Oh, Canada!

Tomorrow I fly out to Canada for my first visit. I'll be meeting some of my new family and exploring for a week then flying down to Maui to get married to my ultra sexy Canadian fiancee, who is not feeling very ultra or sexy right now as she has a cold. I will be flying into Calgary and possibly staying overnight. We'll do some shopping and more importantly look for our rings. I had to give up on the parking ticket and pay it off. The courts were demanding the money and since I will be away for 3 weeks I won't be able to defend. However I intend to see if it's possible to lodge a complaint against the Central Fine Oriffice or potentially sue the council for misleading road markings- I'll keep you updated. I don't know if I will have time to blog anything of particular relevance, however I might try to post some images I take with my digital camera. For now, however, I will leave you with recommendations for some excellent blogs and sites. If you're looking for some deep conversation from an open Christian perspective then check out Dead Yet Living, though it's mostly run by students so the blog seems to have gone into recession recently. If you're of the political persuasion and are interested in an alternative to the evil Christian Right, God's Politics might be for you, I read Jim Wallis's book this summer and it altered or confirmed my perspectives on many things. There's always a lively debate going on at Mark DeHoog's blog and Nowheresville. Southampton University CU Chaplain writes some very witty commentary on life at the university and beyond. Please visit, especially if you are far away, because the site stats will really confuse him. If you're looking purely for laughs, I recommend the aptly named Hot Chicks with Douchebags, or the irreverent Chase me ladies, I'm in the cavalry. If you are interested in UK law, you should check out The Magistrate's Blog for an eye-opener into the thoughts of a magistrate, You're Nicked is another coppers blog, where, if you are like me, you may be surprised to find similar views to your own. Bill Sticker is Walking the Streets hoping to issue you a PCN for parking on double-yellows. Speaking of which Neil Herron is one man taking a stand against the system- and inspiring others. For straight up politics and current events Kel writes excellent commentary on The Osterley Times. The Gun Toting Liberal also offers some great commentary, and Snafu asks some probing questions at Not Proud Of Britain (But Would Like To Be). For political protest, look no further than Tales of the Freewayblogger, I'm sorely tempted to join in this fun and start it up here in the UK. Help - The Bailiffs are here! I've had some hits from people googling for what to do about Bailiffs turning up for unpaid fines and parking tickets discovering this blog and finding just a rant. Therefore if you are one of those people looking for legal help, you will probably need to contact a solicitor, however there is some research you can do before then to get you in the picture and understand your rights. Check out my links to Social Justice & Responsibility on the sidebar. There is nothing specific about bailiffs, however you will find links that will lead you to information that will be helpful in your situation. Also check out my previous post: Thick As Legal Thieves. If you find that you have a speeding or parking ticket you may want to check out Neil Herron's blog, the forums at Pepipoo and the Association of British Drivers website. If you feel you are being persecuted by authorities in anyway and need to know your rights check out Your Rights, Liberty or get in contact with Justice. Are the banks giving you hassle, over-charging you in fines or harassment? Go to the Consumer Action Group forums or Penalty Charges. Have you been ripped off/mis-sold a product or concerned about a rogue trader? Visit Rip-Off Britain and get tips from the Money Saving Expert. Hope to hear from you soon! Tags: Abandon All Fear T-Shirts Canada Blogs Social Justice Fun Politics Christian Parking Ticket Speeding Ticket Bailiffs Fine Charge Rights