Tag Archives: Britain

Domestic Diva Banned from Britain

She may be out of prison but there are some people in the world who aren’t about to let Martha Stewart forget that she is a convicted felon. Namely British authorities who just rejected the domestic diva’s request to visit the country. According to news reports, Stewart had planned to jet over to Britain from Poland where she is currently touring her grandparents’ homeland, but the TV presenter was reportedly denied permission to enter the country because of her 2004 conviction for obstructing justice. Stewart’s assistants confirmed the visa denial, but added that they were working on getting the decision … Continue reading →

What is a Biometric ID Card and Why You Might Need One if You are Traveling Abroad

Biometric ID cards are issued to foreign travelers and contain a digital photo and details of the cardholders’ immigration status, whether they are allowed to work, receive government benefits and how long they can stay. The cards also contain a “biographic footprint” of personal history and “biometric data” such as fingerprints on the cardholder. The information on each card (which is about the size of a credit card) can be read electronically and matched against a computerized National Identity Register that will retain a cardholder’s fingerprints and personal information. If you are an American studying in Britain for more than … Continue reading →

Speed Cameras Strike Again

Recently, I blogged about an Arizona woman who racked up 70 speeding tickets in less than five months. Her need for speed was caught on speed cameras mounted at intersections she frequented. She currently faces some $11,000 in fines and could have her license suspended. Her story is similar to that of a British motorist who suffered the same fate from a speed camera—but with one exception: the man who was caught on tape breaking various road rules retaliated by blowing up the camera. According to the British media, Craig Moore took his revenge on the camera, which had caught … Continue reading →

“National Muslim Fun Day”–No One Will Ever Know How Much Fun It Could Have Been

It was to be the first ever “National Muslim Fun Day.” Britain’s largest theme park designed the event, but abruptly called it off last week (about a month before the scheduled celebration) because of lack of interest. Alton Towers in central England was planning to host the Muslims-only day in September complete with halal food, a strict dress code and prayer areas. In addition, the theme park’s typical fare of music, gambling and alcohol would have been banned for the day and thrill rides such as “Ripsaw,” “Corkscrew” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” were going to be segregated by … Continue reading →