March, 2010

Who says fashion can't come into play on April Fool's Day? Get into the spirit with one of these funny and funky fashion designs perfect for the fool and the brave!

It's the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and to celebrate PBS's Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning TV series, Design Squad is launching a nationwide 2010 Trash to Treasure competition for kids 5 to 19.  The launch will begin on April 5, 2010.  2009 was the first year that Design Squad held this competition.

Wetnoz makes upscale pet products, mostly dinnerware, and mostly for dogs.  Its wares are well made and very stylish, as you would expect from an upscale designer.  Now, styled just like the fancier stainless steel bowls in the Wetnoz Metro Line, Wetnoz has styled the new Scoop n' Serve bowl without the steel liner to make the scoop dish much more affordable.  You'll be glad, because the design is darn cool and convenient.

With the state of the economy over the last couple of years, many people have found themselves taking a closer look at the prices of items that they once took for granted, because suddenly they don't seem to be quite so affordable. Many families have had to give up basic luxuries like eating out and this further affects the livelihood of the hospitality industry. Since the economy affects consumers and businesses alike, there's one restaurant that generates their prices based on trends.

You'll have to either have a good sense of humor to appreciate these t-shirts, or be a complete creeper who likes to spy on people with your face pressed up against their window or a telescope.

Possibly the most intriguing cell phone to hit the market since the iPhone, the HTC EVO is Sprint's long-awaited 4G handset. The intrigue definitely does not stop at 4G.

Marriage might seem like a fairy tale in the movies, but those who have tied the knot know that any relationship is not all candy and roses; that's just the reality. A real relationship has its ups and downs, and it goes through stages as it progresses. In order to reflect this, one designer has created a symbolic wedding ring.

Hanging ivy always looks so cool on the brownstones of east coast cities, its forest green, pointy leaves contrasting with the chestnut or rust-colored homes it covers.  Ivy looks like it grows spontaneously on those buildings, as if from some organic particle in the cement.  Though biomimicking hanging ivy, Solar Ivy is not forest green and doesn't grow, but it is environmentally green in a very innovative way.

Always at the vanguard of design, 5.5 Designers, have again surprised its followers with a line of designer furniture prosthetics.  Sure, they are all bright, bright green, but that's part of their charm.  And a bright green crutch, prosthetic seat, suture kit, or grafting kit will not only give your furniture back its function but give it a little flamboyance!

The Japanese say they invented it, but maybe they were just the first to name it.  The name, Chindogu, is becoming universally known and used to describe inventions that are useless.  Well, I don't know about Ben Franklin or Thomas Jefferson or the prolific inventor Leonardo da Vinci, but haven't most inventors created some useless stuff?  In fact, mostly useless stuff?

Although the establishment of new technologies and general acceptance of people who are "different" by society has allowed the hearing impaired to maintain successful careers; there's still a stigma that they might not be as capable. One business in India is looking to chance these perceptions by providing their HR with strict instructions when hiring.

Adidas is known for its cutting edge, funky and classic designs. They're not afraid to take fashion risks with their shoe designs, and more often than not they find a buyer for even the most eccentric sneakers. Their latest line plays upon the elimination of the old convention that things need to match.

Designer Fernando Altamirano, who previously dressed Cognac Dudognon Heritage Henri IV in the most expensive cognac bottle in the world, recently sold his newly-designed water bottle for $60,000, winning his second Guinness record for the highest priced bottle sold at auction.  Proceeds for the sale were donated to a foundation to stop global warning. 

There are some men that are just too manly to accept regular items that could be perceived as effeminate. We've seen companies that make candles with a look and scent designed specifically with men in mind, and now there's a business that appeals to different senses!

The AO Bike is a simple, effective breed of commuter bicycle. It provides the rider with several advantages over the traditional bike.

Over the years, we've began to break those old rules of fashion that were once so constricting. It's now okay to mix green and blue, wear more than one pattern of they're coordinated tastefully, and of course, wear white after Labour Day. A line of menswear is pushing the boundaries even further with their designs for men.

One of the highlights of visiting different countries is the cultural experience that you're exposed to. But when it's not possible to fulfill all of those jet setting dreams; there is one company that can bring it to you by way of your palate.

Throughout history certain items have been designed specifically to keep men's favorite body parts in working order during at-risk activities. Well, don't women's assets deserve the same love and care as well? Ask the creator of one protective item that you wear down there and the answer is yes.

Perhaps you've heard about Clostridium difficile or C. difficile, or C. diff.  It's been spreading more and more every year through hospitals and other health care facilities to the point where in some regions, like the southeast U.S., it is even more aggressive than the more well-known superbug, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bug.  But others can get it, even if they are generally healthy and not in a hospital setting.

There is so much medical and health news coming out daily, it's hard to keep up with it.  I attempt to cover what I think are the most interesting and most relevant stories to our readers, but miss so many that fit into that big pond.  So today, I thought I would cover more news in less space by blurbing instead of blogging.  These are stories that have come out in the last few days.  I'll start with something on the light side....

A new industry is on the uprising, it's one that's been around for decades; but for the first time in history people are going to be educated on legal ways to produce and distribute a specific line or product in a way that no longer involves the risk of jail cells or shoot-outs.

We all know those women that take any opportunity they can to flaunt their goods. Any holiday, particularly Halloween, presents the opportunity to wear as few pieces of clothing as possible. Holidays might present the opportunity for the more outgoing modern women to show off; but what about those geeks who want to be suggestive in their own right?

Sometimes all it takes is an innovative twist on a simple concept to increase the hype surrounding a new business idea. The latest trend that businesses globally have been turning to is to allow consumers to make their own decisions about the products that they receive. Customization is the key; allowing consumers to think about only themselves when they shop. And don't tell me that we can't all benefit from an egotistical perspective every now and again!

Researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M) Medical School have discovered a set of proteins in bananas that may finally slow the spread of HIV.   They are lectins, sugar-binding proteins that can identify a foreign invader and attach themselves to it, blocking its entrance into the body.

Everyone likes businesses that focus upon customization; perhaps because we're all just so into ourselves as a human race that we want to make purchases that really reflect who we are. Well, there's one company that's helping people do so in a somewhat nerdy way, while putting a twist on an old idea.

A new technology in snow sports, VACO Autofit promises to deliver a ski helmet with superior fit, usability and protection.

Everyone knows that the hottest businesses are the ones that are impossible to find, because they're just so highly sought after they have to be discreet. We've seen hidden sushi restaurants that are all the rage, and now there's a shoe store that's following suit in an even more unique way.

Insa shoe designs are often strange, beautiful and extreme, but now they've created a design inspired directly from the world of art and it uses a unique and rather crappy material.

Avatar may not have won best picture, but it did receive a couple of nods at this year's Academy Awards and there's still a ton of hype surrounding it. For those who want to follow the styles of the Na'vi a number of fashion pieces have been designer, inspired by the movie and its indigenous people.

If you've ever dreamed of being abducted or of doing a little harmless stalking that won't end in a jail sentence, then there is one French company more than ready to make those dreams come true for those thrill-seekers!

Last night at the Oscars, you know that all of those celebs were just dying to escape for a little late night happy hour at the after parties (as if they hadn't already hit the bottle before the awards show). But I'd bet they didn't have a watch to count them down to the moment of victory!

Fashion that serves another function is always well received by those who might never think of wearing such an item, but love to gawk at the innovations. An artist recently developed a line of weather dresses that are about more than just couture designs.

I recently wrote about another subscription service that helps shopophobic men maintain their personal hygiene without ever having to leave home to purchase their products. Now there's another business that helps these gentlemen with the essentials.

Inventors!  Here's a message from Telebrands! The big infomercial giant is looking for new products!

Travelocity may have started it with its jet setting gnome, but the new trend is taking pictures of inanimate objects in various places around the world. The only problem is to send your toy to get its picture taken in front of the Eiffel Tower means that you've got to get your own plane ticket.