Shonky Products and Zooper Doopers

When I was a teenager I played tennis during the summer months. Being in a country town I would often have to play the same people in the competition. One particular day I came up against a tennis player who i had never beaten before.

It was a hot day and before the game i ate an orange zooper dooper. I went on to win the game of tennis. "Wow" I thought, "the zooper dooper must have made a difference."

So for the next 4 weeks I ate an orange zooper dooper before the game of tennis but never played quite as well as that week.

So today I read the following article and was not surprised. Orange zooper doopers are cheaper and who knows, there may be some benefits in the flavourings and suger content!

Choice statement October 26, 2010 - 11:59AM
.People's Watchdog Choice unveils the 2010 shonkiest companies

The shonkiest, meanest and silliest rip-offs and scams have been named and shamed today at the 2010 Annual Shonky Awards, hosted by the people's watchdog , consumer group Choice.

A total of eight companies and products were chosen for this year's awards: supermarket giant Coles; Commonwealth Bank; pain relief brand Nurofen; whitegoods brand LG; wristband "sporting aid" Power Balance; rope producer Medalist; website babynamemeans.com and a selection of olive oil brands.

Advertisement: Story continues below While 2010 brings revised processes and new consumer and credit laws the annual Choice Shonky Awards continue to act as a reminder that consumers need to be as vigilant as ever.

Christopher Zinn, spokesman for Choice comments: "This is the fifth year of the Shonky's and you'd think most companies would be doing their best to ensure they're delivering good honest products and services.

"Yet year after year we're continually amazed by marketers' efforts to take Australians for a ride."

The 2010 Shonky winners:

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Company: Power Balance

Product: Power Balance band

Background information: Despite the promotion blurb promoting benefits for natural energy flow the Power Balance band is simply just a rubber band bracelet with a plastic hologram. Heaving endorsed by sporting pros it retails for a mere $60 alongside claims it somehow makes you stronger, more poised and just better. The band was tested at Choice under controlled lab conditions which showed it did little else than empty purchasers' wallets.

Dam Buster of.... Ballina

Yes readers the magical tour continues. I am just back after two days in the Ballina area of northern NSW. Some notes:

How long does it take to get a coffee made in the Northern Rivers area of NSW?
How can anyone function with the daylight savings / no daylight savings issues on the border and specifically the ariport.

Anyway back to Sydney for a few days.

Dam Buster of .... well Sydney

Hello everyone,

Yes I know it has been a long time between posts. The life and times of DB have been a little hectic to say the least.

So where am i? Sydney
WTF are you doing there? Workin
Why? Because I was requested by a client to help with a project
How long? until xmas at least

So there you go. Expect a few posts about why this place is different to Melbourne.

First thing - Coffee. In Melbourne you cannot turn around without tripping over a Barrista with a proper coffee. Sydney expect Gloria Jeans instead.. errk. I have found a few decent ones so far.

Second thing - Walking pace. Melbourne will take over as Australia's biggest City soon. Why? because we walk faster than Sydney-siders. Melbournians walk like they are 3 mins late for the 5;15 to Belgrave. Sydney-siders amble taking up the whole path while at it!

more to come...