Sydney - Workplaces that try and stop employees using their computers for blogging, online shopping, social networking and other private purposes might be making a mistake, an Australian researcher says.

Around a quarter of Australian firms try and prevent workers from going online during company time by blocking YouTube, Facebook and other entertainment sites and threatening retribution for errant surfers.

Cologne, Germany - This summer's garden furniture designs are large and larger: Chaises and garden sofas are the "in" items, and they are impressive not only because of their size.

No design element is being spared as the trendsetters displace foldable lounge chairs and wooden benches that might have been stylish once, but are now better left in the shed. Several well-known designers have expanded their lines into garden furniture and have transformed once low-cost and functional furnishings into exclusive items.

Sydney  - Most of us know what stock we were bred from and can even name mums and dads going back generations.

An Australian animal shelter is now offering a genealogy service for dogs.

Lort Smith Animal Hospital in Melbourne is the first provider of DNA testing for dogs outside the United States.

There's been a scramble for the appropriately named BITSA test, which costs around 100 US dollars, is a mail-order service, and can establish breeding going back three generations. All the Lort Smith pet detectives need is a saliva sample.

Hamburg  - Hair straightening irons that use heat and pressure to make hair look smooth should be avoided, according to Hamburg's star hair stylist Manfred Martz.

"Hair dryers are the secret," Martz said. Hair tends to hang limp after using a straightening iron, while blow drying smooth gives it a certain natural volume, he said.

Munich  - Men can avoid nicks and cuts from their razors by shaving before breakfast, according to a German-language skin care website run by several organizations active in promoting cosmetics and health care.

As the stomach starts to digest, the heart rate and blood flow increases. As there is more blood flowing through the arteries beneath the skin on the face and neck, there is a greater danger of being cut after eating.

Munich  - Cellulite is a terrible part of aging for some women. They stare into the mirror appalled when they discover the ugly dips and dents on their bottoms and thighs.

But young, slim women also develop the undesirable feature, which makes the skin look a bit like an orange peel. Women who get it are at the mercy of the connective tissue under their skin. There is a range of products that promise help, but experts say a healthy diet and exercise are better to counteract cellulite.