With the "Cash for Clunkers" rebate program fading off, American's are looking to get subsidized for other purchases. Mainly their appliances. The U.S. Department of Energy has initiated plans for a rebate program for energy efficient appliances purchases.

With $300 million dollars ear marked for the program, Energy Secretary Steven Chu hopes that the program will not only help conserve energy, but also save people money on their monthly utility bills.

"These rebates will help families make the transition to move efficient appliances, making purchases that will directly stimulate the economy and create jobs," Chu said in a press release from the DOE.

The programs will be state ran this time, with each state having to follow a set application process. Included in the process is plans identifying the Energy Star appliances that will qualify for the rebate.

The DOE hopes to have most of the funding out to the states by the end of November.

Believe it or not, there was a time that nature would naturally filter harmful properties out of water. As the water would pass through the different levels of the eco-system, the debris and other undesirables would be trapped. Eventually the water would be returned to stores in the ground.

Okay, maybe that isn't exactly news. But the fact that designers and engineers in France have developed a shower that recreates that natural filtration process is.

The shower has a mini-eco system underneath it. As the waste water goes down the drain it passes through a series of natural filters, including reeds, rushes and sand. Eventually returning to a catch.

While the design is not in production yet, the inventors hope to see it become something concrete soon. They have been inundated with quires since they put the design up on the internet. They hope that their design not only helps people think about recycling water, but also how they use water.

Cell phone technology seems to be nearly limitless now a days. With a click you can buy movie tickets or find the nearest Tai restaurant.

How about being able to turn your oven on via your cell phone? One Brooklyn man's phone has this ability. Unfortunately for him it is not some new hot app.

Andrew Melnikov told 1010 WINS radio, that his Sony Erickson PDA turn on his broiler when the phone is near the oven and receives a phone call.

A Maytag repair man who went to service the oven said that it was in need of a "suppressor".
A Maytag spoke person told 1010 WINS that this is the first instance they have encountered a
situation like this. The company also stated that they would send out repairman to service the appliance.

Was your last European vacation ruined by the eye sore of drunk revelers relieving themselves on a public street? Urilift International has a solution to this unsanitary problem, a pop-up urinal.

A pub or night club employee simply pushes a button on a remote, and a porta john like building rises from its subterranean hiding spot, allowing a sanitary place for drunk frat boys to relieve themselves while in public.

The Urilifts pop-up every night around 2 am. In the morning street-sweepers clean out the cans of any trash and then lower them back down with remotes.

The urilifts have been in use in some European cities since 2004. Maybe we will see this sanitation milestone state side some time soon.