Hi All,

I'm off to Botswana, Zambia, Namibia and SA soon for a few weeks. Most of my British mates who are coming along are getting jabs (yellow fever, typhoid etc). My dad told me not to bother with anything, so I kinda trust him on that. Haven't had any jabs either for as long as I can remember, so the last ones must of been at age 6 or something.

Is there anything I really need to get, or can I risk going without?

thanks,
b

Hello peeps

Im on a SA passport and wondered which worthwhile countries I can just jump on a plane and go visit for a holiday. Not africa or S America .

Could not be bothered with getting the whole schengen visa thing again as it works out costly and requires planning.

So please peeps, any good trips you have done and any tips would be great.

ta

Looks like Microshaft have fallen foul of the EU...

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European regulators are expected to slap a record fine on Microsoft today and tell it to change the way it does business in Europe to stop hurting software rivals........The Commission is expected to fine Microsoft 497 million euros (330 million pounds),

Full story here

MSN MESSENGER: Vulnerability in MSN Messenger Could Allow Information Disclosure

In MSN Messenger 6.0 and later, an attacker could send a carefully-crafted file request to a specific user. The user would never get any kind of message, but the attacker would have access to the file. For this to work, the attacker has to a) know your screen name, b) know the exact location of the file, and c) have read access to that file. Not a HUGE threat, but important nonetheless. If you use MSN Messenger, download the update at your earliest convenience.

Update can be found here. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/securit...4-010.mspx

Food colourings linked to hyperactivity, asthma and even cancer have been detected in chicken tikka masala, one of the UK's favourite dishes.

Random tests ordered by Trading Standards officers in Surrey suggest 57 per cent of Indian restaurants in the county use "illegal and potentially dangerous'' levels of dyes to give the sauce its distinctive orange-red hue.

The figure is highlighted in a hard-hitting report being unveiled by Ready Steady Cook chef James Martin on behalf of Surrey County Council.

But consumer safety experts fear the findings could reflect a trend reaching far beyond the county's borders.

Trading Standards officers launched an investigation, limited to chicken tikka masala, after uncovering evidence that "worrying'' numbers of restaurants were flouting the law despite earlier education campaigns.


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Officers ordered the dish from restaurants selected at random across the county and sent the curries to an independent laboratory for testing.

Out of 102 curry houses sampled, only 44 were using the colourings within legal limits. One restaurant, in Woking, was using four times the legal limit of colouring in its curry.

Trading Standards now plans to test every curry house in the county.

Phil Thomas, from the Trading Standards Institute, said: "We have evidence to suggest this is a national problem, not just specific to Surrey, and we are urging trading standards services across the UK to work with Indian restaurants in their area to ensure the amount of colourants used is within the legal limits.''

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
by Alexander McCall Smith

On the death of her father, Precious Ramotswe sells all the assets he has spent his lifetime building up to start a Detective Agency in Gabarone.
This book basically introduces Mma Ramotswe to us and gives us a little of her background, to build on for further books about her Detective agency.
I found the prose very easy to read and at times humorous, especially when she tries to follow the advice from her handguide.
What I liked most was the author's refusal to attempt to shape our opinions on a South African legal system. He portrays the people just as they are; wise, ridiculous, greedy, lovestruck, jealous, pompous, and overbearing to name a few.
I found it especially interesting that Alexander Mccall Smith as a white male has managed to capture the African mindset and way of life so well in his writing. (at least from my point of view)


I generally find that I don't enjoy South African books, but I found this book very entertaining and an easy light read.
I would recommend it highly and have booked the next 2 in the series
:thumbs:

What were your opinions?

Is there a 'what's on' section, or can we post info on regional events in the main forums?

Ever since I was knee high to a grasshopper I have had a fascination with the Knysna Forest and the elephants that live there.

Reading Kringe in 'n Bos last week kind of brought some of that mystery and excitement back to me and I decided to read up a bit more on the subject.

I know that the introduction of Kruger elephants into the forest did not work, and they were removed. It was also believed that the last remaining native elephant had died but apparently they have recently found traces of three young elephants in the forest, leading conservationists to believe that there may yet be a relic population surviving there.

I am over the moon about this and am definitely going to spend part of my holidays tramping through the Knysna Forest. I know the chances of seeing an elephant are even less than that of seeing a Loerie, but it is the possibility that makes it so exciting.

There's a lot in the news about malignant melanoma at the moment. Especially that it is rising amongst the under 16's and has been for the past 20 years. Frightening.

Has anyone considered, I wonder, whether or not the UV prevention creams which we use so much these days are to blame for this rise?

Just a thought..................

I scored a windows 98 modem I know its not the greatest but it appears to work just fine and its only for the kids when they visit .

But when its up and running it asks that an I S D N device be installed but it works fine without this,

What is it ?????????????

Thanks

Helaina.