From The Mind Of Jake Mills (And the computer of whoever that guy was)

Liverpool, This Is Your Chance.

Friday the 13th April sees the start of what is undoubtably one of the biggest weekends the City of Liverpool is going to see in a while and it’s down to us to make sure it’s not an unlucky one.

Liverpool is a city bursting of self pride, a city which has been tarnished through the years and has dealt with both highs and lows, but I’m sick to death of hearing that.

I once spoke to somebody who moved to London from Liverpool due to work and he told me, with a smile of admiration on his face, “I love Liverpool. It’s my home and there’s something really special about it. It’s made me tough, it’s made me who I am.” He continued, “The thing about Liverpool is, it contains some of the best people and some of the worst people in the world”. This stuck with me ever since because I found myself kind of agreeing with him. That was until I realised that, although there are a lot of, for want of a better word, Dickheads in Liverpool, they are more than outweighed by the good.

It’s important that the rest of the country is given the chance to understand that. That is why this weekend is so important. The City of Liverpool and it’s people are on display to not only the rest of the country, but the rest of the world.

Over the next few days thousands of women are going to be squeezing into their one size too small dresses and 5 sizes too big hats, while men pick out a lovely shiny suit and tie combo and they make their way to worlds most famous steeple chase, joining thousands of visitors from all over the country along the way. People will be coming into our city to enjoy themselves, drink, laugh, bet and go home telling everyone how amazing it all was and not telling them how much money they spent. The worlds media, as always, will be there to see what type of show we can put on and we never fail to impress.

Meanwhile, and possibly more importantly, at least 70,000 (and the rest!) Scousers will be making their way out of the city to head to the country’s capital. The meeting of Liverpool and Everton at Wembley stadium was chosen to be a 12.30 kick off by the metropolitan police. Why? Who knows the real answer? Maybe it’s because they are worried about violence. Maybe it’s because they are worried about us getting home. Maybe it’s because handling the olympics seems easy compared to handling 70,000 Scousers roaming the streets of London. Honestly, I couldn’t care less, in fact, I hope it is for one of those reasons and I hope that just  so they see how naive and outdated such a view is when a sea of both blue and red walk up Wembley Way. When both Everton and Liverpool fans are dotted around the ground, sitting next to each other sharing a joke and a drink. They’ve segregated the pubs to avoid trouble, when in actually fact, they’re splitting up friends and family.

I can’t wait to see their faces when they see us all, Justice For The 96 banners and posters in hand, singing ‘There’s only on Gary Ablett’, that’s when they’ll realise, we’re not just two teams, two rivals, two sides. We’re one city. We’re friends. We’re family. We may hate each other on the pitch, but we’ll happily tell each other that in the car on the way home.

This weekend sees a massive chance for the city of Liverpool to prove itself. It’s not about Us versus Them or The North versus The South. It’s about enjoying our day. Win, Lose or Draw. So go out and enjoy yourself, do the city proud. This is our chance, let’s take it.

We’re from Liverpool, home to some of the best people in the world. 

Maybe I'm Amazed

Most people who know me, even some who don't, will know that I have three main passions in life; Everton FC, Comedy and The Beatles. I've spoken in the past about the first two but I've never actually put down on paper, or computer, just why I love the latter. So, in the same week that I am going to see Paul McCartney live, I thought I'd do it now.

I woke up on my birthday last week (my present/card is in the post, right?) and I opened a present I already knew I was getting. Two tickets to see Paul McCartney. At the time, I didn't actually have the tickets so instead my parents made me the following, in all it's Microsoft Word glory.

It was only yesterday, when I looked at it again, that the wording got me thinking. 'Your Idol... Paul McCartney'. It made me stop for a minute and think back to just why he is my idol.

Not many people will know that two years ago I was diagnosed, after 6 months in hospital, with Crohn's Disease. It is something that I am still learning to live and deal with but I am in remission and living quite a normal life now.

It was during my time in hospital that I fell deeply in love with The Beatles, musically and beyond. It was them who helped me get through what was undoubtably the most difficult period of my entire life.

Alan Partridge once said that his favourite Beatles album was "probably the best of The Beatles." and, sadly, he won't be alone!

The Beatles are the biggest, most important and influential band on the planet, everyone knows that, there's no point even discussing it. What I do find is that often it's something people just accept as fact, without questioning why. The thing about the catalogue of music that The Beatles have, both as a band and individuals, is that they have a song for everyone, regardless of mood or moment. There is always a song, perfectly appropriate.

They are able to take you on a journey through every single emotion possible. They will have you dancing care free one moment and break your heart the next. For me, they allowed me to open my mind. They allowed me to see the good in the world. They allowed me to see the bigger picture. They allowed me to not only recover but to become a better person.

The Beatles are far more than a band. Even if you exclude the music, they were still incredible. First of all, they are some of my biggest heroes in comedy. Their sense of humour was probably typical of 4 young lads from a working class Liverpool, incredibly sharp and dry.

As individuals, each of The Beatles were extraordinary people. The world watched them grow up and it is the journey of their separate lives which is so fascinating and inspiring.

Above all else, they proved just what we are all capable of as human beings. How we can change and progress. How we can achieve our dreams regardless of who we are, where we are from or how many times we are knocked down. How we can help one another. How we can help ourselves. How we are capable of changing from a nasty person to the face of Peace. How it doesn't matter what your background is, you can be idolised. How we can cope with whatever life throws at us. How we can cope with loss. How when you think life isn't worth living, it is. Most importantly, they showed us the importance of love.

If you aren't a Beatles fan, or you have a life, then you probably aren't even reading this now, but if you are, here is my point. People say you shouldn't meet your heroes, I say they are wrong. I couldn't care less if Paul McCartney only gave me a second of his time, it would be the best second of my life. To get the chance to thank him. Thank him for inadvertently holding my hand through the darkest time of my life, for showing me how good life is regardless of the heart break and trauma which we inevitably have to deal with, no matter how often or how cruel. For making me proud of my roots, my City, myself.

On Tuesday I will get to see Paul McCartney for the fifth time, something I didn’t think I’d ever get to say, and it will feel every bit as special as the first. He is a true professional. He sings for the sheer love of it. He performs not for the recognition or adoration but because it's his passion. He pours his heart out on stage for a raw, personal, incredible three hours. The fact that he is 69 years old, makes it that much more special.

I probably won't ever get to meet Paul McCartney but I’ll ALWAYS live in the hope that I will. He'll never know what he means to me, and how he helps me every single day, probably because there are millions who feel the exact same way, but I dream of telling him one day.

If you see him, do me a favour, tell him for me.

The More I See The Less I Know For Sure

It’s been a very strange couple of days for me. From the highs of celebrating a close friends 40th birthday, to the lows of reading about the death of a hero, just two years older than him. The passing of Gary Speed is very sad indeed, particularly as it has been revealed that he felt the need to end everything himself.

And so the rumour mill begins, just minutes after the news breaks. I won’t discuss any rumours, not now nor later, but I will say one thing, whether there was a ‘reason’ or not, depression is real, it is an illness and it is a killer.

Do you know anyone who suffers from depression? Do you know someone who has contemplated suicide? Do you know someone who thinks the darkest thoughts inside their heads? Do you know someone who feels that life is so bad, they would rather not live? No? Let me ask you this; How do you know?

Everyone who knew Gary Speed has spoken about how happy he was, how cheerful and lively he seemed, just hours before he took his own life. The reason for that? He wanted them to. He was simply wearing a mask; the essential accessory for the majority of depression’s victims.

Depression has no prejudice. There is no magic amount of money you can obtain to avoid it. No dream life, fast car, mansion or swimming pool can prevent someone from catching, what is essentially, a disease. There is no singular reason why someone may be depressed but there are plenty of reasons why they may suffer silently.

I am an avid user of Twitter but recently I’ve found myself falling out of love with it, mainly because of the vile nature of some of it’s users, particularly in the manner in which they speak to others they know nothing about. I’m not talking about having a joke at someones expense, voicing a dislike of someone or something. That’s natural. I mean the way in which people will send other people messages, directly and purposely so that they will read their hurtful words. 

See, the pros and cons of twitter, in my opinion, are basically the same thing. Yes, it’s fantastic to be able to interact with strangers. Great that famous people are able to receive messages from fans, chat back and interact. At the same time, it’s horrendous that people are able to see certain messages and be forced to interact with ‘warriors’ behind a computer screen.

Undoubtably, my favourite thing about Twitter is that I have made a network of friends, consisting primarily of strangers. It’s quite unique like that. I follow people who I didn’t know before and have gone on create good friendships with.

However, you read tweets from people so regularly that you sometimes forget that you don’t actually know them. It’s easy to be sucked into people’s lives on Twitter, forgetting that you know very little about them and that you only see what they want you to see.  So, when you are sending an abusive message to someone, you’ve no idea what kind of affect that may be having. If someone like Gary Speed commits suicide to the amazement of his closest friends and family, then a piece of text, written on a computer screen, will contain no real evidence or insight into a persons mind or soul. The thing about text is that it is all about interpretation. How one person has written something may be read in a completely different way.

Just because someone is famous or successful, doesn’t mean that they deserve to be made a target for abuse. People assume that famous people are immune from the hurt or pain of words, purely because they have been on television. 

Many people will argue that a person should expect abuse when they become famous and, without a thought, I find myself agreeing. That is the problem. Why should someone have to put up with abuse from strangers? Famous or not. If a stranger approached you at work and told you that they hated you, wished you pain, suffering and wanted you to die, just because they didn’t like you, how would you react?  

Sure, there are plenty of people I dislike. There are people I’m bitterly jealous of. There are people I have no real reason to dislike, yet I still do. There will be many people I’ll no doubt joke about and say mean things about but I wouldn’t write it in a letter and send it to them to read, in the same way I wouldn’t send it to them in a personal message on twitter. Why? Because I don’t know them. I know nothing about them. They are living their lives and making a living in whichever way they choose. If I don’t like someone in real life, I avoided them, the same way I’d avoid someone on TV, Radio or Twitter.

The main point of this (very messy) blog piece is that people forget that words hurt. People forget that a face is simply a mask. People forget that what someone wants you to think may be completely different to what is happening inside their minds. 

I think sometimes we take life and people for granted. It’s time to be a little more thoughtful before you tweet someone to tell them how “fucking ugly” they are or how they are “a waste of a life, a waste of oxygen”. We are all people. We all have dreams. Some will never achieve their dreams and some already have but one thing to remember is, those who did achieve their dreams are not immortal. They have remained human. They have their thoughts and, sadly for Gary Speed, they have their demons.

Every good thing has it’s day and sadly I can feel that day coming for Twitter. 

RIP Speedo.

Remember, if you suffer from depression, you are not alone.

http://www.samaritans.org/

I'm not so Merseyshore

About a month ago, I noticed that Bananafish Management posted a request on their Twitter and Facebook pages. The request was for people to come forward who felt they had the potential to be on a new MTV programme. The programme was to be filmed in Liverpool. The programme? Merseyshore.

Recently I’ve had a lot of people (friends/family/strangers) hilariously telling me how much I look like Joey Essex (I don't). It's been happening on far too many occasions for my liking so, after seeing thier request, I felt that I just had to respond to Bananafish, purely for the irony. The TV company who were casting the show requested the hottest, funniest and fittest young people in Liverpool. I couldn’t waste this opportunity. I decided to send an email to Caitlin at Bananafish, detailing just why I’d be (not so) great for the show. I took the description they were looking for and amended it to fit me.

From: Jake Mills 

Sent: 08 August 2011 12:12

To: Caitlin Prosser

Alrrriiiight!

How are you? Quick question, is that post you put up last week, about the Liverpool thing, for Merseyshore?

I would say I am one of Liverpool's hottest, funniest and fittest young people. I am between 18-26 and I'm proud to be from Liverpool. I'm young, good looking and have a great personality. If it's for that Merseyshore it'll be all model nobheads and gym goers. I mean, I have muscles, man, you wouldn't believe the muscles I have, but, they're not actually real.

See yaaaa

Jake

X

The reply from Caitlin wasn’t really what I’d expected, there wasn’t a haha, or a LOL, there wasn’t even a smiley face (with or without a nose). Nothing. Just a very normal reply, taking what I said completely seriously.

From: Caitlin Prosser

Sent: 8 Aug 2011 12:19

To: Jake Mills

Hiya!

Yeah - Merseyshore, it is love.

Do you want me to suggest you for it?

Xx

I decided to go along with it. She was obviously playing along.

From: Jake Mills 

Sent: 08 August 2011 12:24

To: Caitlin Prosser

Erm, I mean I don't think I'd be appropriate for it, it'll be cringey as anything but ok.

Jake

As soon as I pressed send there was a major doubt in my mind. Was she playing along or did she just take what I said seriously? I could’ve ended it all by saying, “Ah, you know what, it was a joke which clearly wasn’t funny. Sorry for wasting your time.” but instead I kind of just went along with it. Caitlin replied.

From: Caitlin Prosser

Sent: 8 Aug 2011 12:28

To: Jake Mills 

Just send me a photo please. One that you think is appropriate...

And do you want me to send the blurb that you put in your first email?

X

This was the weirdest response of the lot. Surely Caitlin wouldn’t use my derogatory comment to portray me to a TV agency. Something wasn’t right. I decided to look back at my sent box. Do you remember that hilarious first message, the one with the incredibly clever and well placed strikes through the majority of the words? Ye, that was funny. The only problem was, the message that was actually sent, the one Caitin received, well, that one decided to not include those witty scores through certain words. Instead, the sent message decided to stitch me up as an unbelievably egotistical moron. The message Caitlin received was basically me being completely serious in claiming to be one of Liverpool's hottest, funniest and fittest young people with a great personality. I emailed back immediately,

From: Jake Mills 

Sent: 08 August 2011 12:36

To: Caitlin Prosser

Wait a minute, when I sent you that it did have like, lines through different words didn't it?! If not, that looks like I'm one bigheaded nobhead. 

Jake

As you can see, the replies were quick and frequent throughout this conversation. Apart from now. There was no reply. An hour passed. Nothing. Three hours, four. Nothing. Not a single thing. I was having cold sweats. This was the typical type of social suicide that I seem to love to commit on a daily basis. What was I meant to do? Send more emails? That didn’t work in the past, besides she see wouldn’t see it until the next day. How was I meant to sleep? I had to do something. 

I text. I explained. I got a reply. 

“Ah, to be honest I was like is this real....or....” 

Brilliant, so not only had I applied for Merseyshore but I’d also embarrassed myself along the way. At this stage I was just glad to wipe the slate clean, I’d explained myself and I went to bed forgetting all about it.

The next morning I received a phone call. The call was from Lime Pictures, the company who were casting for the programme. In the short phone call I was told they’d received the recommendation from Bananafish (Yikes) and that they had sent me a questionnaire. The girl who I was speaking to was lovely enough and she told me that she thought I’d be great for the show. She encouraged me to really go to town when answering the questionnaire, to be as “honest and shocking” as possible and “don’t hold back”. I was dreading opening my emails.

It took me three days to even look at the questionnaire. It was exactly what I’d expected. They introduced the show by explaining that their aim was “to show that Liverpool is truly the place to be for glamorous nights out, wild house parties, and beautiful people!”. I vomited.

I continued to read the questions. They asked the usual, “What’s your age and profession?”, “Why are you proud to be from Liverpool?” and so on but as I went on, it was clear what they wanted. “What makes you stand out from the crowd?”, “What are your best assets - Physical, material and social. Brag!!!”. If I didn’t already know that this show wasn’t for me, I did now! 

They went on, “What is your most embarrassing story? - make us blush and laugh our heads off!”, “What was your wildest night on the town? Shock us!”, “What is the worst thing you’ve ever said or done? Did you get into trouble?”.

I’d like to say I was surprised by the calibre of people they were aiming at but I wasn’t. I’d also like to say that I didn’t think this show would actually be made but it will.

The weirdest question though came at the end. It wasn’t about how drunk you’ve ever been, how many people you’ve slept with or the weirdest place you’ve thrown up. No, it was a question which baffled me; “What is the nicest thing you’ve ever said or done?”. How bizarre a question is that?! What is the nicest thing you’ve ever said?! Who knows that? Unless it is something outstandingly nice, why would you even note or remember it? Sure, you’d remember having sex in the toilet or punching a bouncer in the face but surely being nice and saying nice things is a daily routine? Surely it isn’t  something that would particularly stand out, instead it’d be something you’d automatically do without ranking it in an order of ‘niceness’.

The final application date has long been and gone. The Joey Essex shouts are becoming less frequent with the more weight I pile on and I have avoided Caitlin ever since (for now!). Even after all that, if I am being totally honest, I’d much rather embarrass myself daily, get compered to Joey Essex and live my life as a nobody than have people make an assumption about the Jake Mills, they’d see on a programme like that.

Good luck to everyone going on Merseyshore, enjoy making your city ‘proud’, you crazy bastards.

Now, how do I apply for Big Brother?

Liverpool ‘Riots’: The Aftermath

I’m writing this a week after the riots in Liverpool started. My intentions have always been to write a concluding piece, a glowing praise of the good work, condemning the violence and moving on with our lives. However, I didn’t want to tempt fate. I wanted to have time, hindsight and normality before I reported how things were safe and the violence had ended. Now, I think, is the right time to do that.

I woke up on Wednesday, 10th August, worrying what the night would bring. I eagerly awaited the weather, praying for rain. We got it. Heavy rain and wind. I sat there thinking, “Brilliant, that’ll keep the rioters in”. Then I thought to myself, well, will it? These teenagers and young adults were, supposedly, rioting for their beliefs. Fighting the police they ‘hate’ so much and fighting back against the society which has let them down. They were there, I was told, to fight for everything they have (or don’t have) and the things that they are passionate about. Surely a bit of rain wouldn’t stop them fighting for something so important? Guess what, it did. Not a single report came through on the day or night of the 10th. Not one. Not one person felt so passionate about ‘the way society has let them down’, that they would risk getting their hair wet. That speaks volumes in itself.

Now, I am not saying that there isn’t a problem around deprived areas and of course I can understand how people living in those parts might feel let down by society. I’m a great supporter in developing deprived communities, making more support workers available to work with families, parents and kids. The more help these people get the better. However, I think there is one particular lesson that needs to be taught, one message that these young kids and teenagers need to learn and that is that life is unfair at times, but you have to work with that, deal with it, adjust to it and allow it to inspire and shape you as a person. The area or the place you were born and grow up in doesn’t define you as a person, it doesn’t determine who you are or are going to be. The only thing that does is your approach to life. 

I have worked a lot with different charities and particularly charities who help those from deprived areas. You may or may not know that I am immensely proud of Liverpool and its people and I always have tried my hardest to work with charities making it an even better city. Not long ago I worked with families and children in Anfield, one of the poorest areas in Liverpool. I had my eyes well and truly opened on that day. I drove through the streets seeing dozens of houses boarded up and then, in between them, the odd house with people still living in it. This wasn’t Liverpool. This wasn’t the place voted Capital of Culture. This seemed like a million miles away. When I saw children who were being brought up there, my heart sank. Each one of them had a beautiful, innocent look in their eyes, smiles on their faces and a care free attitude in life. These kids didn’t have a care in the world, they were kids, they had their whole lives ahead of them. They had dreams and hopes and nothing standing in their way. They could be anything they wanted to be. I then saw their house, their street, the people surrounding them. It was a wake up call for me because I realised that the life they were living, the way they were being brought up in those surroundings, it was almost like they were going to have their dreams snatched from them, as if they will grow up and realise none of them were real. I could understand why people were driven towards crime, why they would drink at an early age and why they might experiment with drugs. These kids would be brought up with very little hope and it is so important that they are taught that they do have hope, they can be someone, that there is help for them. As good as the charities are - and believe me, the work they are doing is phenomenal- there is only so much they can do with very little funding. 

There is a lot of talk about how schools and government have let people down, ultimately leading to the latest trouble, maybe, but at the end of the day, every child in the UK is entitled to free education, no matter what their social background, they are given the chance to learn, develop and make something of themselves. That is all well and good but sometimes, people need a little bit more than that, sometimes they need guidance and an arm around their shoulder, but most of all, they need hope.

To every person living in Toxteth and surrounding areas; areas where you feel you cannot amount to anything because of where you are from or the fact you have no money or nothing around you, I point you in the direction of the leader of your City Council, Joe Anderson. He’s one of you.

Joe Anderson was born and raised in Kent Gardens. A tenement block built in the Park Lane/Duke Street area, of Liverpool 1. It was a very deprived area, with next to nothing around him and very little money, but he didn’t let that define him as a person. Joe is immensely proud of his area and has said that it definitely contributed to his character. Joe used his circumstances as a way to propel his desires to become someone. He took those dreams he had as a child, just as those children in Anfield have, and did everything in his power to make sure those dreams became a reality. Joe didn’t allow the stereotypes decide how he ‘should’ be or what he ‘should’ do, he turned them on their head. That young boy from Kent Gardens with a dream many would shoot down is now sitting as the leader of the City Council.

Life can be tough and we all wish we had it easy, sadly that’s not the way it works. Life owes you nothing. If you don’t think you are getting treated fairly because the police think you are worthless, if people label you because of your area, skin colour, accent, lack of money or anything else, prove them wrong. Not by hitting out at them, destroying their things, setting fire to their cars or attacking police. By doing that, you are simply playing into their hands. You are being the person they are expecting you to be, living up to the stereotype, the very thing that gets you angry in the first place. Don’t give people the satisfaction. It’s your life and it’s up to you and you alone to make it the best possible life for you and your family. Do you want to bring kids into the world, looking up to their parents as thugs? Or do you want to work hard, earn money, live in a nice house with nice things and cars. Ok, many people are struggling for jobs right now but things have a funny way or working themselves out eventually. In the meantime, read, educate yourself, find something you enjoy and become an expert on it. Collect things. Play a sport. If you have these frustrations you want to vent, go to the gym, join a boxing club. Occupy your mind, if only for yourself, to keep yourself sane. The latest violence needs to be a wake up call. A wake up call not only to the government as it was supposedly intended, but also a wake up call to the people choosing to take part as well as the people watching it.

I drove down Lodge Lane and Smithdown Road on Wednesday night, the area which felt the worst of the violence, and it was alive. The streets were packed, not with rioters but with residents, dozens of them, in high visibility jackets patrolling their streets. These were the real people of Liverpool 8. They were working together with police and each other in order to show that they were proud of their area and that they wouldn’t stand for thugs and hooligans. They have had a lot of bad press in the area and they were sick of it. Even when I turned up with a camera, they were very defensive. Before I could even take one picture of the road sign, they were over in pairs, enquiring about who I was and what I was doing. When they realised I was from Liverpool and supporting them they dropped their guard slightly. They told me how they’ve had a lot of bad press lately and how they didn’t want any journalists spreading lies. We spoke for a good few minutes and even in that short time I could sense a raw passion in their voice and eyes. These were good, honest people who had been hurt. They wouldn’t let me get any pictures, of them or their road but I didn’t need to, I had seen enough. I left the area with a great deal of pride and I hope that they get to read this and know that I applaud them. I carried on down Smithdown Road and witnessed gangs of teenagers laughing and joking with police. It was literally the opposite feelings and actions from the night before. Liverpool stood up and was counted.

The main message of this post will probably fall on deaf ears or maybe never even be read by the people its intended for but here it goes anyway. You are not who people say you are. You can be whoever you want to be. Don’t be afraid to stand out from the crowd. Do that and you will gain the respect of your city. If you show that you want help, you will get help. It’s easy to pass the blame and claim it is somebody else’s fault but you are responsible for your own actions and your own life. The actions over the last few days have been blamed on one thing or another but if that was the case, you’d be out in the rain still fighting for that cause. The actions were purely down to people fighting for the sake of fighting, venting their frustrations on anyone who crossed their paths.

There are a lot of lessons which can be taken from the UK riots; Social Media, Government, Cuts etc. Although a lot of them are valid points, I feel they are all arguments I would like to leave for another blog, another time. I want this message to be about the good people of Liverpool and a message of hope to those who lack it.

 "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery"

Liverpool Riots II

It really is unbelievable that I am having to write another blog piece about violence in Liverpool but sadly last nights events simply cannot be ignored. 

The feeling around Liverpool yesterday evening was a huge contrast from the night before. The city seemed prepared. Shops in the city centre and retail parks were closed early, shop floors were cleared and known targeted shops had their doors and windows boarded up. A large police presence around the city was far from frightening or worrying, it was clear they were there to protect, they were ready and waiting to stop whatever came their way. The police had clearly learnt a lesson from the night before and were taking no chances.

There was one report of an occurrence in Bootle, where a small group of teenagers had tried to gain access to a post office using a JCB but police were soon on the scene before they were able to gain access and the perpetrators were caught and arrested. The feeling was that of calm and normality.

As it went dark, rumours started flying around. As I did the night before, I set out to prove these rumours to be true or false once and for all, to put any false rumours to bed and to prevent any false speculation gaining attention. Rumours are incredibly dangerous, they will not only cause a panic within the city itself but they can also prevent police being on the scenes they need to be. I urge you, if you have heard just a rumour, without any foundation, don't tweet or Facebook it. Social media can be incredible at times like this but it can also be a huge hindrance.

Driving around Liverpool confirmed that the majority of areas were operating as normal. Norris Green, Croxteth, West Derby, Old Swan, Toxteth, Liverpool One were all quiet, shops and pubs were open, buses and taxis running as well as people roaming the streets as they normally would. As I drove through Toxteth towards Upper Parliament Street, I was pleasantly surprised. There were residents, in high visibility jackets patrolling their streets. This was clearly as a result of the community meeting called there earlier in the day and it was obviously affective. The exact same area was like a war zone on Monday night, yet as I drove through last night, it genuinely felt like the safest part of Liverpool. I felt very proud.

That was until I got to Smithdown Road, the place which took the pride I had and threw it back in my face. I couldn't even get close to any of the action which is testament to the police. I was relying on contacts I had within the police as well as videos and pictures being sent to me from people living in flats above the action. There was approximately 200 youths gathered outside the Asda store, equipped with a series of missiles, sadly, the missiles involved included petrol bombs.

The police presence was incredible, the disturbances were a lot more contained but a lot more violent. The thugs and hooligans rioting were doing so through sheer aggression and anger, what the reason for that anger was, I really don't know. It seemed the only reason they were there was to be violent for the sake of being violent. There was no suggestion of looting, there was nothing about protesting the police or government, it was simply an excuse to fight in the most violent way possible.

Surrounding the areas was a lot of residents and young groups of teenagers, even they were scared. The people around watching were as angry as those rioting, but for different reasons. They were angry at the rioters, there was a feeling of disbelief, anger, embarrassment and fear. It was as if the fun feeling of mischief from the night before had become something different, like what was once harmless to most had become harmful to everyone.

Liverpool is one of the most patriotic places I've ever known; it's quite unique in that way. There is a feeling amongst a lot of Scousers that Liverpool is its own city, its own country with its own people, as if the city is detached from the rest of the country. We've had to put up with a lot of abuse from others in the past and so, as a result of that, we stand up for each other, we don't let anyone walk alone. I think it was because of this feeling that people were so surprised and disappointed with last night’s actions. These were people from Liverpool attacking other, innocent people from Liverpool for no reason at all. Liverpool has gone through far too much to be destroyed by a minority of thugs.

The reason behind the thuggish behaviours isn't known for sure, if any reason at all, but something I put it down to is the fact that these people feel as though they are untouchable and, as it stands right now, they probably are. That is what needs to change. The people doing this feel they can do what they want and nobody can do a thing about it, they feel they know their 'human rights', as soon as the are touched they will sue. Well, that is the problem, I'm all for human rights, of course I am, but those human rights escape out of the very window you smash with your foot. David Cameron announced yesterday, "If you are old enough to commit these crimes, you are old enough to face the consequences." Those consequences need to be brutal force. The untouchables need to become touchable, the power needs to be put back into the hands of the authorities before more innocent lives are put into danger. These riots across England have started to claim lives, enough is enough.

The Merseyside Police have been incredible, as have all the emergency services, they deserve the respect of everybody in this city and everywhere else for that matter. Don’t be afraid of police presence, be comforted by it, get behind them, show them they have your support. Chief Constable Jon Murphy is very clear in his statement today,  “we will find you and we will put you before the courts to ensure justice is done.” There were 50 arrests made in Liverpool and Birkenhead last night, with 18 of those appearing in court today. The police are serious and are doing everything they can.

There are approximately half a million people living in Liverpool today and there was approximately 200-300 people who decided to cause trouble last night. The ratio makes no sense at all. This is our city, we have to stand up to the thugs and protect our own. This is your city, protect it. If you have any images of any disorder over the last two nights, the police need them. This isn’t a case of snitching, this is simply protecting your home and your future. Any information, images or videos you have can be sent to disorderinvestigation@merseyside.police.uk and anyone with any information can call Merseyside Police on 0151 709 6010 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111

The people causing trouble have no right to call themselves Scousers, they don’t belong in our city, we do not want them and we certainly do not need them.

They are not one of us. They will always walk alone.

The Liverpool 'Riots' (My Account)

The very fact I am writing this piece is something which saddens me greatly. Last night I read things I didn't want to believe. I went out to see them for myself and came home confirming things I didn't want to believe.

Sabotaging My Own Job Application

Lately, I've decided to apply for jobs in America. Why? Why not? As much as I love Liverpool and England, I've never been to America and the thought of working there, especially in New York, is something that nobody would refuse. The only problem is, I need a job offer in order to apply for the working visa. For most people this would be an easy task, fill out a form, write a CV, supply a piece of writing. One problem, I'm my own worst enemy.

First things first, I thought I best get looking for jobs. I like writing, so thought I would look for writing jobs. I found one I liked, it looked pretty perfect actually. Working in the heart of NYC, pretty well paid, being trained up by the experts, having your work viewed by over 8 million people and they were looking for a recent graduate. The guy running it seemed fun and quirky too, there was no CV or anything required, instead he just requested a 500 word piece around the question, "Why should I buy a can of Coke instead of Pepsi?". Perfect! This was my chance to impress. He said he knew it was a silly question and was more than likely expecting a silly response. Unfortunately for me, I may have mistaken 'silly' for 'insulting', especially with the opening of my second paragraph. It would seem that I may have well and truly sabotaged what could've have been a dream job. The sad thing about it is, it wasn't the first time (and certainly won't be the last) that I've sabotaged something purely because I thought something was funny. Ah, well!

Anyway, this will probably never see the light of day so I figured I might as well throw it up on here.

Remember, this is for an American job so, slightly embarrassingly, I have Americanised it up a bit!

Enjoy. They probably won't.

Jake

:)

Why should I buy a can of Coke instead of Pepsi?

The world, as we know it, is a complicated place. There are so many, no, too many questions that just go unanswered, things that we just take for granted and never think to question or put up a fight against. I’m not talking about the war in Iraq, government laws or the price of gas. No, I mean things that you actually have control over. Things like personal taste. Why shouldn’t I get the lyrics of ‘What’s New Pussy Cat’ tattooed across my chest? Why can’t I be a guy who enjoys watching Sex and the City* alone? Why should I buy a can of Coke instead of Pepsi?

Cola wars have been ongoing for years, in fact, World War Two started because of Hitler’s love of cola and hate of Mountain Dew’s (I think) and the Pepsi and Coke arguments have become some of the most twisted and dividing arguments in history. Throughout the years, the Pepsi/Coke debate has claimed many victims. It has seen families split, rich men become poor and best friends become enemies. It’s out of control and they know it.

The two companies will do everything they can to try and persuade you to join their army.  Just because Lady Gaga has a can in her hair, Santa Clause has it before a long shift begins and Lindsey Lohan does it regularly (Whoops! Wrong coke), does that suddenly mean Coke is the best? What about Pepsi? What about Madonna, David Beckham and Michael Jackson? What about the fact Pepsi actually tastes better. Look at it this way, you have regular Pesi, Pepsi Max and Diet Pepsi. All as enjoyable as each other. Now Coke, you have regular, diet and Coke Zero. I enjoy a diet coke, sure. Regular Coke? I can have a glass, maybe two, before I feel the need to brush my teeth for a month. As for Coke Zero, I don’t know what to say apart from, if you are a person who tastes Coke Zero and actually enjoys it, in real life, without any sense of irony or sarcasm, you actually drink it and think “Mmm that’s some real good tasting”, then you my friend, have a dead palette.

Now I’m not here to tell you what to drink (Pepsi), what music to listen to (The Beatles) or even what food you should enjoy (Mexican), no, not at all. See, the point I am making is that there are some things in life we can change and there are some things we simply can’t. The way I look at it is, people should live a happy life, however that may be. Drink what you want, enjoy it, have some chips with it, maybe even some candy, it’s a free world.
 

The only thing I will ask is, never, ever, tell me that I should buy Coke instead of Pepsi.

Jake Mills

:)

*Although I have no problem with ‘What’s New Pussy Cat’ and/or Sex and the City,** I would like to distance myself from both.

** I have a problem with both ‘What’s New Pussy Cat’ and Sex and the City. The are as awful as each other.

Wake Up To Addiction

With the breaking news of Amy Winehouse’s death beginning to echo around me in Camden Town on Saturday, I was left shocked, devastated and in awe. Not so much of the news itself, but more so of the ignorance and disrespect of a huge chunk of the British public. 

As soon as I heard the news break, I started to do what I always do. I picked up my phone, text people I knew and logged onto Twitter to post a message. As I did the latter, I was overwhelmed by the backlash of bile and ignorance posted by hundreds of people by the seconds.

“She deserved what she got, dirty smack head, it’s her own fault.” 

“No sympathy at all, her own choice.”

“Shouldn’t have done drugs, she knew it was dangerous”

"Amy Winehouse demons? Hope ur all as compassionate with the bagrats when they're screwin your house."

Now, before I continue, I would like to state this isn’t a blog about Amy Winehouse. This isn't me getting my twopence worth about her being the 'voice of a generation', nor is it about me saying how amazing she was and how much she will be missed. No, this is a piece about a vulnerable young woman, a troubled soul who had serious mental health issues, who became ill with addiction trying to escape demons so dark, most of us couldn’t even begin to imagine. It’s something that thousands of others go through every single day, completely unnoticed, simply because society sees them as dirty, thieving ‘rats’.

It's important to point out that I’m not defending or condoning drugs in anyway, I myself have never touch a single drug in my life, yet I have close friends who will do drugs often. However, I am fighting the case for those addicted to drugs. They are people, you and I, who have found themselves in such a dark and twisted state that they have become dependant upon drugs as a means of survival. Addiction, quite simply, is an illness. Ask yourself, if someone was leading a happy life, without any serious problems or mental issues, would that person honestly decide to inject themselves with a toxic poison, just to feel numb and free of pain? Of course they wouldn’t. It’s very easy to look down your nose at a person on the street who is begging for money, desperate for anything they can scrap together. “I’m not giving him any money, he’ll only spend it on drugs”. Yes, you’re probably right, but isn’t that the tragic thing about it?

Tarnishing all drug addicts with the same brush seems to be easy for a lot of people. Many of those who describe Amy Winehouse as “a dirty smack head” will feel really good about themselves as they go on to listen to their Pink Floyd and David Bowie albums, while masturbating over just how much of a ‘hero’ John Lennon was. If John would have died as a result of his heroin addiction, would he still be a hero? Or would he be classed “a dirty smack head” too?

Another argument people keep pulling out of the bag is, “well, if it was some woman down the road who died, you wouldn’t care.” I think the main fault in this argument is the word “care”. That word, almost certainly, needs to be replaced by the word, “know”. If you did know her, if you were aware of her life or even existence, if her business was made the public’s business, then yes, I would argue, most people would care. That statement alone is what is wrong with society today. The point I am making is that drug addiction is a huge problem all over the world, especially here in Britain, and is something which has vastly developed into a huge stigma. Suddenly people believe that everyone who is homeless and/or addicted to drugs is there because they want to be. As if they have a choice between making a decent life for themselves or sleeping in a cardboard box, freezing to death, living just to get their next score. There is a huge barrier between walking past these people on a daily basis without even a glance and people wanting to help and understand what got them there in the first place. These people need help and even more so, need someone to offer that help and escape to them. That may take weeks, months or years to work, if ever at all, but it is something that needs to be available. Whether that person is rich or poor is irrelevant, addiction is an illness that knows no end. Having the "money to get help" is one thing, but having the mentality to get that help is another. No one really knows what is around the corner and as you sit in your comfy chairs, eating food in front of the fire, it's all too easy to take the moral high ground, claiming that would never be you. I bet most people would be surprised by how many addicts said the exact same thing not so long ago.

For people to even suggest that we shouldn’t feel sad about Amy’s death because of other world events is ludicrous. There is no pecking order in which we should rank our sympathies and sorrows.

I for one was saddened to hear of Amy’s death. When it broke on the news, with the headlines and pictures, I didn’t see 'Amy Winehouse, Singer, Pop Star, Icon'. Instead all I could see was a vulnerable, tragic young girl, who had lost in life.

If the death of Amy Winehouse is to do anything, I hope it will out those who are ignorant to the disease that addiction really is and open their eyes to what a huge problem it has become. Whether it is an addiction to drugs, an addiction to drink, an addiction to being skinny or an addiction to gambling. Addiction is a disease. Addiction destroys live. Addiction kills. 

It’s time to wake up.