When it comes to the continuing creep of advertisements in public space — from movie theater ads and motorized billboards to the obnoxious gas-pump recordings that turn an already wallet-squeezing trip into something even less pleasant — I’m firmly in the anti-proliferation camp. I don’t want to live in the world of Minority Report, where sensors read my identity and beam personalized ads at me on the sidewalk. Still, it’s hard to be 100 percent annoyed at the developers of FogScreen, a new kind of projection system that uses tap water and ultrasonic waves to throw an image onto a curtain of “dry fog.” For one thing, it’s scientifically neat and pretty cool to look at. For another, it seems tailored for use in places — night clubs, convention halls, et cetera — where people are actually hoping to be bombarded with commercial messages. Then again, few technological innovations stay contained once advertisers decide they’re useful. If these walk-through fog messages start trying to sell me soda at the airport, I’ll start shopping for portable dehumidifiers right away. Until then, party-throwers with cash to burn can add some dazzle to events by renting the projectors here.

Forget men – I fantasize about flooring. My dream floor? Cork, of course. Cork flooring used to be hard to find and outrageously expensive. But now, it is not only more widely available but also competitive with tile or hardwood in pricing. Cork choices go beyond that bulletin-board tan; check out the stunning installation photo gallery from Duro Design, and you’ll see why I’m floored by the beauty of cork. Cork is durable (lasting 30 to 50 years), easy on the feet, and sound-absorbing. Best of all, it’s Earth-friendly, since cork is bark shaved from the cork oak tree, which re-grows the bark after harvesting. Frank Lloyd Wright was onto this in the 1920s; he used cork flooring in many of his houses. Cork comes in tiles or planks and can be either glueless or glue-down. For a basic no-glue cork tile, see APC Cork’s Apollo Blend at Fast Floors (sale priced at $1.99 per tile). Da Vinci’s collection of glue-down tiles at Black River Flooring shows cork’s versatility in color, pattern, and price ($1.99 to $3.60 per square foot); check out the striated Evora tile. You’ll be floating over the price of the glue-down Lisbon Cork planks from Lumber Liquidators ($1.19). For convenience, Black River offers an amazing array of glueless floating-floor options that don’t even look like cork, such as DaVinci’s zebra-striped Tigris ($5.05; pictured above), the confetti-like Arguim ($5.65), and the marbled Lunar ($5.95) or APC’s geographical Cronus Night ($5.19; pictured right) and Odysseus Rose ($5.19). The most unusual take on cork is the Jelinek mosaic made from recycled wine corks; it can be stained in whatever color matches your décor and can even be used in showers and saunas ($20 at CorkStore.com). Cork comes unfinished (which may require waxing) or sealed with various finishes; for a primer on cork, visit Globus Cork Floors. That does it; let’s rip out the carpet!

It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the selection of children’s toys on the market. But months and months of recalls and news about possible bad effects of long-term, consistent exposure to plastics has made many parents seek  toy alternatives. A return to the beautiful and classic art of wooden toys-making has spawned a renaissance in the business of playtime. In the U.S., Melissa and Doug wooden puzzles can be found at major brick and mortar and online retailers, as well as “Mom and Pop” stores. Their wooden sound puzzles can open up a world of experiences to a toddler, from exploring musical instruments to experiencing the sights and sounds of life on a farm. One of the most comprehensive online retailers for wooden toys is Oompa.com. They offer the best brands in wooden toys including Haba, Brio, Holztiger, Vilac and many more. For the ultimate in colorful (and oh-so-stylish) puzzle toys, consider the adorable Seadog Puzzle from Haba. And for toddlers graduating into the world of figurines, a Brown Owl or Song Bird from Holztiger are wonderful contributions to imaginary playtime. For a variety of pretend wooden food, go to Willow Tree Toys where you can find a colorful array of fruit, from kiwis to grapes. At WonderBrains.com, wooden building blocks take on a whole new sophistication. Instead of the basic squares and rectangles, kids can build Japanese, Mayan, Middle Eastern and even Russian structures. Today’s wooden toys are not only generous on design, but they are made to be enjoyed for generations to come.

Technophiles addicted to the latest/greatest new gadgets and electronics know that Japanese shoppers get most innovations long before Americans do. Short of hopping on a plane, there are ways you can to sidestep the system: For one, you can go through a middleman shopping site like Dynamism, which not only imports electronics from overseas but backs sales up with (gasp!) service and warranties. The site’s catalog is full of stuff, like the new G2 line of Vaio, which isn’t even listed on Sony’s U.S. VAIO site. Being this far ahead of the pack will set you back up to $3,900, but for that dough you get a keyboard that won’t fritz out if you spill water directly on it. More down-to-earth price-wise is a $179 Virtual Keyboard that uses lasers to project the keyboard’s outline on a flat surface, then transmits your virtual keystrokes via Bluetooth to your smartphone or PDA; in the dollar range in-between are more smartphones and handheld devices than your power strip could ever recharge. There’s an amazing-looking WiBrain that is a fully functional 1.5 lb. computer that runs Windows XP, has a split screen, a pop-up video camera and a high-resolution 4.8 inch touchscreen - starting at $699. Shoppers stunned by the price tags or overwhelmed by the spec sheets can take a breather with this cute little $15 cell-phone dangle called PuchiPuchi, which does nothing but replicate the sound and feel of popping bubble-wrap.

Traditionally, Jewish children were awarded money, or gelt, as a prize for successfully displaying their knowledge of the Hanukkah story. That practice long ago evolved to include the giving of gifts. Your first of eight opportunities to present something special in celebration of Hanukkah begins Tuesday, and Shopperati has some ideas. The Oh Hanukkah basket  ($140 for 8-10 people, $215 for 12-14+) comes with chocolate babka, blue-and-white cookies from the Lower East Side (of Manhattan, we assume), a milk chocolate menorah, chocolate coins, caramel corn, candy, and more. Browse a selection of Hanukkah gift baskets at the Challah Connection. You don’t have to give a big gift every night, so why not give a Yiddish magnetic poetry kit  ($14.99)? Meant to rival those English language sets you can arrange amusingly on the fridge, these Yiddish bon mots “will make your bubbe kvell.” Or put together a set of personalized M&Ms using blue and white candy and whatever phrases you want. For the little ones, ages 4+, there’s a Hanukkah Puzzle ($19.99) that teaches the traditions of the holiday. Or get the kids Kosherland, the Orthodox equivalent of the board game Candyland. Still looking for a far-out menorah? Hippie throwbacks and flower-power diehards will adore the Wheelin’ Groovy Menorah  ($57), a table-top sized old VW bus of enameled metal turned menorah.

For your aspiring forensic scientist, here comes one of the season’s more grotesque toys: The CSI Facial Reconstruction Kit. We’re lol. But wait a minute. We can imagine that a Middle School kid might really dig this toy. It’s science; it’s hands-on and at least the kid is trying to solve a crime, instead of committing one (albeit on video) on his or her XBox. As a bonus, you’ll finally be able to say to your kid, go ahead, Make a Face! Find it at etoys.com, one of the largest, price-competitive toy stores, where you can shop by age and type of toys.