Today I got 2 parking tickets for having one wheel on the kerb. It seems excessive for a minor infringement (£100 fine). The vehicle was not obstructing the road or walkers and I believe that my local council are simply trying to raise revenue rather than genuinely trying to help the flow of traffic. I have written to my local MP so will await a response.

Reading the news today though puts my small grievances into perspective. Today Zimbabwe's opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai left hospital in a wheelchair after apparently being beaten up in police custody on Sunday. If the story proves to be true then maybe I should switch writing letters about unfair parking fines and press my local MP and the government to take a firm stance against the political oppression Mr Mugabe is putting on his opposition.