• Turn an old vinyl record into an ashtray, bowl or piece of art suitable for showcasing.Jeffrey Coolidge/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  One man's cool is another woman's lame, as the saying doesn't quite go. Whether you are looking for trash or treasure, plenty of companies out there are going out on a limb by stating flatly that their merchandise makes for a cool gift. Ultimately, the verdict on cool is up to the gift's recipient, but there certainly is a vast assortment of possibilities for gift ideas these days.
  
  

Zap Brannigan Ray Gun

• A cool gift idea for a middle-aged man, who grew up before light sabers became the weapon of choice for alien heroes, can send him through a nostalgic time warp while also being highly relevant. The Zap Brannigan Ray Gun is a throwback to the golden age of tin ray guns, but is based on the hip Futurama animated series from Simpsons' creator Matt Groening.
  
  

Recycled Vinyl Records

• Vinyl records have not quite gone the way of reel to reel tape, but the day is fast approaching as you can see from the super cool ways that old vinyl records are being recycled for new purposes. Melted vinyl records can be melted and shaped into a bowl, ashtray or just a really cool art work for display purposes only. Imagine an entire wall where hair band music actually becomes art.
  
  

Unique Photo Transfer Journal

• Create a private journal for your buddy that is personalized with a cover made from a photograph of you both. A process known as an emulsion lift literally takes an image from a Polaroid camera and transfers it to just about any surface. Whether the journal's cover is paper, fabric or leather, you can give them a truly one-of-a-kind journal to call their own and remember you by.
  
  

Secret Agent Spy Lighter-Cam

• Nearly everybody dreams of being a secret agent spy at one point, and many of them never get over it. Give the gift that belongs alongside any gadget James Bond ever received from Q: a lighter that is actually a very small HD video camera. You get 4GB of storage with this spy delight that records .avi movies for playback on any computer. It also records audio. And if that weren't enough, it can even be used as an actual lighter, though you'll have to supply the lighter fluid yourself.
  
  

Tattoo Sleeves

• If your friend has always wanted what little cool cache is left for tattoos, but isn't quite cool enough to withstand the pain, make a gift idea of tattoo sleeves. These are sleeves that fit tightly over the arm to give the appearance of major ink work. Give a handful of tattoo sleeves and your friend can do something more cool than a person with real tattoos can do: change their imagery as the mood strikes them.