Prince is going into the prefume business. His new fragrance, 3121, will launch on 07/07/07 with a 24-hour online charity event and a surprise performance by Prince at Macy’s in Minneapolis.

For a mere $250 fans of the purple one can score a ticket to a private performance at Macy’s Minneapolis at 4pm on 7/7/07, one ticket for lower level seating at the Prince Target Center concert the evening of 7/7/07, special early release of Prince’s new 3.4 oz. bottle of the 3121 fragrance and a custom Prince 3121 t-shirt. Tickets go on sale tomorrrow.

The introduction of the 3121 fragrance will be the first of many products under the umbrella of the 3121 brand, a collection that will express Prince’s artistic vision.

At the turn of the 20th century, New York City had as many as 15 “floating baths” moored along the East and Hudson Rivers. The rectangular structures were held afloat by pontoons and allowed river water to run through, providing summertime recreation for city residents prior to the invention of air conditioning.

According to Gotham Gazette, in 1910 the Health Department closed down the floating baths because the rivers were too polluted. Five were retrofitted to hold fresh water and operated until 1935, when Robert Moses began building pools on land with funding from the federal Works Progress Administration. Moses opened 11 enormous and beautifully ornamented pools in the summer of 1936, setting the standard for public pools in the city. Ten of these are still in use today, including Astoria Pool, where Olympic trials were conducted in 1936 and 1964.

Now, with the help of Ann Buttenwieser’s Neptune Foundation, a new floating pool designed by architect Jonathan Kirschenfeld is ready to be unveiled along the Brooklyn waterfront this summer. The new floating pool is four feet deep, 82 feet long and has seven swimming lanes, as well as a snack bar and dressing rooms.

When you’re a billionaire, your wedding can easily turn into a major event with helicopters hovering. But Sergey Brin, a co-founder of Google, ain’t that kind of billionaire. He lives in a relatively modest Palo Alto home and drives a modest eco-vehicle to and from his workplace.

According to The New York Times, Brin and his bride Anne Wojcicki, recently married on a private island in the Bahamas. Sounds pretty swank. But check this, the couple swam to a sandbar where they met the wedding party and exchanged vows. The bride wore a white swimsuit and the groom wore black trunks.

How does a credit provider indicate to card holders it cares about something other than pure profit? If the financial institution is a savvy marketer like American Express, the answer is The Members Project.

The project gives cardmembers the chance to dream up, and ultimately unite behind, one idea that will have a positive impact in the world. American Express will fund the winning idea with up to $5 million.

According to the site’s FAQs, “Giving back is a core value of American Express. Over the years, we have supported causes that are important to our Cardmembers. The Members Project is unique in that the project ideas are not generated by American Express; they are generated by our Cardmembers. The Members Project empowers our Cardmembers to participate in something very special, made possible because they are a part of the American Express Cardmember community.”

Venture capitalist, author and Power Point guru, Guy Kawasaki, visited the offices of Threadless in Chicago recently. While there, he entered the firm’s Airstream trailer which has been made into a podcast studio.

Speaking of the creative setting, Kawasaki said, “You have one of the more unique offices I’ve seen in America.” Given his travels and access to change agents, that’s quite a compliment.

Here’s how BusinessWeek describes “the Razr of laptops.”

The thinnest notebook computer ever, this new machine created by Ziba Design and Intel, packs enough futuristic features to make a geek’s head spin.

On the outside, from its no-rim screen to its groovy keyboard, the notebook is gloriously smooth and streamlined. A special accessory-a leather-like folder that wraps around the laptop and attaches with magnets-serves as a wireless charger and an external screen that lets users check e-mail without opening the computer. Add a strap, and the whole thing turns into a bag.

Colleton River marsh

South Carolina’s Council on Competitiveness, also known as New Carolina, has “declared independence from mediocrity.”

We, the tenacious people of New Carolina, declare independence from mediocrity. We will reach beyond past mistakes and build on historic successes toward a bright future that lifts our families, our schools, our businesses. From this day forward, we will demonstrate a new will and forge a new way. With tireless passion, bold leadership and decisive action, we will silence the nay-sayers, the doubters, the cynics. We will encourage the innovators and teachers, and celebrate the courageous. In doing so, we will become a leader in public education, entrepreneurial success, personal income and quality of life. Each day we will reach for, and push each other, until one day the world will acknowledge us as ‘The New Land of Opportunity’. New energy. New ideas. New action. New Jobs.

While platitudes typed in the dark of night won’t get the job done, recognizing real world opportunities will.

Kirsten Singleton, reporting for Bluffton Today, points out that New Carolina claims there are immense opportunities in travel and tourism throughout the Palmetto state. This, I’m inclined to believe.

In a report commissioned by New Carolina, Marion Edmonds, director for South Carolina’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism said, “In almost every geographic area of the state there are some tourism products that could be developed that would strengthen the tourism appeal of that area of region. The state has vast natural and cultural resources that offer opportunities for development—as yet unrealized.”

Among the recommendations for Hilton Head Island and the rest of Beaufort County (where BFG is headquartered): access road improvements, Bluffton urban regeneration, Palmetto Bluff Resort development and expanded ecotourism.

More than 10.5 million visitors come to Beaufort County annualy—an average of 28,972 people a day. Tourism accounts for a whopping 60% of Hilton Head Island’s economy, providing $1.5 billion in revenue annually.

Susan Thomas, vice president of the area’s Visitor & Convention Bureau believes the area needs to put greater emphasis on the Gullah story. It’s also important to use environmentaly friendly building methods in hope of preserving the natural beauty that brings people to the Lowcountry in the first place, she said.

Beginning next month, car buyers who visit a Saturn dealer will not only be able to test drive the Saturn line up but will also be able to check out the competition. Dealerships will have a Toyota Camry and Accord available for test drives in the hopes the buyer will end up choosing the new Saturn Aura instead. The Aura was named “Car Of The Year” by automotive journalists earlier this year and it’s done well in comparisons with other vehicles, according to Mark LaNeve, head of North American sales and marketing for General Motors. But sales of the Aura have been sluggish.

Part of the reason GM is willing to take this step, said LaNeve, is because the company has little to lose. Midsized sedan shoppers often don’t even consider GM products, he said, instead going straight to Honda and Toyota dealers.

GM is also planning to implement a similar plan with the redesigned Chevy Malibu, which shares the same platform as the Aura.

Sub Pop Records has wisely uploaded 34 music videos to Revver, the video sharing site that splits a portion of its ad-based revenue with content producers (something YouTube is now dabbling in, as well). The Band of Horses* video above is a particular favorite of mine, but fans of Wolf Parade, Mudhoney, Fruit Bats, Oxford Collapse, The Shins, The Thermals, Rogue Wave, Constantines, Iron & Wine and other fine acts will also be pleased.

*The group recently relocated to Charleston, SC from Seattle

Something is new in the Red Sox clubhouse—It’s the socks several of the players are wearing this season. Pitchers Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima started the trend early in the season, wearing socks that have a spot for each individual toe. 

The five-toed socks are shipped to Matsuzaka from Japan, where they’re quite popular. He’s been doling them out to teammates, including Mike Lowell, Alex Cora and Doug Mirabelli, who have been wearing them regularly during games, according to a story in the New York Times.

“At first they feel kind of weird,” Mirabelli said. “They got some sticky things on the bottom, like little kids would have on the bottom of their socks. But you get used to them.” 

The socks that Matsuzaka wears are covered with hundreds of tiny rubbery beads on the sole for better traction. As for Okajima, the individual toe slots help with his balance because he can firmly grip each toe, he said.

Whether or not the socks have helped the Red Sox with their strong start, perhaps the sock is once again becoming a symbol for the team. In 2004, when Boston was on the way to their first World Series in 86 years, Curt Schilling’s bloody socks became a symbol as they beat the Yankees to win the AL Championship.