Designer Alex Carroll is auctioning what is reportedly the world’s oldest timepiece this Valentine’s Day, along with what may be the world’s rarest necklace, and hopes to raise millions for charity with the proceeds from the sale.

The timepiece and necklace are being auctioned next week in time for Valentine’s Day, with a starting bid of $1 million.

The world’s most expensive clock to date sold at a Sotheby’s auction in 1999 for $5.7 million. Carroll claims the one he is selling at auction is rarer because it is one-of-a-kind, made by nature, and can never be copied or duplicated.

The winning bidder gets to choose which charity the proceeds of the sale are given to, and can even designate their own charity if they wish.

The 20-million-year-old timepiece is made from a naturally heart-shaped piece of fossilised Bali Star Coral, and what Carroll says is the world’s largest collection of naturally heart-shaped pieces of rare, red sea glass.

The matching gold pendant is made with what Carroll says is the most perfect specimen of naturally heart-shaped red sea glass ever found.

Carroll has named the timepiece “The Crown Jewel of the Sea”, and it is the star feature of his limited edition series of clocks and pendants which are all made from naturally heart-shaped stones he has collected from beaches around the world.

Carroll has contacts to the Royal Family and said: “There’s a chance Prince William might get the pair for Kate for Valentine’s Day and give all the proceeds to their charity.”

Check out this video on the beautiful Crown Jewel of the Sea and the world’s most expensive Valentine’s Day gift auction:

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The nice folks over at Huffington Post pointed out that Apple now has a windfall of cash after yet another profitable year – and tried to point out the things that cash could theoretically purchase.

We’ve heard a lot of chatter as a result of that, with inexperienced pundits and passionate fanboys and equally devoted doubters all coming up with their own ‘Apple will TOTALLY buy’ situations. Rival companies? Sure. Environmental initiatives? Probably in our dreams. But what if Apple did use their piggy bank on something major, something ‘magical’? Here’s our favorite highly speculative scenarios that people have told us, and our two cents about them…

Apple buys Sony

People look at Sony as this aging giant, a once-great company that was innovative and inventive, that has now fallen behind the times. In the simplest explanation possible, it’s just a company that has grown too big, and has too many fingers in too many industries to be the ‘boutique’ or ’underdog’ that we prefer these days. What would happen if Apple bought Sony? It would end up having just as much difficulty keeping the music division, film studio, computer division, PlayStation division, etc. etc., working with each together, and as a result dilute the Apple brand.  Apple is simply too smart to do something like that.

Apple buys Spotify

Spotify may be the biggest threat that iTunes has, as it delivers unlimited music for free, and even more benefits for a low monthly price.  Many people have realized that the songs they buy on their aging iTunes platform (although Apple is trying to breathe some life into it with its ‘match’ function) often just sit around in their computer, taking up space, and as an alternative are investing in the ability to hear endless new music without committing to buy anything.  But is it really competition, or just an entirely different business model? We don’t think Apple needs to buy Spotify, and – even more importantly – don’t see any reason why Spotify should sell to Apple. Both have great products that will do just fine on their own.

Apple buys Android

Such wishful thinking! Yes, Android was the bane of Steve Job’s existence, and he often publicly talked about how he thought it stole from Apple’s innovative iOS platform. Fervent Apple supporters would love to see Apple make Android disappear, and buying it from Google would be one way to do it. But we all know it’s impractical, and why should Apple allow Google to profit even further by paying for Android? But anyway, no money is going to make Android go away. Apple’s going to just have to keep their lawyers at it.

Apple Buys Foxconn

So unless you only play Angry Birds and don’t read any news on your iPad, you must have heard about the poor quality of conditions and subsequent accidents in the manufacturing plant in China that is responsible for building said iPad.  More and more, Apple’s reputation is being tarnished for being unable to change factory policies, or improving the standards for all workers there – but if they outright purchased the factory, couldn’t they bring their attention to detail and passion for perfection to the site? We think this is highly unlikely, but the little child laborer in us can dream, right?

Apple buys Let it Flow

Just had to throw that one in there for fun.

Iowa Lottery officials say the attorney who claimed to have possession of the winning ticket in a $14.3 million jackpot has abandoned his claim.

Attorney Crawford Shaw abandoned the claim – which he confirmed was on behalf of a client in Belize – last Thursday, Iowa lottery spokeswoman Mary Neubauer told the Associated Press (AP).

The AP reported the Iowa Lottery said it had learned that Crawford Shaw, an attorney who said he represents a trust that owned a winning Iowa Lottery jackpot ticket, was “associated with criminal proceedings and bankruptcy filings in New York and Delaware.”

The AP identified Shaw as the former chief executive officer of Industrial Enterprises of America Inc., a bankrupt public company that the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said was looted in a $100 million securities fraud scheme.

The Des Moines law firm that worked on the trust’s behalf issued a statement saying the identity of the buyer or buyers of the ticket were unknown even to Shaw.

The statement also said the trust offered to authorise the Iowa Lottery to pay the winnings, after taxes, to charities, but lottery officials declined, saying no payments would be made until the identities of the buyers were known.

Meanwhile, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office and the state Division of Criminal Investigation announced a criminal probe into the matter.

The Iowa Lottery has confirmed the authenticity of the winning Hot Lotto ticket.

The winning Hot Lotto ticket was bought at a Des Moines convenience store in December 2010, then went unclaimed for nearly a year before attorneys tried to claim the winning ticket through lottery officials less than two hours before it was due to expire.

Check out this news conference with Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich announcing the latest turn of events surrounding the mystery lottery ‘winner’…

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The construction bill for One World Trade Center, the skyscraper under construction at Ground Zero in New York, has risen to more than $3.8 billion, making it the world’s most expensive new office tower, according to Fox News.

The massive bill, up $700 million from the latest public estimate, marks another obstacle in the rebuilding process of the site of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which has been marred with political challenges and ever-lengthening construction delays.

One World Trade Center is being built by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the regional transportation agency that owns the 16-acre World Trade Center site.

To cover the series of cost increases at the site, which has totaled billions since construction began, the area’s economy has taken a hit in the form of higher bridge and tunnel tolls and reduced spending on transportation infrastructure.

Continuing delays have also caused the construction site to be boarded up for more than 10 years.

The driving forces behind the latest increase in the construction bill estimate are construction-cost overruns and a decision by the Port Authority to now include leasing expenses in its public estimates, which are higher than the Port Authority had privately anticipated.

One World Trade Center’s construction is much more expensive than a traditional office tower, largely due to security costs associated with building the tallest building in North America on a site that has been the target of two separate terrorist attacks (the site was also bombed in 1993). Once known as the Freedom Tower, the 1,776-foot skyscraper sits on top of a heavily reinforced, windowless podium. It also has a thick core of concrete and steel around its elevator shafts.

By comparison, the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower located in Dubai, was built at a cost of $1.5 billion.

But despite financial and political obstacles, construction on the world’s tallest office tower is proceeding. A memorial plaza opened on the 10-year anniversary of the September 11 attacks. Construction of One World Trade Center has reached 90 storeys, and 4 World Trade Center, a 72-storey office tower being built by private developer Larry Silverstein, has risen 61 storeys. Both are due to be completed at the end of 2013.

When first proposed, One World Trade Center was expected to cost about $2 billion. The most recent public estimate, from 2008, was $3.1 billion.

Let it Flow readers enjoy splurging on the finer things in life. And although we have recommended some pretty nifty rare foods and lavish dining experiences in the past, vegetarian cuisine hasn’t been at the top of our suggestions. But with a growing trend for celebrities, socialites, and even athletes going vegetarian/vegan, it would be a mistake not to represent this type of cuisine.

Here are a few tips for dining vegetarian style in NYC – but to keep it interesting for meat eaters, we’ve thrown in a couple of curve balls as well.

Blue Hill

Need to find a place where both meat eaters and vegetarians can compromise? We suggest trying a farm-to-table restaurant, which follows, yes, the philosophy of only cooking what is fresh from the farm. Blue Hill, which is frequented by the wealthiest urbanites, has its own farm in upstate New York, and delivers the best possible produce that would put the kitchens of most restaurants – strictly vegetarian or otherwise – to shame. Yes, the menu is still mostly for meat and fish eaters, but if the freshest, most organic food is what you are after, this is the place. www.bluehillfarm.com

Blue Hill, 75 Washington Place New York, New York 10011 Tel. 212 539 1776,

Hangawi

Going vegetarian doesn’t mean going boring.  Certain nations actually subsisted (and still subsist) on a vegetable dominant diet, and thus are very good at making it fun and exciting for the palate. If you like Korean cuisine, Hangawi is a must to try, located in the heart of the city’s Koreatown, you get all of the flavors that you are familiar with, but in the healthiest way possible.  The space is dark, swank, and romantic too – perfect for impressing your vegetarian love interest (health conscious and adventurous!). www.hangawirestaurant.com

Hangawi, 12 E. 32^nd Street New York, NY 10016 Tel. 212-213-0077,

Candle Café

This is Vegan Heaven. For those who don’t know what veganism is, it’s the preferred diet of Natalie Portman (and Mike Tyson) and not only eschews meat, fish and poultry, but dairy products as well (and yes, that includes butter). So how does it work, you ask? Well the chefs here substitute tofu, soymilk, tapioca and all sorts of ingredients to come up with similar tasting alternatives, and in the meantime utilize protein substitutes like Seitan (wheat gluten) to come up with delicious meals. Confused by all the information? That means you just have to come try it. www.candlecafe.com

Candle Café, 1307 3rd Avenue New York, NY 10021 Tel. 212-472-0970,

ABC Kitchen

The clear subtext of this article is farm-to-table. And the other great farm-to-table restaurant in New York City right now is ABC Kitchen. Run by culinary icon Jean-Georges Vongerichten, this restaurant located in the lobby of a luxury furniture store and presents a menu filled with vegetarian friendly meals that range from soups and salads to pastas and roasted dishes. And again, you get the freshest possible ingredients so that you can audition your ‘pleasure face’ in front of the many entertainment folk who come here to hob-nob and also be seen. www.abchome.com

ABC Kitchen, 35 E 18th St New York, NY 10003 Tel. 212-475-5829,

Angelica Kitchen

If you could identify a New York City vegetarian by sight, and then stopped them on the street and asked them where to grab a hearty vegetarian meal, we are sure that Angelica Kitchen would be mentioned at some point. This place – a definite staple of the East Village – has been around since 1976, and offers an eclectic menu with items ranging from Asian-style rice bowls to Southern-style chili, sandwiches and more. If you are looking for a causal, satisfying evening, this is the place you will want to go, and keep coming back to. www.angelicakitchen.com

Angelica Kitchen,  300 E. 12^th Street New York, NY 10003 Tel. 212-228-2909

Baccarat is a popular game with Asian visitors to Las Vegas casinos.

Big-time gamblers, primarily from Asia, are flocking to Sin City to play baccarat and providing a big boost to the city’s casino revenue in the process.

In the days before Chinese New Year celebrations began this week, six Asian high-rollers sat down at the private baccarat tables at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas one day and began betting wagers of $100,000 to $200,000 a hand, the Associated Press reported.

In terms of casino revenue in Las Vegas, baccarat has easily surpassed blackjack and now represents nearly 60 per cent of the MGM Grand’s table games revenue over the past year.

The game has become especially popular this week, with tens of thousands of Asian tourists in Vegas to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

“For us to make money in gaming today without baccarat is almost impossible,” said Debra Nutton, senior vice-president of casino operations at the MGM Grand hotel-casino. “We need the big whales to make money.”

In Vegas lingo, a “whale” is a big-time gambler who easily wagers more in one night at the tables than most American families make in a year.

These “whales” are well-taken care of in the top casinos of Vegas, with plush, secluded gambling salons. Baccarat games in these secluded gambling salons often start out at a minimum $10,000 per hand.

The whales typically favour baccarat — a game romanticised in James Bond films and highly popular in the Asian gambling mecca of Macau and Singapore.

Nevada figures show that during the 12 months ending November 30, casinos statewide won $1.27 billion from baccarat players, with the game offered at a total of 258 tables in 24 casinos. Blackjack, meanwhile, raked in just $1.03 billion — even though it was offered at a significantly larger total of 2,810 tables in 151 casinos.

Slots are still the most popular and lucrative form of gambling in Nevada, with nearly 165,000 machines in over 330 locations.

Vancouver has become the new home of the world’s most expensive hot dog.

Hot dog restaurant DougieDog Hot Dogs introduced a $100 hot dog to their menu on Tuesday.

The Dragon Dog consists of a foot-long bratwurst infused with 100-year-old Louis XIII cognac — which, on its own has a price tag of $2,000 — Kobe beef seared in olive and truffle oil, fresh lobster, and picante sauce.

“When people have food you have to be able to taste the different tastes, people have the chance to taste each (individual ingredient),” said Dougie Luv, owner and hot dog connoisseur of DougieDog Hot Dogs. “All the tastes intertwine with each other.”

But while The Dragon Dog may seem over the top for the ordinarily humble hot dog, Luv insists it remains true to the original hot dog identity.

“I didn’t want to change the concept of a hot dog, we wanted to inspire it and bring it to the next level,” he said. “It’s a hot dog that anyone would love.”

As yet, no one has ordered the world’s most expensive hot dog, but Luv said it will remain a permanent feature on the menu.

Patrons will need to place their order for The Dragon Dog 12 hours in advance in order for the ingredients to be prepared.

The Dragon Dog broke the previous record of world’s most expensive hot dog held by a $69 Haute Dog found at Serendipity restaurant in New York.

A self-employed builder and his wife have come forward as the winners of last Friday’s EuroMillions lottery jackpot of nearly £41 million.

The couple said they plan to splash out on an executive box at Old Trafford – as well as a new carpet.

Gareth and Catherine Bull won £40,627,241 after matching the numbers from their Lucky Dip ticket with the winning numbers from the EuroMillions draw on January 20.

Mr Bull, 40, bought the winning ticket on a whim after he was unable to start work that day because it was raining.

The couple, from Mansfield in England, said they also want to take their two sons to Disneyland, Florida, but first thing’s first – the most pressing matter on 35-year-old Mrs Bull’s mind is her landing carpet.

She told a press conference: “I did say a carpet for my landing because it’s terrible, nobody’s allowed upstairs. It bothers me. I get to the top of the stairs every day and I’m like ‘I hate that carpet’.”

Mr Bull said he couldn’t believe he’d won when he checked his ticket, even though he thought his ticket matched a few of the numbers. He had to call his wife, who thought she was being “teased” by her husband while she was getting their sons ready for football.

Mrs Bull said: “You’re rubbing your eyes, you’re looking at the numbers and you’re trying to comprehend things. Thinking, ‘it must be four million maybe’ and they’ve got the dots and the dashes in the wrong places – there’s got to be some pence somewhere.”

Mr Bull said the couple do not plan to leave Mansfield or splash out on a glamorous mansion despite their massive win.

“All of this has happened at a crazy fast speed since Saturday and it is hard to keep up,” he said. “We have our dream home which we built from scratch and it is impossible to think about what we are going to do next yet.”

Other than the landing carpet, Mr Bull also wants to spend his winnings on an executive box at Old Trafford to watch his beloved Manchester United play, followed by a Range Rover Sport, a villa somewhere and a trip to Disneyland in Florida for the kids.

Mrs Bull, who works in health insurance, said she may still go back to work because she cannot spend her days shopping – a pastime she can’t stand so much she even has her groceries delivered.

A stretched Audi R8 is set to become the world’s fastest limousine.

Limo Broker in the U.K. recently announced plans to build the world’s first Audi R8 V10 stretch limousine.

The street-legal version of the Audi R8 will feature a massive V10 engine that powers the car from 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds.

The V10 produces 500 horsepower and a top speed of 197mph.

The Audi R8 limousine is set to easily break the current 0-60mph limo speed record of 6 seconds held by a Ferrari limousine.

The Audi R8 limousine will comfortably fit eight people, and is expected to the hit road by summer 2012.

Limo Broker has not yet revealed the cost of the world’s fastest limousine, but we can assume it’s going to be considerably more than the standard Audi R8 V10’s $149,000 price tag.

Check out this sneak peek of the Audi R8 limo:

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It is that time of year when we’re feeling optimistic and making plans for the foreseeable future. Maybe you are preparing to go back into the office with renewed confidence and give your career a boost. Maybe you are getting ready to be a better parent, husband or wife. Maybe you have no clue whatsoever of what to do with your life next.

For those of you who are feeling a little lost, here are a few people and companies developing cool stuff out there that may inspire you to think outside the box – and who knows, maybe break some new ground?

Copenhagen Suborbitals: Space Travel Amateurs

There has been a lot of talk about space travel in recent years. We have all heard of Virgin Galactics of course, and know fully well that the governments of the US, Russia and China are active in space through various programs. But what you may not know is that there are independent, uncompromising inventors out there who want to send people into space too – and they may just succeed in the next few years.

One such project that we want to hear more from is Copenhagen Surborbitals, started by two guys – one mechanical engineer/inventor who before he started crafting space capsules built submarines and one architect with a specialty skill in space travel. And don’t for one second think that these boys aren’t serious. Their program, funded by donations and volunteers, is well under way with test flights already happening and by 2016 or 2017 we may well hear about them orbiting somewhere like 150 to 200km above planet earth. www.copenhagensuborbitals.com

Sealander: Water Cruising Caravan

Forget about that typical holiday in the forest or up in mountains, now you can soon go for camping trips not just by the water but ON it. Thanks to German inventor Daniel Straub this fun camper’s dream will take you cruising in style, and you can even take the roof off on sunny days. We can’t wait to see this in production and on the market in the near future. Just someone please explain to us how the fact that it is an electric vehicle operating in water works? www.sealander.de

Innespace: Wild Submarines

Since we’re already in the water, let us stay there for a while and look at submarines fit for anyone who feels the need for speed – and aquatic adventure. Innespace has for a few years now been building boats that look (and to certain extent behave) like sharks and dolphins. We heard of their latest killer whale inspired submarine called “Seabreacher Y” that supposedly can power you forward at a roaring speed of 90km per hour, take dives at speeds of 30km per hour (yes, that means dives DOWN INTO the ocean) and can jump more than 5 meters out of water, and we were pretty impressed. We hear the waitlist is pretty long. www.seabreacher.com

Peraves: Sexy and Clever Electronic Cars

They brought us the covered motorbike “MonoTracer” before, and now Swiss inventors Peraves are presenting the eTracer, a two-wheel electronic car that can take you further than 300km on one battery charge. That is, if you maintain speeds at or below 100km per hour. If you want to step on it though, and don’t mind to stop sooner for a charge, this modern car will cruise at speeds as high as 250km per hour.

The prototype for eTracer won Peraves the 2011 Progressive Automobile X Prize for best two-seater electronic car, so we’re pretty excited to see how it does when available to the general public. After all, who doesn’t want to be able to drive 100km on the equivalent of 1 liter of gas? www.peraves.wordpress.com

Purdue University: Tiny Electronic Oxygen Generator for Treating Cancer

Apart from above inventions that keep our dreams alive, there are of course countless genius visionaries who power forward in chemistry, physics and medicine to keep us healthier and physically more fit too – and while they deserve a thousand articles celebrating their bravery, we wanted to mention one in particular here today.

Most of us are directly or indirectly affected by the horrors of cancer during a lifetime. What you may not know is that many treatment methods are highly inefficient without oxygen – and that oxygen in some kinds cancer tissue is very scarce. To find a way around this problem researchers at Purdue, a US University, have developed a tiny, 8mm long oxygen generator that can be surgically inserted into tumors, where it turns water into oxygen via electrolysis.  Thank you, we say. This is definitely an invention we want to keep an eye on.