Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from June 2007

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from June 2007

Independent info on kids' food.(Choice magazine launches new website)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... In May, CHOICE launched a new website: CHOICE Food for Kids (www.choicefoodforkids.com.au). We saw a real need to provide parents with independent advice about how healthy kids' foods really are, because so much of the 'information 'about...

Hoodia--the new obesity breakthrough?(CHOICE cuts)
June 1, 2007... A plant that suppresses appetite without any side effects? It's the stuff of dreams for anyone who's overweight (and for drug manufacturers), but whether hoodia is the answer to obesity is yet to be seen. Hoodia gordonni, a succulent plant...

Shopping trolley safety.(tips on shopping with kids)
June 1, 2007... A recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics found that over 24,000 children were treated in US hospital emergency departments in 2005 for injuries involving shopping trolleys. The study found that most injuries were the result...

Do not call me.(CHOICE cuts)(Australia Communications and Media Authority launches 'Do Not Call' register)
June 1, 2007... Ever stopped dinner to answer the phone, only to find it's a telemarketer flogging double glazing or a mobile phone deal? For anyone sick of unsolicited telemarketing calls there's some good news. The Australia Communications and Media...

Save on eyedrops.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(eyedrop prescription)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... if your eyedrop prescription says one or two drops, experts say just one generally does the job fine, as a single drop on average contains at least as much liquid as a normal eye can hold. Good advice from the US Consumer Reports on Health that...

Flip up or flip out.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(sunglasses helps manage anger)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Sunglasses claimed to help you manage your anger caught the attention of our counterparts in the US. "Flip up the right-side lens to let in more light, and you stimulate the left brain; flip up the left, and you zap the right... the experience...

Unblocking drains.(WORLD CONSUMER SNAPSHOT)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Caustic soda is more effective at unblocking drains than most "newfangled" chemical cocktails, our sister organisation in the UK found when it tested drain unblockers. In fact, some of the new, alternative products it tested were less effective...

Pretty baby.(agencies' charging extra commissions)
June 1, 2007... Like most proud parents Donna thought her baby was cute enough to be in advertising. She contacted a child modelling agency to see if there were any opportunities for her son, and an 'audition' was organised. She received paperwork beforehand...

Watering your house?(CHOICE cuts)(cracking prevention)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Houses in parts of Australia are cracking under the strain of drought --literally. When clay soils dry out, house foundations shift, causing cracks in brickwork. Cracks up to 5 mm wide aren't necessarily a problem, but larger cracks up to...

The gift that doesn't keep on giving.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Could I suggest that you look into so-called 'gift' vouchers/cards that many stores sell? The 'giver' has put down hard-earned cash for the voucher and the recipient is locked into spending money in that store. However, it seems many...

A weighty issue.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... I love your online articles about childhood obesity--thanks for all the ammunition. As early-childhood teachers, my colleagues and I lament about the contents of the children's lunchboxes daily. Armed with CHOICE's information we can now start...

Water savers.(Letter to the editor)
June 1, 2007... Our local council, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council in Victoria, swaps an existing showerhead for a water-efficient one at no charge to ratepayers. I recently took advantage of this offer and was given an INTERBATH Classic II Rainmaker Hi-Lo...

Hakan Isen would like to give the thumbs-up to the people at SHRIRO who are responsible for GAGGIA coffee machines.(THUMPS UP!)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Hakan Isen would like to give the thumbs-up to the people at SHRIRO who are responsible for GAGGIA coffee machines. When he called to find out how to get a new milk-frothing aid for his three-year-old machine, he was asked for his address and...

Fiona Brillantes had a laundry disaster recently when she washed a new red tablecloth with her other laundry, turning the whole lot pink.(DYLON Dye Company's services)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Fiona Brillantes had a laundry disaster recently when she washed a new red tablecloth with her other laundry, turning the whole lot pink. She contacted DYLON dye company to ask for some urgent advice and received a detailed explanation about...

Flick the green switch: there are big price differences between accredited GreenPower products.(home / GREEN ENERGY)(Cover story)
June 1, 2007... CHOICE's analysis of GreenPower products has found massive price differences between both retailers and products. GreenPower generally costs more than standard electricity, but what you'll pay depends on the percentage of accredited GreenPower...

Medicare claims at the surgery.(HEALTH check)(electronic claiming system plans)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... If you're sick of making a special visit to your Medicare office to claim back your doctor's bills, some good news is on the horizon. Medicare is planning to have its new electronic claims system up and running at a surgery near you in the...

Sitting ducks.(HEALTH check)(sitting longer at the work desk may cause deep-vein thrombosis, research)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Research carried out in New Zealand has found that you're more likely to get deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) from sitting at your work desk for long periods than sitting in a plane. DVT has the moniker 'economy class syndrome' because sitting...

Another nail in the low-carb coffin.(HEALTH check)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... CHOICE has reported in the past on the dangers associated with following low-carb, high-protein diets in the long term: they can put you at risk of heart disease and kidney problems, not to mention increasing your chances of developing...

High fliers: which international and domestic airlines rate with our readers?(travel / AIRLINE SATISFACTION)
June 1, 2007... As accessible as air travel might be for many of us in Australia, with long travel times in the air both at home and overseas, our choice of airline is still important. The surprise result of CHOICE's survey was that QANTAS--the national...

Give your dog a bone? A guide to cat and dog nutrition.(home / PET FOOD)
June 1, 2007... There's no denying it--commercial pet food is vastly different from the diet of dogs and cats in the wild. Our furry friends' jaws and teeth are designed to rip through the raw flesh of animal carcasses and crunch bone--not to chew on processed...

Smooth skin: permanent hair removal sounds appealing--but the results aren't guaranteed.(personal care / HAIR REMOVAL)
June 1, 2007... Whether you choose to pluck, wax or zap it, getting rid of unwanted hair professionally can be a time-consuming and often expensive and painful process. Before you decide which method to go for, you need to consider the risks, suitability for...

Taken to the cleaners: don't let just anyone loose on your carpets.(home
June 1, 2007... Muddy paw prints, a suspect smell and other unidentifiable splodges that just aren't coming out--if this sounds like your carpets at home it's probably time to have them professionally cleaned. In fact, it's recommended that you don't wait...

Relief or rip off? Do throat lozenges help relieve a sore throat or are they just for suckers?(health / THROAT LOZENGES)
June 1, 2007... Winter is just round the corner, and it's time to bring out the woollies and enjoy the cool, crisp mornings. Unfortunately it's also time to stock up on tissues and prepare for the chills, sniffles and, worst of all, sore throats that the...

Alternative to a reverse mortgage.(HIP pocket)(Bendigo Bank Ltd. and Homesafe Solutions launches new services for the elderly)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... BENDIGO BANK and HOMESAFE SOLUTIONS are offering a contract called Debt Free Equity Release that lets people aged 60 and over sell up to 60% ($25,000-$500,000) of the predicted future value of their home to BENDIGO/HOMESAFE. Currently it's only...

Protect yourself from identity theft.(HIP pocket)
June 1, 2007... Identity theft is the misuse of your personal details to commit fraud. This can have serious financial consequences--as it did for John and Sarah (not their real names). They applied for a home loan after finding a house they loved and...

Turning back the pizza clock.(FOOD bites)(increasing antioxidants in pizza)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Fast-food pizza has come a long way from its relatively healthy origins in Italy, and now scientists are having a go at making it healthier again. Food chemists at the University of Maryland in the US have developed a way of increasing the...

Sugar is sugar is sugar.(FOOD bites)(evaluating YUMMIEES' Natural Fruit Jellies)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... An eagle-eyed CHOICE reader sent us a packet of YUMMIEES' Natural Fruit Jellies, dubious about the claims made on the packaging. If you missed the 'natural' in the name, there's no missing the 'natural flavours', 'natural colours' and 'no...

Funding affects study outcomes.(FOOD bites)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... One of the founding values of CHOICE is our independence--we don't need or take funding from manufacturers or any other group because we're funded by our subscribers. But sadly, that's not always how scientific tests are carried out. A new...

Local talent time.(test: EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2007... Australia's been producing some great wines for a long time--now it's olive oil's turn to take the limelight. When CHOICE last tested extra-virgin olive oils three years ago we found only two brands of Australian oil on the supermarket shelves;...

A lot of hot air?(test: SMALL AIR CONDITIONERS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2007... A reverse-cycle air conditioner's a good way to heat a room as well as cool it--if you're feeling the winter chill in your bedroom or even a not-too-large living room, one of these smaller inverter models could be ideal for all seasons....

Sweet delusions.(test: YOGHURT)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2007... Trying to lose weight? Yoghurt's got a healthy image, so combined with a lower-fat claim you might think it's a good way to help you keep off the kilos. Think again. Some of these healthy-sounding yoghurts can be more fattening than regular...

Home theatre projectors: movies in your lounge room.(COMPUTING choice)(BenQ Digital Projector PE7700 )(Sharp XV-Z100)(OPTOMA HD70 DMD Projection Display)(Infocus IN72)(Epson Dreamio Home Projector EMP-TW700)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2007... Being immersed in a movie on a big screen in your own home puts digital projectors alongside LCD and plasma screens on many home theatre wish lists. CHOICE Computer recently tested five digital projectors designed for home theatre setups....

Small is beautiful.(test: MICROWAVE OVENS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2007... While there are many whiz-bang microwaves on the market these days, complete with grilling capabilities, 'inverter' technology and more, there's still a big place in the market for the simple, easy-to-use compact microwave. We tested nine of...

Fan-tastic: electric convection heaters with a fan distribute hot air faster and more evenly.(test: CONVECTION HEATERS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2007... Four of the tested convection heaters have a fan to help move the warm air around the room. This generally helps heat up a room faster and gives better heat distribution (see Figure 1, page 51), but our test showed it also makes it harder for...

Carpets, floors, tiles ...(test: EXPENSIVE VACUUM CLEANERS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2007... If you're spending more than $500 on a vacuum cleaner, you want more than a machine that'll clean your carpet and hard floors. For that sort of money, you want one that'll make the dreary job as easy as possible. The ideal vacuum cleaner...

Healthcare reform needed to make things fairer.(CHOICE campaigns)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Healthcare provision should be based on need, not on the ability to pay --consumers have a right to equitable access to healthcare. The current system requires significant reform. Some of the key problems include: * There's not enough...

Digital security--a good investment.(CAMPAIGN NEWS)(data security)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Our lives are increasingly moving online, making us reliant on secure IT systems to protect our personal and financial information. But the costs of this security are high and some in the industry want to shift this cost--and the risk of...

Our daily bread.(mandatory fortification of foods )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... The debate over the mandatory fortification of foods with folate continues, with Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) seeking further comment on its previous proposal to fortify bread and bread products. Mandatory fortification is being...

Recalls & bans.
June 1, 2007... 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 Product Recalls Australia website: www.recalls.gov.au. If you don't have web access, call the Product...