God, why don't they make a frakking movie already ? Instead they choose to kill us with all their teasing. Damn, that is cold!

Bungie, and whichever goddamn lucky studio got to direct these "short films" (including the awesome ODST Live Action Trailer) really need to go make a Halo movie! Seriously, does no one there not see and hear the incredible buzz these "films" generate? They are freaking amazing, yet Bungie dumped the Halo movie because of no-one signing this mega project.

Still, there comes along a "Prince of Persia" movie. Can you believe that?

Yet, it is understandable on some level because Halo is the biggest franchise this world has ever seen to date and no one worth anything would want to mess this up. Halo is a victim of its own popularity. If someone does step forward and somehow makes a Halo movie and if it bombs (expected, given hollywood's record), they risk being vilified as the biggest idiots of all time.

That is some pressure....

If only Japan's Kuchofuku recognize their potential, they could make a killing here in India. In a country where the temperature gets so hot, that some people save on cooking fuel by cooking their food right out in the sun - this Japanese company would have a huge, I mean HUGE demand for their products.

Kuchofuku is famous for products like their Air-conditioned Bed and clothing. And now, they've come up with an air-conditioned cushion to keep your butt cool. Seriously. I'm told its the latest rage in personal cooling.

Called the Suzukaze (which means "cool breeze"), the cushion keeps you elevated from the chair so cold air could come in directly from underneath. No more fretting uncomfortably with wet pants and wet chairs during summer. Using new materials and energy-saving fans, Suzukaze cools you in your seat without consuming much-needed power and emits almost no noise at all.

In regions with perennial summer, like most of India, discomfort during hot weather occurs with accumulating moisture on the seat, and Suzukaze helps dissipate this moisture and keep the seat fresh. Best of all, it really takes very little energy. One month of use, for eight hours a day, according to the company. will cost only five cents. You can't get cooling for any lower than that. The makers of this product hope that it will help lessen the usage of air-conditioners, thus saving energy and money.

A Super material
To promote free airflow, the Suzukaze uses a Super Spacer material that is soft and flexible, which transfers the comfy-ness of the seat you’re sitting on through the cushion to your...uhh...body. The built-in fan inside the cushion pumps over 170 liters of air per minute through the cushion, causing the dissipation of the heat and moisture around your buttocks that cause discomfort and sweating.

Three models to keep the butt cool
The company has three versions of the Suzukaze on the market.

1. The Standard version is the basic model, battery-powered with the Super Spacer material inside.

2. The High Grade version uses a more durable dual-layer Super Spacer and takes the power saving to...well...another level with just a flip of a touch sensitive switch that turns the fan on/off depending on whether you’re sitting there or not.

3. Finally, for those on the road, they have a model made purely for use in the car seat. It connects to the car’s power adapter. With gas prices fluctuating the way they are, the power savings of less A/C use will pay for this device in no time.

Specifications:
Models: Standard (S)/ High Grade (HG)


• ***High Grade model incorporates seat-sensitive on/off switch, plus dual-layer material for durability.***
• Super Spacer material
• Size: 41 x 56cm (16 x 22”)
• Belt length: 45cm (17.7”)
• Cushion weight: 272g (S) / 356g (HG)
• Battery pack weight: 44g
• Air flow: 108~198 (S) / 108~192 (HG) ltr/min
• Battery pack (AA x 4)
• Power consumption: 18 hours continuous use on “high”

Car Seat Model:

• Size: 41 x 61cm (16 x 24”)
• Belt Length: 60cm (24”)
• Weight: 310g
• Includes car power adapter
• Standard version material
• Air flow: 174 ltr/min

Most important of all, the Suzukaze butt cooler is Eco-Friendly. Even if you use it every day for 8 hours (on rechargeable Eneloop batteries), your monthly electricity use will be a mere 5 cents! Can you imagine that! You can save money on fuel as well by utilizing the Car Seat model instead of cranking up the A/C. Using the High Grade model for it’s seat-sensitive on/of switch saves even more power.

The unit can be powered via an AC adapter, car adapter or rechargeable batteries, and the built-in fan moves over 170 liters of air per minute in order to "dissipate heat and moisture around the buttocks that causes discomfort and sweating." Well, when you put it like that, $91 seems like a real bargain. If you still have doubts, watch the clip.



When you see the big picture, it is more economical and energy-friendly to always deal with climate matters on a personal level anyway. You know this is only the beginning, but don't you think you would prefer to control your own comfort level with your clothing or furniture, economically, rather than have one centralized source or everyone in the room, that gobbles up a humongous amount of power ?

Product Page :
You can buy the Suzukaze Air Conditioned seat cushion from the Japan Trend Shop.

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You've got to hand it to the French. Not only do they have one of the most salivating cuisines, they have a way of making the most down to earth delicacies sound like the most wonderful things on earth. Its almost as if they are doing you a favor by letting you enjoy the food of the french. I daresay, the entire french cuisine owes a great part of its almost mythic status to the way the dishes are named.

When you say Chocolate Mousse, you get images of a delicious, chocolaty-creamy dessert. But when you say 'Mousse au Chocolat', you experience a classic french dessert that has all the alluring sensuality of the food associated with romance the world over, chocolate whipped up to make a delicacy with a texture 'lighter than air' and the smoothness of cashmere.

"Mousse" is the French word for "foam", while "Chocolat" is of course French for "chocolate". Consequently, "Mousse au chocolat" translates as "foamy chocolate", and is one of a number of foamy desserts (many of which are fruit based).

It never ceases to amaze me that the simplest things are usually the best. Chocolate Mousse is an extremely simple mixture of whipped cream, whipped egg yolks, and melted chocolate, yet it's a classic french dessert loved all over the world. The classic chocolate mousse does not have any cream. The traditional french version actually involves a bit of work, but there are a lot of recipes out there that turn out a light and creamy dessert with very little effort like this one. You can even find egg-free versions, though I don't particularly care for them.

In a traditional recipe for 'Mousse au Chocolat', you make a 'pate a bombe', which is created when you add a cooked sugar syrup to egg yolks while they're mixing, and a basic merengue, and adding the lot of them to melted chocolate. You can save a lot of that work making a good chocolate mousse with the recipe provided. You'll never even notice the time you've spent in your kitchen!

As for me, I like my flavors to be particularly intense. The recipe after the turn does exactly that - create a classic 'Mousse au Chocolat' that is intensely heavenly.

Recipe : Intense Mousse au Chocolat
Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 5 Minutes
Servings : 6

You need:
Dark Chocolate(70% chocolate) - 7 ounces (200 g)
Butter - 2 ounces (60 g)
Eggs - 2
Icing Sugar - 1.4 ounces (40 g)

You do this:
1. Break up the chocolate into small pieces and then melt it into gooeyness, using just enough heat to gently melt the chocolate. Keep stirring the chocolate with a wooden spoon as it is melting.
2. Slowly mix in the butter, stirring it in with the wooden spoon as it melts. Then dump the egg yolks of the 2 eggs, again stirring them in.
3. Separately, whip up the egg whites into a froth. Then gradually put in the icing sugar to the whipped egg whites, stirring the sugar in as you add it.
4. Slowly add the egg whites and sugar mixture to the chocolate and butter mixture, gently folding the egg white into the chocolate, using the wooden spoon.
5. Once the sugared egg white mixture has been mixed in fully, spoon the mixture into attractive glasses. Place the glasses in a refrigerator for at least an hour before serving, to allow the chocolate to cool.

You can serve the mousse as it is, but the real magic of the taste can be felt only when it is cooled.


Notes:
This recipe is for serious chocolate lovers. The taste is a very intense, dark chocolate variant which is enjoyed by some but will be found too strong by others. My tastes veer towards the more intense flavors.

For tips on avoiding common problems with Mousse au Chocolat, you can read the Guidelines to Making Chocolate Mousse.

Chocolate mousse or Mousse au Chocolat would make an easy and delicious dessert any day, night...whatever. Whenever possible, try scooping up the chocolate mousse with fresh pieces of fruits like apple, banana etc. Believe it or not, it tastes even better.

We've all had those moments - you know, where you try to plug in two electronic appliances next to each other, but they all use weird shaped plugs designed by idiot designers to make your life all the more difficult than it already is? Don't tell me you don't damn the manufacturers to hell for eternity when you get home after picking up a new electronic toy and you go to plug it in only to find out that the giant power adapter/plug that comes with it takes up more than its share of outlet space? Most electrical and electronic products come with giant plugs these days.

There is a perfectly fine extra outlet for your other equipments, but you can't use it since the damn giant plug is smack in the way. To top it off, there is a good chance that the wall outlet is the only one in the room that you can use.

A 360 Solution
It seems that 360electrical has been in this very situation and designed an outlet to take care of it. With 18 distinct positions, all you have to do is plug in your bulky plug and turn until it clicks into a position that provides enough space for the other socket.


360 outlets are actually very easy to install even if you’re a novice do-it-yourself-er. But double check you know what you're doing, you don't want to electrocute yourself, do you? Make sure you turn the power off at your breaker box or fuse box before attempting any installation. Check out 360electrical's installation instructions for a detailed step-by-step tutorial. We like the idea, it sure does promise to take care of the oversized plug situation.

Be sure to read the FAQ on the 360electrical website though.

The extremely functional, and wonderfully clever, outlet is available for a mere $10. It even comes in 3 colors; beige, white, and black!

360electrical currently has only the duplex outlet in production, but they are soon coming out with plug-in adapters and power strips.

You can buy 360 Electrical outlets online, at hardware stores that sell electrical products, and if you're a contractor or a builder, you can find 360 Electrical outlets through one of these great electrical distributors online or at a distributor near you.

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You've really got to give a standing ovation. A long, loud, ovation standing on your two legs.

There has been a lot of talk going on about the great outpouring of gadgets for the demanding foodie-cook. I agree, hundreds of new products are launched every day, but I also stop to think, "Yeah! They are fancy, but are they really useful?". Among all this hype and hoopla, comes a kitchen product that takes your breath away by its sheer innovation.

The Single Person Cooker(SPC) by Alex Bradley shows us that its not all about Hi-tech electronics and fancy gadgets, but true lateral design. The SPC is one of 31 finalists in the Concept Products competition organised by the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show.

The Single Person Cooker is an ultra portable kitchen - a truly innovative design allows you to cook on the go or in a tight space. It really is neat form-follows-function design, somehow squeezing loads of useful, essential cooking items into one very small, yet stylish box. The lid doubles up as a Cutting board, and the unit makes space for pretty much everything you need to cook - Utensils, Heating Range(HOB), Bowls etc. Its all surprisingly low tech, the only thing that is high tech in this wonderful space saving, modular design is a WiFi connected screen to pull in recipes from the Internet. If there ever was a functional product that deserves its moniker "Kitchen-in-a-box", this is it.

The Single Person Cooker is a product, I as well as Mr.Bradley hope, that would be a great help for people living alone, in situations of space constraints, and especially for the ones who are always on the go. The concept prototype is great as it is, but future versions would most definitely include more items and more designs. Maybe now people would think about cooking for themselves and eating healthy, instead on solely relying on take out food. I tell you, wherever you order your take out, they always are unfailingly too salty and too greasy.

Whenever the product comes to our stores, I will buy one for myself instantly, cos' this is another great reason to remind my dear mother that I am gonna remain single for a long long time.

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I know it is the age of the remote, but anyone will agree that it has reached ridiculous levels. Hah! I have to keep a separate side table for all my remotes. In this day and age, every electronic device and almost every appliance comes shipped with a small box (remote) that fits in your hand. Its almost as if there is a secret war going on vying for the real estate that is your palm. On an average, every household has a bare minimum of 4 remotes. Most times I find myself using the wrong remote for the wrong device. Even fans come with remotes ,sheesh!

The Universal remote was touted to be the solution for this quaint problem of plenty, but we all know how that turned out to be in practice. The Universal Remotes that are sold in most stores are next to useless, it is cheap, but what is cost when one cannot use the remote effectively. Yes, there are some sophisticated Universal Remotes that addresses this problem of plenty quite effectively, and some can even be programmed to accept and control new devices as and when you buy them, they can be programmed for every device that would possibly need a remote. But they are bulky, complex to use, and they are not exactly cheap either. That puts them out of us commoners' hands.

Till the day comes when the prices of these 'Universal Remotes' come down to acceptable levels, all we can do is keep juggling the remotes in our hand to find the right one to switch on that damn TV.

-end of post-