Sophia Reviews

The Kindle is the most successful electronic book-reading tablet so far, but that’s not saying much; Silicon Valley is littered with the corpses of e-book reader projects.

The big Kindle breakthrough was its wireless connection. This sort of service costs $60 a month for laptops, but Amazon pays the Kindle’s wireless bill, in hopes that you’ll buy e-books spontaneously. It’s all a thousand times more convenient and more exciting than loading books from a PC with a cable, as you must with Sony’s Reader, the Kindle’s archrival. As a bonus, the Kindle includes a simple Web browser, great for quick wireless Wikipedia checks and blog reading.

There is a new Kindle priced at $359. Amazon calls it the Kindle 2, but Kindle 1.1 would be more like it; the changes are fairly minor. Turning pages on the Kindle is a tad faster now. As before, your books, annotations and clippings are auto-backed up on Amazon.com. But now, if you buy multiple Kindles (dream on, Amazon), all of them remember where you stopped reading in each book. (This feature will be more useful if, as Amazon has hinted, you’ll soon be able to read your e-books on other machines, like your laptop or iPhone. The Kindle is just the razor.

South Africans can now buy the Kindle with safe Online Shopping.

South Africa is a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked men, women, and children. South African women are trafficked to Europe and the Middle East for domestic servitude and sexual exploitation. Labor trafficking does not receive as much government attention as does sex trafficking.

South Africa shares borders with Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland: a total length of 4,862 kilometers, which need to be controlled; in other words, a distance from Johannesburg to Cape Town three times in a straight line.

The government demonstrated strong progress in combating human trafficking through prevention efforts.

In South Africa, trafficking in persons is both a trans-national crime as well as a crime that takes place within the borders of the country. People are trafficked for many reasons, including for labour and sexual exploitation. Trafficking is further spurred by increasing sex tourism.

Women seeking refugee status in South Africa from other African countries are trafficked by refugees already living there. Mozambican girls and young women are trafficked into major cities. Young women have been trafficked from Thailand and China to South Africa. When identified by police in South Africa victims of trafficking are deported as illegal immigrants. South Africa has no public services specifically designed to assist victims of trafficking.

Trafficking in women and children for sexual exploitation was noted as an already significant problem in Southern Africa. Most at risk include unattended children, street children and refugee children. Lost children are all vulnerable and at risk of exploitation and trafficking. Tourists may also lack information regarding the trafficking of children for purposes of child labour and sexual exploitation.

Prostitution is illegal in South Africa. However, very often traffickers intermingle trafficked girls among local prostitutes.

The report, Tsireledzani: Understanding the dimensions of human trafficking in southern Africa, says victims are mostly women, girls and boys trafficked for variety of purposes, including prostitution, pornography, domestic servitude, forced labour, begging, criminal activity (including drug trafficking), and trafficking for the removal of body parts (or muti).

Conducted on behalf of the South African government’s National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) the study identified a number of trafficking flows into South Africa. Intercontinental trafficking (to South Africa from outside of Africa). Longer-distance trafficking involve victims trafficked from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Angola, Rwanda, Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria and Somalia.

Trafficking of South Africans out of South Africa is less of a problem, but 8 cases were identified between January 2004 and January 2008. In all cases, the victims were women trafficked for either sexual exploitation, labour exploitation or forced marriage.

Human trafficking is driven by networks situated in source countries with links to South Africa as the destination country. Points of destination for victims of trafficking in South Africa are the major cities where the greatest demand exists. Victims trafficked for labour exploitation, usually boys, are taken to agricultural areas.

Young boys are also trafficked to sell drugs.

The facts make for cold indifferent reading. The interpretation, however, of those facts leaves one numb from the harsh cold reality. It is happening, not only in our cities, but probably right in our neighbourhood. Can we honestly turn our heads or bury them in the sand because we don’t want to see it; because we don’t want to know it; because we don’t want to acknowledge it is in our backyard? As for protecting our children, there are companies that do care! Read more here

Though it might not be the Getz, there are still enough critics around to warrant “Oh, Shut-up Bob!” My impression of the Hyundai ix35 is as follows:

Replacing the Tucson, the ix35 has sleeker design, front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions, three engine choices and a strategically attractive equipment package designed to lure buyers away from the premium brands at a household price. Muscular front and rear bumpers areas, a rear roof spoiler and swollen wheel arches add a slightly aggressive air.

While the V6 engine from the Tucson has been dropped, three engines are available – two petrol and one diesel – with a six-speed automatic on all and a five-speed manual on the smaller of the petrol units.

Pricing and variants
The front-wheel drive Active costs plus-minus R201,500 with the 2.0-litre petrol mated to the manual gearbox and R14,900 more with the automatic. The all-wheel drive Elite is R238,500 with the 2.4-litre petrol engine and R257,000 with the 2.0-litre R-series turbodiesel (both with auto).

Equipment
My impression of the base model two-wheel drive 2.0-lite petrol version was probably undermined by having just stepped out of the diesel. You get 17-inch alloy wheels, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors, downhill brake control and iPod connectivity. The car comes with two from launch – a 2.0-litre diesel with 134bhp and a 161bhp 2.0-litre petrol.

The 2.0-litre diesel engine is particularly strong, and most buyers are expected to choose that over the 2.0-litre petrol version. A 1.6 petrol and 1.7 diesel models – both with an engine stop-start system – will join the range.

Both front- and four-wheel drive versions of the 2.0-litre models are available. Lower running costs make the front-wheel drive models a better bet for most buyers and Hyundai expects them to account for at least 80% of sales.

The Hyundai ix35 is a ‘soft-roader/crossover’ that is in fact the new Tucson. Excepting the entry-level model, leather upholstery is standard.

Hyundai ix35 engine range
Then comes the 2.4-litre petrol, a spirited engine with 130kW and 227 Nm. Finally, the entry level 122kW 2.0-litre petrol, which will give you what you’d expect from an engine that size, the diesel engines can only use 50ppm diesel. For those who hardly ever go off-road, the 4×2 Hyundai ix35 is just fine. (The 2.0-litre petrol only comes in 4×2, but the bigger engines both have All-wheel Drive as an option.)

Like I was saying: Oh, Shut-up Bob!

There are various, simple ways you could improve your vision without glasses! Strange as this may seem, consider the following:

Relaxation
Relaxation is important for overall health. It reduces stress and helps the body calm down and sleep more soundly. Relaxation relieves unwanted tension and gives an overall good feeling. Relaxation also helps the eyes see more clearly and focus better.

When you are stressed, the eye muscles tense up and become strained. When the eye muscles are too tense, they may pull the eye in whatever direction they feel like. Sometimes Strabismus is more of an unconscious problem. Problems between the thoughts and feelings inside may cause one eye to look away. The left eye is the feeling side and the right eye is the thinking side. Depending on which eye is the lazy one, you may be able to figure out the inner conflict.

Eye Exercises
When eyes are strained, they stare and vision worsens.

The eyes love to stay busy, rapidly moving around and taking in the sights all around us. Eyes don’t like to stop moving and focus on only one item. When this happens, the eyes start to strain and concentrate and vision is not as accurate. Your eyes and brain work at a much more rapid pace than we give them credit for. When we are out in nature, the eyes are moving quickly from one tree or flower to the next. The only time they stop and stare is when your brain isn’t aware of what it is looking at. If you are looking at roses and then a unknown flower comes into focus, you will stop and stare until you realize it is a daisy and then move on.

Read more

Over the past few months there has been a plethora of companies offering identity problem solving products. Some people even make their own identity armbands. All these are good, except nearly all the companies are tied into a selected service provider.

Although the idea of a do it yourself armband is good, it has a major drawback as the next-of-kin’s telephone number which is written on the armband may be switched off or the person might not be at the phone, or do not hear it ringing… Vital time can be lost should you be in an accident, which can mean the difference between life and death or the quality of your life by getting treatment too late! Critical information paramedics need to treat you and the choice of which hospital to take you to – State or private – all depends on the contact number you have selected. Wouldn’t it be better to have the information made available to the very people who need it, when they need it?

Have you ever heard of CrisisOnCall?

CrisisOnCall has developed a unique, effective identification system which is worn on your arm, and it holds the key to all the necessary information to save your life in any emergency, always using service providers who are immediately available. They are not bound to any single service provider country wide.

Every caring husband, father, or sole provider carries the full responsibility for protecting his/her family, which is not always easy.

We know you probably worry about those times when you can’t be there to protect them, such as when you are at work, away on a business trip, when they are travelling alone, even when they are out jogging or cycling.

CrisisOnCall have put together a package which covers any situation to help carry that precious burden. In fact, if you allow them to, they will even be there for you – after all, what would they do without you?

Can one ever put a price on peace of mind? Of course not! Don’t think later, when things have all gone wrong, that you should have taken advantage of the offer.

CrisisOnCall has developed a unique, effective identification system which is worn on your arm, and it holds the key to unlock all the necessary information to save your life in any emergency – whether it is:

ó a heart attack at home,

ó a break-in into your house in the early hours of the morning,

ó emergency medical services needed (ambulance),

ó missing persons (a child gone missing or a parent that has Alzheimers),

ó trip monitoring (e.g. when you go on holiday or come back to your house late at night),

ó road side assistance,

ó vehicle hijacking,

Read more

I refer back to my earlier post with the uses of Bicarb where I stated that there were inexpensive cures for cancer. During my research I was surprised to find the number of reports with warts and moles linked to cancer. I was also surprised at the number of myths and conceptions, and ‘home do-it-yourself’ remedies for warts, moles and skin tags.

Moles and warts are both skin growths that appear mysteriously and randomly.

In case you are not aware of the differences between a wart and a mole:

 Warts are the bumpy ones, are non-cancerous and are caused by a viral infection in the skin. Contrary to popular belief, warts do not have “roots”. They only grow in the top layer of skin, the epidermis.

 Moles on the other hand look more like freckles and can in some cases be malignant. So always point out moles to your doctor, and try not to expose them to direct sunlight.

 Skin tags pose no real danger. They will not develop into a cancerous growth.

Sometimes genital warts may develop into a cancerous growth. Therefore, if you have genital warts you should consult your physician right away.

Specifically you must consult your physician if a mole changes it’s –

 Shape
 Size
 Elevation
 Color

Asymmetric moles are at a more elevated risk to develop into a cancer.

“I searched the web to find a safe, painless, and permanent solution once and for all. I was learning all about the different home remedies like apple cider vinegar and such. Then I came upon an e-book that had all the information I would ever want or need on this subject. My decision was validated many months later when I realized that darn wart had not returned, and I had truly found a safe, painless, and PERMANENT way to remove warts and moles.”

In today’s world it can truly be said that the world is a global village.  However, being in the fast lane, we are often very clued up in what’s happening in the rest of the world, but totally ignorant as to what is happening on our own doorstep… and very often surprised should we happen to see on the news or read in a paper about something happening even in the street where we live!

Membership sites are a very powerful medium to draw communities and groups closer to each other.  When I say a ‘powerful medium’, a very recent example would be Simon Cowell being taken on by Facebook users in protest over a group that he was trying to promote.

However, this can only happen if participation from communities is very proactive.  A site which has been launched to help promote communities is The Community Hub – South Africa.  Louis Horn says their goal is to provide a platform that can help communities in South Africa to improve themselves by providing a means of effective collaboration and knowledge sharing for the community.  He further goes on to expand with the old adage “knowledge is power”, and when a community knows what is happening in their community, they will be empowered to take action and make effective decisions.

“A Hub”, he explains, “is a point of origin from which ideas or influences originate.  It is a place of concentrated activity, influence or importance.”

With so many areas and communities in South Africa bubbling over with a lot of community-based projects going a begging for promoting, with their cries falling on deaf ears or not reaching the broader public of the community, as a result many a fine idea or initiative have died or have languished due to apathy.

If you know of any communities in a similar situation, why don’t we start working together to improve the nation by registering for free at http://www.communityhub.co.za

I recently read an article that as far back as 1925 there was a cure for Flu using Bicarbonate of Soda.  The article further suggested that the use of Bicarbonate of Soda would have the same effect for Swine Flu!  Read more here

When you consider the many uses for Bicarbonate of Soda, it gets one to think, if it is true, why isn’t the treatment for Cancer using Bicarbonate of Soda not promoted more often.  Is it because Cancer research is big money, considering the grants and funds made available to researchers to various drug companies?

As to the uses of Bicarb, there are more than 60 ways that it can be used, apart from just cooking in the kitchen with it.  Read more here

Apart from everyday uses, it is also being used for dieting safely as it is a natural way to start your detox program.  For more information, click here

As a matter of interest, how many ways do you know where you can use Bicarbonate of Soda?