2013 Car Of The Year Shortlist

The ‘Car of the year’ phrase was invented by Motor Trend magazine in the 1950’s for their annual award for best American automobile. 

It also refers to an award given yearly to the best automobile selected by a jury of journalists from four different motor magazines in South Africa.

How does the judging process work? At the annual meeting the jury members are presented with a complete list of the finalists and the votes each car received. 

A decision on how many finalists make the final testing stage is based entirely on the amount of votes received during the process.  The only discussion and debate is around the cut-off point for entries into the final stage.

During the test days, the Guild Evaluators carry out a series of dynamic and static assessments on each of the selected vehicles.

The dynamic and static evaluation takes place over the test period in a controlled environment, which is geared at testing all aspects of the vehicle including: the appearance, handling, value-for-money and aesthetics.

In order to assist the assessment process, the jury Guild members are provided with comparative informational charts drawn from the entry forms and a price list of all the cars’ parts.

There are three conditions that the judges need to adhere to when voting:

1. The evaluators are allocated a maximum of twenty-five points to use for judging the finalists.
2. No vehicle is allowed to be allocated more than ten points by a judge.
3. The vehicle with the maximum amount of points at the end of the test days is deemed the winner and once the votes are counted, the outcome is final.

While many consumers are eager to find used cars deals in the market, many new car shoppers pay careful attention to the Car of the year awards to ensure they get the best value for money, so on that note who is the favourite to win this award?

In my personal opinion, I believe that the Opel Meriva is one of the top contenders for the Car of the Year award. 

The Opel Meriva is a 1, 4 litre turbo-charged engine which delivers 103 kW @ in the range of 4900 – 6000 r/min with 200 Nm of torque delivered across the range of 1850-4900 r/min. This 6-speed manual transmission creates a platform to propel the Opel Meriva from 0 to 100 km/h in 10, 3 seconds with a top speed of 196 km/h. 

Fuel consumption for this level of performance is a remarkably low 6, 7 l/100km for the combined cycle with CO2 emissions of 196 gm/km.

The vehicles interior specs has made it a worthy Car of the Year finalist: power windows in the front and back, air-conditioning with particulate filter, follow me home lights, front and side airbags for the front seats and curtain side airbags for the rear, electronic driving aids including cruise control and a radio/CD combination with MP3 and Aux input features.

According to the GMSA’s Vice President, Malcolm Gauld: 

“The guild was certainly spoilt for choice this year and we are excited by the fact that the membership has recognized the Opel Meriva Cosmo for the innovation and advanced technology that this vehicle has introduced to the small MPV market. We look forward to dynamic testing phase of the contest where we believe the excellent driving dynamics of the Opel Meriva will come to the fore.”

In conclusion, the upcoming Car of the Year test days in April 2013 promises to separate the average vehicles from the great ones. 

If you cannot wait until then, drop by one of the local dealerships and test drive one of the new cars for sale in their showroom.

Top 6 Scuba Diving Spots in Cape Town

Image supplied by Tim Sheerman-Chase

Cape Town has among the highest variety of dive sites in the world. The Cape Peninsula, also known as the “Cape of Storms” from the earliest days of the settlers and the passing merchant ships, is host to plenty of shallow and deep wreckages that have grown into rich underwater gardens of fauna and flora.

READ MORE to find out about the popular dive sites in the city of Cape Town.

A Look at Global Water Usage

Image supplied by Jenn Durfey

There is approximately 1,385 billion cubic metres of water on planet Earth, of which only 2.5%, or 35 billion cubic metres, is fresh water.

In 2000, the annual global water usage was approximately 4,430,000 cubic metres, where roughly 2,100,000 cubic metres was used as potable water. With an annual growth rate of approximately 80 million people on Earth, scientists estimate that global water usage will be set to rise to 5,240,000 cubic metres by the year 2025.

READ MORE to find out about what the main causes of the global increase in water demand.

A Swimming Pool Buyer’s Guide

Image supplied by La Peyrecout Gites

If you have gone through one-too-many summers without a swimming pool and have decided that you want to finally have the ability to splash around and have a little fun in the sun, take a look at this guide to finding the pool that best suits you.

Before you start phoning up the pool companies, do a little research and consider all the options that are available to you, as there is a very large variety!

READ MORE to find out about what questions you should ask when deciding on a swimming pool.

How To Get Investors Interested in Your Business

Image supplied by Images_of_Money

When starting a new business, one of the biggest problems is getting business start-up financiers to climb aboard and give your business the cash injection it needs to get off the ground.

On average, only around 5% of entrepreneurs manage to get the start-up financing they need and this is not due to them having an un-sellable idea, but rather the lack of confidence that their process and presentation has inspired.

You can start any business and sell anything you want, but the way in which you conduct business and your ability to give a knock-out presentation is of key importance.

READ MORE to find out how to get investors for your business.

Buying a Car While in Debt

Image supplied by Krissi Sandvik

A car is an important asset to have, especially if you have to commute a fair distance to get to work. Let’s say for instance that you owned a second hand uninsured vehicle and that vehicle decided one day to break down.

The price of repairing your vehicle is not only too much, but you have various other debts and accounts that need to be paid off before you even consider salvaging your car.

What do you do?

READ MORE to find out.

Buying a Family Home

Image supplied by pnwra

Buying a home for your family can be a difficult process that not only requires a lot of financing, but most often involves your emotions too. It will be the place that you will raise your kids for many years, so it’s important to make a good investment and find a property that suits all your basic needs.

READ MORE to gain a small insight into what some people look for when choosing a family home.

Playing The Property Game

Image supplied by Images_of_Money

Playing the property game can be a tricky affair as it takes a fair bit of know-how to read the market and to compete against other investors. One of the very first steps that need to be taken is to decide specifically on what playing field you wish to focus on.

In terms of property investment, there are various options that all equally can show a positive return on investment (ROI):

Property Leasing
Restore & Reselling Houses
Apartment Blocks & Commercial Real Estate
Land Development

READ MORE to find out about the property game.

Sodium Chloride VS Nitrates/Nitrites as Preservatives

Image supplied by SoraZG

In this article we take a look at some of the commonly used sodium-based preservatives that are used in food products. As you know, there is a global issue surrounding the increase in deaths caused by heart attacks and strokes. An increase in sodium into our bloodstream elevates our blood pressure which makes us vulnerable to heart attacks and strokes.

READ MORE to find out about how Sodium & Nitrates are used as preservatives and how they affect our health.

Top 3 Water Conservation Technologies For Your Home

Image supplied by p_a_h

With increased demand over the finite supply of fresh water in today’s world, water conservation has become a global issue.

Despite strict water-usage controls such as limited periods for home irrigation and increased water utility rates, there have also been developments on the water conservation technologies front over the recent years.

Here are 3 of the top technologies that will help you save water: ...

READ MORE to find out about 3 of the top water saving technologies of today.

How to Use a Home Loan Calculator

Image supplied by Images_of_Money

For many first-time home buyers, it is often a difficult game in knowing all the financial requirements that go into applying for your first mortgage.

A home loan calculator makes things easier by determining what size of mortgage you qualify for based on roughly 30% of your monthly gross income and your total net surplus income, the size and duration of your monthly repayments and also how your repayment amount and duration can be modified by supplementing your monthly repayments with additional funds.

READ MORE to find out how to use a home loan calculator.

Copy That!

Every business needs to make photocopies at some point or another. When making small amounts, it’s okay to use your personal photocopier or even printing multiple copies of the required document. If you need 1000’s of copies however, it’s best to use a professional photocopying service as they can do the job faster and for a fraction of the cost.

READ MORE about the history of Xerography and how it works.

Online Advertising: Pros & Cons

Everyone wants to embrace the digital age and use the internet as a platform to market their business.

Before you do that however, it is important that you understand some of the pros and cons of online advertising.

READ MORE to find out about the Pro's and Con's of online advertising.

Subsistence

What is it?

Subsistence is the phenomena where the ground starts to sink as a result of the subterranean erosion of rock or the creation of voids, or caves, through other means.

READ MORE about where and how Subsistence occurs.

Biometrics

Biometrics is the use of a human’s physical attribute or trait in order to grant privileged access to a secured room, a vault or even to data on a computer system etc.

The use of Biometrics in access control systems is fairly recent as it utilises very advanced technologies that verify the identity of, and authenticate access to, a person.

READ MORE to find out more about how Biometrics works and all the new innovative ways in personnel authentication through access control systems.

10 Reasons to Consider Professional Web Development

Many professional businesses wish to create an online presence but a lot of the time land up with a website which is somewhat mediocre and lacks functionality.

By investing in the services of professional web development, you will ensure that your company stays ahead of the game online.

READ MORE about the 10 reasons why professional web development will benefit your company.

Ozone Water Treatment

When we think about the word Ozone, most people will immediately think about the Ozone layer which makes up a portion of our atmosphere, and you are right – mostly.

Ozone more specifically refers to the gas Tri-oxygen, which makes up approximately 0.6% of our atmosphere, or 0.6 parts per million.

In this article we will be looking the water-treatment potential of Tri-oxygen, how we first came by it and how it is used in the industry.

READ MORE to find out how the Ozone gas is used in water treatment.

Being Creative with Business Cards

When deciding that you need business cards, you should be thinking a little more about how unique you can make it instead of putting all your focus on the contact details. An office drawer full of business cards has been the loss of many an opportunity because a company’s business card simply looked like it belonged stuffed away, along with the rest of the ugly ones.

READ MORE to find out what innovative ideas people are using in their business card designs!

Responsive Web Design

RWD is the process of using CSS3 (Cascading Style Sheets 3) Media Queries on the site in order for it to sense what media is trying to access the page. The site then reacts to the query and self-optimises to whatever sized display is being utilised for viewing.

READ MORE about how this fascinating technology is going to revolutionize the way the internet is going to be accessed in the future. 

Diverse Marketing & Branding Tips

“What we really need is a mind-set shift that will make us relevant to today’s consumers, a mind-set shift from ‘telling and selling’ to building relationships.” – Jim Stengel, Former Global Marketing Officer, Procter and Gamble

READ MORE to find out how a diverse marketing strategy can benefit your business.

Disaster Relief and Nanotech Water Filtration

One of the biggest problems in the world at the moment is a massive shortage of water for human consumption (a.k.a potable water). In many disaster-stricken regions of Africa, bottled water is flown in to aid people who desperately need it, but this is very expensive and not sustainable.

“37% per cent of the developing world’s population – 2.5 billion people – lack improved sanitation facilities, and over 780 million people still use unsafe drinking water sources”, according to the WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation (JMP).

READ MORE about the reality of disaster relief and how nano filtration technology can provide a sustainable means of water to people in need.

World Leading Palaeoanthropologist Dies

Phillip V. Tobias, one of the world's leading authorities on the evolution of mankind, has died today, June 7 2012.

"He started the current programme of excavation at Sterkfontein [a.k.a The Cradle of Mankind] in 1966 which is now the longest continuously active palaeoanthropological dig anywhere in the world, and has produced over 1 000 hominin fossils." - News24

According to news sources, Professor Phillip V. Tobias, aged 86, died after a long-suffered illness.

READ MORE about his life's work and contribution to the Palaeoanthropologist community.

Nandos Diversity Advert

This is a recently created Nandos television advert which targets the South African issue of Xenophobia. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) banned the airing of the advert on the premise that it had racist undertones.

READ MORE about what experts and critics from around South Africa have to say in response to the advert and the SABC's stance on the issue.

Jacob Zuma Painting Defaced News Footage

For those who missed the news broadcast over the defacing of the controversial painting of South African president, Jacob Zuma, here is video footage. The painting, titled "The Spear", had caused a major outcry among ANC supporters and was defaced yesterday, Tuesday 22 May 2012, by 2 men.

Printing & More

When it comes to creating posters and other paper-related printed goods in the business world, there are many considerations to take into account before the final product is made. Printing in Cape Town offers all paper-related solutions for your business needs.

• Types of Design
• Types of Paper
• Types of Ink
• Types of Printing

READ MORE to get a glimpse into the world of commercial printing.

The Gases of Active Fire Protection Systems

The Water-Sprinkler Fire Protection System is widely used, but its application fails when sensitive electronic and data equipment is concerned. By not only adding to the damage of electronics by exposure to water, this fire protection system also deploys too slowly.

READ MORE to find out about the two popular gas deployment systems used in industrial fire protection.

The Dangers of Drinking Too Much Water

When people talk about water, the topics of discussion generally revolve around the various benefits that we get by drinking lots of water on a daily basis.

The average person should consume around 1 litre of water per 30kg of their own body weight per day in order to maintain optimal organ functioning and homeostasis in the body.

Drinking excessively more than that can have devastating effects and often fatal results – an issue which is not known to many in the public.

READ MORE about what the symptoms of drinking too much water are and the harmful effects that it has on your body.

Watery Facts & Conservation Tips

Most of us know that our bodies consist of approximately 67% water and the average person can go without water for 3-5 days before dying.

Main Health Benefits

• Assists in flushing toxins

• Leads to healthier skin

• Reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease

• Cushions joints and muscles

• Encourages alertness

• Promotes homeostasis

• Assists in regulating body temperature

• Encourages fat burning

• Promotes Wellness

READ MORE about other watery facts and conservation tips

Top-5 Most Expensive Bottled Water In The World

Water was traditionally one of the cheapest drinks in the world but in this day and age of the growing trend towards bottled water as being the superior option to tap water, you can expect that celebrities have taken things one step further and elevated the status of bottled water.

Whether from an ancient glacier or an untouched and remote mountainous spring, to the depths of the ocean and all around the world, you can bet that some people are willing to pay top dollar for rare and unique water that is rumoured to have special medicinal qualities.

READ MORE to find out what the Top-5 Most Expensive Bottled Waters in the world are.

Business Accommodation - Cape Town: What to look for

One often gets stuck at the question on where to stay in Cape Town when on a business trip from up-country or even abroad.


There are many hotels and B&B's to stay at around the CBD but one often asks themselves how to choose the best possible place given one's budget along with certain needs and requirements?

READ MORE about what kind of things you should be looking out for.

Vehicle Financing and Bad Credit

If you have hit an exceedingly bad patch in your finances in South Africa and found yourself being flagged on the ITC list, chances are very good that every major bank and financial institution will refuse to help you with regards to vehicle financing and any other form of financing as a matter of fact.


This is because you are now seen as a liability to financial institutions and in general the risk greatly outweighs the reward for them.

READ MORE

Water Toxins

Before you rush into a state of confusion, let me offer a quick insight into what DBP’s and BPA’s are and how they are related to water. DBP’s, or Disinfection By-products, are created when chlorine, which is added to water for the purpose of killing bacteria, comes into contact with decaying vegetation.


These by-products are toxic and there are two which have been identified as very dangerous to human health, namely Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacetic Acids (HAAs).


READ MORE to find out about the hidden toxins in your water and how to avoid them.

Loan Sharks - What you should know

"A loan shark is a person or body that offers unsecured loans at illegally high interest rates to individuals, often enforcing repayment by blackmail or threats of violence" - Wikipedia

We have all heard of the concept of under-the-table money lenders, seeing them in the movies as those ruthless thugs who will break your legs if you fail to pay back your dues to them.

People generally turn to this informal means of money lending as they have become desperate due to high financial debt and being denied personal loans by their merchant bank.

READ MORE to find out about a few interest pointers and statistics about loan sharks.

Include Stickers in your next Promotional Campaign

Sticking to your goals is essential in order to achieve success, just as using stickers to achieve those goals is an effective tool in marketing your business.

Sticker design is virtually limitless, offering you the freedom to represent your business or product in any way you wish and in turn offering you great exposure.

Many promotional options, such as newspaper or magazine ads, pamphlets, flyers etc. offer great exposure during a promotional campaign but they are expensive and only serve the client for the duration that they are hosted or until your budget for advertising runs dry.

READ MORE about the benefits of stickers in your promotional campaign.