by Paul Michael
I used to look in wonder and amazement at some of the CDs and DVDs in my best friend's collection. How could he let them get in such a state? "Dude, treat them with more respect" I'd say. Then I had children, and found my CDs and DVDs were perfect replacements for frisbee toys, coasters and anything else they could think of.
Recently, I found several of my favorite music CDs and movies were unplayable due to some innocent playtime fun. Kids will be kids, there's little you can do to avoid that (especially if your CDs and DVDs are at kid-height). But before I reluctantly bought replacements, I figured I had nothing to lose by going to the web and finding remedies. If they worked, great. If not, I had lost nothing anyway.
I had heard of toothpaste, which was the first remedy I tried. But I found other methods, too. Below are the results of my exploration, complete with my own experience with the remedy. Remember, I can't guarantee results. If your scratches are very deep you're probably out of luck. But if a few scratches are giving you some skipping or the CD/DVD is unreadable, this may save you a trip to your local Best Buy.
Note: NEVER clean any CD or DVD in a circular motion. Always clean in straight lines from the center of the disc outwards. Otherwise, you'll just make things even worse.
Toothpaste.
I had heard about this one, but I never really knew what to do. Here are a few of the videos I found on the subject.
Remove Scratches From Anything Using Toothpaste - video powered by Metacafe
How To Remove CD Scratches With A Little Magic - video powered by Metacafe
My results: 3/5
The toothpaste did indeed help with some scratches but only very small ones. The deeper scratches were unaffected. On another note, my CDs now smell minty!
Banana.
Yes, banana. I had to watch it twice to make sure I wasn't missing something.
How To Remove CD Scratches With A Banana - video powered by Metacafe
Results: 2/5
Not quite as good as the toothpaste, but it did help with a few tracks that had skipped. It's a lot more messy though, and a waste of a good banana.
Chewing Gum.
This could have been a great way to find an extra use for a bit of gum. Here's the video.
Repair CDs Using Chewing Gum! - video powered by Metacafe
Results: 0/5
This worked. NOT! I tried it on a DVD that was unreadable and it remained that way unitl I tried the next method.
Brasso (metal polish).
I have always called this Brasso regardless of brand name, but any liquid metal polish will work.
Remove Scratches From ANYTHING! - video powered by Metacafe
Results: 4/5
This was excellent. I remember my dad using Brasso to remove scratches from his plastic eyeglass lenses so I figured it had a good chance of working. But this worked great for me. On the two discs I tried it on, it returned them to their former glory. Very happy.
As I've said, don't try this on CDs that are 95% ok becuase I can't guarantee results. But if you have a highly-scratched, almost unplayable disc, you've got nothing to lose.
Photo by Pulpolux . Thanks!
Monday, August 6, 2007
Cigarette Tax May Fund Child Health Plan
By Maureen Groppe
Gannett News Service
WASHINGTON -- Hoosier smokers adjusting to the recent 44-cent state tax increase on cigarettes may face an additional 61-cent per pack increase from the federal government.
That's one way some lawmakers want to pay for a proposed expansion of a 10-year-old health insurance program for children of the working poor.
Smokers and lower-income families aren't the only ones who could be affected by the debate. Taxpayers, senior citizens and two of the state's biggest companies might be as well.
The House version of the legislation -- supported by only two of the state's nine House members -- would redirect Medicare money to the program by scaling back federal payments to private insurers that offer an alternative form of Medicare coverage.
That could change coverage options available to seniors. It also could cut into the profits of companies like Indianapolis-based WellPoint that offer the Medicare Advantage plans.
Drug companies, like Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co., could have to give bigger discounts on the drugs they sell to Medicaid.
Alternatively, if the administration gets it way, the children's health care program could shrink. States like Indiana that recently expanded eligibility to families earning up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level would not get federal reimbursement for providing care to those in families making more than 200 percent, which is $34,340 for a family of three.
President Bush has threatened to veto both the House and Senate versions.
The Senate proposed paying for its $35 billion expansion primarily by increasing the federal portion of the cigarette tax 61 cents, to $1 a pack. Sens. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Evan Bayh, D-Ind., voted for the bill, which passed 68-31 Thursday night.
The House bill would increase the cigarette tax by 45 cents.
Indiana's state cigarette tax recently rose 44 cents, to 99.5 cents, to pay for a new state health insurance plan for low-income Hoosiers.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program, a federal-state effort, began in 1998 to provide coverage to children whose parents earned too much to be eligible for Medicaid but found it difficult to pay for insurance.
Gannett News Service
WASHINGTON -- Hoosier smokers adjusting to the recent 44-cent state tax increase on cigarettes may face an additional 61-cent per pack increase from the federal government.
That's one way some lawmakers want to pay for a proposed expansion of a 10-year-old health insurance program for children of the working poor.
Smokers and lower-income families aren't the only ones who could be affected by the debate. Taxpayers, senior citizens and two of the state's biggest companies might be as well.
The House version of the legislation -- supported by only two of the state's nine House members -- would redirect Medicare money to the program by scaling back federal payments to private insurers that offer an alternative form of Medicare coverage.
That could change coverage options available to seniors. It also could cut into the profits of companies like Indianapolis-based WellPoint that offer the Medicare Advantage plans.
Drug companies, like Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co., could have to give bigger discounts on the drugs they sell to Medicaid.
Alternatively, if the administration gets it way, the children's health care program could shrink. States like Indiana that recently expanded eligibility to families earning up to 300 percent of the federal poverty level would not get federal reimbursement for providing care to those in families making more than 200 percent, which is $34,340 for a family of three.
President Bush has threatened to veto both the House and Senate versions.
The Senate proposed paying for its $35 billion expansion primarily by increasing the federal portion of the cigarette tax 61 cents, to $1 a pack. Sens. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and Evan Bayh, D-Ind., voted for the bill, which passed 68-31 Thursday night.
The House bill would increase the cigarette tax by 45 cents.
Indiana's state cigarette tax recently rose 44 cents, to 99.5 cents, to pay for a new state health insurance plan for low-income Hoosiers.
The State Children's Health Insurance Program, a federal-state effort, began in 1998 to provide coverage to children whose parents earned too much to be eligible for Medicaid but found it difficult to pay for insurance.
Parent Call for Crackdown on Junk Food Ads
Food Week online
A group of more than 17,000 parents is demanding a ban on "predatory" junk food advertising targeting children.
Pull the Plug is a coalition that includes the Australian Medical and Dental Associations, the Cancer Council and nutritionist Rosemary Stanton.
The group is calling for a national crackdown on the barrage of high-sugar and high-fat foods advertising during peak television viewing times.
Stanton told The Sunday Telegraph that allowing children to become overweight by eating junk food every day was becoming the norm.
She said advertisers acted like predators by targeting "trusting" children with sophisticated sales techniques.
Children's TV viewing hours are classified as being between 4pm and 5pm, but more than six times as many watched TV from 7pm to 8pm.
A group of more than 17,000 parents is demanding a ban on "predatory" junk food advertising targeting children.
Pull the Plug is a coalition that includes the Australian Medical and Dental Associations, the Cancer Council and nutritionist Rosemary Stanton.
The group is calling for a national crackdown on the barrage of high-sugar and high-fat foods advertising during peak television viewing times.
Stanton told The Sunday Telegraph that allowing children to become overweight by eating junk food every day was becoming the norm.
She said advertisers acted like predators by targeting "trusting" children with sophisticated sales techniques.
Children's TV viewing hours are classified as being between 4pm and 5pm, but more than six times as many watched TV from 7pm to 8pm.
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