Sites & Services >> May 2007 (Issue 108)

Top 30

The best sites Legal Information, Allergies, virtual pets, Investing, Children’s Book Reviews, and the best local sites for this month.

Legal information
Get the lowdown on the law

AussieLegal
www.aussielegal.com.au
Aussie Legal is a legal information and referral service that provides free articles on legal topics and legal kits for straightforward legal matters. The topics covered are extensive and range from Bankruptcy & Insolvency to Wills & Probate, plus they offer a telephone advice service (for a fee) so that you can discuss more urgent matters. There are lots of forums on the site, which could help you find out if others have been in a similar situation and what action they took.

Australian Law Online
www.law.gov.au
Australian Law Online is the Australian government’s law and justice portal to information and services provided by both government and non-government organisations. When you have found the topic you are looking for, you are presented with a list of resources, which include Web sites, fact sheets, guides and legislation. So, for example, if you are an individual looking for information about employment, you will find resources covering employment contracts, superannuation, termination of employment and more.

Advice for children
www.lawstuff.org.au
The National Children’s and Youth Law Centre provides advice and information for young Australians on their legal rights and responsibilities. You select a topic such as car accidents, leaving home or renting, and then you’ll find a list of resources that include fact sheets and true stories. If you have a legal question, you can send a LawMail and a lawyer will get back to you within 10 days. In the Getting Help area, you will find a list of advice centres, counselling services and other Web resources that may help.

Law for you
www.law4u.com.au
This wonderful site helps you to understand the law by translating it into plain English fact sheets. They are organised into states, and then under topics such as family, home, money, small business and others. You can keep up to date with topics of interest by selecting Law at your Door, and subscribing to an update service (free of charge). You can also find clear explanations of legal issues in the news in Law Spot. And, if you’re a fan of crime fiction, check out the Books, TV & Movies section for some legal lowdown.

Internet law
www.oznetlaw.net
OzNetLaw, as the name suggests, provides legal information on topics relating to the Internet. Individuals can find out the legalities of activities such as connecting to the Internet, email and shopping online, and businesses can find out the legal ins and outs of running a Web site and conducting online transactions. The site hosts copies of the primary Internet legislation and posts recent updates in What’s New.

Allergies
Help for the long suffering.

Better Health Channel
http://tinyurl.com/2sy7nr
The Better Health Channel’s allergy section hosts a range of fact sheets that explain different types of allergies. These include asthma, hayfever and hives as well as food allergies and intolerances. There is information on allergy testing and the types of tests used, and an asthma and allergens Q & A section. As always on the Better Health Channel, you can print out or listen to the fact sheet online, and you can always find further resources at any time by clicking on the ‘more information’ link.

Allergy Free
www.allergyfree.com.au/index.cfm
This Web site is the labour of love of a mother of a child with a range of serious allergies. It is an amazing resource, full of comprehensive fact sheets on almost every allergy you can think of. They provide an explanation of the allergy, describe typical symptoms and discuss management and treatments. The site also has an information and news section and an online store for natural products and vitamins.

myDr
www.mydr.com.au/default.asp?Section=allergy
The myDr allergy centre hosts a wide range of articles on skin allergies, hayfever and sinusitis, insect stings and food and drink allergies. There is also a collection of news articles relating to allergic conditions and an animation that shows what happens in your body when you have an allergic reaction. There is a 10-question quiz you can take, too, that will help you separate fact from fiction as far as allergies are concerned.

Virtual allergy centre
www.virtualallergycentre.com
The Virtual Allergy Centre is a huge online resource for information and news on a comprehensive range of allergies. As well as detailed descriptions of allergies such as asthma, eczema, hives, peanut and other food allergies, you’ll find information on allergy tests, treatments and drugs, plus the latest allergy news, research and trials. If you do suffer from an allergy, there’s information on lifestyle and protection that may help you avoid what you’re allergic to. The site is part of the virtual medical centre and has been approved by the HealthInsite Editorial Board.

AER
www.allergy.org.au/aer/infobulletins/index.htm
AER (ASCIA Education Resources) is the educational body of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), and
its Web site hosts an extensive range of information bulletins about allergies. You can either read them on the site or download them in PDF format and print them. In the general section, you’ll find information on what causes allergies, allergy testing and some common myths about allergies and asthma. Other sections include hayfever and sinusitis, food allergy, allergy and the skin and asthma, plus there’s a handy glossary of terms.

Skin care
Take care of your body’s largest organ

About skin care
http://tinyurl.com/2fqjxq
In the About.com beauty section, you’ll find a range of articles that will help you to discover what skin type you have and what the four basic skin care needs are. Also, find out if drinking water keeps your skin moist, and for fun, read how the stars of Desperate Housewives keep their skin looking so good! There are also articles on giving yourself a facial at home, as well as cleansers, moisturisers and anti-ageing products.

All about acne
www.acne.org.au/index.php
This site has been put together by a group of dermatologists and others who want to help people who have acne. It takes a down-to-earth approach and shatters some of the myths surrounding the causes and some of the expensive treatments. First up, you get the facts — who gets it, what causes it and the different types. There is information on treating and managing acne, help with acne scars and stories from three young Australians affected by acne.

Skin care for men
www.manscape.com.au/skin-types-a-20.html
That’s right! Skin care is not just for the ladies, you know, and this site acknowledges that by dedicating a whole section to skin care and skin types. Find out what sort of skin you have — oily, dry, combination — and read about how to care for it, including what products to use and which ones to avoid.

Skin care forum
http://forum.adorebeauty.com.au/forumdisplay.php?f=1
Sometimes, it’s really helpful to check out what other people are doing with their skin and what products they’re using. Adore Beauty hosts a skin care forum, covering an extensive range of topics under such diverse headings as ‘nose red and raw’, ‘Expensive vs Inexpensive Skincare’ and ‘Your cleansing routine?’ Check it out: there’s sure to be something that’ll grab your attention.

Advice for young people
www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=240&np=297&id=2094
This young adult health site has some sound advice for young people who want to have good-looking skin, but can’t afford to spend a fortune on products. The good news is you don’t have to. Read what it has to say about cleansers, toners and moisturiser — it could save you money — and their healthy skin tips could just save
your skin.

Investing
What to do with your spare pennies

The Australian Investor
www.australianinvestor.com.au
The Australian Investor Web site offers registered users a fantastic range of financial information, news and tools, all for free. You’ll find the latest data from financial markets, up-to-the-minute news, IPO information and a huge range of reports on publicly listed companies. The Trading Tools offered include your own portfolio manager, an ASX code search and a quick quote feature, plus all the finance rates and daily ASX announcements. There are also articles from the Australian Investor magazine to read, video market reports and audio interviews with CEOs.

FIDO
http://tinyurl.com/2ugd3o
FIDO is the consumer Web site of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and one of its aims is to inform and protect investors. It has a great section on investing that provides information for all types of investors. In straightforward language, it tells you where to start, how to stay in control, what you can invest in and what to watch out for. It is a very comprehensive site that provides detailed information on every aspect of each topic, including the scams to watch out for and the paperwork you need to keep.

ASX
www.asx.com.au/index.htm
Well, you don’t get much more comprehensive coverage of investments than the Australian Stock Exchange Web site, but luckily they cater to small investors as well as brokers and other professionals. If you head for the Investor Centre, you’ll find information on shares, options, futures, managed investments and more, and there’s a section on how to get started to assist first-timers. You can find in-depth information on listed companies, set up your own watchlists, use a range of finance calculators, download ASX documents and sign up to newsletters, plus the Education Centre offers a range of online courses free of charge.

ninemsn Money
http://money.ninemsn.com.au
The winning site in the Best Finance site section of our Web awards is naturally a great place to find investment information. Whether you’re investing in property, shares, super or managed funds, you’ll find articles, guides and tools to help you make the right decision. If you become a ninemsn member, you can manage your share portfolio online and track your investments by setting up a watchlist. You can also learn how to make the best super investment choices for you and how to make the most out of investing in property.

IFSA
www.ifsa.com.au/public/content/ViewCategory.aspx?id=59
The Investment and Financial Services Association hosts a range of excellent fact sheets on investment topics that you can download for free. They cover managed funds, superannuation and life insurance as well as some advice for teenagers to help them manage their money. There are also two seminar presentations you can download .

Children’s Book Reviews
What’s out there for young readers?

The Compulsive Reader
http://tinyurl.com/ywfpzt
The Compulsive Reader is a dedicated book review Web site with an impressive section of reviews of young adult books. The reviews give you an excellent idea of the content of the book. The reviewers are from all walks of life, including writers, teachers, journalists and plenty of dedicated readers just like you. We were not sure how the list of reviews was organised, so if you’re looking for a particular title or author, you might have to use your browser’s search feature.

The Young Australian Readers’ Award
www.yara-online.org
The Young Australian Readers’ Award (YARA) site caters for both younger and older readers. On the site for older readers, you’ll find reviews of Australian titles listed alphabetically by author. There are also verse novels, audio books and overseas titles reviewed. The reviews are quite lengthy and well-written, due to the excellent guidelines provided by the site. The younger readers’ site is colourfully illustrated and the reviews are listed under genres such as adventure stories, picture books and perfect for pre-school. This part of the site is not as well populated, so maybe you’d like to write a review?

Read Hot
http://english.unitecnology.ac.nz/readhot
Read Hot is a New Zealand site for young adults, where they can share information with others about the books they are reading. The site is aimed at children aged 13 and up, but there is a sister site for younger readers at http://tinyurl.com/3cwurg. There is a top 10 list of books for males and females plus reviews of books, magazines, comics and more. In each category, the most popular titles feature at the top of the list.

666 ABC Canberra
www.abc.net.au/canberra/reviews/BOOK.htm
Every second week on the 666 ABC Canberra radio program, Laurine Croasdale presents her reviews of children’s books. This link takes you to an archive of these reviews for the past year. She covers four books each time, and if you follow the link for each show, you’ll find the reviews and an image of the book cover.

YABBA
http://home.vicnet.net.au/%7Eyabba
The Young Australians’ Best Book Award (YABBA) is a non-profit organisation that encourages and promotes children’s reading. It also gives young people the opportunity to vote for their favourite book each year. A whole section of its Web site is devoted to book reviews written by children and it’s easy to become a reviewer yourself. You can also take part in voting for the Childrens’ Choice book award later in the year .

Homegrown
The best local sites for the month

Live music
www.defhead.com
If you’re sick of listening to the same old music and are looking for something a little different, check out the live music performances on the Defhead site. Launched in December 2006, the site showcases great Australian bands that most of you would never have heard of. The site features these bands’ performances in front of an invited audience at the Defhead studio located in Sydney. And the magic of the Web lets you watch upcoming concerts as they are streamed live. There have already been five Webcasts, which are archived on the site.

Where to eat
www.menulog.com.au
Menulog lets you search for restaurants around Australia by location, ambience, price and cuisine and each venue is rated by patrons for each of the four categories. When you click through for more details on a particular restaurant, you can view a map of its location and contact details, its menu where available, and you can book straight from the site. If you sign up for Menulog membership (free), you earn rewards points each time you book through the site — book six times and you get a free meal. You can even send people an attractive email invite to the restaurant from the site, complete with a map and a photo from the venue.

Wine bargains
www.backdoorwine.com.au
Plonk lovers will be very interested in this site. It allows you to buy massively discounted premium wine by the case from Australia’s top winemakers straight from the cellar door. Most of the wine is available due to cancelled export orders and excess stock. You can sign up to the site for free to receive special priority access to new offers ahead of the general public and there’s a case of wine to be won every month. All wine comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.

TV guide
www.yourtv.com.au
As well as a providing a comprehensive guide to free-to-air and subscription programs, yourtv has other features to enhance your TV experience including reviews, news and gossip, the day’s program highlights and competitions. You can also create your own personal guide for shows you want to watch in the next week. The site also caters for cinemagoers with a link to mymovies.com.au where you’ll find reviews of the latest movies and the current Top 10 at the box office.

SpamMATTERS
www.acma.gov.au/WEB/STANDARD//pc=PC_2008
If you are having a persistent problem with spam, get yourself along to this site. Here you can download a spam reporting button that will deliver the offending emails in tact to the government so it can track down the perpetrators and take action against them. In its first three months of operation, over 102,000 members of the general public submitted in excess of 7.3 million items of spam. Sign up to help yourself and others fight spam.