TED.com shows some great stuff!

Ok – it is fun being a food geek at times.

Today I came across a very cool store in San Jose producing amazing chocolate/cookies/confections made to look like sushi.  Really good sushi.

Could be an interesting Valentine gift!

Kooki Sushi

I’m probably jaded (OK, It’s not probably) but this year’s CES in Las Vegas was pretty disappointing. If you were looking for innovation or things to run home and tell your buddies “you can’t wait for this…” Well, we may have to wait for MacWorld to see some cool stuff that will have me waving a checkbook. That aside – a few thoughts do come to mind:

1. HD-DVD: One foot in a pine box, the other on a banana peel
I think we’re gonna here a little more gasping rhetoric from the peanut gallery wherein the HD-DVD supporters crouch. The most telling thing regarding this was when walking around the displays one would find virtually everyone demonstrating screens, projectors etc with BluRay content. Nary an HD-DVD player to be found. Draw your own conclusions, but after Warner placing the flower order for the funeral of HD-DVD I think the end of this story has been written…

2. Subwoofers and Motion: Feel like you can move your lazy butt without working!

The technology of home theater is now moving at an incremental pace. While debates of picture quality rage – most folks can’t tell the difference between really amazing and spectacular. So where is one to spend some more money on the theater? Motion seating of course!

Seems like you either get something like a Buttkicker or a D-Box to your system so the full effects of subtle crashes, the delicate staccato of gunfire and placid explosions are fully expressed to the viewer with an invigorating shaking of your backside. Expect gamers to move first in this territory with specialty gaming seats – but an interesting trend to keep track of.

3. Belkin: OK, this stuff was kinda cool
Belkin did two things: podcast mixers and flywire. The mixers like TuneStudion do some pretty cool field mixing with the iPod used as the recording media. Nice design and the fact I can use “real” microphones makes it pretty interesting. Belkin was also showing off the FlyWire Wireless HD solution… very interesting.

4. Green? Al Gore ain’t here so shove off!
OK – thoughts of caring for the earth, e-waste and living greener are front of mind for many. But not if you’re at CES. Amidst the 1.85 million net square feet of exhibit space a tiny area was dedicated to “sustainable technology.” A company making “toy” fuel cells, a foot-powered generator and a flexible solar panel for you backpack to charge your iPod. Sigh. The folks in this industry are not going to provide technology for consumers to be more efficient. Anyone out there think this may be a point to pursue?

Lastly – while gadgets are key in any CES trip one recognizes that our lizard brain requires specific stimulation. Which leads to the discussion of booth babes. Previous years set a standard, this year we were greeted by dumpy, off-shore manufacturers with halitosis pushing plastic bags emblazoned with a non-descript logo. This is a dangerous trend. Is this due to global warming? I mean – are booth babes loosing their natural habitat? Something needs to be done to preserve this important species…. Really.