Alexandra Cain September 5, 2014 The Age Twice this week I’ve been so disappointed by two small businesses I’ve terminated my commercial relationship with them. The first example is my builder. I had a bathroom renovated this year, which basically went according to plan until it came time to complete the job. The builder did the basics and then left it up to me to organise to have the fittings in the bathroom installed – shower screen, towel holders etc – but I had to guess it was up to me to do this, despite the fact he quoted for them. I left several messages about whose responsibility it was to organise this, all of which were ignored. He’d gone on to another job and didn’t bother to finish mine. The builder left rubbish in the garage for six weeks and I had to eventually get cranky to get him…

JOSEPH PISANI SEPTEMBER 05, 2014 The Australian POLICE handcuffed protesters who blocked traffic in dozens of cities across the country on Thursday in their latest attempt to escalate efforts to get McDonald’s, Burger King and other fast-food companies to pay employees at least $15 an hour. THE protests, which were planned by labour organisers for about 150 cities nationwide throughout Thursday, are part of a campaign called “Fight for $15.” Since the efforts began in late 2012, organisers have switched up their tactics every few months to bring attention to the protests, which have attracted spotty crowds. Organisers previously said they planned to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience on Thursday, which they predicted might lead to arrests. In New York, 19 people were arrested on Thursday for blocking traffic, with at least three people wearing McDonald’s uniforms taken away by police officers after standing in the middle of a busy…

Rachel Clun September 4, 2014 The Age French children are some of the healthiest in the developed world, with the number of children overweight or obese under 20 per cent. Comparing that to Australia’s most recent figures showing 25 per cent of children are overweight or obese, it might be worth looking at what the French do to keep their children healthy. In France, children are taught about healthy eating from the time they start school at the age of three. Primary school children sit down in the school’s ‘cantine’ for a four-course meal, which is normally served to them by older students. The children begin with a salad course, then a hot main which includes protein and vegetables, a cheese course, and then a sweet which is usually a piece of fruit. The only drink allowed at the table is water, and vending machines are banned from all school…