So if you didn't know shit is going down in London.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7975597.stm
The G20 summit is in town and with my presidents first visit comes oodles and oodles of protests. They are protesting capitalism, Irag, globalization, protectionism, climate change and whatever else is running through their hippie heads. Obviously not all aspects of their outrage are without merit, but I do think people have let themselves get a little too distracted on things too big or too little to make a difference.
When I travel the only English channels are news channels and so I have no choice, but to get deluged with the news in the world around me and for that past couple months this has mostly been about the financial crisis. On my most recent trip to Mallorca I was forced to listen people go on and on about the AIG bonuses paid out. Yes it sucks that part of the govt money went to bonuses, but the deal struck is the deal struck and people going rabble, rabble, rabble afterward really isn't productive. Especially when the answer to those rabbles is consideration of a bill to tax the bonuses at some absurd percentages. The idea of such a targetted bill is quite appalling. I am not a fan of the bonuses, but some of them were probably contractually justified and others were probably justified given the price of litigation required to remove them. All the rabble, rabble, rabble did was increase the costs associated with it.
Refocusing on London, the opposite is likely the case. The sights are set too high. Make peace, end capitalism... Turns out capitalism is probably not the root of all evil. It can probably be shown to just the opposite most of the time. It could use some fine tuning at times thought. Yes it is possible for people to be irresponsible/greedy and yes this can cause hiccups, but it isn't just the bankers that were guilty of this. Blood on main street is justified as well. And yes I guess it is possible for capitalism to have overdrawn on its credit, but stuff like this has happened before and I have yet to be offered tickets to the Thunderdome. So we have to kind of move on and fineM tune the system. Throwing food at bankers and complaining that you have nothing to eat when you get home gets you no where. A lot of the protestors probably aren't that radical, but they get drowned out easily.
From the accounts that leaked into the office it was pretty crazy in the City today where all the banks are located. Even though the banks were prepared people still got in. I guess some firms told their workers that they would lock all doors at 8am and not let people out till 5pm just to make sure no one slips in. They were also encouraging people to not wear suits
After work I went down to see the protests. I couldn't even get close because of all the cops blocking stuff off. Evnetually I found an edge where I could see the crowd. It was greatly diminished, but still there. While taking a photograph I actually saw a guy in a suit get pushed down by some kid. Just annoying. I will try to have pics for tomorrow, but don't have them off my camera yet.
So in these times turbulent times I wonder to myself, will life ever be sane again? Likely, but people probably have to let it become that way. Eventually people will stop throwing food at bankers and complain when they get home and have nothing to eat. ,In the mean time I like drama so I am going to be a gawker of the carnage and get some pictures. It sounds like it is pretty crazy, but honestly I am more worried about the ever watching eye seeing me down there than the crowd. Oh that and tear gas, I loathe me some tear gas.
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