Housewares

William Kooienga is a sculptor. Most of his sculptures are created in rare or exotic woods, but he also works with stone and metal to create everything from unique fireplaces, to furniture, to indoor and outdoor sculpture. He and his wife, who weaves and spins wool, live simply on their 100 acre farm in a self-built, solar powered, log home which was featured on Tennessee Crossroads, a production of Nashville Public Television.

William has been commissioned by several well-known patrons, including Mickey Hart of the Grateful Dead. His most recent commission resulted in a remarkable custom tree house on Center Hill Lake in Middle Tennessee. William has won prizes in several art show competitions in Michigan, North Carolina and Tennessee and has been featured in articles in Crafts Report, American Style, Percussive Notes, and other publications. “We pick the wood like Michelangelo is said to have picked his stone,” William says. Read more

Have you ever heard of bird diapers?
Interested in a talking toilet paper dispenser?
What about a motorized ice cream cone?
A handle for carrying your turkey around the kitchen?
Looking for a Kosher Lamp?

These aren't gag gadgets from some lame late night talk show skit. They are actual, real products that you can buy today. Maybe you already have?

Americans love their gadgets--and Gadget Nation takes you behind the scenes and introduces you to the men and women who have spent countless hours and money, (in some cases cashing in their 401(k)), trying to turn their gadget idea into a gadget bonanza. Read more

Weber has had great success in the past with its top-of-the-line grills in 2007. In keeping with the reputation the company has released a new line of 2008 grills that give the old design a run for its money.

The new Summit S-470 has four primary burners at 48,000 BTUs and is priced at $2,049. The new S-670 grill has six burners at 60,000 BTUs and costs $2,599. Both designs feature a large cooking area, Snap-Jet individual burner ignition with infinite control burner valves, flush-mounted side burners, smoker burners with stainless steel smoker boxes. Both Summit models boast a key feature of Sear Station technology which dedicates an area located in the middle of the grill which reaches temperatures up to 900 degrees. When the center burner and flanking burners are on high the result is restaurant quality sear marks and caramelized flavor. Unlike other grills, the center burner can be turned off and comes with lighted control knobs for night time cooking. Read more

The Omni by Sumo Lounge is the modern version of the beanbag. It’s more square than round and more flat than 3D, but it’s pliable and can be coerced into a number of positions. My oldest son has turned the Omni into a game chair of sorts – he calls it his “comfy chair” and configures it into a seat with a high back.

The Omni comes in 10 colors, and I chose red. It is bold, and the kids (okay, me too!) can’t help themselves as they dive right into it. And its rip-proof nylon holds up to even my 220-pound frame, and the well-sewn edges keep all the “beans” inside where they belong. The durable material allows us to take the Omni outside and lounge, jump, read, relax and, of course, play the Nintendo DS, and a damp cloth easily removes all traces of dirt, mud and grass. I’m sure we’ll be toting the Omni to the park and numerous soccer and baseball games in the near future. Read more

Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080UB
The new Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080UB is the ultimate way to view movies, sporting events and video games with true 1080p native resolution, the industry’s best high definition signal to date. The 1080UB delivers precise color and detail, so you don’t miss a moment of the action. New UltraBlack technology and a 50,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (4000:1 native) show incredible shadow detail and the deepest blacks possible. And with dual HDMI 1.3 connectivity, the 1080UB will meet your entertainment both now and in the future.

The Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080 UB is now available through authorized Epson projector dealers and select retail outlets for $2,799 (after $200 mail-in rebate). www.epson.com

Panasonic DMP-BD30 Blu-Ray Disc Player
Panasonic’s new DMP-BD30 High Definition 1080p Blu-ray Disc player is the first Blu-ray player to be introduced with Final Standard Profile, a function which adds features like four Picture-in-Picture modes including Enhanced Commentary (from directors and actors), Backstage Pass, Peek Behind the Animation and Audio Mixing. And with the included SD Memory card slot, you can view JPEG images (the DMP-BD30 even converts the images to 1920x1080 resolution - perfect for viewing on a 1080p Plasma TV) and playback HD content recorded in the AVCHD format. Read more

Want some added entertainment during the “big game”? Send the Beverage Buggy for a spin. This 1:12 scale remote-controlled dune buggy has cup holders that secure two 12 oz. cans or bottles of your favorite beverage, allowing you to dispatch the buggy to the refrigerator or cooler for more libation (willing accomplice not included). The buggy is easy to maneuver using the included two-channel 49MHz radio transmitter, which controls right, left, forward, and reverse movement. Available now for $49.95. www.hammacher.com Read more