London calm -- after is wasn't

the sunny-side post-mortems continue. after london was terrorized by rampaging youths -- who are the first and hardest-hit among the victims of benign-sounding "austerity" -- we are now treated to reassuring news reports of the authorities now firmly in control:

CTV Edmonton - London calm as week-long rioting ebbs: 1,200 arrested - CTV News: "Britain settled into a tenuous state of calm on Saturday following a week-long series of violent riots and lootings that overran London and cities across the country, leaving citizens in a state of shock and the government considering extreme measures.

Metropolitan police appear to have secured an upper hand on the rampant gangs of looters that terrorized communities over the past several days.

More than 16,000 officers now patrol London streets in an attempt to dampen the violent mood."

of course, for a number of days, and seemingly out of nowhere, the situation spiraled out of control. some folks have gone so far as to suggest the government let events get out of hand deliberately, in order to divert attention from its manifold other problems. in any case, when disorder decides to rear its ugly head, the authorities -- having lost theirs -- will again be caught flat-footed as they were this past week.

the US is just a kiss away from more of the same...