Legal Commentary

In the spirit of all things green on Parade Day in New York City, here a few kewl gadgets that you might rationalize buying as honoring St. Patrick. We took a quick visit to ThinkGeek and found the gems below.

? JuiceBar Portable Solar Charger: No, it's not "the newest health drink franchise trend sweeping the country," says ThinkGeek. This one is "full of electronic gadget juice," and provides you extra battery zip. Its internal lithium-ion battery can be recharged via USB connection or built-in solar panel (a penny under $50).

? Dr. Timmy's Micro Hand-cranked LED Torch: A bit bigger than a quarter, this flashlight could (seriously) save your life in a disaster where there's no electricity anywhere (under $5).

? Coffee Cup Power Inverter: Tired of loose wires getting in the way of your car's shifter? This sits in your beverage holder, and provides two 120-volt AC outlets ($29.99).

? Kill-A-Watt: Connect your appliances to this device (about the size of a PDA) and determine how energy-efficient they are. It might be time to replace them with Energy Star upgrades ($24.99).

? Dissolving Travel Toiletries: Packets of shampoo, body wash, and hand soap sheets that aren't liquid so you don't have to hassle with TSA, and they dissolve instantly to provide their stated use ($4.99 to $12.99).

? Finally, the piece de resistance: you can hide your cables in the Grassy Lawn Charging Station. No, I am not making this up ? but alas, this is temporarily out of stock, so patience is golden (hmmm, I think that is silence ... whatever).

Anyway, it "provides you with realistic artificial grass to cushion your gadgets while they charge," says ThinkGeek. "A compartment underneath hides all of the power adapters and cables." The box is 11" x 7" x 4.35".

I want to go to there!