The Tassel is Worth the Hassle

A robot called Machine Man, made in 1950s Japan, sold at auction for &42,550. Here’s how to buy toys today that will be hot in 50 years:

Avoid limited editions. Many collectors store these away rather than play with them, says Noel Barrett, toy expert for TV’s Antiques  Roadshow. "If too many survive, there  will be a glut, and the toy won’t be worth much."

Spend on a trend. The pricier the toy, the fewer that will sell and the better its chances of price appreciation. For example, a radio-controlled figure of top skateboarder Tony Hawk costs around $70. "Not many will sell, and most will break," Barrett says.

Snap up snap-offs. "The Bratz dolls are hot now," explains Barrett. "To change their shoes, you have to change their feet, so many dolls won’t be intact in the future," he says. "Dolls that survive complete in their original packaging will be more valuable."

When CDs were introduced they were touted as indestructible. Recordable CDs (CD-Rs) give the impression of similar permanence, and manufacturers claim lifespans of ten or even 200 years. But Dutch magazine PC-Active recently tested some CD-Rs stored for just 20 months and found a number had become unreadable.

Of course, many people have kept CD-Rs for much longer and had no trouble, but if you save precious documents or photos on CD:

• Use decent, branded CDs. The quality of the dye layer that records the data affects longevity.
• Avoid seladhesive labels: there’s evidence the glue may harm the dye or reflective layers. Use felt-tipped pens and restrict writing to the central hub.
• Store CDs  in protective "jewel" cases in a dark, cool, dry location.
• Make multiple copies of important CDs.
• Copy data to fresh CDs (or new formats as they come along) every three to five years.

You get a headache, you take a painkiller and you feel better. For a hypochondriac, that’s just the beginning. Doctors can treat headaches, but they’ve had less success with hypochondria - until now.

Doctors at Brigham and Women’s Hospital recruited 187 hypochondriacs. One group got six counselling sessions to calm their reactions to their symptoms; the rest saw their doctors as usual. A year later, 57 per cent of those who got therapy had fewer symptoms and anxiety; just 32 per cent of others did.

Cod Liver on probably brings back memories of Mum force-feeding you the foul-tasting stuff to keep you healthy. Now, it turns out the oil may have some benefit - for adults with osteoarthritis. Researchers at Cardiff University in Wales gave cod liver oil supplements to arthritic people awaiting knee-joint replacement surgery. After ten to 14 weeks, 86 per cent had significantly reduced levels of aggrecanase and collagenase, enzymes known to cause cartilage damage.

While the researchers don’t know exactly how it works, they suspect the omega-3 fatty slow down the damaging  effects of arthritis, but until further research confirms this, eating foods rich in omega-3s (fatty fish such as salmon) or taking cod liver oil capsules won’t hurt you, and may help ease the condition.

Cataracts are a major cause of blindness with an estimated 20 million people worldwide blinded by the disease. Cortical cataracts, a clouding of the outer layer of the lens, are known to be associated with sun damage in adulthood. But the more common form, nuclear cataracts - which account for about 80 per cent of all cases - affect the centre of the lens. They were thought to be a part of natural ageing but now researchers in Australia think they may be preventable. A study led by Professor Adele Green at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research compared the lifetime sun exposure of 195 nuclear cataract sufferers with a control group of 159 patients. The results, published in the journal Epidemiology, suggest that the risk of developing nuclear cataracts was greatest among patients who had high exposure to sun before the age of 30.

Children are experts at smushing, banging and ripping - so why not turn them into mini chefs? Cooking actually helps bosst  kids’ cognitive and physical development. Here is what young chefs can do and when:

Two-year -olds

They’re learning to use the large muscles in their arms, so let them scrub produce and tear greens.

Three-year-olds

These kids are learning more refined hand and finger control. Introduce them to manual equipment like juicers and egg beaters, and teach them how to use measuring cups.

Six-to ten-year-olds

Cracking eggs, decorating a cake. Children can do most intricate tasks that do not include dangerous equipment, like sharp knives.