Choice (Chippendale, Australia) articles from September 2002

Choice (Chippendale, Australia) archives from September 2002

`Warm and fuzzy' bad for the economy.(Australian Competition and Consumer Commission)
September 1, 2002... Open a newspaper these days and it's not hard to find an attack on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission by big-business lobby groups. We'd worry if businesses weren't protesting about a regulator--it usually means there's no...

Extinguishers that make fires worse. (choice cuts).(FIRE CAP Fire and Smoke Suppressant)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Have you bought a fire extinguisher in the past few years? If it's a FIRE CAP Fire and Smoke Suppressant, it may be dangerous to use, warn the Queensland Department of Fair Trading and the ACCC. The 30 cm high aerosol cans are red, orange,...

What's the fuss about acrylamide? (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... A couple of months ago the results of research on a cancer-causing chemical called acrylamide hit the news. The study showed it's formed in starchy foods cooked at high temperatures. Those tests were conducted in Sweden, and since then similar...

Why gummy bears are good for you. (World Consumer Snapshot).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Sweet fanciers will be happy to hear that, according to a study reported by German Test magazine, the yummy gummies (known as Gummibarchen there) supply three amino acids the body can't produce but needs for growth, muscle development and the...

Pests galore. (World Consumer Snapshot).(insect identification)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... And from Test also comes a report of an interesting service it provides. For 17 euro, German consumers can send in a pest and have it analysed, plus find out how to deal with it. Test asks for dead bugs only so that they won't infest the...

The Penan problem. (World Consumer Snapshot).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Since the early 1980s Penan people and other communities in Malaysia have requested a halt to logging of the Sarawak forests, writing petitions and risking arrest with intermittent blockades. Utusan Konsumer from Penang recently interviewed...

Update and correction.(Correction Notice)
September 1, 2002... HEALTH INSURANCE CHOICE, July 2002 * We published the wrong score for GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES HEALTH FUND Hospital Cover. The correct score is 90% (not 97%), but the policy stays a Best Buy for Best-value Top Cover in the NT, Tasmania,...

Paying bills online. (choice cuts).(POSTbillpay; BPAY)
September 1, 2002... Tired of lining up at lunchtime or writing cheques to pay your bills? While you can still pay in person or by mail, electronic payment can be a faster and sometimes cheaper alternative. Plus it's open 24 hours a day. In Australia there are...

Phone accessories can affect your warranty. (choice cuts).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Have you been tempted by an attractive-sounding mobile phone package with `free accessories'? Earlier this year one of our subscribers, Andrew Soulis, signed up for a plan with Optus. On receipt of the package, however, he discovered that the...

New video game risk. (choice cuts).
September 1, 2002... There've already been plenty of warnings about video games keeping kids from exercise and social contact, but recently some British doctors warned of a possible new problem. They'd treated a 15-year-old boy with a hand injury previously...

Zero loan still costs. (your letters).
September 1, 2002... Did you know you could pay interest on a loan even if the loan had reached zero? Even though I paid my mortgage off before the due date, I was still charged interest on the account of zero--the interest yesterday was at $112.82. I thought...

Thumbs up. (your letters).
September 1, 2002... I much prefer writing letters praising good service and products, but when unhappy with a purchase, it's up to me to inform the company or they won't know. I've had mostly positive responses to complaints over the years and two that stand...

Letter of the month. (your letters).
September 1, 2002... We want to hear from you--your experiences help our research and often let other readers know about scares and rip-offs. To thank you for writing to us, Your Letters awards a prize of a CHOICE book to the `Letter of the month'. This month's...

Food labels: don't believe everything you read ... a food label may tell you the whole story, if you know what you're looking for. But sometimes it takes more than a quick glance to avoid being ripped off. (Food: reading the labels).
September 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Bacon and onion sauce with no bacon, apple and strawberry mix with no strawberry, `tropical' fruit products with non-tropical fruit, gravy that's been nowhere near meat--just some of the worst labelling examples we found,...

Safe but not sound: think home safe's the answer to increasing burglary? With most of the eight models tested, you could be sorry rather than safe. (Test: home safes).
September 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * On test: eight freestanding theft-resistant home safes costing up to $460. Only one withstood all our attempts at prising it open; another resisted a jemmy but not a sledgehammer attack, and the remaining six could be...

New research: baby walkers delay development. (Word on the street: the buzz on what's new and happening in the market place).
September 1, 2002... CHOICE and some government authorities have strongly recommended in the past that you don't use a baby walker for your child. They allow babies greater mobility than their developmental stage allows for, and give a baby access to dangerous...

Zigzag fridge. (Word on the street: the buzz on what's new and happening in the market place).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... One of the problems with side-by-side fridge/freezers is the shelves are quite narrow, particularly in the freezer--in some we've tested you can't fit a pizza box lying down. Enter MAYTAG with its 800 L WIDE-BY-SIDE fridge. The innovative...

Persist with the duck bill? You must be daffy! (Word on the street: the buzz on what's new and happening in the market place).(Speculum.)
September 1, 2002... Does the thought of having a pap smear make your toes curl? It's recommended that all women over 18 take this important cervical cancer screening test every two years, yet many women don't--they put it off and off. For many women it's the...

Good enough to eat? You want the best for your pet. But do dogs and cats really need expensive, fancy food? What should they be eating? (Report: pet food).
September 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * For most healthy pets there's no evidence that `premium' pet foods improve overall health and longevity, compared to cheaper foods that meet appropriate standards. Look for claims of a food being `complete and balanced'....

Car depreciation: buying a new car is a big purchase but a bad investment - but there are ways you can limit the impact of car depreciation on your hip pocket. (Drivelines).
September 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL Pick a model with a good reputation, in a popular colour and with popular features. * Keep the car well serviced and maintained. * If a model holds its value but is a lot more expensive to start with, you can end up...

Reserve Bank urges caution on property investors. (hip pocket).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... In a recent statement the Reserve Bank of Australia warned that returns for property investors might not be sustainable in the future. The RBA said house prices increased nationally by about 9% on average in the past five years, with a 17%...

IOOF Fiancial Group demutualises. (hip pocket).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Australia's largest friendly society, IOOF, has issued shares to its members and is now working towards becoming a listed company. Founded in 1846, it provides funds management and health insurance services. IOOF members will receive a...

How to get heard. (hip pocket).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... Only 6% of Australians always complain if something goes wrong. The rest complain only sometimes or never. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has released a free step-by-step guide solving a problem with financial...

A bank listens! (hip pocket).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... ANZ bank recently aroused the anger of its customers by planning to reduce the interest-free period for personal credit card holders who pay their monthly accounts through the bank's direct debit facility. This disadvantaged credit card...

Movies at home creating your own cinema sound on the cheap. (Home theatre system).
September 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Your satisfaction with these systems is likely to depend on the weight you place on sound quality, which tends to be sacrificed a little for ease of use and a cheaper price. But the top-rating PIONEER produces good sound...

Profiles.
September 1, 2002... PIONEER HTZ77DVD Price: $1899 GOOD POINTS * The best for sound quality. * Best onscreen and front panel display and indicators. * Digital audio input (optical). * Bookmarking (you can mark the start of a section so...

Rub it better? How effective are the various pain-relieving creams and lotions--and what's the best way to treat injuries? (Review: pain-relief rubs).
September 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * Some rub-on pain-relief products contain painkillers, while others rely on irritating the skin to create a hot or cold sensation, distracting you from the pain. * There's some evidence that some types are better than...

Get it right first time. (food bites).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... A woman in the US has launched a lawsuit against a snack food company, claiming she suffered "mental anguish, outrage and indignation", when she found out that one of its products contained more fat than the label indicated. The company...

More good news on fruit and veg. (food bites).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... There's further confirmation from two recent studies of the benefits of eating more fruit and vegetables. The first study is an analysis of many previous research papers, each looking at the effect of antioxidant vitamins in food vs vitamin...

Green tomatoes for kids? (food bites).(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... If you have children or grandchildren you may have seen HEINZ EZ Squirt Blastin' Green Tomato Ketchup. It's just good old tomato sauce, with--for some reason--added food colours to make it green. Most kids are more than happy to drown...

Out damned spot! Most of the 12 carpet stain removers didn't get the mark out, and some even damaged the carpet. (Test: carpet stain removers).
September 1, 2002... IN A NUTSHELL * No product is best for all stains and carpets, but Cleaners to consider, far right, lists the top overall performers for your carpet type. * Some of the cleaners damaged the carpet or changed its colour. Carpet...

Washing machines: we've picked 14 top performers from our test of 33--nine are Best Buys. (Test: washing machines).
September 1, 2002... IN & NUTSHELL * Front loaders generally use less water and energy than top loaders, spin more effectively and are gentler on your clothes. The What to buy list has Best Buys for both. * Most front loaders take longer than top loaders...

Recalls & bans.
September 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.calls.gov.au, If you don't have web access, call the Safety Policy Unit...

Hard word.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2002... WEIGHT LOSS Dietary FAT BLASTER ANYTHING MORE POWERFUL WOULD BE ILLEGAL Fat heads Need to lose weight fast? You could try Dietary Fat Blaster--apparently so effective that "anything more powerful would be illegal." ...