Coolness for Christmas, Part 2

Lots of great ideas here

By Charlie White

It?s that time of year again, where chestnuts roast, merrymakers toast, and office workers coast. That?s right, it?s the Christmas season? notice I?m not saying the word ?holiday? because that?s gotten to be way, way too controversial. Anyway, it?s time to procure material things for others, and I?m here to help. In this special expanded edition of Santa?s Wish List, you?ll see items that are wonderful, each in its own way. Some are technological, some not. All are highly recommended. This week, in part 2 we show you a vast variety of goodness, from cars to chocolate.

Fresh-2 Light Bulbs
Does your house smell like the outhouse door on a tuna boat? Here?s a light bulb that claims to eliminate all that stench. A two-pack of these 23-watt compact fluorescent light bulbs (100-watt equivalent) costs $25 including shipping, and do their magic thanks to a titanium dioxide coating which creates extremely strong oxidizers when exposed to their fluorescent light. We checked them out here at the Midwest Test Facility, and sure enough, they do make the air noticeably fresher. And with their well-balanced color, it was also hard to tell the difference between these compact fluorescent bulbs and normal incandescent bulbs, too. They fit in almost any lamp, and give you 10,000 hours of stink-free fun. Remarkable.

Leviton Acenti Switches
One way to spruce up your abode without breaking the bank is to install some fancy switches and dimmers. These Leviton Acenti switches have a brand new design that makes them look like they could be at home in a Manhattan penthouse or even the International Space Station. The modern design of the switches is quite subtle, with the trick being that when you install a bank of two or three of them, it?s a clean line all the way across. Each switch is equipped with the cobalt blue-colored light which adds a certain dashing flair to its overall appearance. And when you dim the lights, they slowly fade down just like in a movie theater. Available in a variety of colors, these switches and dimmers are available online for about $40 apiece. 

2006 Honda Civic Hybrid
Hybrid vehicles are becoming all the rage coast-to-coast, especially since the price of gasoline rose so dramatically a few months ago. Just in time for the shock was this new entry into the hybrid derby, the all-new 2006 Honda Civic Hybrid. Raising its horsepower to equal that of its chief rival, the Toyota Prius, the new Civic Hybrid has an impressive cab-forward design that is a profound improvement over its predecessor. We took one out for a test drive, and its sprightly acceleration belies the fact that its high-tech powerplant is capable of 50 miles per gallon. Best of all, Uncle Sam is handing out tax credits for buying vehicles like these, and who can resist free money, buying less gas, and driving a cool car? Not me.