The LaFerrari

The LaFerrari, unveiled this month in Geneva, has a V-12 engine making 789 horsepower and an electric motor making an additional 161 horsepower. A second, smaller electric motor powers the car's ancillary systems.

 (Laurent Cipriani, Associated Press / March 5, 2013)

http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=11976254#editor/target=post;postID=1974939004988710681 

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"

With the statewide snowpack at only 52% of the norm for this time of year, state and federal water managers are expecting below-normal spring runoff and falling reservoir levels.

The last three months in California have been the driest of any January-through-March period on record, going back to 1895.

It has been a winter of extremes in the state, beginning with an unusually wet November and December and ending with a string of parched months.

"It's like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde -- the changes we've had," said climatologist Kelly Redmond of the Western Regional Climate Center.

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-snowpack-20130329,0,4486315.story

twisting fluidity

Fondly dubbed the Marilyn Monroe towers by local residents, the Absolute Towers parallel the twisting fluidity or natural lines found in life.

This activation of flow forms an organic punctuation in the landscape and a desire for an urban acknowledgement of enthusiasm.

Like other suburbs in North America, Mississauga, near Toronto, has been quickly developing into an independent, urbanized area. Yet, the cityscape lacked a unique character. In response, MAD wanted to add something naturalistic, delicate and human in contrast to the backdrop of listless, boxy buildings.

http://www.arcspace.com/features/mad-/absolute-towers/

The Tower of Winds, Yokohama, Japan

It was designed 20 years ago, but it is a highly innovative form of architecture whose formal solutions and use of technology reveal all the contemporaneity of 21st century architecture: the Wind Tower is one of Toyo Ito's best-known projects. It earned him the 1987 Edwin Guth Memorial Award of Excellence from America's Illumination Engineering Society, a prestigious acknowledgement of the strong symbolic value of this work in its urban context.


The effect is truly original, because the reflective part can be seen beyond the volume of the tower with its monolithic shape.The tower is particularly spectacular at night, when the lights and neon rings make the Wind Tower into an architecture of light.

http://www.floornature.com/projects-commerce/project-wind-tower-yokohama-toyo-ito-1986-4761/#.UUeiKjen540

Blueseed – A massive ship will be the Silicon Valley of the high seas

The latest project to have the interest of a number of technology firms across the globe is the Blueseed, a floating city located in international waters outside of Silicon Valley. Touted to be the Googleplex of the Sea, the project is co-founded by Max Marty and Dario Mutabdzija and lead by venture capitalist and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel. The project is still in its finalisation stages with the company deciding between either a cruise ship or a barge to convert into a pirate island. The idea of the Blueseed project is to provide living accommodations, working space and entertainment facilities for approximately 1,000 customers paying between $1,200 and $3,000 each per month.

The vessel will reportedly be stationed 12 nautical miles from the coast of California, in international waters. This proximity to Silicon Valley is what is attracting non US start-up entrepreneurs as it will give them the opportunity to work so close to Silicon Valley without a US work visa. Through a tourist or a business Visa you can then easily travel to the mainland if the need arises or you can keep working on the Blueseed till your company grows large enough to make Silicon Valley its headquarters.

http://www.luxurylaunches.com/real_estate/blueseed_a_massive_ship_will_be_the_silicon_valley_of_the_high_seas.php

Apparently $1 was too high a price for one condo in Laguna Woods.

Apparently $1 was too high a price for one condo in Laguna Woods.

A fourth-floor unit in the Laguna Woods Village retirement community's The Towers complex failed to sell in recent months even though the owners were asking just a buck for the property.

The condo quietly came off the market without a buyer, said listing agent Cathy Flores of Century 21 Award.

Flores, who no longer represents the owners, said she doesn't know what their plans are for the condo. But while the listing failed to sell, it wasn't due to a lack of interest.

"I spoke to over 200 people. Most were not qualified," Flores said. "I had people call from Egypt. ... Out of everyone who called, there were only three viable, interested people."

Most people balked when told the condo is in a 55-plus retirement community, Flores added.

Some would-be buyers – many calling from out of state – either wanted to buy the condo as a vacation home or to use it as a rental, she said. Those uses were not possible for most of the callers because of the 55-year-old minimum age requirement.

Some people also didn't understand that they'd have to pay closing costs as part of the transaction, as well as substantial monthly homeowner association fees.

The condo's tiny size and large homeowners association dues turned off other potential buyers, Flores said.

The condo is 500 square feet and has homeowners association dues of $1,718 a month. The dues include one meal a day and maid service.


A fourth-floor unit in the Laguna Woods Village retirement community's The Towers complex failed to sell in recent months even though the owners were asking just a buck for the property.The condo quietly came off the market without a buyer, said listing agent Cathy Flores of Century 21 Award.Flores, who no longer represents the owners, said she doesn't know what their plans are for the condo. But while the listing failed to sell, it wasn't due to a lack of interest."I spoke to over 200 people. Most were not qualified," Flores said. "I had people call from Egypt. ... Out of everyone who called, there were only three viable, interested people."Most people balked when told the condo is in a 55-plus retirement community, Flores added.Some would-be buyers – many calling from out of state – either wanted to buy the condo as a vacation home or to use it as a rental, she said. Those uses were not possible for most of the callers because of the 55-year-old minimum age requirement.Some people also didn't understand that they'd have to pay closing costs as part of the transaction, as well as substantial monthly homeowner association fees.The condo's tiny size and large homeowners association dues turned off other potential buyers, Flores said.The condo is 500 square feet and has homeowners association dues of $1,718 a month. The dues include one meal a day and maid service.The three strongest buyers all purchased bigger units after viewing the $1 condo, Flores said.

A fourth-floor unit in the Laguna Woods Village retirement community's The Towers complex failed to sell in recent months even though the owners were asking just a buck for the property.The condo quietly came off the market without a buyer, said listing agent Cathy Flores of Century 21 Award.Flores, who no longer represents the owners, said she doesn't know what their plans are for the condo. But while the listing failed to sell, it wasn't due to a lack of interest."I spoke to over 200 people. Most were not qualified," Flores said. "I had people call from Egypt. ... Out of everyone who called, there were only three viable, interested people."Most people balked when told the condo is in a 55-plus retirement community, Flores added.Some would-be buyers – many calling from out of state – either wanted to buy the condo as a vacation home or to use it as a rental, she said. Those uses were not possible for most of the callers because of the 55-year-old minimum age requirement.Some people also didn't understand that they'd have to pay closing costs as part of the transaction, as well as substantial monthly homeowner association fees.The condo's tiny size and large homeowners association dues turned off other potential buyers, Flores said.The condo is 500 square feet and has homeowners association dues of $1,718 a month. The dues include one meal a day and maid service.The three strongest buyers all purchased bigger units after viewing the $1 condo, Flores said.

A fourth-floor unit in the Laguna Woods Village retirement community's The Towers complex failed to sell in recent months even though the owners were asking just a buck for the property.The condo quietly came off the market without a buyer, said listing agent Cathy Flores of Century 21 Award.Flores, who no longer represents the owners, said she doesn't know what their plans are for the condo. But while the listing failed to sell, it wasn't due to a lack of interest."I spoke to over 200 people. Most were not qualified," Flores said. "I had people call from Egypt. ... Out of everyone who called, there were only three viable, interested people."Most people balked when told the condo is in a 55-plus retirement community, Flores added.Some would-be buyers – many calling from out of state – either wanted to buy the condo as a vacation home or to use it as a rental, she said. Those uses were not possible for most of the callers because of the 55-year-old minimum age requirement.Some people also didn't understand that they'd have to pay closing costs as part of the transaction, as well as substantial monthly homeowner association fees.The condo's tiny size and large homeowners association dues turned off other potential buyers, Flores said.The condo is 500 square feet and has homeowners association dues of $1,718 a month. The dues include one meal a day and maid service.The three strongest buyers all purchased bigger units after viewing the $1 condo, Flores said.

Deutsche Bank

Deutsche Bank, now the world's largest, settled with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to resolve claims that subsidiary MortgageIT sold shaky loans to IndyMac Bank, which imploded under the weight of risky mortgages and construction loans. The FDIC collected $54 million from the settlement three years ago but never issued a news release to announce it. Above, the Deutsche Bank towers in Frankfurt, Germany.

 (Daniel Roland / AFP/Getty Images / January 31, 2013)

Epic Cruise Terminal

http://www.travelweekly.com/uploadedImages/All_TW_News/Cruise/2013/HongKongKaiTekTerminal-render.jpg

a "space-age flair"

Since its completion in 1980, Bob Hope and his family owned a well-known Palm Springs mansion fit for a king (or as some would argue ... an alien?). Now, the extravagant residence that used to belong to America's favorite star officially hit the market. Listed by Ann Eysenring of Partners Trust in Beverly Hills and Patrick Jordan and Stewart Smith of Windermere Real Estate in Palm Springs, Hope's legendary home is up for grabs at an asking price of $50 million. And judging by the sheer wow-factor of the home and its interiors, we think the hefty price tag does the colossal space justice.

The house is nothing short of magnificent. Built at the tail end of the 1970s, the massive, sweeping structure was designed by John Lautner, an influential American architect whose work has been regularly characterized as possessing a "space-age flair"-- which probably explains the mansion's UFO feel. The estate is perched atop Southridge with a 360 view overlooking the entire Coachella Valley, among other natural Southern Californian wonders. Covering 22,000 square feet, the list of luxurious amenities includes a pool, pond, tennis court, outdoor fireplace, 360 degree views and more. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/04/bob-hopes-palm-springs-on-sale_n_2806531.html#slide=2179184

Lamborghini Veneno makes full appearance before Geneva debut

The Veneno is reported to mark Lamborghini's 50th anniversary, and will be built in a production run of just three, each with a price tag of around $4.6 million and each one bearing a color of the Italian flag (green, white or red). And no, Richie Rich, you can't have one, because all three are already sold.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/03/04/lamborghini-veneno-makes-full-appearance-before-geneva-debut/

Frank Gehry

Whoa: starriest starchitect Frank Gehry is designing a 22-story tower on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, according to plans submitted today. The Santa Monica Daily Press reports that the tower will house a 125-room hotel and 22 condos, plus two stories of retail and restaurants, and a three-floor subterranean parking garage with 460 spaces. But wait! There's more. A 36,000-square-foot art museum, incorporating two landmarked structures, is planned for next door. Finally, there are also plans for a separate apartment building on Second Street to meet the project's affordable housing requirement (and replace 19 rent-controlled units that would be lost to the development). The project is being developed by M. David Paul Associates--which owns the site--and the Worthe Real Estate Group. *The tower would not actually be taller than the 21-story building recently proposed for the Fairmont Miramar Hotel site--despite having one more story, it would come in about 18 feet shorter.

http://la.curbed.com/archives/2013/02/frank_gehry_designing_hotel_tower_and_art_museum_for_samo.php

Australian International Airshow

An aerobatics team performs during the Australian International Airshow in Melbourne, Australia, March 1, 2013. The airshow is expected to have 180,000 patrons through the gates over the duration of the event staged at the Avalon Airfield.  

(Paul Crock/AFP/Getty Images)

http://abcnews.go.com/International/slideshow/today-pictures-18630853