Cool Yourself

Oppressive heat is on its way back to our area for the long weekend and a Japanese company thinks it has the answer.
Japan is dealing with energy shortages in the wake of its devastating earthquake so some enterprising inventor decided it was better to cool the person, not necessarily their living space. Behold, the air conditioned jacket:
man and woman wearing puffy white jackets with visible fans on the side
photo from Huffington Post
They’re powered by lithium ion batteries that last up to 11 hours on a single charge. Apparently demand for this cooling system has grown tremendously in recent months along with air conditioned beds and chair seats. There’s also a fan-equipped hat by the same company. Competitors have come up with neckties that have tiny fans in the knots. As you can imagine, these garments aren’t lauded for their looks but if you’re overheating and there’s a power shortage, looking good might not be your biggest concern.