how is this for a local news story

[ed miliband]

AN OFF-DUTY fireman had acid thrown on him during the mass brawl where a teenager was shot and another stabbed.

Sources say two or three fireman were burned by the chemicals as they were tending to a stabbing victim in Uxbridge Road, West Ealing.

Police could only confirm that one man was hurt in the attack, who had to be taken to hospital for treatment.

Witnesses say about four to five shots were fired, with bullets skidding across the pavement, as police arrived.

It is believed the fighting began at a party attended by two rival gangs from Shepherd's Bush and Hayes before spilling out into the street.

About 100 thugs were involved in the melee at about 1.30am on Sunday.
A taser is also thought to have been used in the fighting near Island Spice Caribbean Takeway.

Witnesses say three knives were found and the street was littered with broken bottles, which had been used as weapons, after armed police arrived to disperse the thugs.

Two 16-year-olds are in hospital, one suffering from gunshot wounds, the other with stab wounds.

i think the story speaks for itself.

[Os Cangaceiros]

That'd be nuts, if you were just walking down the street, turned a corner and saw 100 people stabbing each other, shooting guns and throwing acid/bottles/whatever

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Sounds like my kind of party.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Used to go out with a girl from around there. Such a great example of the rich/poor divide in the same communities. Some areas around SB and Ealing are just fucking tragic.

[ed miliband]

Used to go out with a girl from around there. Such a great example of the rich/poor divide in the same communities. Some areas around SB and Ealing are just fucking tragic.

there's a map that records government recorded poverty levels or something equally voyeuristic; you can type in your postcode and it will come in a variety of different shades, from 'very deprived' to 'very affluent' (or something like that). what's incredible about london is how close 'very deprived' areas mix with 'very affluent' areas.

one of my friends is a case in point; massive house in north-west london moments away from streets that are essentially reserved for crack dens.

my area falls right in the middle, though again -- moments away from houses that are worth millions, and estates that have been destroyed by drugs and forgotten about...

[ed miliband]

(i'm being hyperbolic there, btw... i doubt any house near me is worth a million... let alone "millions", but the poverty divide is incredibly stark...)

[Os Cangaceiros]

there's a map that records government recorded poverty levels or something equally voyeuristic; you can type in your postcode and it will come in a variety of different shades, from 'very deprived' to 'very affluent' (or something like that). what's incredible about london is how close 'very deprived' areas mix with 'very affluent' areas.

It's historically been like that in New York City too. Probably a lot of cities, actually.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

mate i live in north west london and in abject poverty but it's ok cos every friday I drop pills and hit the town. Funky House is soooooooo the rage at the moment. I wish my daddy would put some more money in my account too..:blink:

But yeah, lots of North London is fucking disgraceful for poverty being hushed up on the quiet.

[human strike]

I hate the word "thug", especially when it's used by journos.

[Dennis the 'Bloody Peasant']

I hate the word "thug", especially when it's used by journos.

Yeah, reads like they're observing something that no self-respecting decent citizen would ever do...and so long as they stay affluent / comfortable and away from all the social and environmental elements that can lead to gangs and gang violence and all that that can entail, they can continue to sneer and tut in peace.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

there's a map that records government recorded poverty levels or something equally voyeuristic; you can type in your postcode and it will come in a variety of different shades, from 'very deprived' to 'very affluent' (or something like that). what's incredible about london is how close 'very deprived' areas mix with 'very affluent' areas.

one of my friends is a case in point; massive house in north-west london moments away from streets that are essentially reserved for crack dens.

my area falls right in the middle, though again -- moments away from houses that are worth millions, and estates that have been destroyed by drugs and forgotten about...

That's how it is where I live too. I used to live on a street where there were drive-bys, stabbings, and fights all the time and half the people were meth addicts but if you looked out from my front porch you could see these huge brand new houses just sitting there laughing at the poverty.