8 Unusual Valentine's Day Gifts to Make Your Sweetie Get Hot ...or Bothered

Seth Plattner — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 08:23:43 -0800

We all know the usual Valentine's Day suspects: roses, chocoloates, lingerie. These are the basics that will guarantee your special someone will at least be satisfied, but hardly surprised on the most romantic day of the year. However, if you are looking for a gift that is a little out there, a gift that is truly unique, take your cue from some of these wacky Valentine's Day presents that are sure to at least get your brownie points for creativity. read more »

"Grandma's Kitchen" is Smart Design

Seth Plattner — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 04:04:57 -0800

Maybe I was a little harsh in my review of the luxury pods , but here's an idea that is truly smart and practical in a home pressed for space. The design team of Melanie Olle & Ilja Oelschlägel has come up with Grandma's Kitchen, a fully functional kitchen area that folds into the wall to look like a minimalist piece of art. read more »

13 Haunted Houses That Will Make You Wet Your Pants

Seth Plattner — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 02:01:21 -0700

It's Halloween season and you know what that means: time for what has become our annual 13 Best Haunted Houses list! There have been a few additions and subtractions from last years list , but, as always, each one has their own unique characteristics that make it a worthy haunt for even the most seasoned of haunted housers. read more »

13 Haunted Houses That Will Make You Wet Your Pants

Seth Plattner — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 03:43:03 -0700

Love to be scared, scare someone else or delight in watching others wet themselves in fright? If so, this is the post for you. Compiled here are the 13 best American haunted houses. Each has its own specialties in gore and fear and they are sure to terrify even the most seasoned haunted house goer. So, if you’ve got a plight for fright, check out one or more of these locations to ensure a positively hair-raising October. read more »

Going Home is For Losers! 10 Better Places to Go For Thanksgiving

Seth Plattner — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:57:34 -0800

Want to go someplace really great for Thanksgiving?

As turkey time draws near, most of us are preparing for a gut-busting food fest with our families. But, not everyone adheres to the normal Thanksgiving day festivities; no, there are those who look for something a little different for Thanksgiving. So, in the spirit of diversity and adventure, here are 10 great Thanksgiving travel destinations for those looking to not go home for Thanksgiving.

10 Best Beers with Balls of 2007

Seth Plattner — Wed, 03 Oct 2007 18:51:36 -0700

Finally, Fall is upon us, and that can mean only one thing: Beer! Well, that shouldn't be your only concern, but with football season in full swing and the commencement of Oktoberfest, a lot of us out there have beer on the brain. With that in mind, we here at InventorSpot.com bring you some of the ballsiest beers we could find. What makes them so noteworthy? Well, the beers on this list push the limits of conventional brewing in a number of ways. Whether they are the stoutest of the stout, or the odd brainchild of a Japanese liquor store owner (milk beer anybody?), these ales definitely have some gusto that the rest of the beer world lacks. read more »

A Better Beer Blog

Seth Plattner — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 13:48:19 -0700

October isn't over, which means beer is still on the brain. As a little follow up to our 10 Best Beers With Balls of 2007 article, here is a great new blog that seeks to keep us all well informed of the brewing world.
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13 REAL Haunted Places That Will Make You Cry for Mommy

Seth Plattner — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 22:16:23 -0700

Continuing this month's apropos theme of all things haunted, I bring a list of 13 of the most haunted places in the world. Paranormal activity is an international affair, and ghosts and apparitions toy with the living everywhere from California to Mumbai. This list will have some familiar names, and some places you never expected to be haunted (The White House?!), but each one comes with tale after tale of weird and terrifying experiences with the phantom world. read more »

Top 10 Hotels to Make Your Lover Moan...In Comfort

Seth Plattner — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 08:51:46 -0800

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. read more »

Espionage 101: Tracer Spy Tool

Seth Plattner — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:01:39 -0700

We all have fantasies of being James Bond. Here's a little help getting started. The Spy Tool by Tracer is a great beginners' kit to starting your career of international espionage. read more »

Bringing Cube World To Life

Seth Plattner — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 04:01:49 -0700

cwRemember sea monkeys? Of course you do. Who could forget breeding your own aquatic world only to watch them rapidly perish due to your neglect pet keeping. Anyway, forget the antiquated notion of real live organisms and resign yourself to the idea of your own electronic play friends. Cube World, from Radicagames , is the latest desktop doodad to keep the child-like part of your brain occupied when you should be doing those expense reports. read more »

Finger Fun with Uberorbs : Product Review

Seth Plattner — Fri, 11 May 2007 05:56:56 -0700

You tap your leg. You chew on pencils. You twirl your hair. Face it. You're a fidgeter. Now that we've established that, it's time for you to find something cool to play with. Uberorbs are your answer. These fun little space-aged widgets are perfect for you out there who can't stop fiddeling with your fingers. read more »

All the Leaks That's Fit to Print

Seth Plattner — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 09:15:13 -0700

"Global defense of sources and press freedoms, circa now," reads the motto for Wikileaks, yet another website founded on the idea of publicly amassed information. This website, though, bares a relevancy that other wikie sites don't because of its humanitarian attempts to make people aware of the underground, corrupt happenings in the world through untraceable mass document leaking and analysis.

The Coolest Hotel Ever—Literally

Seth Plattner — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:13:33 -0700

Ice hotels seem to be popping up all over the world, and while there is a certain charm in staying overnight in a room made of solid ice, sometimes you just want the experience without the bone chilling cold. With that in mind,Kakslauttanen resort in Saariselkä, Finland offers these beautiful glass igloo accommodations that are romantic, peaceful and every bit as magical as staying in a real ice igloo, but you won't walk out of one with frostbite on your nose.

All the Mods and Hacks You'll Ever Need

Seth Plattner — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:20:52 -0700

Who hasn't wanted to hack Guitar Hero, make sniper rifle for Duck Hunt, or, hey, even build their own Darth Maul lightsaber? Well, for every inventor out there who likes to modify or hack that which is already in existence, Hack N Mod is the perfect website to coach you through it all.

An Amazing Hotel That Gives Dubai an Architectural Run for Its Money

Seth Plattner — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 09:44:37 -0800

Whereas most of the new, awe-inspiring hotels and structures are popping up in and around Dubai, the Hareem Architects firm has just announced their plans for the Full Moon Rising and Caspian Plus hotels, which look to be one of the most incredible hotels ever built, but their chosen location is the central Asian republic of Azerbaijan. Watch out Dubai, you could have some competition on your hands.

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Dubai Wows Again with Biggest Arch Bridge Ever

Seth Plattner — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:32:35 -0800

They've got amazing hotels, artificial islands, even an indoor ski mountain. And now, to add to the list, Dubai will become home to largest arch bridge in world when the constructions of this monster is finished in 2012. Seriously, what can't they do over there? read more »

The Old You, The New You—All in One Amazing Photograph

Seth Plattner — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:05:51 -0800

We're all suckers for amazing photography, and Bobby Neel Adams has created quite the repeteoire of some pretty incredible images. His most impressive are the spliced images of the same person, one half from when they were younger, the other years later. The results are something altogether intriguing. read more »

Every Living Thing All in One Place: The Encyclopedia of Life

Seth Plattner — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 10:44:15 -0800

With 1.8 million named species out there, it's nearly impossible to categorize them all into one neat catalogue. Nevertheless, that's not stopping the guys over at The Field Museum of Natural History, Harvard University, Marine Biological Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, and Biodiversity Heritage Library who have all banned together to launch the Encyclopedia of Life, which hopes to document all 1.8 million species on their state-of-the-art website. read more »

Inflatable Concrete? The Newest Pop-Up Shelter

Seth Plattner — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:30:35 -0800

When's the last time you thought about the future of pop-up shelters? Yesterday, right? No, probably not. But, in all seriousness, pop-up shetlers are something the world should pay attention to. Natural disasters, war and violence certainly aren't slowing down, so the need for a pop-up shelter that is quick, effiicient and durable. That's where the Concrete Canvas comes in. read more »

Map of Humanity

Seth Plattner — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:54:57 -0700

Just something to think about... read more »

Command The Stars with Galaxiki

Seth Plattner — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 11:43:28 -0700

Ever felt like you deserved to rule your own planet, solar system or even galaxy? Well, Darth Vader, here's your chance. Jumping on the "wiki" craze sweeping the Internet, some ingenious developers have come up with Galaxiki, a web 2.0 site comprised of user webpages that represent stars in the website's "galaxy." read more »

Cultivating Amazing Design in Urban Silo

Seth Plattner — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 13:51:37 -0700

There are a lot of websites out there that try to keep on top of all the progress in amazing design, but few are able to organize it in such an engaging manner at Urban Silo. Check out this cool website to find images, advertisements, radio broadcasts and a lot of other interesting media you wish you'd found yourself. read more »

Internet Radio Gets an Artistic Upgrade

Seth Plattner — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 14:47:32 -0700

Looking for an internet radio with a little umph? A little pazazz? A little somethin somethin? Look no further than Musicovery.com. This little gem is easily the most exciting and engaging internet radio out there, and you'll not only find what you want, but possibly find something you never knew you wanted. read more »

The Job Blog You Always Knew Existed

Seth Plattner — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:24:37 -0700

OK, face it. You don't always love your job. And many of us out there never love our job, but we do it because we have bills, right? Well, if you need to vent about your boss, the constant lack of sustenance in your office, or the smelly IT guy, Disgruntled Workforce is the place to take your job woes and blog it out (did I just coin a new phrase?). read more »

Need Answers? Just Ask Your Question!

Seth Plattner — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 09:25:40 -0700

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All of us out there have needed answers to our burning questions: How much does the Sun weigh? What's the proper usage of the word "palinode?" Exactly how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? (A question that is highly debatable I've found.) Many of the answers to these questions can be found on the extremely helpful Answerbag.com. Just type in your question, and then comb through the varied answers provided by the wonderful community that is the blogosphere.

The Bubble Project - Make Em Say What You Want

Seth Plattner — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 13:54:08 -0700

As if celebrities don't say some really stupid things already, now The Bubble Project--the brainchild of artist and activist Ji Lee--gives you the opportunity to make the famous say what you've always wanted to hear them say on his website. Lee's scope isn't limited to just the net, though. If you are a New Yorker, you've likely seen his bubbles popping up all over. If you haven't, then express yourself and put up your own. read more »

Battle Jell-O

Seth Plattner — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 12:58:54 -0700

Ever looked at your bowl of Jell-O, sitting there jiggling and jostling, and thought "wouldn't it be cool if my Jell-O came to life and started fighting a grueling right on my kitchen table?" No? OK, probably not. But, JellyBattle (designed by Logitech) gives you the chance to take control of your jelly-made-man and battle other gelatinous foes for confectionery domination. read more »

ABC's American Inventor - Season 2 Finale Live Blog and Recap!!!

Seth Plattner — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 17:53:13 -0700

Can you believe we are already at the end of the second season of ABC's American Inventor? It feels like only yesterday we were marveling at the ingenuity of The Cougar! Well, maybe not. Anyhow, it has certainly been an interesting season and, after all the attempts (feeble and no so feeble), we have arrived at our 3 finalists, one of whom will walk away tonight with $1,000,000 and the title of the next American Inventor. Just to remind you, here are the contenders:

-Elaine Cato and the 6-in-1 Backless Bra

- Ricky DeRennaux and HT Racers

-Gregg Chavez and The Guardian Angel

So who do you think America voted for? Well, the show is about to begin, so tune in and I guess we'll all find out the winner of American Inventor. read more »

World Travel through World Photography

Seth Plattner — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 12:26:48 -0700

World Heritage Tour is a pretty amazing concept: Photograph the world. Post it online. Let everyone see it and add to it, because the reality is it's disappearing at an alarming rate. But, with WHT working hard to document all those places most of us can't see, we get a pretty stunning compilation of what the world has to offer—and in 360 degree photography no less. read more »