, I could care less, just get these little ****s off the streets before they cause more havoc and damage. It's a bit late to save face in front of them now, or in front of the international community, they already think they've 'won'. They should just get on with trying to solve the problem.

As for punishing them... I guess we need more prisons and a better justice system than the one that lets prisoners sit in front of Facebook eating and drinking stuff they bought with their 'pocket money'. For starters, they should make prison a worse place than what you and I have to put up with being taxpaying law abiders.

 

[Dante's Stalker]

I'm pretty sure you only take me for a f*cking fool or something like that. Thinking I wouldn't know that easy as hell situation you are talking about.

WOW. Get off your horse before it rides away with you! nobody is putting words in your mouth.how the hell is QUOTING your post putting words in your mouth? Maybe you should've worded your post better considering more than one person apparently misunderstood it. Anyway, go drink a chill pill, tantrums online really are so unbecoming. Back on the topic of people not accepting help when they know they need it: it is a mindset. For example, people who smoke are unlikely to quit for good when they 'quit' because someone tells them to. If a smoker quits on their own terms for their OWN reasons, they manage to quit properly because they are doing it for themselves. Same thing for someone who needs a shrink: they won't come right no matter how long they see the best shrink in the country, if they dont have the will to accept help, nothing anyone says or does is going to aid them in any way. The problem lies with the self, and that's where the healing needs to start too. You cant change what you dont acknowledge-my life motto. Kudos to anyone who knows where the quote is from =)

 

[Mishka]

Wow.. Looks like Shadow likes alot...

 

[Shadow]

Wow.. Looks like Shadow likes alot...

Well...I like everyone.

 

[Mishka]

Well...I like everyone.

I liked it just for the lulz.

 

[Shadow]

I liked it just for the lulz.

Hehe. XD Well, thank you.

 

[Ultima]

im thinking y the f*ck am i listening to Lil Wayne

 

[Mishka]

I get kinda worried now...
Have i done something wrong..? I'm a meanie now..?

 

[aka958]

WOW. Get off your horse before it rides away with you! nobody is putting words in your mouth.how the hell is QUOTING your post putting words in your mouth? Maybe you should've worded your post better considering more than one person apparently misunderstood it. Anyway, go drink a chill pill, tantrums online really are so unbecoming. Back on the topic of people not accepting help when they know they need it: it is a mindset. For example, people who smoke are unlikely to quit for good when they 'quit' because someone tells them to. If a smoker quits on their own terms for their OWN reasons, they manage to quit properly because they are doing it for themselves. Same thing for someone who needs a shrink: they won't come right no matter how long they see the best shrink in the country, if they dont have the will to accept help, nothing anyone says or does is going to aid them in any way. The problem lies with the self, and that's where the healing needs to start too. You cant change what you dont acknowledge-my life motto. Kudos to anyone who knows where the quote is from =)

Sorry, was frustrated at that moment. <.<
Still, it wasn't even part of the post why would people think it was?
I'm more or less posting out to stress out in this thread, that comment wasn't even directed at anyone. No one knew the situation, yet still they posted negatively against my post. As if I was a fool, as if I wouldn't know the obvious. As if I wouldn't even have knowledge in it.
Why quote the post if you don't know what I'm talking about? Did I make a thread about it? Did I really ask anyone of you? Or did I just ask myself?
Anyone should be prepared for any kind of answer to their replies to a person, especially when they don't know the mood of said person.

And that isn't completely true, I've persuaded people before. Sure it has much truth in it but the help from someone else and their advice can help a person, even if they don't have the mind set for it yet.
It all ends up with how you play with your words and use them correctly. Obviously I can't use them correct here, because people like to take it out of context.

 

[Dante's Stalker]

Sorry, was frustrated at that moment. <.<

Anyone should be prepared for any kind of answer to their replies to a person, especially when they don't know the mood of said person.

And that isn't completely true, I've persuaded people before. Sure it has much truth in it but the help from someone else and their advice can help a person, even if they don't have the mind set for it yet.
It all ends up with how you play with your words and use them correctly. Obviously I can't use them correct here, because people like to take it out of context.

S'okay, though I'm not the one who got sworn at.

That goes vice versa, aka. All we have to go on are words (unless you abuse the smiley system to be clear on how you're feeling).
And I agree that advice does go a long way, especially the kind that sticks, but that's a 50/50% chance that it will either be taken to heart or dismissed in the long run. Big up to you for still trying to help people who don't want it. I have anger management problems so I really do lack the patience to persist (this excludes my friends that I would rather die for than give up on).

And people don't like to take your words out of context. It's just one of those unfortunate things that have a higher tendency to happen here than elsewhere. Trust me, you're not the only one who has had to deal with having their posts taken out of the context that you had intended. SpardaTM used to nitpick through my posts and quote parts of it that in the end was completely irrelevant to the point I was trying to make, thus taking us so far off the original topic that we had to bushwack our way back on topic (or, most of the time, the whole thread just got derailed).

Thing is, when people misunderstand your post, don't take it as a personal attack or insult when they quote you on it. Just go *grumble grumble* morons, go beat the crap out of a pillow or couch or punchbag if you need to, get over it, come back, ignore the quoted post and carry on, rather than start snapping at people who unintentionally mistook what you meant. They'll get the hint that they made a fool of themselves a whole lot quicker if you simply ignore their post, rather than responding to them defensively and giving them the chance to either make you look bad or to start world war 3.

It's unnecessary and unhealthy to get so worked up about something that really is so miniscule it really shouldn't matter to you. Like you said, we didn't know what mood you were in when you posted that, nor does anyone ever stop to think 'hmmm, I wonder how this member was feeling when they posted this', so we don't really know where you were coming from with the post, don't know anything except the impressions we got from the single post, so it really shouldn't wind you up like that because we obviously didn't know jackshit about what you meant.

I'm not preaching or lecturing you. This is just what I think about the situation, and even that shouldn't matter to you. But, on a sidenote, if you want, just tell us to quit quoting your posts, period. I recon it started with me quoting your post and answering a question that I now see was meant to be rhetorical, and so the impression was had by others that it's an open topic to discuss and get different opinions/perspectives on. So *holds hands up in surrender* my bad.

CT: I am armed with sugarloaded coffee, crackers, dip, and a stack of revised manuscripts to get digging into. BOOJA!

I luv coffee <3

 

[Daring Dylan]

HOLYSHITHOLYSHITHOLYSHIT. THIS LINE. THIS LINE. IT DESCRIBES DARYL PERFECTLY. WHY IN THE WORLD DID IT TAKE ME SO LONG TO COME UP WITH. DSHUIGBRTU IT'S SO PERFECT I'M CRYING <3

*coughs*

I think I think this line is perfect. <.<

+ I hope I win this session of Camp too.

+ Standing on the rooftop, everybody scream your heart out~ <3 It's so perfect for them.

 

[aka958]

S'okay, though I'm not the one who got sworn at.

Yeah, I know. I can handle everything though, even if it's miniscule I snap far too easy, always have and I don't know how to hinder it. .-.

 

[V]

Ooh a DA troll! Devil May Cry sucks, I should play Digimon? AaaaahahahahaAHAHAHHAHA.

 

[LordOfDarkness]

In relation to the UK Riots, I'll bring about some points as to what others here have already said. And I'll also elaborate on them with my own thoughts and opinions.

What are the main reasons for people to get frustrated and cause riots?

Youth Of Today - Society has done very little to help the youngsters of today grow up with manners, respect and appreciation. Thing is this. They don't respect the law. Why? Well if you never had a law at School or home then why would you respect the law outside of the School you attend or your very own house? Simple, you wouldn't. If you think you can get away with disobedience in general, then the same must apply for when you're roaming the streets, right? Wrong. Laws are in place for a reason. But just like many have said, the police are too soft. In older days, School teachers were allowed to hit children to 'straighten' them out. If you join the army, they knock some sense into you. So if you go to School to be trained and educated just like you are if you join the army, then why shouldn't they be allowed to hit children to discipline them? Because that in turn leads to the problems with parenting. Parents don't want to here that their child was 'struck' at School, because then they just blame the School for letting a teacher do such a thing. When I was at School, lots of kids misbehaved. I never once saw any of them learn a lesson from their bad actions, only that it was supposedly funny for them and their moronic friends. So what sense of right and wrong do they feel if they think they can walk all over everyone? It's like when a baby throws its dummy onto the floor and expects mummy or daddy to pick it back up for them. Only for the baby to throw the dummy on the floor again and have either parent eat the whole tedious routine. If you let children get away with bad behaviour again and again, they'll think it's acceptable. Whether they understand that their actions are consequently wrong, their view on it will be that much more different because they'll think they aren't bound to the same laws of Society as we all are. There are too many domestic situations that can harm a child's upbringing nowadays, people don't know how to responsibly handle their children or run a loving family. Out of effect, if you are raised without love and care then you will assume to raise your own child in the same manner. This only leads to continuing the chain of problems with parenting and the future generation. My dad beat my mother, I am ashamed to say. I was too little to see anything or remember, but it does not mean I take my anger out on the World because of this. So what right does it give any other youngster or young adult to cause havoc if they have had a similar bad upbringing like I did? It does not give any excuse to do such a thing. You place misbehaving children together at a young enough age, they'll bond and grow up like they know no different. It becomes a brain set for them. A mindless, thuggish and disobedient attitude. And that's why they behave the way they do. We haven't been strong enough on them to make sure they do stick to the laws of Society.

The Police - The Police are too soft on criminals. The reason the Police can't make so many arrests is because the jails are full. Well hang on a second, I thought the reason for having prisons was to put criminals in them? Build more prisons then, there's plenty of land to build on. But no, instead of building what we need we build shopping malls or houses. People need homes of course, but there are too many people trying to overpopulate this Country (I'll go into more detail in the 'Immigration Section') Justice is never truly served in this Country. It only became more acceptable for you to be able to rightly defend your own property if a gang of masked hoodlums broke into your house late at night. How has it gotten to the stage where the Police overlook these simple rights that us Citizens have? There isn't enough care in their work if you ask me. But they do a job, and in all fairness I do appreciate what they do. And it's not entirely their fault for how they go about their policing procedures. It's just how the laws have been put in place in this Country. If you have too many prisoners (Killers, rapists and whatever other scum) then why not send them to Countries where they have the death penalty? Or just where they have room for them. I mean, it'd clear up a lot of the cells and allow them to make more arrests. But I forgot, we don't condone the death penalty here any more. Looking upon a once great Nation, what with all its glory, what do we see now? Violence tearing our streets apart. Chaos spreading like the fires being made to buildings, houses and shops. We as a Country were so powerful and strong-headed back during the days of the War. Now we only unite to bring pain towards our own Towns and Cities and it's an absolute monstrosity of a shame.

Companies And Industries - Companies such as Blackberry are being blamed for being involved within these riots. Now Blackberry, Facebook, Twitter and whatnot aren't the problem as such. It's the monitoring of these Social Sites and these Social Activities that is. It's under no strict security policy. There's no superiority involved. It's all very well making a huge site that connects millions and then just sitting back and watching people join it and do as they please. Rules, restrictions and other such things need to be put into place. If you make something, you need to police it. Who polices these Social Networks as such? Nobody. And billions of pieces of information get passed on through these Sites every day, these Sites alone. Things that are noted down on Social Networking Sites should be monitored accordingly. For instance, if I go on there now and send a message saying "Going to go and mug someone tonight at 2am around the corner here, come over and join me", who is going to know I sent that message? Who is going to know who I sent that message to? Who would be able to stop me at all? Nobody would be able to. I mean look at it like this. DMC.Org doesn't require as much of a sense of control as Facebook or Twitter does, but it has rules and regulations. There are Staff Members who are essentially the Police Members of the Forums, bringing about peace and justice and determining what is right and what is wrong. There's more of a need for Sites that are primarily for social reasons (More so purely messaging based) to have members of Staff and such to monitor and control all of this. But the problem is, if you can slightly read and write and able to access an internet connection (Which let's face it, if you're even five years old you can use the internet at a basic enough level) and it's with this ease to be able to make an account and overpopulate these Internet Sites that we have this vast power of being able to connect to something much wider than the neighbourhood we live in. And with that power with so much lack of control we're able to set about sending messages and communicating and organising things in a criminal and destructive nature without anyone battering an eyelid.

 

[V]

The death penalty doesn't deter people, though. The U.S. (a fairly similar country in social demographics) has in it some states that practice the DP and it doesn't appear to make tangible difference to the homicide or general crime rates at all.

Half the problem as you mentioned is national attitude and upbringing. Selfishness and lack of discipline and punishment will always lead to flouting of the law. The first line of defence against 'anarchy' is morality - bringing people up to know the difference between right and wrong and which one to practice; the last is the force of the law. Both of those are growing impotent here. Parents and teachers not allowed to discipline their kids, criminals not properly punished or deterred and police not permitted to do their job. This was always going to be a natural consequence, because there is always a section of society that will test the fences and if you give them an inch they will take a yard.

Unfortunately the answer is to reinstate discipline on all levels and give other ordinary people complete freedom to organize and defend their property, since the police are outmanned. A softly-softly approach isn't going to work on these rioters, I hope the idiots in charge finally realise that.

So what if bringing in the water cannon and the plastic bullets means the streets look like N.I.? N.I. is a part of the UK too, and if they're worried about creating growing resentment and anger among the English public for it, too late - it's already here. One thing I would guess for sure - if they don't stop it, it has no reason to stop.

 

[Shadow]

I just realized why it's a bad idea to paint your nails to look like Skittles when you're trying to stop biting your nails.... ._. Though...it looks so pretty when you type fast...pretty, yummy colours.... *has had waaaaaaay too much sugar*

 

[LordOfDarkness]

I'm really glad that I'm going to be a dad =) I'm glad that I'm getting into control with my financial state as well and that even though my new job may not be many hours I can always stay positive and work as hard as I possibly can. And then who knows, I might get more hours and get more money and then the next step will be moving into a little place with my girlfriend and the baby and living together. My life really isn't bad at all. I have a lot of people to thank for that, a lot of people. My family, my friends, my girlfriend. Without them I'd be nowhere in this World.

 

[Dante's Stalker]

On the riots : I think you guys nailed the problem. It's the anti-smacking law to blame. Not every parent out there have the patience to be supernanny. A good old fashioned smack on the behind accompanied by a grounding/depriving privileges goes a long way.