Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from May 2002

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from May 2002

Take charge of your super.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
May 1, 2002... Do your eyes glaze over when someone mentions superannuation? You know you've got some money scattered among several funds but it's all too hard to do anything about it? You're far from alone in feeling this way, but as our article on page 12...

What's the difference between chlorine and chloride? (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... A subscriber recently wrote to tell us he'd bought a new product to clean his bathroom, and had been particularly looking for something that didn't contain harsh chemicals--especially chlorine--to reduce any risk to himself and the environment....

If you get mail from CHOICE ... (choice cuts).
May 1, 2002... In a couple of weeks, CHOICE Will be running its next direct mail campaign to attract new subscribers. Promotional envelopes will be sent to certain areas across all states. Unfortunately we can't guarantee you won't receive one even if you're...

Hire tool safety. (choice cuts).(leasing power tools)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... For expensive, heavy-duty power tools that you need only occasionally, it makes sense to hire rather than buy. But are the tools you get up to the job, and are they safe to use? We hired four potentially dangerous tools--a chainsaw,...

Don't forget your Medicare card when you get your prescription. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Your pharmacist may have already been asking to see your Medicare card when you get a prescription filled, but as of May 1 you can't buy subsidised medications without it. All Australian residents (and eligible people from countries with...

No such thing as a free holiday. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The string attached to that out-of-the-blue prize holiday could well be an invitation to buy into timeshare holiday accommodation--accompanied by heavy pressure-selling tactics and a hefty price tag. A CHOICE reader told us of a deal she...

Perfect pairings. (World Consumer Snapshot).(choosing the right wine for the right food)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Red wine with meat; white with fish, right? Nowadays it's not so simple. According to our US counterpart Consumer Reports, the best food-wine pairings are those you enjoy most. We agree. These tips can help you choose a vino for dining...

The dearest cut. (World Consumer Snapshot).(importance of staying alert as a consumer)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... J'achete mieux, published by our Swiss sister organisation, reminds us that the price of capitalism is eternal vigilance (apologies to Thomas Jefferson)--or else you're likely to be conned. The story goes: a consumer asks a butcher for a...

Newer cars safer. (World Consumer Snapshot).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Our car reliability report (CHOICE, September 2001) found that new cars are more reliable than a decade ago, and Test magazine from Germany reports that safety's improving too. An accident research organisation tested two VW Golf models,...

Warning on pregnancy and listeria. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The dangers of the food-poisoning bacteria listeria have been reported in many previous CHOICE articles. However, the deaths of two unborn babies in WA have prompted the Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) to reissue a warning. ...

Fracture risk from too much vitamin A. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... Vitamin A is needed for the eyes, the immune system and controlling the division of cells. But as with many vitamins, too much can be a bad thing. It's been established that too much vitamin A can cause birth defects in unborn babies, and new...

Be careful with cash advances. (your letters).
May 1, 2002... In response to your article on low-interest credit cards (December 2001) I would like to caution anyone obtaining an ANZ First Low-interest Visa card to read the fine print. We chose this card to save money and it ended up costing us $80 in...

Corkage without cork. (your letters).
May 1, 2002... Many thanks for the article on sparkling wines in last December's issue. It was most interesting and informative. I was particularly drawn to the section on sparkling reds and have personally managed to taste a number from that category. I...

Thumbs up.(Barhams Electronics)(Auscan Imports)(Goodman Fielder)
May 1, 2002... * David Eaton (via internet) awards a thumbs-up to BARHAMS ELECTRONICS in Perth, which repaired free of charge his Yamaha CD/tuner outside its two-year warranty. Considering the ongoing problems he'd had with the player during the warranty...

Trendy jeans at a price: many people in Third World countries work for pitiful wages under inhumane conditions to make the clothes we love to wear. To bring about change, you have to make your views heard. (Consumer Issues).(Clean Clothes Campaign)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... An article in the February issue of Austria's consumer magazine Konsument caught our attention. It reported on various jeans manufacturers' commitment (or lack of it) to improving social conditions at their production centres in low-wage...

Vital grip: all that connects your car to the road are a few square centimetres of tyre rubber. So you want to be sure they do their job when it counts. (Test: tyres).(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2002... Need new tyres for your car? You don't have to stick with the model fitted by the manufacturer, as long as you pick a tyre that meets your car's requirements for size and speed rating (see How to read a tyre, page 11, for details). For...

Take charge of your super: is your fund earning you a fortune or just costing you one? (Money: superannuation).(Australia)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... Mark, 38, is married with two children; he's well educated and holds a senior management position. You'd expect him to have his super in order, but he admits, "It's a mess. "I have money in about five funds--I've never rolled any of them...

Drinks with added everything. (word on the street).(herbal beverage claims)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The packaging is beautiful, the labels poetry, but do these new drinks really have something new to offer? With names like POWER, BLISS and ADRENALIN, they variously promise things like "a fortifying blend of lemon and ginger infused with...

Tea tree oil gets euro go-ahead. (word on the street).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Tea tree oil has been used for years in antiseptics, skin creams and disinfectant, and in products for treating insect bites, acne and athlete's foot. After years of testing to ensure it's safe and effective for medicinal purposes, Europeans...

Handy windscreen wipes? (word on the street).(Armor All Glass Cleaner Wipes)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... According to one bus poster, that blurred view of the road might not be your eyes--it could be a dirty windscreen. And the answer to that problem is ARMOR ALL Glass Cleaner Wipes. Or is it? We asked 15 CHOICE staffers to try them on the...

We are what we eat ... is the secret to a long and healthy life really a matter of what food we eat? Well, it just might be. (Diet: `miracle' foods).
May 1, 2002... If we all believed the hype, the chef cooking the daily specials at the LongLife Card (left) would be the busiest in town. But while all these foods do have something to offer, it's not as simple as just chowing down on the latest health-food...

Liquid soap: liquid hand wash is less messy than soap, but costs a bit more to use. (User Trial: liquid soap).
May 1, 2002... Liquid hand washes have quickly become popular in Aussie homes--they're convenient, don't generate soap scum, and (if you care about these things) the containers can be co-ordinated to match your bathroom decor. We asked 250 CHOICE Home...

Income protection insurance warning. (hip pocket).(Australia)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Have your income protection insurance premiums increased more than the rate of inflation this year? We've heard about one consumer who was hit with an increase of 43%. This is astonishing because the premium for his policy was determined...

Fixed loan pain or gain? (hip pocket).(closing before expiry costs)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Fixed-rate loans can secure you a low interest rate, but what if you need to bail out before the term is up? Just over a year after securing a five-year fixed loan, Nigel and Sara needed to change lenders as they weren't happy with the way...

New form of managed fund: ETF. (hip pocket).(exchange-traded funds)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Exchange-traded funds (ETF) recently became available for Australian investors. They work like managed funds but are listed on the stockmarket and can be bought and sold through stockbrokers, like shares. While you have to pay brokerage you...

DIY massage: do the new home massagers really help you relax after a tiring day? (Test: home massagers).
May 1, 2002... Wouldn't it be great if you could enjoy a good massage whenever you want, at home, without the need for an appointment and the ongoing expense of a professional massage therapist? The trialists who assessed handheld massagers for us certainly...

Vinegar: it adds zing to your salad and keeps those pickles pickled. Can vinegar also help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol? (Food: Vinegar).(related articles)
May 1, 2002... Vinegar was accidentally discovered when wine was left for too long and fermented to form vinegar. The natural sugars ferment into alcohol through the action of yeasts, and another fermentation stage turns the alcohol to vinegar. Vinegar...

Enough to put you off your lunch ... (food bites).(poor food-handling practices)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... The Australia New Zealand Food Authority recently released results of a study conducted on food-handling practices in food businesses in Australia. The news wasn't entirely encouraging. Although the survey showed the majority of businesses...

What's seafood extender? (food bites).(surimi)
May 1, 2002... Also known as surimi, it's fish that's ground into a paste and has stabilisers, binders, flavours and colours added to it, before being formed into shapes that imitate other seafood, particularly shellfish. Some products with slightly higher...

Tip. (food bites).(cutting boards)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Cleaning your cutting board in soapy hot water is fine to remove most bugs, but let it dry before reusing it--drying's important to kill even more.

A bouquet to AQIS. (food bites).(Australian Quarantine and Inspection Services)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Credit where it's due--and so to the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). It stopped some shipments of Dilmah green tea because the packaging made claims about health benefits--current food regulations don't allow such claims on...

Tidying the yard; is a garden blower/vac worth the noise and mess or, compared with a broom and rake, just a load of hot air? (Test: petrol blower/vacuums).(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2002... You can use these machines for blowing, vacuuming and mulching leaves and lightweight garden refuse--maybe for sucking up leaves from a formal garden, say, or for blowing paths clear in a large leafy one. Overall they work better as...

Home insulation: ceiling insulation should be a high priority for every house owner. Here's how to get the best out of it. (Report: Insulation).(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... If your house gets unbearably hot in summer and freezing cold in winter, chances are it's not very well insulated. Not only does that make it uncomfortable for you to live in, you're also likely to waste a fair bit of money on cooling and...

The gas on flueless heaters; they're very efficient at heating a living area if your state allows you to use one. (Test: flueless gas heaters).(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... With cooler nights and winter approaching, which heating method should you choose to keep you toasty? GAS VS ELECTRIC Compared with electricity (except reverse-cycle air conditioning), gas is a very cost-effective fuel for heating. In...

Five new machines: plus performance info on lots of top and front loaders ... (Update: washing machines).(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2002... We've added results from five more machines--three front and two top loaders--to those of the models from our previous tests that are still available. The new front loaders are solid performers and aren't expensive to buy or run, so they're new...

Recalls & bans.(consumer products, Australia)
May 1, 2002... 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, try your local library. ...