A nimal rights are as important to me as they are to the next Homo sapien. But I draw the line at in sects inflicting their unwanted presence on me, mosquitoes most especially spring to mind. Frankly, the first solution that comes to mind is finding use No. 1,001 for a newspaper. Those who prefer a less violent method, whether out of an excess of ethics or simply not wanting to leave a mess, can now use an insect vacuum. Just point what looks like an elongated plastic pistol at your target and suck the unwanted guest in. You can then either keep them as a conversation-starting pet or free them to someplace where you are not. You can keep faith with your conscience for ¥2,980 at www.netprice.co.jp/netprice/search/goods/227518/
Nature's helping hand: Keeping with the theme of being kind to the environment, Tamiya and Loopwing have brought to the market a wind-powered toy car. Once you have assembled your DIY wind-power generator you simply leave it outside your window to charge up. Five minutes out in a decent breeze should give your toy car about 3.5 hours of running time for the futuristic-looking three-wheeled auto. Beyond being a cool little toy it suggests greater things to come at: www.tamiya.com/japan/products/75021loopwing/index.htm
Endurance is everything: Portable music players, ala iPod and wannabe rivals, are not exactly the culprits in this country's partly self-induced power shortages this summer. But not having your audio needs met due to a flat battery is a crime. NHC addresses the issue with its Ecolong player, whose singular claim to your wallet is its ability to function for 85 hours on a single AAA battery. The ability to play MP3 and WMA files, the FM radio and the unit's 1-gigabyte capacity are solid but nothing special. The simplistic design is no selling point either, nor are the two color schemes of basic white and a somewhat odd alternative of green camouflage. The Ecolong does weigh in at just 34 g and costs an economical 4,980 yen for the white model or ¥5,980 for its disguised brethren with details available at: www.nhc-com.jp/product/pmp/ecolong.html