Just the weird: The Entrepreneurial Spirit!

Reuters
A Japanese clothing manufacturer, Kochou-fuku, announced in August a line of air-conditioned shirts, with two tiny battery-operated fans inside to evaporate perspiration (for the equivalent of about $95). (One drawback: The shirt billows out, suggesting that the wearer is overweight.)

Among the recent recipients of Marin County (Calif.) Green Business certificates of environmental awareness was Pleasures of the Heart, a sex-toy and lingerie store that sells, among other items, rechargeable vibrators and erotic undergarments made of organic bamboo fabric. [Marin Independent Journal, 8-15-07] ::READ MORE::

United Nations to Build Cell Networks in Africa

While the One Laptop per Child project is busy kitting out the third world with computers, the smart money in the West is pushing towards integrated devices, and a move away from PC type computers. There's something screwy there, right?

For the developing world, a cellular network can make a much bigger difference to everyday life, and it's cheaper, too. The UN knows this, and is busy enabling half a million more people to use cellphones in Africa. The networks will cover 79 villages in 10 countries.

Wearable gadgets

Computer World

Interactive textile technology will form the foundation for a new generation of wash-and-wear computer control and display devices. The centerpiece of the technology is ElekTex, a fabric-based, pressure- sensitive control interface that can be integrated into jackets, bags and other textile products. The technology is already used as a remote control for iPods and cell phones in backpacks and coats.