Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from May 2006

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from May 2006

Good news stories.(Editorial)
May 1, 2006... I must admit to having been a bit dubious about sandwich presses (known to some as panini presses). I thought they might be fine for a cheese toasty, but smoked salmon focaccias where the salmon's ended up cooked have featured too often in my...

Don't rush into a reverse mortgage.(choice cuts)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... With a reverse mortgage you borrow money against the current value of your home and pay it back--including interest and fees--when you sell (or your estate pays it back after your death). They're targeted at people over 60 who can use them, for...

Stroller safety on railway stations.(choice cuts)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... RailCorp in NSW has launched an awareness campaign to promote stroller and pram safety on trains and station platforms, after an alarming 47 reported incidents on the Sydney CityRail network over the past two years. Incidents have involved...

Keeping your computer secure.(choice cuts)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Computer security's no longer just a matter of running antivirus software. These days you also need a firewall and anti-spyware protection, and a spam filter can help in the fight against viruses, phishing (ID theft) scares and other dubious...

Correction.(choice cuts)(Correction notice)
May 1, 2006... CAR TYRES CHOICE, March 2006 * In Tricky tyres, page 23, we said one-directional tyres are also called asymmetrical. This isn't correct. One-directional tyres need to be fitted so their tread pattern faces a particular way, usually...

Test of bike lights.(choice cuts)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... If you ride your bicycle at night, you must have lights. They're required in all states, by law, for riding at night and in hazardous low-visibility weather conditions. You must have a white light at the front, a red light at the rear, and a...

Can you help?(choice cuts)
May 1, 2006... NURSING HOMES If you've had to choose a nursing home for an elderly relative in recent years, chances are you've learned a lot in the process and have a wealth of information others in the same situation could benefit from. For an...

No pin required.(choice cuts)(credit cards)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The UK recently brought in a chip-and-PIN system for credit cards in an effort to reduce fraud. This means cardholders must enter a PIN when using their credit cards rather than just signing. They'll also have to enter a PIN when using their...

Kids, TV and obesity risk factors.(choice cuts)
May 1, 2006... Here's something we might not hear about on the news on commercial TV. Research published in the Medical Journal of Australia has confirmed several overseas studies and linked the amount of TV a child watches with behaviour that puts them at...

The Decor Corporation.(THUMBS UP!)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Norman Kent awards a 'Thumbs up' to THE DECOR CORPORATION. When the lid on his two-bottle wine cooler broke after many years of use he contacted DECOR to see how much a new lid would cost. He was sent a new lid free of charge but unfortunately...

Everdure Barbecues.(THUMBS UP!)
May 1, 2006... Joanne Andrews gives a 'Thumbs up' to EVERDURE BARBECUES for sending her a new regulator and hose free of charge when she complained that her barbecue was leaking gas.

Phones for hearing-impaired people.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I would like to thank you for pointing out that the cordless phones tested in your Almost mobile article (CHOICE, Jan/Feb 2006) didn't contain telecoils. I'm sure you've saved potential customers with a hearing impairment from what can be a...

Slow redial.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I read your cordless phone report with interest to see if you had marked down the UNIDEN DSS 2415 for the thing that drove me batty about it, but you hadn't picked up on it. I think every phone needs a simple redial button to call the last...

Hold onto your tickets.(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I'm writing to warn travellers to keep their airline ticket, as it may be demanded by their travel insurance company if they make a claim. I didn't save my airline ticket after a recent trip but I did have papers and a credit card receipt...

Letter of the month.(your letters)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... We want to hear from you--your experiences help our research and often let other readers know about scams and rip-offs. Positive outcomes you've had to a complaint you took to a manufacturer, retailer, importer or tradesperson interest us too....

New twist on cold-calling scam.(hip pocket)(Australian Securities & Investments Commission )(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) is warning consumers about a new type of cold-calling scam. This time scamsters are targeting people who have shares in foreign technology companies that became worthless during the...

Health insurance premiums go up again.(hip pocket)
May 1, 2006... This year health funds have increased their premiums on average by 5.68%, with the actual increase to your premium varying among funds, policies and states. While the average increase is lower than in previous years it's still significantly...

What's really in a meat pie? Some brands have nice chunks of real meat. Others have unappetising gristle.(TEST: Meat pies)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... Who's never had a meat pie? Australians are the world's biggest consumers of them; they're a cultural icon. But would they keep that exalted position if most of us knew what's really in them? HOW MUCH MEAT? To find out how much meat...

Finding a nanny: it's an unregulated industry and they're dealing with your children, so it pays to do your research before you choose one.(REPORT: Nanny agencies)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... We're probably all aware of the much publicised overseas trials of nannies charged with harming babies in their care. For many parents it's already a difficult decision to leave a child to be cared for by someone else, and hearing these kinds...

Is this healthfoods? Its image may be healthy, but the food in supermarkets' healthfood aisles is often anything but.(REPORT: Healthfood aisle)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... If someone asked you to picture a healthfood product, you might think of dried fruit and nuts, rice cakes, tofu or vegetable juice. You might also think of soy drinks, organic muesli or gluten-free pasta. Certainly it'll be a food that's...

Hard copy: ease of use really matters with a DVD/hard disc recorder.(TEST: DVD/hard disc recorders)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... The models in our latest test of DVD recorders contain the sexy technology you'd expect, such as the timeshift feature that lets you start watching a program before you've finished recording it. And their hard disc also gives them the advantage...

Healthy or hyped? Wheatgrass juice is the health tonic of the moment, but where's the evidence for its benefits?(REPORT: Wheatgrass juice)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... It's difficult not to be cynical about something that's claimed to be good for pretty much everything. If you believe the hype, wheatgrass can nourish the blood and detoxify poisons, purify the liver, rebuild the bloodstream, boost energy and...

Confectionery-free checkouts.(foodbites)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... A recent survey by The Parents Jury found that more than 70% of parents surveyed would consider changing supermarkets if a rival supermarket implemented a 50% confectionery-free checkout policy. The Parents Jury is a group of parents who want...

Keep eating fish!(foodbites)
May 1, 2006... Dioxins, fish substitution, malachite green contamination--all recent issues concerning the seafood industry, especially in NSW, that may have put a dampener on your Friday night fish and chip fest. What does it all mean? * In February,...

Green tea with your whisky, sir?(foodbites)
May 1, 2006... It may seem like a clash of flavours to us, or even just the ruin of a good whisky, but it's apparently the latest tipple in China. Does it put a healthy spin on a drink at your local?

More than a sandwich: beyond the cheese toasty...(TEST: Sandwich presses)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... Once considered the staple diet of poor students everywhere, toasted sandwiches have undergone something of a gourmet revolution. No longer confined to the traditional cheese toasty, some of these new sandwich presses can toast focaccia, panini...

Don't wait-insulate! Is one type of insulation better than another?(REPORT: Insulation)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... Despairing about your over-the-top energy bills or another winter huddled next to a bar heater? It's time to consider insulation. When properly installed, it not only helps keep your home a comfortable temperature all year round, but can also...

Could do better: new isn't always better--some first-time tested brands were disappointing.(TEST: Fridges)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... Electric fridges for the home have been around for almost a century, during which time there've been many improvements--and not just in style. So you'd think that by now manufacturers would have managed to get a fridge/freezer's basic function...

Four-wheel drive? $200-$400 buys a better stroller than $1300.(TEST: Layback strollers)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... While three-wheel strollers are all the rage, four-wheel models are far from dead. They may not be as manoeuvrable as three-wheelers, but they have other advantages. They often have a reversible handle, giving you the choice of walking with...

Let's roll: wheeled suitcases can make travelling much easier ... as long as they last the distance.(REPORT: Suitcases with wheels)(Product/service evaluation)
May 1, 2006... Travelling on holiday is one of life's pleasures, but there can be frustrating moments, such as hauling a heavy suitcase around an unfamiliar city or airport. You can end up with tired arms, aching hands and maybe a sore back as well. Not the...

Recalls & bans.
May 1, 2006... 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...

Our warranty..... it's fixed or it's free.(hard word)
May 1, 2006... At Roadside Auto Care, it's fixed or it's free, not fixed for free, not fixed and it's free first time or it's free. It is only free if we cannot fix it. It does not mean if we cannot fix it, it must be free. Free does not include parts used...

Did they get Dr Seuss to write this blurb?(hard word)
May 1, 2006... We can't make head or tail out of this warranty--except that it seems unlikely anything will ever be free.

Marvellous, magical marketing ...(hard word)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Watch my hands... look at the first packaging (right and above). Notice its ingredients say 23% hazelnuts? Now look at the second packaging (below right)... see it says "Now with even more hazelnuts"? Abracadabra... now check the ingredients...

There's no other 'interest' like 'interest-free' ...(hard word)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Maybe no interest, but this card charges a $25 establishment fee for each interest-free option processed to the account. It has no annual fee--but a monthly $2.95 'account-keeping fee' for interest-free deals. It pays to read the fine print......

... But are they organic?(hard word)
May 1, 2006... S Nesbitt wonders what type of tree or shrub these lamb tandoori sausages are grown on. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Talk about the bleeding obvious ...(hard word)
May 1, 2006... Thank goodness for the instructions. Who'd have worked that out themselves--if you want to eat something cold, don't heat it? TO HEAT: POUR CHEESE SAUCE & SALSA OVER CHIPS AND MICROWAVE ON HIGH FOR 25 SECONDS. TO EAT COLD: SAME...

How about a little help?(hard work)
May 1, 2006... The prize for the best entry goes to B Skewes (Nachos Instant Meal Pack). Thanks also to G Dean, R Geitl, R McCluskey, N May and S Nesbitt for their contributions to this month's Hard Word. Please keep them coming. If you have any examples...