In & out

Group, Jul/Aug 2002

in & out

alf ashanti mod-inspired fashion hello kitty

game shows felicity flip-flops rosie o'donnell

air play

Polar Ball/Pass Football, a friendly non-contact team sport, hits playing fields this year (www.polarball.com). The game's played with patented Velcro equipment-gloves and a football-that allows players of all ages and abilities to easily catch the ball, even on the backs of their hands. Players must rely on passing the ball to score points because the person with the ball can't run. If this still sounds like too much work, you might want to try Myachi, a "hand sacky" game played with a small, slender sandbag that players flip and catch on the back of their hands (www.myachi.com).

finger food

Hitting the school vending machines rather than the cafeteria line may become a thing of the past. School districts in Pennsylvania are experimenting with finger-- print scanners that let students "buy lunch" through a debit account system. On the plus side, kids don't have to worry about cash being stolen or lost, and those entitled to free or reduced-price lunches have anonymity. Privacy advocates, however, express concern about how well the information will be protected.

not just dessert

A national anti-drug coalition is warning parents about the growing popularity of Zippers, small cups of fruit-flavored gelatin and alcohol that resemble popular gelatin dessert snacks. The Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America charges that the 24-proof, 12% alcohol "Jell-O shots" are being marketed in ways that appeal to an underage audience. Bars, liquor stores, and groceries in 26 states now sell Zippers.