Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from August 2003

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from August 2003

Bumpy ride ahead.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
August 1, 2003... Few product areas are more complicated and confusing than private health insurance. In the past two issues of CHOICE we've again tried to help you find your way through the maze of hundreds of insurance policies. Knowing which policies give the...

Divide and conquer?(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... While Australia hasn't had a separate consumer affairs agency at the federal level for many years, recent changes to' the structure of consumer policy and other functions may further reduce the protection of consumers' interests within Federal...

Working towards a better choice.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Would you like to leave a legacy that will help Australian consumers? Consider remembering the Australian Consumers' Association through a bequest in your will, or by making a donation. Your contribution, however big or small, will support the...

Does eating junk food cause acne?(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Pimples are formed when there's an increased accumulation of keratin (a protein produced by the skin), which blocks sebaceous follicles. The follicles fill with sebum (a fatty substance produced in the sebaceous glands), which can become...

Rental car warning.(choice cuts)
August 1, 2003... A Sydney couple want to warn readers about potential problems when returning a rental car, after they were stung for almost $1000 for damage they didn't cause. They returned their car--in the same very good condition as they'd received...

Quality expired.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... In the strollers article on page 36 we question the reliability of the five-tick StandardsMark, which we found on strollers that failed to comply with the relevant Australian standard. Now it seems relying on another StandardsMark--the Quality...

Tackling suspect fruit juice labelling.(choice cuts)
August 1, 2003... When we looked at food labelling last September we subtitled our report "don't believe everything you read", given the numerous examples of food labels we found that sailed close to the wind in terms of credibility. One area of concern was...

Gulp down in anger ...(World Consumer Snapshot)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Psychologists from Wurzburg University in Germany have found another reason why anger can upset your stomach. Very angry trialists just gulped down their meals rather than chewing them properly--a recipe for stomach problems.

The difference is in the name.(World Consumer Snapshot)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Austrian consumers have to know, their food laws pretty well to avoid disappointment. Konsument magazine reports that many complained about a supermarket's house-brand product (apricot fruit dumplings), which came nowhere near in quality to the...

Parking the smart car.(World Consumer Snapshot)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Now that DaimlerChrysler's tiny Smart Car has finally reached Australian shores, we wonder whether authorities here will also take the fun out of parking it the unconventional way: at right angles to the curb, like a motorbike, perhaps making...

Pyramid selling on the net.(choice cuts)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... We've been warning consumers about the risks involved with pyramid selling for years now, and it's also illegal under the Trade Practices Act. Pyramid selling is a scheme where the main purpose is to earn money by recruiting other people. (The...

Fuelling the debate.(your letters)
August 1, 2003... Your story about ethanol (May 2003) helped clarify some misconceptions but it left readers hanging on several key aspects. Recent US, Canadian and other overseas studies have shown that a reduction in government revenue from excise...

Letter of the month.(your letters)
August 1, 2003... We want to hear from you--your experiences help our research and often let other readers know about scares and rip-offs. Positive outcomes you've had to a complaint you took to a manufacturer, retailer, importer or tradesperson interest us too....

Thumbs up!(your letters)
August 1, 2003... * Rhonda Wilson, of Lord Howe Island, was very impressed with Breville when it repaired (free of charge) and paid all shipping costs for her broken breadmaker--which was outside its warranty period. * David Bartolo gives a thumbs-up to JB...

Choosing a chemical-free cuppa.(your letters)
August 1, 2003... Congratulations on your article that tested for traces of pesticides in teas (CHOICE, May 2003). Your article certainly makes it clear that labels on foods only tell us half the story. If it was compulsory for food producers to label the...

Food labels uncut: guacamole dip with 1% avocado, onion and bacon dip with no bacon, tuna pasta for babies with 2.5% tuna ... the list goes on, and some products don't pass the laugh test.(Food: percentage labelling)
August 1, 2003... IN A NUTSHELL * New food labelling laws are a mix of good and bad news for consumers. The good news is that you're told the percentage of 'key' ingredients in your food (some revelations may shock you), and as a follow, on you'll be able...

Getting an eyeful? Is the mandatory Australian safety standard for sunglasses working to protect your eye health?(Test: sunglasses)
August 1, 2003... Planning a ski trip this winter? Or maybe you'll be trying to hook some deep-sea fish? With the ozone layer thinning out, it's not just sunburn and skin cancer you've got to watch out for. Your eyes are vulnerable to the effects of ultraviolet...

'Safe havens' can be risky.(hip pocket)
August 1, 2003... The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) recently issued a warning about risks associated with some fixed-interest investments. "Some of the most damaging financial losses suffered by Australians have occurred with...

Still value in super?(hip pocket)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Debbie Jackson from Victoria wants to know if it's still worthwhile contributing extra to a super fund in the form of salary sacrifice. "Or is it a waste of money as so many funds are making losses at the moment?" Debbie asks. Alex...

Teeth, eyes & other extras: use our Best 'Buys to find a policy that's appropriate for your needs.(Update: ancillary health insurance)
August 1, 2003... Like many other consumers Eleanor Patterson wasn't pleased when the premium for her combined hospital and extras policy went up earlier this year to $100 per month--and that's after the 30% government rebate. Says Eleanor, "Given that I didn't...

Reader car reviews: owners' verdicts on four popular car models.
August 1, 2003... Ford Laser The Laser has been discontinued and replaced by the Focus. The following model information and review refer to the last available generation of Lasers, and are still relevant for secondhand purchases. Versions: LXi, GLXi,...

Where do your kids get calcium?(food bites)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... You may have seen recent ads for BLUE RIBBON Calcium Rich ice cream. As if kids needed an excuse to get into the stuff, it's being marketed as having three times as much calcium as regular ice cream. And so it does, but what does that mean in...

Use by yesterday.(food bites)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Can stores sell products past their use-by date? No--not even if they're marked down. Foods with 'use by' on the label can become unsafe if kept too long. 'Best before' foods, however, may deteriorate in quality, but their safety should be...

GM labelling.(food bites ... genetically modified food)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2003... Earlier this year government ministers agreed to review labelling requirements for genetically modified (GM) foods. Unfortunately, it's looking like a bit of a closed shop, with no requirement to consult publicly. There's a real danger the...

Clean the world: it's Enjo's catch-cry, but are their products worth cleaning out your wallet for?(Product review: Enjo)
August 1, 2003... If you haven't been invited to a demonstration of ENJO cleaning products yet, you're probably about to be. The consultant who demonstrated them to us claimed they don't operate under a party-plan structure, but we couldn't pick the difference....

Web frustration? Try these solutions.(Computing Choice)
August 1, 2003... Having trouble connecting to the web? Experiencing frequent dropouts or slow, tedious access once you get online? Most dial-up internet problems are caused by glitches in your dial-up or operating system software, a faulty modem at your end or...

Magnetic cooking: want to boil water in an instant? Have almost instantaneous control over your cooking temperature? An induction cooktop might be for you.(Test: induction cooktops)
August 1, 2003... They're fast, efficient--and expensive. Induction cooktops have been relatively common overseas for years, but they're only just beginning to make a dent in the market here compared to the more common gas, radiant coil and ceramic options. ...

Layback strollers: lots of features but still some problems.(Test: layback strollers)
August 1, 2003... We still live in hope that one day we can advise you to buy a baby product just on its features, as safety and performance are both consistently good. But at the moment, the old adage, "Read CHOICE first", still applies if you're in the market...

Picture perfect the seven new 51 cm TVs in this update have good picture quality, but choose carefully when it comes to sound quality and ease of use.(Update: 51 cm TVs)
August 1, 2003... After a long day at work, kicking back and switching on the box feels almost compulsory. And most Australians are catching up with the news or finding out who's been dumped from the latest reality show by switching on a 51 cm TV. That's why we...

Recalls & bans.
August 1, 2003... Nowadays there are so many product recalls we may not be able to print all of them in CHOICE. For comprehensive recall information go to the Federal Treasury website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Consumer Safety...

Hardword.
August 1, 2003... SATISFACTION GUARANTEED? As our reader S Postma says, she hasn't tried it yet--but it smells good! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The exciting HARD WORD competition For a limited time only, the sender of the best Hard Word entry each...