I don't think you can really compare apples and pears.

OK the damage caused by the bankers is much more far reaching, but at the end of the day both groups are scumbags of the highest order.

I suspect.... though of course no-one but those involved will know - that MOST bankers went into the job because it was well paid, relatively (apart from burnout) low-risk, and it was something that they could do and mum and dad would probably approve of.
Now the looters? Most, I would contend, went to do it to take something that was unquestionably not theirs to take. To smash things that were not theirs to smash. Possibly, and I'll never really understand this, to have fun. Sure they could do it, and some parents probably don't give a **** but it's hardly good career info on the cv.... no, you can't compare apples and pears but the scumbaggery is somewhat different.

when we had the milk and honey years of the Thatcher era people were too busy earning to worry about rioting, would be willing to do their little bit extra to make more of their surroundings.

I am currently in the UK, surrounded by ethnic minorities and recently finished a contract helping long term unemployed to obtain training and support in finding a new job.
Yes there are riff-raff there, one for example wanted us to provide her with a job as a volunteer to keep the JC happy, hasn't worked since age 18, now 38. Has no skills other than a well presented daughter, cannot concentrate on a task for longer than abt 4mins, its going to take alot of hard effort to get her into full time work.

Please see what Carpetright are doing for their ex tenants who were burnt out to understand that big business can have a heart.

No we didnt get a single banker looking for support - funny that !

rgds

Yep, whilst probably glued to the box in Spain watching Sky News, baying for Murdoch to be jailed, spouting rubbish about bankers (conveniently forgetting that Brown de-regularised banking).

Nothing compares to the loss and trauma suffered by those affected by the fire, let alone a fire set by low life scum. It is a miracle that there was not more loss of life.

Good point, but as I said it's difficult to compare the two.
Brown,the Bwankers and some dodgy characters in the US all contributed to the financial collapse.
It must be remembered that they also caused loss of life, with quite a few who'd lost everything, putting a swift end to their misery.

Let's just bear it firmly in mind that the Tories started the deregulation process, and Labour took it further.

BOTH are to blame. Please don't be an apologist for the tories. They are as much to blame as anyone.

This of course risks supporting the theory that the riots were in part triggered by perceived, if not real want on the part of rioters. (Please read what I posted carefully before jumping on me.)

It has always been my understanding and experience that when there is good money to be earned, and opportunities to be had, MOST people are too busy filling their boots to worry about rioting.

As the old proverb had it. "The devil makes work for idle hands to do."

no jumping bil, AFAIK the rioting in London was initially sparked by just wanton vandalism allowed to happen due to lack of policing. some are using the death of a druggie as an "excuse" but the original rally was totally pieceful (as I read the news)

as has been proven by the list of those so far "processed" there was no true need to have, more a bit of excitement and "I did it because I could"
those who were looking for stuff on a semi-professional basis wore balacalavas or bandanas and gloves (see the pics)

those who targetted certain stores not in the immediate location of the rioting were following a different agenda, especially with regard to arson.

El Diablo has a lot to answer for

Yeah, boredom can be good, provided the person bored has the personal resources, money, intellect, whatever to rise from boredom to do something constructive.

You no got resources, ....... which way ya gunna go?

owt wiv me mayts, ang abaht chillin
its bum wiv nah job

A lot of them could have got jobs if they had wanted. 300,000 foreigners managed to find one. Problem is the benefits system is too generous. They don't want to do the crap paid jobs yet are barely literate to do anything more than put a burger on a bun.

burger on bun jobs are held by foreigners (sri thats not pc) cos they and theirs run the burger bars and vans,

east anglia has enclaves of foreigners who live on site in sometimes unsanitary conditions, alternatively living in HMO's in 3-4 per room, catch a mini-bus out to site, foreign language exclusively spoken on site precludes anyone with English only from taking such work
the same has happened on building sites which have become single language (non-English) operations

these are jobs that are turning out foodstuffs for the likes of Tesco, Asda, Waitrose etc, where people get paid 1p for picking a lettuce that you would buy for £1.00 in Tesco. similarly the packaging of food in jars and cans
these are jobs that take advantage of the poverty of individuals who flood in because it is actually better than they have at home, to get wages below NMW and\or they are forced to pay for travel to work and accommodation.

these are not just jobs the English won't take, if you could see the conditions you wouldn't want to be anywhere near there. Its not like the old camaradery of the hop picking days.
these are jobs that are within the category of slave labour which horrifies so many people when it is factories turning out for Nike etc but its ok when it comes to people's food.

but for those who are working officially in the uk as eu nationals they can also get child benefit for their children in the home country with not too many checks.

sri rant over

OK, let's throw out the foreigners, and pay better money. That gets rid of some, leaving 2million at least unemployed.

I'm not being nasty, but why do you (and so many others) bang on about making lazy buggers work, when frankly there aren't enough jobs for those who are keen to work?

Speaking as someone who used to look for people to do work, I wouldn't touch those forced to come for interviews, because they were useless.

I needed people who WANTED to work

If you are old enough to remember the Thatcher years, your memory seems to be playing tricks on you. There were actually 16 riots on the British mainland between 1979-1990 (see www.uk-riots.com). Maybe those 3M unemployed had too much time on their hands, even if you didn't.

Just been a report that one daft twat just out of jail helped himself to doughnuts and got jailed again.

Stupidity does carry a heavy penalty...