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Sun Herald

Sunday October 14, 2007

Kirsty Munro, James Cottam, Joshua Gliddon, Amanda Baltazar

On the trail of a storm in a teacup, pet therapies, and the best online oracle for music and ecology.

Flat-out fun

Why buy the latest cult toy when all you need is a bit of DIY initiative?If you have a printer and some spare time, go to www.readymech.com and make yourself a rather unusual toy. Developed by Fwis, a US-based graphic design group, the site allows you to create your own collectible toys. Readymech characters, such as sea-monsters, flying Geisha girls and robots, can be printed as full-colour figures. A bit of cutting, assembly and some double-sided tape and, hey presto, you have your own geeky toy. Best of all, unlike those pricey cult Japanese toys, these are free. Kirsty Munro

Green tea

Worried about global warming? You could try relaxing with a nice cuppa, but if you grab a global warming mug, you'll really freak out. A hot beverage melts the polar icecaps on the mug's heat-sensitive map. Try not to wince as millions of dollars of Bondi real estate sinks beneath the waves. "Watching even the biggest continents dissolve certainly makes us take a step back and think," says distributor Darren Campbell of www.latestbuy.com.au. The perfect gift for the co-worker with a Styrofoam cup addiction, the mug's only downside is that it's hand-wash only. $19.95. James Cottam

Break the band

There's a Rolling Stone magazine for this generation, but it doesn't appear anywhere on paper. It's a website called Pitchfork and it's been known to make (and perhaps break) new bands. If you've heard of Arcade Fire, pictured left, or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, you've Pitchfork to thank. They champion the obscure and, yes, their reviews can be a bit windy. But if you want to know where music is headed - rather than the rock mags' constant look back at where it's been - then Pitchfork is the only game in town. Go to www.pitchforkmedia.com. Joshua Gliddon

Heavy petting

Is Fido tense? Has Fifi been sulking? Tellington TTouch may be the answer.

It claims to help your pet with anything from aggressive behaviour to muscle strain by gently massaging in a circular motion. Says New York-based TTouch practitioner Mary Bruce: "Drawing a circle activates both sides of the [pet's] brain." Her $80 sessions include a TTouch lesson for pet owners. She even works with fish, for which she draws circles on the side of the tank and says she can see an immediate change in their behaviour.

Carole Bryant from Grafton, NSW - one of only a handful of TTouch practitioners in Australia - says she's seen "profound changes" in animals she's treated. Sounds purr-fect. Amanda Baltazar

Eco sex

How To Green Your Sex Life is just one guide available on www.treehugger.com

(it suggests showering together and using bamboo sheets). The website aims to show people how to be techno savvy and eco-friendly at the same time. There are tips on how to search for a "green date" and a "green job" on the internet, plus reviews of eco-friendly products, recipes, blogs and forums. As the website says: "You don't need to run off to live with the wolves to contribute to the betterment of Mother Nature." Kirsty Munro

© 2007 Sun Herald

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