Inventor Spot

Because Cinderella was kind and worked hard she was rewarded with an elegant gown and a pumpkin carriage to carry her away to the ball. You are not Cinderella, but you have been good and worked hard too so don't you deserve something special? Unfortunately there is no magical pumpkin carriage awaiting you today, but there is hope. Give the Pumpkin Swing a try.

Our Guest Blogger, Lee Nunley, is a recent college graduate who has
lived in Cairo and Budapest. He currently resides in Denver and is
working on a book-centered Web 2.0 project. He wanted to share news about the innovations in the Middle East with the readers of InventorSpot.com.

Here's his article:

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The world’s tallest building is now located in Dubai, UAE, but the surprise is, the building is not projected to be completed until 2008.

"Koban", or Japanese Police Boxes, are commonly found on street corners in cities or towns, large or small, across Japan. Not to be confused with the "Doctor Who" style police call boxes formerly common in Great Britain, Japanese Koban are larger, display a red light and five-pointed gold police badge outside - and often feature unusual styling... here are the Top Ten!

It's been proven. Schools can be green and fabulous.

A new state-of-the-art school, T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia, has won the Green Innovations Award in the Best Institutional Project category at the Virginia Sustainable Building Network's annual meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scientist Dickson Despommier has designed a scheme to grow crops inside 30-story skyscrapers. This urban farm concept could help feed a rapidly growing population, leave space for forests, and supply potable water for entire cities.

Close your eyes and imagine a neighborhood without loud lawn mowers in the morning or the afternoon or the evening. Imagine a yard where your garden waters itself and saves water too. Imagine a yard that is so green even the tiles and the lighting are environmentally friendly. Now open your eyes and meet the alternative eco-friendly design, the Verdi Lawnscaping System.

If I were a cat, I would have a refrigerator full of paté and caviar, a cartoon-only video monitor, and a steady stream of innocent dogs to tease when I get bored. My playground would be "The Stairway to Cat Heaven" or "The Cat Castle" or "The Super Cat Hotel" so I could have plenty of cat parties. Hmm...

Dynamic architecture 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some have called the idea outlandish. A better word seems to be insane. And yet, Dynamic Architecture, a company in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, is marching ahead with their plans for a skyscraper powered by wind turbines.

When I first read about the solar energy boat race, Solar Splash, I was immediately intrigued. Though I don't like open waters; therefore, will not get on a boat, the combination of solar energy and cleaner transportation in competition has had me tempted to face my fears and give these solar powered boats a try. I think it's an innovative idea with wonderful educational opportunities and a great start to the building and using of non-polluting, fuel-free vehicles (land, water and air) of the future.

A California Fitness Center in Hong Kong, a subsidiary of 24 Hour Fitness Worldwide, is using manpower to generate electricity in its gym. In other words, energy burned off by exercisers is diverted and converted to power lighting fixtures, while excess energy is stored in a battery. The program is called Powered By You.

Today's post marks the beginning of a daily blog I will run called "Seth's Says...." I hope to bring to my readers a daily dose of cool by providing links to noteworthy websites, designs, fashions and writings. I spend all day at a computer, so why not put all that surfing to use and show you what I find out there in cyberland. Feel free to pass me links you find and I'll give a shout out in my post. Enjoy!

If, like me, you are subjected to the oxymoronic woes of living in a tiny apartment in a big city, take a few minutes a day to visit ApartmentTherapy.com and get some helpful ideas on how to make even the smallest spaces work for you.

Zaha Hadid is one of the most recognized names in architecture, and in this article you'll see why. Responsible for revitalizing the architectural scene in cities all over the world, Hadid created the Contemporary Arts Centre in Rome, Italy with the hopes of building not only a new relationship between structure and environment, but also between structure, art and spectator. The result is a breathtaking museum that brings a contemporary presence to Rome, but also melds nicely with the established architectural landscape.

If a simple box of chocolates or a measly bouquet of flowers won't suffice this Valentine's Day (and it most likely won't), consider spicing up this V-Day by whisking your loved one off to one of these truly intriguing and awe-inspiring hotels found around the world. These aren't your every day Holiday Inn or even Waldorf Astoria. No, these hotels are the cream of the crop in architectural design and conception and will guarantee that your stay is one to remember. They're worth the extra expenses in travel costs, because if you surprise your sweetheart with a trip to say, Dubai, you'll get reimbursed ten fold.