It is around this time of year when our thoughts turn to others less fortunate than ourselves, traditionally, charity and the act of giving and receiving have a higher focus now, than at any other time of year . The charity of personal choice is usually derived from individual experience and exposure to a certain issue or cause. It could be the support of research into a particular type of illness suffered by a loved one, the plight of hungry children around the world, or even in our own back yard, prevention of animal cruelty or the support of servicemen and women far from home and their loved ones at times of family unity, but by necessity keeping our country safe, the choices and support are as diverse as our complex human nature.
My family is no different, after we were privileged to visit an elephant conservation project in Africa my wife Alison, (more…)
I was watching the 2010 MTV Music Video Awards last month.
On a recent trip back to the UK I spent a day dealing with personal admin that can get even more complicated when your life exists in more than one country. One item in the mail was a letter from the DVLA (The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency – the body in the UK responsible for issuing your driving license) informing me that my UK photo driving license was about to expire. The options were to rescind it as I no longer needed to drive; do nothing in which case it would be cancelled and should I drive in the UK after expiration I could face a fine of £1,000; or renew the license by confirming some personal details and providing a photo of myself that was less than 30 days old. This option was accompanied by a further stream of requirements – 
