text:
Author: Brad

Painting the Manti Temple

Posted on Categories Painting, Traditional ArtTags , , , Leave a comment on Painting the Manti Temple

I have little formal training in painting, so most of what I know I learned from articles on the Internet. I have been reading about imprimatura in painting and I wanted to try it out.

Imprimatura is an underpainting process where the painter creates a monochromatic stain of color on the canvas and uses the color to establish values of dark and light. Usually an earth tone is used, such as raw sienna or burnt umber. When painting, the artist is careful to not completely cover the imprimatura with paint so that some of the earth color shows through in the final painting.

Once I had decided on my subject, I began my painting by creating a basic sketch on my canvas board with a pencil. I then traced my sketch with ink so that the lines would show through when I put down my imprimatura layer.

Manti Temple sketched on canvas board

I created my imprimatura layer by mixing water and acrylic paint at close to a 1:1 ratio. I then used a foam brush from the hardware store to spread the thinned paint onto my canvas board. In retrospect, a foam brush was not the best tool for the job because it caused streaks in the paint. After brushing on my imprimatura layer, I used a paper towel to wipe the sky out so that the paint would be lighter in that area.

Manti Temple sketch with imprimatura layer

Once the imprimatura layer was dry, I began by painting the sky and the temple. I found another use for my foam brush while painting the sky. I found that if I put tiny drops of paint on the sky, I could use the foam brush to create cloud streaks. There are probably other ways to do this, but I really liked the way the streaks looked when using the foam brush.

When the sky and temple dried, I painted in a brown foreground and added dark green trees.

Manti Temple painting with first ground layer

To finish off the painting, I lightly painted over the trees with a lighter green color to give some depth. I also lightly painted over the ground with a light green color, allowing some fo the brown to continue to show through.

Manti Temple finished painting

And that’s how I used imprimatura to create this painting. Did I use the technique correctly? I have no idea, but experimentation and creativity is what art is really about anyway.

New Game and New Gate

Posted on Categories Current Projects, GamingTags , , ,

A couple of weeks ago, I started working on a new game. It’s called Forgotten Temple. Forgotten Temple is sort of a reimagining of Treasure Tomb, but it’s also more than that. It’s closer to my original concept for Treasure Tomb; sort of what Treasure Tomb was supposed to be but I couldn’t bring it all together at the time.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m mostly happy with how Treasure Tomb turned out and I was able to re-use some of the original ideas for Wolf in the Fold, but it was nice to be able to put everything back together.

Forgotten Temple follows a similar theme to Treasure Tomb, except now when a player enters the temple/tomb he or she encounters a mummified priest. Also, players no longer collect gold to win the game. The basic object of the game is to steal a treasure token from the mummy-priest and exit the temple still holding the treasure.

The basic concept of the cards from Treasure Tomb is also completely redesigned. Cards only serve 3 purposes now:

  1. Move a player’s pawn
  2. Move the mummy-priest
  3. Unlock an entrance to the temple

I’ve kept the concept of building passages inside the temple, but the tiles are all hex tiles now instead of square tiles. The tiles are also thicker; they are actual tiles instead of cards. Both of these changes should help the game board hold together better, and the hex tiles were what I originally wanted, as evidenced by the hex tiles in Wolf in the Fold.

I’m hoping to begin playtesting in a couple of weeks and barring any major changes I will be begin working on the final artwork within the next month or two.

In other news, my fence has been falling apart for a couple of years. I finally took the time this morning to replace the smaller section on one side of my house with a gate. I’ve never built a fence before, so the 4-foot wide gate was my test. I like how it turned out, so now I guess I need to man-up and rebuild the 15-foot section on the other side of the house.

I built the gate to swing inward with no exterior features, so unless you know it’s a gate it just looks like a normal section of fence.

My new gate

Now I just need to buy some paint or stain to finish it off.

New Artistic Imposter Design Newsletter

Posted on Categories Current Projects, WritingTags

Almost a decade ago, I wrote a series of monthly newsletters for Artistic Imposter Design, but I gave up on them after about six months. Well, I’m pleased to announce that I’ve restarted my monthly newsletters, and the first one was emailed out this morning. If you missed it, here is the link to the online version:

Subscribe now to make sure you don’t miss another one!

Marketing Permissions

Please select all the ways you would like to hear from Artistic Imposter Design:

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. For information about our privacy practices, please visit our privacy policy.

We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By clicking below to subscribe, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing. Learn more about Mailchimp’s privacy practices here.

* indicates required

Nova Regula On Sale Now!

Posted on Categories GamingTags , , ,

Last year, I wrote about a new game I was working on, Nova Regula. After several rounds of playtesting, a couple of modifications to the original rules, and way too much time sitting on the back burner, I have finally listed the game for sale at The Game Crafter. While you’re there, be sure to check out the Nova Regula Expansion Set, also available now!

Nova Regula

Nova Regula is a classic card game with one twist – the rules are always changing. Players take turns playing cards into the pot. If you can’t play a regular card, play an event card instead. Some event cards change the rules, but beware – the change may not be in your favor!

Includes a custom deck of 54 classic playing cards, 20 Event cards, and 30 Rules cards.

Available Now at The Game Crafter!

Spectacular Scenery 2018 Calendar Available for Purchase!

Posted on Categories Photography, PrintTags , , ,

Still looking for that perfect wall calendar for next year? Look no further! My new Spectacular Scenery 2018 Calendar, featuring twelve of my best landscape photography prints, is available now for purchase from DeviantArt.

Each photograph in this calendar is also available as an individual print in various sizes. Photographs included in this calendar are:
Shelter Cove (2015)
View South from Mt. Konocti (2015)
Sunset at Highland Glen (2017)
Cottonwood Creek (2006)
Down By the Creek (2016)
Bonneville Salt Flats (2015)
Nebo Loop in July (2016)
Cabin in the Tetons (2006)
Field of Hay Bales (2016)
View From Scotts Bluff (2016)
Distant Mountains (2016)
Cleveland Reservoir Panorama (2015)

Visit DeviantArt now to get your copy!

Spectacular Scenery Calendar

New Game in the Works

Posted on Categories Digital art, GamingTags , ,

Nova Regula

Over the last couple of weeks, I have dedicated some of my free time to working on a new card game, Nova Regula. Based on several classic card games, Nova Regula is designed to be easy to learn for even the most casual gamer.

Nova Regula utilizes a custom deck of 54 playing cards, 20 Event cards, and 30 Rules cards. Nova Regula follows the usual method of playing cards to the middle of the table, with one twist – the rules are always changing.

I have completed the game prototype and expect to begin playtesting soon. I plan to put the game up for sale in the next month or so, but in the meantime you can check out the product page at The Game Crafter.

Creating a Stereographic Projection in Photoshop

Posted on Categories Digital art, Photoshop, TutorialsTags , , , , , , ,

Several years ago, I came across a way to create cool and unique pieces of art from a photograph in Photoshop. This type of photograph is known as a stereographic projection or “little planet” and, while you don’t see too many people doing it anymore, it seems like it was kind of popular a few years ago. I made a few of these back then, and since I’ve always liked them I’ve recently started making them again.

To make this kind of art is actually pretty simple and requires only a couple of things: a great photograph and a copy of Adobe Photoshop or a similar image-editing program. The best stereographic projections use a type of picture called a 360-degree panorama. This means that the edge of one side of the panorama could be placed next to the opposite edge of the panorama and the two sides would form a continuous scene. These types of pictures are often created by standing in one place and taking continuous photographs while panning the camera in a 360-degree circle, then stitching the photos together in Photoshop or a similar program. Many smartphone cameras now have a panorama feature that makes this easier.

So what do you do if you can’t get a 360-degree panoramic photograph? There are two options: either fake it by editing the image you have, or mirror the image. I have done both, and both options can provide great results.

Faking It

First, I want to show you how to fake it. I’ll use a copy of my photograph, Hovenweep, taken at Hovenweep National Monument.
Hovenweep by K. Bradley Washburn

Photoshop Offset Dialog Box

After opening the photograph in Photoshop, I will go to the “Filter” menu, scroll down to “Other,” and choose “Offset…” from the pop-out menu. In the “Horizontal” text field in the dialog box that pops up, I will type “1000” and click the “OK” button. My image will now look like this:

Hovenweep Offset

I can now use the Clone Stamp tool to replace areas of the image along the seam so that the offset sides flow into each other without a noticeable difference. Since we are creating a stereographic projection the seam doesn’t have to be perfect, but I will still make it look really good. Once I am finished with that, my image will look like this:

Hovenweep Clone Stamped

You can still see a couple of places where I could have tried to make it look better, but it will be fine in the final result. Now that I have erased the seam, I will go to the “Image” menu, scroll down to “Image Rotation,” and choose “180°.” Back in the “Filter” menu, I will scroll down to “Distort,” and choose “Polar Coordinates…” In the dialog box, make sure the “Rectangluar to Polar” radio button in selected and click “OK.” My image will now look like this:

Hovenweep Polar Coordinates

The last step is to resize the image so that is a square. Some people do this step right after using the Clone Stamp tool, but I prefer to do it last. When I do it earlier in the process, I occasionally get weird artifacts in my final image. To complete this step, I will go to the “Image” menu again and choose “Image Size.” In the dialog box, I will make sure the “Resample” check box is selected and the link icon between Width and Height is not selected. I will choose “Pixels” from the drop down menu next to Width. Then I will change the value in the text box next to Width to match the value in the text box next to Height, and click “OK.”

Image Size Dialog Box

My final image looks like this:

Hovenweep Stereographic Projection Tutorial Final

Although not perfect, my seam is now not even visible. It’s a little different from my first version because the Offset value in my first version was different, but that’s how it’s done!

For this example, I will use a different image. I’ll open up a copy of my photograph Cottonwood Creek in Photoshop. The first thing I will do is go to the Layers panel, click the lock icon on the Background layer, right-click on the layer, and choose “Duplicate Layer.” I now have two layers, each with the Cottonwood Creek image.

From the “Image” menu, I will now choose “Canvas Size.” In the dropdown box next to Width, I will choose “Percent.” Then in the text field next to Width, I will change “100” to “200” and click “OK.” This will double the width of the canvas while keeping the height the same.

Cottonwood Creek Canvas Resized

Using the Selection Tool, I will drag one layer clear to the right of the canvas and drag the other layer clear to the left of the canvas. Then, with just one layer selected, I will go the “Edit” menu, scroll down to “Transform,” and choose “Flip Horizontal.” This creates a mirrored landscape and my image now looks like this:

Cottonwood Creek mirrored

With the top layer selected, I will now press “CMD+E” (Mac) or “CTRL+E” (Windows) to merge the two layers, and follow the steps I took above to rotate the image, map to polar coordinates, and resize to a square. My final image will look like this:

Cottonwood Creek Mirrored Stereographic Projection

That’s all there is to it! With a nice photograph and a decent image-editing program anyone can create a stereographic projection.

DeviantArt and Fine Art America

Posted on Categories Digital art, Illustration, Miscellaneous, Photography, PrintTags , , , ,

A couple of months ago, I created a Deviant Art profile to begin showing off my artwork and photography, and hopefully to begin selling a little bit as well. Since then, I have added over 70 works of art and photographs to my profile, most of which can be purchased as either prints or art gifts. Check out the slideshow below to see some of these works:

Shortly after creating my DeviantArt profile, I also created an account with, where I have begun uploading only the photography and artwork which I consider to be the very best. I also have prints and other items available to purchase from my Fine Art America profile.

New DeviantArt Profile

Posted on Categories MiscellaneousTags , , ,

Last night, I decided I needed to create a DeviantArt portfolio, so today I did something about it. I have actually visited DeviantArt many times over the years, but I have never felt the need to create my own profile.

Last night while researching ways to sell art online, I discovered that DeviantArt has an option to list art for sale. Unlike other options I have considered in the past, I am actually familiar with DeviantArt so I decided it’s as good a place as any to get started. Of course, had I joined years ago, I would have more of an artistic network than I do now. Hindsight, right?

To make a long story short, I created my profile today and added some information about myself. I haven’t yet added any artwork to my portfolio, but I expect to start adding some of my old stuff shortly.

Check out my profile, and stay tuned as I add my artwork.

Wolf Illustrations

Posted on Categories Gaming, IllustrationTags ,

I’ve been working on some illustrations for a game idea that has been bouncing around in my head for a while. They’re pretty simple, but that’s kind of the look I’m going for.

I’m not sure if they’re final yet or if I want to play around with them more. I still need to decide which one I like best, but I thought I’d share them out for your viewing pleasure.

Wolf Illustration 1 Wolf Illustration 2 Wolf Illustration 3


Content-Type: application/http; msgtype=response

WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: text/html

WARC-Type: response

text:
Lee Konitz on his subdued style

Now, A Jazz Moment...

MUSIC: "Loverman," CD: A Proper Introduction to Lee Konitz: Palo Alto, Proper Records Intro CD 2025 (cut 13)

Lee Konitz: I'm not a religious person, formally. But I feel blessed in some non-formal-religious way! (chuckles)

NEA Jazz Master Lee Konitz is one of the pre-eminent alto-saxophonists of the "Cool Jazz" movement. He's known for his penchant for exploring, his unorthodox phrasing, and his generally subdued approach.

Lee Konitz: I was never what they call a hot player in the traditional terms of high energy. I try to play energetically as I feel, but I'm not trying to exploit that. I'm not a muscle, macho type. You might tell by looking at me. (chuckles) Anyway, I continue to try to play the sound that I'm hearing, and it changes quite a bit. And people say, "Oh, I can still recognize you from the first note." So it's not just a sound, and I'm happy to hear that verified, you know.

MUSIC: up and fades

This Jazz Moment with alto saxophonist Lee Konitz was created by the National Endowment for the Arts.

Lee Konitz on his subdued style

warcinfo:
isPartOf: CC-MAIN-2021-04
publisher: Common Crawl
description: Wide crawl of the web for January 2021
operator: Common Crawl Admin (info@commoncrawl.org)
hostname: ip-10-67-67-226.ec2.internal
software: Apache Nutch 1.17 (modified, https://github.com/commoncrawl/nutch/)
robots: checked via crawler-commons 1.2-SNAPSHOT (https://github.com/crawler-commons/crawler-commons)
format: WARC File Format 1.1
conformsTo: http://iipc.github.io/warc-specifications/specifications/warc-format/warc-1.1/


text:
China Doll by Dawn Landrum |

Note: Before you can add favorite images, you must be a member. Login now or create your free account.
China Doll

photo taken of baby Evan. I had to catch her in action as she was very mobile.

5 of 19 Comments Show All 19 Comments

Anonymous Guest

Sherrie Kostura 01 Jan 2006

Just look at this little beauty!!!

Vivian Allen 09 May 2005

Oh, this is beautiful. She's adorable and the pathway is a wonderful background.

Les Jobes 05 May 2005

Awww! love the pink gown, she looks like a doll..

Mark Sedgwick 05 May 2005

such a cutie..wonderful pose and shot here...10++

Tabitha Pitner 05 May 2005

very cute girl


text:
Armand Strainchamps Exhibition (AWC & Partners)

Armand Strainchamps Exhibition (AWC & Partners)

Art Work Circle is pleased to invite you to participate in the Armand Strainchamps exhibition.

On this occasion, we wanted to associate ourselves with the best of Luxembourg know-how. Therefore, in the coming weeks, we will meet the jazz singer Edith van den Heuvel, the Krier Frères cellars and the caterer Foozo, all partners of our special event dedicated to this exhibition.

Follow us on our social media to discover the video portraits of our local artists and artisans.

Saturday 18/07: Opening of the Armand Strainchamps exhibition

During this unique event dedicated to the Luxembourgish painter Armand Strainchamps, the jazz singer Edith van den Heuvel and her guitarist will be present to provide a musical element during the evening. The Krier Frères wine producers and the caterer Foozo will be on hand to provide service both on site and for delivery to your home*.

In order to respect the sanitary measures, only 15 VIP tickets are on sale to participate in the opening of the exhibition in our pop-up gallery located in 11 Rue Ste-Zithe in Luxembourg City. Online tickets are also available for purchase to participate virtually from your home* via a live stream.

ⓘ Ticket sales will open next week.

Program of the event

18h30: Opening for VIP guests @ MindForest Lounge

19h00: Opening for live streaming of the event with the Jazz singer Edith van den Heuvel singing @ MindForest Lounge

19h15: Interview with Armand Strainchamps and show casing of his works of art

19h45: Concert with Edith van den Heuvel @ MindForest Lounge

20h15: Q&A from the audience to Armand Strainchamps

20h30: Concert with Edith van den Heuvel

21h00: the evening will be rounded off by a final performance by Edith van den Heuvel

Get your Ticket now!

Stay Informed #STAYTUNED

*For online tickets: it is possible to order your catering menu and drinks directly from our website in order to have them delivered to your home on the opening night.

Event partners

Related Articles

Exposition “Sightlines” d’Armand Strainchamps – à partir du jeudi 29 octobre 2020

How to see (again) the Armand Strainchamps Exhibition?

Armand Strainchamps Exhibition : free live stream on Facebook

Art on the Street: art extends to Luxembourg’s stores and businesses


text:
Privacy policy

At Aruba Aloe Balm N.V. we care about your privacy and will do all we can to protect your personal information as much as possible. We recommend that you carefully review the privacy and cookies policy outlined below. We may change this privacy and cookie policy from time to time, but if we do so we will announce this on our website

Who is the controller of your personal data?

What are you looking for?

Your cart


text:
4209 Babcock Ave. Studio City CA 91604

Striking 2018 new construction in the heart of Studio City, proudly built and designed by Arzuman Brothers. This uniquely designed California modern/contemporary home features golf course views from upstairs and a magnificent 84-foot lap pool that wraps around the house. Inside you are welcomed with the perfect blend of inside/outside flow and open space design. Gourmet kitchen with Miele appliances along with spacious island that is attached to a cozy breakfast nook. The kitchen presents Thermador refrigerators with self opening and closing doors, coffee making machine, and walk-in pantry. The unique placement of the pool, waterfall, ficus trees in the backyard, and multiple patios with large sliding doors make it the perfect home to entertain. The master suite features a lavish bathroom with imported Italian tiles, ceiling shower faucets, and a separate makeup vanity. The master walk-in closet is as large as a regular bedroom! It also includes an island for additional closet space as well as a see-through glass top with sliding drawers for jewelry or accessories. All guest bedrooms are ensuite and unique in design. Fully smart home that controls music, lights, air conditioning, cameras, and security system. Second house from Weddington golf course.

4,437 SQ FT
7,744 SQ FT


text:
Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam Prep Course (Live Online)

  • Formats:

    Live Online

  • Duration:

    39 hours

  • Registration Fee:

Start Date

Live Online live-logo

Part Time: February 12, 2021 – May 14, 2021

Upcoming Exam Date: June 03, 2021

Register Today

Ashton’s Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam Prep course is offered to prepare members in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) to take the exam necessary for practicing immigration in Quebec. The exam is only offered in French and must be completed within a year of applying for recognition within Quebec.

The requirements for being a practicing immigration consultant in Quebec are different than in other parts of Canada. Immigration consultants in Quebec must be registered with the ICCRC, recognized by the Ministère of MIFI, and registered on the Registre québécois des consultants en immigration. Passing the Quebec immigration consultant exam and being fluent in the French language are two major requirements for becoming recognized by the ministère. After an immigration consultant is recognized by the ministère, they are added to the Registre québécois des consultants en immigration and they can then legally practice as a Quebec immigration consultant.

Taking the Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam

The Quebec Immigration Consultant exam is held four times a year, once every three months. You can find the upcoming exam dates and registration deadlines from the Ministère sur les règles québécoises en matière d’immigration.

Why Quebec is Unique in Canada

Quebec is a unique province In Canada, as it is the only one where French is the predominant language. The Quebec independence movement has played a large part in the province’s politics, and it is part of the reason why Quebec’s laws and regulations differ so vastly from the rest of Canada. By understanding the common values of Quebec, students will have a better idea of what it is like to live and work in Quebec and thus be better prepared to take on the role of a Quebec immigration consultant.

What to Expect

Our Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam Prep course gives students an in-depth look at every aspect of Quebec immigration law as it pertains to the Quebec Immigration consultant exam. Students will also become familiar with Quebec culture through this course.

Fluency in the French language is required, as this course will be taught in French.

The course includes presentations along with interactive discussions, in-depth topic reviews, and a simulated exam exercise with official sample questions, allowing students to review and recall knowledge in a collaborative environment. The course is taught by industry professionals with years of experience in their field. Students will complete the course with the knowledge and confidence they need to give their best on the Quebec Immigration Consultant exam.

Course Prerequisites

This course is designed for members who are in good standing of the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) and who are fluent in French.

Topics Covered/Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, students will have an understanding of the following:

Gerry Power

Gerry Power has extensive expertise in immigration and citizenship matters with over 35 years of experience in both public and private sectors. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, Gerry started his career at the Citizenship Branch of the federal government in Ottawa. He then joined the Quebec Immigration Department, where he worked for 30 years as an Immigration Officer and Program Manager and Director, in charge of various Quebec Immigration Offices abroad.

Gerry has lived in many countries and travelled extensively. He is familiar with numerous cross-cultural environments. Based in Hong Kong, from where he manages his Canadian immigration consulting firm, Gerry is a Regulated Immigration Consultant and is registered as a Quebec Immigration Consultant.

*Subject to change without notice

Who Will Benefit From The Course

This course is intended for individuals who have already completed their RCIC Entry-to-Practice exam and are registered members of the ICCRC. Students who complete this course will be prepared to challenge the Quebec immigration consultant exam.

Live Online

Part Time:

  • February 12, 2021 – May 14, 2021
    • Students must devote at least 3 hours per week to attend live webinars
    • Webinars will be held on Fridays from 1:00 to 4:00 pm PST
    • Outside of live instructional periods, students will be expected to take part in various independent and/or group activities

The registration fee for this course is $995.

Technical Requirements

Live Online Students

Ashton College uses web conferencing tools to help instructors and students connect and collaborate live online. For the online classes, students need to have a fully functional computer system with a webcam, speakers and microphone or headset and headphones, along with a reliable high-speed internet connection. Though the classes can be accessed using smartphones and tablets, we recommend using a laptop or desktop computer for a better learning experience.

This course does not require approval by the Private Training Institutions Branch of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training. As such, it was not reviewed.

Our Partners

Submit Enquiry Form

Can we help you?

If you have questions or would like to better understand our programs, courses or admission requirements, we are here to help.

For Career Programs:

Call Us (604) 891–1249

For Continuing Education Courses:

Call Us (604) 891–1256
Holler Box


text:
What are the Common Values of Quebec Society?

Published On: January 13, 2021

Quebec is a unique province in Canada, due in large part to its French heritage. Quebec’s laws and regulations often differ from the rest of the country and if you are looking to work as an immigration consultant in Quebec, you’ll need to meet their unique standards. Most importantly, you must be a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing with the Immigration Consultants of Canada Regulatory Council (ICCRC) before you will be allowed to attempt the Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam.

The Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam tests an RCIC’s knowledge of Quebec’s immigration laws, as well as their knowledge of the common values of Quebec society. In order to ease your preparations for the Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam, we are going to break down Quebec’s five major societal values.

The first value is perhaps the most obvious. French is the official language of Quebec, and the Charter of the French Language protects and promotes French in Quebec. In all of North America, Quebec is the only predominantly French-speaking society.

If you are going to live and work in the province then you must be able to speak French. The government of Quebec offers free French lessons to help people integrate into Quebec society, however, if you are looking to practice as an immigration consultant in Quebec, a high level of French language proficiency (specifically an advanced intermediate level, which is comparable to level B2 of the Common European Framework or Reference of Languages) is a requirement.

The Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam is only offered in French, and if you are working as an immigration consultant in Quebec, you must be comfortable with speaking and writing and French.

Democratic Society

Quebec, much like the rest of Canada, is a democratic society. In order to vote in Quebec elections, you must be 18 years of age or older, a Canadian citizen, and you must have lived in Quebec for at least 6 months. As a democratic society, Quebec asserts that no individual is above the law and that all citizens have freedom of expression and freedom of association.

Secular Society

Quebec and its institutions are secular, which means that their decisions and actions are made without the influence of any religious powers. Although Quebec is secular, freedom of religious practice is a fundamental right in Quebec and discrimination and harassment based on religious practice is prohibited.

Being a secular society, everyone in Quebec has the right to secular services and institutions. Certain professions in the public domain are not allowed to wear religious symbols when they are working. These include. Police officers, criminal and penal prosecutors, and teachers in public schools.

Equality between Men and Women

Equality between men and women is a fundamental value in Quebec. This means that women and men in Quebec have the same rights, obligations, and responsibilities in both their public and private lives. This equality extends to the labour market, education, politics, marriage, and all other areas of life in Quebec.

In regard to marriage, Quebec law considers marriage to be the union of two people of different sexes or of the same sex. In a marriage, both partners share equal rights, commitments and responsibilities.

The Rights and Responsibilities of Quebec Citizens

Quebec citizens’ rights and responsibilities are laid out in the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. The Charter dictates that all people are equal in worth and dignity, and each person has the fundamental right to life, safety, integrity, privacy, and the freedom of their person. Their fundamental rights also include the right of conscience, religion, opinion, expression, peaceful assembly, and association. Quebec also places a high value on non-violence and its citizens are responsible for upholding that value.

Prepare for the Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam

Now, that you have an idea of Quebec society’s common values, you can take the next step in preparing for your exam. Ashton College offers a comprehensive Quebec Immigration Consultant Exam Prep course to help reinforce your knowledge and increase your exam confidence. The course is offered entirely in French through our LIVE Online platform. Register now and prepare to take your immigration practice to Quebec.

The information contained in this post is considered to be true and accurate as of the date of publication. However, the accuracy of this information may be impacted by changes in circumstances that occur after the time of publication. Ashton College assumes no liability for any error or omissions in the information contained in this post or any other post in our blog.

    View All Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Submit Enquiry Form

Can we help you?

If you have questions or would like to better understand our programs, courses or admission requirements, we are here to help.

For Career Programs:

Call Us (604) 891–1249

For Continuing Education Courses:

Call Us (604) 891–1256
Holler Box


text:
Sponsored Links

Recent comments
2 years ago Pa Nang Gung
very taste! Yumm
Jcm Avatar
Ole 5 years ago
nice website
Jcm Avatar
asie 5 years ago
Jcm Avatar
asd 5 years ago
nice blog keep it up
Jcm Avatar
Micheal Jordan 6 years ago
Thanks for the info.
Jcm Avatar
MrGong 6 years ago
I like indonesian food . thank you for a recipe.
Jcm Avatar
ME 6 years ago
AWESOME! I Like these
Jcm Avatar
Josta 7 years ago
Zalig Non!
Jcm Avatar
Robert 7 years ago
lovely recipe, excellent taste
Icon Write a comment
Sayur Lebui - spiced pumpkin with black beans
Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive
Sayur Lebui
spiced pumpkin with black beans

100 g labu kuning (pumpkin)
200g lebui (black beans)
2000 ml of water
6 red rawits
5 cloves garlic
5 shallots
3 red chilies (large)
1 green lombok
2 tomatoes
2 cm laos
2 salam leaves
3 belimbin wuluh (star fruit)
3 tsp salt
1 tsp palm sugar
200ml coconut milk
2 sprigs kemangi
2 tablespoons oil
Cara membuat:
Heat in a pan the water and cook the beans. Cut the pumpkin into pieces, the garlic and the shallots into slices. Cut the chilies in slanting rings and the tomatoes into pieces. Grate the Laos. Cut the belimbing into slices.
Heat in a pan the oil and fry the shallots, garlic, chilies, tomatoes, galangal and the salam for 4 minutes and add to the beans. Add the pumpkin, rawits and belimbing to the beans and bring to a boil. Add the coconut milk, salt and the palm sugar and cook gently until tender. Stir in the kemangi leaves and serve.
Pin It
Jcm Avatar
Say something here...
Log in with ( Sign Up ? )
or post as a guest
Loading comment... The comment will be refreshed after 00:00.

Be the first to comment.

who is online

We have 42 guests and no members online

Contact and

email: dragon(at)

Articles View Hits


text:
artisan bread

Miracle loaf & bread starters

Miracle loaf recipe

My bread baking journey started off, by collecting bread recipes on the internet for the baking machine as well as traditional oven baked artisan loaves. One thing led to another stocking of different types of flour began for the preparation of various loaves of bread.

Tips of fellow bakers to use pre-mix flour jars (e.g. cheaper than buying pre-mix brands) for pancakes batters, waffles, muffins as well as bread to keep at hand.

Searching for premix recipes, I stumbled upon the famed low-calorie, high protein bread flour recipe; “Cornell bread white and whole wheat flour bread” a.k.a Dr McCay’s miracle loaf, a nutrition professor at Cornell University.

The bread with extra protein in the form of soy flour, dry milk, and wheat germ turned into a staple bread flour mix replacing white bread. View a tested white bread version recipe here for bread machine here and a Low Carb version.

I stumbled upon this bread during an internet search for our bread baking machine. The miracle loaf is a fantastic recipe, it topped my favourite for weekly loaves of bread feeding our family.

Starters: Biga, poolish, sponge

Alternating between wholemeal, whole wheat or rye flour bread I moved on with healthy seed bread or sweet bread to keep everyone happy. The next step was making bread with pre-ferment, which is a fermentation starter an indirect method in bread making also called as ‘mother dough’.

Big fans of focaccia and ciabatta, both loaves of bread have a distinct flavour and texture with lots of airy holes. You must start with making a starter called biga (poolish and sponge are more or less the same being more watery compared to biga which is drier).

For Ciabatta you have to prepare the biga one day earlier to become active and for the dough to rise after mixing and kneading. When it has bulked up it is a soft wet dough quite sticky to handle and creates a sloppy shape in the form of a slipper, giving the Italian name for this type of bread. The French have their baguette, the Italians have Ciabatta, both great breads.

Sourdough starters

Progressing on, attempting to start a wild yeast sourdough starter which became a challenge, my earlier attempts failed due to surroundings and circumstances resulting in high acidity, mould or not active.

The quote is “As long as the starter is properly fed and cared for, it can be kept active for years to provide predictable results over and over again.” I started preparing two sourdough starters, one made of 100% Rye and the other entirely based on wholemeal.

Used the tried and tested recipes of Weekend Bakery Rye sourdough starter in easy steps and Sourdough home Mike’s old way sourdough starter with wholemeal flour.

Rye sourdough starter

Feeding Rye sourdough starter

After the first day nothing much happened but after the next 12 hrs, the wholemeal starter became active with small bubbles appearing on the surface. For the Rye starter, it took a bit longer 24 hrs to show activity, now both starters after each feeding and rest are doubling in volume with nice airy holes and bubbles.

Repeating the feeding cycle, from the images it appears as if the wholemeal starter doubled more. From the beginning, I have maintained the rye starter thicker but when stirring it feels like a light paste, after the third day discarded 2/3 before feeding and should have doubled the flour and water from 30 gramme to 60 gramme but I totally forgot about it. So I couldn’t take a cup of starter without almost cleaning out the jar.

Wholemeal sourdough starter

Wholemeal sourdough starter

Now five days have passed, both starters doubled consistently with loads of air bubbles. What might have been a factor aiding the progress is the weather temperature rising as well. Most likely making it a better environment for the wild yeast to latch on I suppose. The wholemeal starter I fed today with all-purpose flour according to Mike’s instructions to stop further development of micro-organisms in the starter.

Sourdough starters Wholemeal & Rye

Sourdough starters after one week (l) Wholemeal flour (r) Rye flour

Tomorrow both starters will be a week old and should by now become stable, one thing is for sure they both have developed a nice fruit, lightly vinegary smell. Will give it a day or two more to start preparing the first sourdough bread and most likely I can even use the discard for other purposes as well. I’ve found a very nice recipe for sourdough pancakes with discarded starter to try out soon.

Sourdough hydration level

Having viewed a lot of recipes, you can not miss the remark on the hydration level of the sourdough starter or the reference to the percentage. In the beginning that sounded like abracadabra to me, to help you some of the websites even include a calculator. Looking at the charts it only confused more, in fact, what it means is the percentage of water compared to the amount of flour, bakers refer for this reason to the flour weight as 100%.

I’ve found this reply helpful and explanatory on forums:

For example, 100% hydration starter means a starter that has equal weight flour and water, 50% hydration would be half the weight of water compared to flour.  eg 50g flour and 50g water  = 100%, 100g flour and 50g water = 50% hydration starters.

Always take the flour weight as 100%, so if your dough recipe uses 500g flour and you want to make a wet ciabatta like dough, your hydration will be approx 80%, this means 80% of the flour weight (500g) will be how much water you add.  In this case, it will be 400g water.

The higher the % hydration the wetter the dough or more liquid the starter will be. Generally speaking, wetter doughs will also have nice big holes in the crumb, and drier/firmer doughs with lower hydration will have a closer more dense crumb.

If you are curious to learn more about this, here’s a list of resources and communities which I found very helpful on information, recipes and support;

Bread baking journey & starters continued

Next will be keeping the sourdough alive for an ongoing period of time.  Watch out for my next sourdough bread update, but have a look at my Ciabatta bread and recipe coming next.

Bread baking journey & starters

Baking is a lot of fun, tasty and rewarding, started in my teenage years experimenting with my first buttery dough for mini-croissants. Hard work paid off in folding and rolling the dough delivering the first batch of mini-croissants.

Over the years I collected, tried and tested favourite baking recipes, but sadly lost that first pastry book. Next to books, through the Internet, I’ve found new resources to follow.

Always interested how others use, re-invent or share their new adaptations on classics, creative ideas or find new inspiration. Here I am sharing my go-to resources, tried and tested recipes, bloggers and favourite reads.

Bread baking

While my original recipe disappeared here’s a good Croissant recipe with a step-by-step guide, have a look at Izzy Hossack “How to make Croissants“. I really like the use of animated.

GIF feature delivering a hands-on look in her blog post, the moving frames draw immediate attention following her actions. Another choice is Classic Croissant article posted on Fine Cooking, which resembles very much the recipe I used for the very first time preparing the buttery dough.

Making the buttery dough gave me a buzz, but heaven knows what I did next with the Dutch recipe for soft buns. After proofing and rolling, the buns didn’t rise as it should have according to the recipe instructions. The end result after baking was disastrous, even a bit warm it was hard to chew.

Once cooled down the texture changed the buns into stones, two dozen of cobblestones bread even the dog couldn’t bite through. We had a big laugh and the mishap only made me more persistent to keep trying, learn more techniques and secrets to better eats.

The best is actually food talk; coffee chats, swapping of recipes, sharing potlucks and dinner stories :-). You will notice, food talk is a common thread running through al my conversations and postings.

The real bread making started seriously when we moved to Asia, once settled and fully adjusted we still were missing the taste of crusty European bread loaves.

Come to think of it, travelling brings forth a longing to comfort food, thinking of food can make you salivate and the craving sparks a quest to recreate that particular dish or flavour.

Depending on where we were living it meant going on the hunt to find the ingredients, sources or find substitutions which at times were even better than the original. The exchange of information brings a whole circle of communication around, joining into a new network of the circle of friends.

Bread baking journey & starters

Baking Equipment

Back to bread. By chance, we received a bread baking machine in Taiwan from friends who were leaving the island returning back home. At the time these baking machines were not widely available yet in The Netherlands.

A huge square box, but after our first bread bake trial it was a done deal. The bread machine is a keeper. The smell of fresh baked bread is so seducing it makes your mouth water and a good belly rumble. We grew up close to a bread bakery literally down the street in our hometown.

Until the bread baking machine sound whistled after the kneading and 2nd rise, signalling the baking phase entered. Precise from that moment slowly emanating the olfactory aromas of baked bread changing the house in a tiny bakery. The tempting smell literally draws the whole family into the kitchen anticipating for a fresh slice of fresh bread.

For more on my favourite power hub and tools read my “Kitchenaid 5 Quart Plus Series post.  For the heavy duty kneading cycles and baking with the  Panasonic Inverter microwave oven both did a fine job.

At present, I am using a Miele oven for artisan bread and volume, the bread baking machine mostly during the week since it only can produce one loaf per baking cycle. The Breville BBM300 still works like a charm but newer and far more advanced models are now on the market.

Lastly, a Magimix food processor 3200XL for all other pastries and food recipes. Along the way, I will mention other versatile suitable gadgets for certain tasks or just making it more fun.

If you are contemplating the purchase of a bread machine, I’ve listed a few sources for general information.

Making bread and pastries you can use wet fresh yeast or dry yeast in active dry yeast and instant yeast type forms. The purpose of yeast:

Rising the dough – yeast fermentation makes carbon dioxide, a gas responsible for stretching and expanding the dough like a balloon.

Dough development – other compounds formed during yeast fermentation make the flour stronger so it can capture and hold the carbon dioxide gas that the yeast produces.

Flavour, aroma and texture – yeast fermentation also provides these wonderful sensory and physical attributes that you expect from yeast-raised products.

You need yeast to make bread, but you can also make your own bread starters and use both for a sourdough bread. Our next topic coming up:

Bread baking journey & starters continued:

Miracle Loaf & bread starters

My bread baking journey started off, by collecting bread recipes on the internet for the baking machine as well as traditional oven baked artisan loaves. One thing led to another, thus the stocking of different types of flour began for the preparation of various bread. Even combining of various pre-mix flour jars (e.g. cheaper than buying pre-mix brands) for pancakes batters, waffles, muffins as well as bread to keep at hand.

Searching for premix recipes, I stumbled upon the famed low-calorie, high protein bread flour recipe here.


text:
Get Your {FREE} Social Media Marketing Review

61% of Small Companies Invest in
Social Media Marketing Clutch, 2018

Clutch, 2018

See What Other Gulf Coast Businesses Are Saying About Us...
  • “Cheaper Is Not Always Better! In Most Cases, It’s Actually Worse!”

    With the 24 hour sentinel monitoring, I can sit back and wait on Business Information Solutions to tell me if something needs to be upgraded or if a backup fails. I’m no longer constantly checking for errors and problems on our network and servers.

    Jason Gebhart,
    Regal Brown

    “With The New Replacements, Prompt Service and Extraordinary Care BIS Has Given Us, We’re Able To Focus More On Our Patients And Less On Computer Problems!”

    BIS has made it where I’m not the one having to go around checking each machine to make sure it meets HIPAA laws. That’s what I have BIS for!

    Dr. Northcutt,
    Robertsdale Dental Office

    Regal Brown

    “Staff Morale Has Gone Up Because I Receive Less Complaints
    About Our Network”

    Staff morale has gone up because I receive less complaints about our network.

    Jacob Gilmore,
    VP of Purchasing and Finance
    Gilmore Services

  • Auto Craft Collision Center

    We’ve saved 40-50 hours per month on inside labor since we no longer have to figure out the problem and learn how to fix it.

    Chad Chupek,
    Auto Craft Collision

    “Since Going with Business Information Solutions, We’ve Had No Crashes!”

    I don’t know where we would be if Business Information Solutions was not monitoring our system or us. Since going with them, we’ve had NO CRASHES.

    Paige Walsh,
    Director of Admissions
    Bayshore Christian Academy

    “We No Longer Have to Worry About Being ‘Down’ for Hours!”

    With the IT services that Business Information Solutions provides, we no longer have to worry about being ‘down’ for hours or days with issues. Calls and work orders are responded to very quickly and efficiently.

    Valerie Shantazio,
    Operations Director
    Distinguished Young Women

Download Resources

The Ultimate Marketing Guide for Small Businesses on Marketing Your Business to Success

Is your marketing getting results? In this comprehensive marketing guide, businesses will learn how to develop a successful digital marketing strategy as well as tips to get the most out of their marketing.

cover of internet usage policy for download

BIS Marketing Expert on Social Media Marketing

  • Kenley Sweet

    Kenley Sweet

    Director of Digital Marketing

Book Your Digital Marketing Review


text:
Letter: Rupert has proven determination | AspenTimes.com

Letter: Rupert has proven determination

To all voters in Roaring Fork School District Re-1: I am writing in support of Jen Rupert for the upcoming school board election. As a Roaring Fork Valley native and a graduate of Roaring Fork High School, I have seen many changes in the valley and school system over the years. One constant has been the character of the valley and the people who are full of passion, strong work ethic and upstanding moral character, all of which are qualities that Jen embodies. She is determined to pull the gold out of all whom she comes in contact with.

I have known Jen for the past 19 years and have witnessed firsthand countless examples of her leadership and determination, including her training and focus in mastering Soo Bak Do and passing that on to the next generation, her patience with instruction on the mountain in the winter, her compassion and understanding when difficult situations arise and her ability to work to find compromise and solutions. Jen has the ability to transform weaknesses into strengths through collaboration and fostering teamwork. Jen isn’t afraid of confrontation or a challenge, and that is why I believe she is the right person for the job, as she has the grit to be engaged for the long haul.

Vote Jen Rupert for Roaring Fork School District A, and don’t forget to submit your mail-in ballot by Nov. 3! Remember: This is a mail-in-ballot election only.

Vanessa Anthes

Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Aspen and Snowmass Village make the Aspen Times’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.

For tax deductible donations, click here.

Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.

User Legend: iconModerator iconTrusted User

Letter to the Editor

‘Welcome Strangers’ showing Sunday

Two Rivers Unitarian-Universalist Church, in conjunction with the Roaring Fork Valley’s Interfaith Council and Sanctuary Unidos, is showing a Zoom presentation of the documentary “Welcome Strangers” at 10 a.m. Sunday.

See more


text:
Letter: Tibet in Aspen | AspenTimes.com

Letter: Tibet in Aspen

Hello, my friends — Aspen Tibet is delighted to share with you the monks of the Gaden Shartse Phukhang Monastery through Sept. 5 as they work to raise funds for their dormitory that was dilapidated and recently has been torn down. Donations are welcome.

As part of the Sacred Arts of Tibet Tour, they will be creating a Menla (Medicine Buddha) sacred sand mandala in Raven Heart Gallery opening today at 2 p.m. and dissolving Aug. 30 at noon with a Menla mandala discussion at the Red Brick today at 7 p.m.

Also offered during this visit are guided mediations at O2 Friday and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and a Mandala workshop at the Red Brick Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon. A variety of talks, group healing sessions and the Menla empowerment are also available to the public with the full event schedule at http://aspentibet.com and Aspen Tibet’s Facebook page.

Private events such as personal healing, home and business blessings, and meals also are welcome by appointment. Please contact serene@aspentibet.com or 970-948-9279 to schedule.

Serene Washburn

Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Aspen and Snowmass Village make the Aspen Times’ work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Each donation will be used exclusively for the development and creation of increased news coverage.

For tax deductible donations, click here.

Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.

User Legend: iconModerator iconTrusted User

Letter to the Editor

‘Welcome Strangers’ showing Sunday

Two Rivers Unitarian-Universalist Church, in conjunction with the Roaring Fork Valley’s Interfaith Council and Sanctuary Unidos, is showing a Zoom presentation of the documentary “Welcome Strangers” at 10 a.m. Sunday.

See more


text:
ASTM B766-86(1998)

    Standard Specification for Electrodeposited Coatings of Cadmium

      Format Pages Price
    PDF 8 $62.00   ADD TO CART

    1. Scope

    1.1 This specification covers the requirements for electrodeposited cadmium coatings on products of iron, steel, and other metals.

    Note 1-Cadmium is deposited as a coating principally on iron and steel products. It can also be electrodeposited on aluminum, brass, beryllium copper, copper, nickel, and powder metallurgy parts.

    1.2 The coating is provided in various thicknesses up to and including 25 [mu]m either as electrodeposited or with supplementary finishes.

    1.3 Cadmium coatings are used for corrosion resistance and for corrosion prevention of the basis metal part. The as-deposited coating (Type I) is useful for the lowest cost protection in a mild or noncorrosive environment where early formation of white corrosion products is not detrimental or harmful to the function of a component. The prime purpose of the supplementary chromate finishes (Types II and III) on the electroplated cadmium is to increase corrosion resistance. Chromating will retard or prevent the formation of white corrosion products on surfaces exposed to various environmental conditions as well as delay the appearance of corrosion from the basis metal.

    1.4 Cadmium plating is used to minimize bi-metallic corrosion between high-strength steel fasteners and aluminum in the aerospace industry. Undercutting of threads on fastener parts is not necessary as the cadmium coating has a low coefficient of friction that reduces the tightening torque required and allows repetitive dismantling.

    1.5 Cadmium-coated parts can easily be soldered without the use of corrosive fluxes. Cadmium-coated steel parts have a lower electrical contact resistance than zinc-coated steel. The lubricity of cadmium plating is used on springs for doors and latches and for weaving machinery operating in high humidity. Corrosion products formed on cadmium are tightly adherent. Unlike zinc, cadmium does not build up voluminous corrosion products on the surface. This allows for proper functioning during corrosive exposure of moving parts, threaded assemblies, valves, and delicate mechanisms without jamming with debris.

    2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

    ASTM Standards

    A165 Specification for Electrodeposited Coatings of Cadmium on Steel

    B117 Practice for Operating Salt Spray (Fog) Apparatus

    B183 Practice for Preparation of Low-Carbon Steel for Electroplating

    B201 Practice for Testing Chromate Coatings on Zinc and Cadmium Surfaces

    B242 Guide for Preparation of High-Carbon Steel for Electroplating

    B253 Guide for Preparation of Aluminum Alloys for Electroplating

    B254 Practice for Preparation of and Electroplating on Stainless Steel

    B281 Practice for Preparation of Copper and Copper-Base Alloys for Electroplating and Conversion Coatings

    B320 Practice for Preparation of Iron Castings for Electroplating

    B322 Guide for Cleaning Metals Prior to Electroplating

    B343 Practice for Preparation of Nickel for Electroplating with Nickel

    B374 Terminology Relating to Electroplating

    B487 Test Method for Measurement of Metal and Oxide Coating Thickness by Microscopical Examination of Cross Section

    B499 Test Method for Measurement of Coating Thicknesses by the Magnetic Method: Nonmagnetic Coatings on Magnetic Basis Metals

    B504 Test Method for Measurement of Thickness of Metallic Coatings by the Coulometric Method

    B507 Practice for Design of Articles to Be Electroplated on Racks

    B558 Practice for Preparation of Nickel Alloys for Electroplating

    B567 Test Method for Measurement of Coating Thickness by the Beta Backscatter Method

    B568 Test Method for Measurement of Coating Thickness by X-Ray Spectrometry

    B571 Practice for Qualitative Adhesion Testing of Metallic Coatings

    B602 Test Method for Attribute Sampling of Metallic and Inorganic Coatings

    B697 Guide for Selection of Sampling Plans for Inspection of Electrodeposited Metallic and Inorganic Coatings

    E8 Test Methods for Tension Testing of Metallic Materials

    F519 Test Method for Mechanical Hydrogen Embrittlement Evaluation of Plating/Coating Processes and Service Environments

    Federal Standard

    QQ-P-416 Plating, Cadmium (Electrodeposited) Available from U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402.

    Military Standard

    MIL-STD-1312 Fasteners, Test Methods Available from Standardization Documents Order Desk, Bldg. 4 Section D, 700 Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS.

    UNSPSC Code

    UNSPSC Code 11101710(Cadmium)

    Referencing This Standard
    Link Here
    Link to Active (This link will always route to the current Active version of the standard.)

    DOI: 10.1520/B0766-86R98

    Citation Format

    ASTM B766-86(1998), Standard Specification for Electrodeposited Coatings of Cadmium, ASTM International, West Conshohocken, PA, 1998, www.astm.org

    Back to Top


text:
Hobby, or Not?

IRS often examines tax returns with losses from trade or profession (Schedule C) to determine the legitimacy of the claimed loss. If they decide it is not an activity entered into to make a profit, they will classify it as a hobby loss. The consequence being to disallow the loss and assess additional income taxes.

As a taxpayer representative you may be called on to defend the loss. If the loss has offset income from wages or other source the taxable income will increase for the year under examination, but that is not where the problem ends. Typically, the Revenue Agent will review prior returns to see if the adjustment might be appropriate in those earlier (or later) years. By the end of the process a $3,000 adjustment in one year might grow to $10,000. To make it worse, the taxpayer may fault the preparer for not properly advising about this potential problem – even if they were advised.

There is a safe-harbor rule that an activity that earns a profit in three of the five years IRS presumes that activity is profit motivated. Note that the two in five rule changes to two in seven for activities that involve horses. For example, racing, breeding, training, or show activities.

Under Internal Revenue Code Section 183(e) a taxpayer may elect to postpone the determination of hobby loss during a test period. The test period lasts five years, or seven years for horse activities. Making the election automatically provides the IRS two more to assess a deficiency until two years after the date for filing the return for the last year of the presumption test period.

The Section 183 deductions and related items are subject to the extended assessment period plus items that depend on adjusted gross income and might be affected if the Section 183 deductions are disallowed.

To make the election use form 5213, titled Election to Postpone Determination as to Whether the Presumption Applies That an Activity Is Engaged in for Profit. On the plus side, filing the election allows additional time to establish a profit motive. On the negative side, it may bring the IRS’s attention to the potential hobby loss question. It is advisable to only file the election if the IRS has notified the taxpayer that they propose to disallow the loss that the taxpayer believes is a bona fide business.

If the safe-harbor rule does not apply to your taxpayer, the IRS is supposed to then move to making the determination based on facts and circumstances. Therefore, it is not the case that failing the safe-harbor rules means the business automatically presumed to be a hobby. Occasionally IRS auditors will try to use the safe-harbor test to the taxpayer’s detriment by contending that failing the test means it is a hobby. In that instance, you must then force the issue to be considered based on facts and circumstances. If the auditor is uncooperative, and their supervisor does not supersede the auditor’s position, request an appeals hearing or perhaps fast-track mediation. If the mediation fails to achieve your desired result, you can then proceed to Appeals.

Larry Lawler, CPA, EA, CTRS, NTPI Fellow

Larry is the National Director of the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers (ASTPS). He has represented literally thousands of taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service and is a frequent public speaker, a writer on professional topics, and a regular trainer of tax professionals nationwide. He has been a New York Certified Public Accountant since 1973. He is also a fellow of the National Tax Practice Institute. Larry is the managing partner of Lawler & Witkowski, CPAs, PC, the firm he established in 1973.


text:
An Explanation of Trump’s Advantage with Facebook Advertising

An Explanation of Trump’s Advantage with Facebook Advertising

Recently, Brad Parscale was named once again as the campaign manager for Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election bid. Parscale is a digital marketer who successfully managed Trump’s online advertising campaign in 2016. According to Parscale, Clinton’s campaign spent hundreds of times more compared to Trump’s to run about 1,000 Facebook ads. CPM, also referred to as “cost per 1000”, is what Facebook charges every advertiser to display one ad 1,000 times.

So, how does Facebook advertising work?

Most of the campaigns’ teams have lists of voters to whom they intend to reach out, and Facebook helps campaigns to accurately match voter lists to their Facebook users. That means political campaigns are able to target specific voter groups when running their ads on Facebook. This is important for every campaign team looking to get the most value out of their ads. This action also helps to eliminate wasting ad views on a group of people who are not registered to vote.

If Trump’s ads were better clickbait compared to those of the Clinton campaign, that may have been a primary reason why Trump’s campaign team was able to spend less. Facebook rewards content that is engaging since it can keep its users to stick around and view more ads.

Does the issue of cost explain the whole story?

Some people dispute Parscale’s claim of spending hundreds of times less compared to Clinton’s campaign team. Many think that Parscale’s figures have been inflated significantly. Their argument is based on previous experience when using Facebook for targeted advertising. According to experienced digital marketers, it is definitely less costly for Trump to run ads in Nebraska than for Clinton to show her ads in Silicon Valley.

Another factor that should be taken into account is that Clinton ran many video ads that were aimed at boosting turnout while Trump’s ads were often just single images, but with enticement to click. All of these ads were designed to perform in different ways. According to Pathmatics, many of Trump’s campaign ads were meant for fundraising pitches encouraging users to purchase campaign gear. Read more about Trump’s Facebook marketing strategy in the Washington Post.

At ASTRALCOM, we can help to leverage effective use of targeted campaigns on Facebook to achieve outstanding ROI. Certain topics are expected to be in the mainstream on Facebook for 2018, as I wrote about here.

ASTRALCOM has a team of experienced digital marketers that will help you to develop effective marketing techniques to target your specific audience. Contact us today to extend the effectiveness of your outreach through Facebook and other social media marketing.


WARC-Identified-Payload-Type: application/xhtml+xml

text:
Analyze Workers Compensation Incidents to Create a Safe Work Environment

Arroyo Insurance Services

Effective incident analysis for worker’s compensation claims can help businesses mitigate their risks. By finding the cause of the injury, employers can address the working conditions to help reduce the number of injuries and claims made. There are a few steps every company should take to help keep their employees safe.

Incident Cause

The insurance firm Arroyo Insurance Services states to start the incident analysis by finding the cause of the incident. Companies should look at the work area from a variety of angles to determine the cause of the injury. This means looking at the safety procedures in place and available tools to see whether or not they were followed or used by the employee.

Work Environment

A clean, decluttered area is safer than a messy one. Look to see how well lit the area is, the temperature and the presence of anything toxic. Then evaluate the working conditions to see where improvements can be made to create a safer work environment.

Management Responsibility

A safe work environment starts with management and makes its way down to employees. The legal responsibility rests on management’s shoulders. Make sure managers know the safety protocols and properly train their employees.

Implementing an effective incident analysis for worker’s compensation claims can help your business have a safer workplace. Use the information to help address any areas of safety that may be lacking or could use improvements to help keep employees safe.

This post was written by , posted on December 2, 2019 Monday at 10:36 am


text:
Toggle menu

Shop by Category

APC is a leading supplier of batteries for APC. To further assist you in locating the correct battery, search for your specific UPS model here.


text:
Find Your Voice (2018)

After an unexpected turn of fate, Elvis, a young Maori musician living in Australia, decides to return to New Zealand to reunite with family, discover his roots and, in turn, reinvigorate his dreams within the music industry. But it’s not as easy as Elvis thinks, especially when his ego begins to take over, losing sight of what really is important in life.

Run Time: 1h 36min

Language: English

Producer: Patrick Rohr, Adam Saunders

Director : Chris Heard


text:
Search all journals

June/July 2012 (vol. 09/1)

ContentsFeaturesNewsLegal NewsResearch DigestResearch PlusCPD

Research Plus

Does work improve health?

A systematic review (18 studies) finds a relationship between returning to work after unemployment and better health – the relationship is partly causal, but also relates to selection effects. Various studies found that returning to work results in better health (‘causation hypothesis’) and one in particular found that reemployment reverses the negative health impact of unemployment. Poor health may also interfere with an individual’s ability to return to employment (‘selection hypothesis’) and two studies support the notion that healthier job seekers are more attractive to employers and more able to cope with the challenge of finding work. Studies examining both hypotheses suggest that selection and causation are mutually reinforcing.

American Journal of Public Health: March 2012, vol.102(3): 541–556.

Occupational Health at Work June/July 2012 (vol. 09/1) pp40


text:
South Lee Omni Prep Backpack

PRODUCT CODE: SCHACCBAG~south-lee-omni-prep-backpack

Product Description

We are in the process of writing a description for this product and it will be available soon.

Product Delivery

Postage and packaging charges are as follows:

Value of Order

Delivery Time

Up to £50.00

5 working days

£50.00 to £100.00

2 working days

Over £100.00

1-2 working days

Express Delivery

1-2 working days

Read More

If you are not completely satisfied with your purchase, you can return your items within 28 days for a full refund or exchange. Goods must be unworn and in their original condition, complete with any labels and product packaging (ie shoe box).

If you are returning goods for a refund or exchange, you are responsible for the cost of return. If the goods are faulty upon delivery we will reimburse your postal costs.

Read More


text:
Jetzt kostenlos testen

Danach 9,95 € pro Monat. Jederzeit kündbar.

Im Warenkorb

Bist du Amazon Prime-Mitglied?

Audible 60 Tage kostenlos testen

    John Riley Hubbard is a young farmer and part-time reporter in a small southern town. After the body of an Arab college student is found near his home, Hubbard reluctantly agrees to cover the grisly story for the local paper. When he discovers there might be a surprising link from this crime to his father's unsolved murder, he becomes obsessed with uncovering the killer's identity. Since he was a child, Hubbard has been haunted by nightmares and suspicions that his father's murderer may be the man closest to him - his wealthy uncle.

    As his investigation progresses, he must face mounting threats from an unseen adversary and manage his growing attraction to Maria, a young Latino woman who might be part of the conspiracy.

    The White River Killer is an exciting mixture of mystery, romance, and suspense.

    ©2015 Stephen Wilson (P)2015 Stephen Wilson

    Das sagen andere Hörer zu The White River Killer

    Rezensionen - mit Klick auf einen der beiden Reiter können Sie die Quelle der Rezensionen bestimmen.

    Es gibt noch keine Rezensionen


text:
Bing tracking

COVID-19: 2020-21 academic year plans and student resources ›

Superimpositions and The Mysteries of Ordinary Places

art_exhibitsThis week Augsburg opens two new art exhibits: Superimpositions by Shannon Collis and Erik Waterkotte in the Christensen Center Gallery and The Mysteries of Ordinary Places by Nick Conbere in the Gage Family Art Gallery in the Lindell Library. All three will speak at a roundtable discussion moderated by studio manager Joanne Price on Nov. 21 at 5:30 p.m. in the Marshall Room, Christensen Center. A reception will follow the discussion.

Collis and Waterkotte are MFA graduates from the University of Alberta, Edmonton. Collis is a former teacher from the Sam Fox School of Visual Art and Design at Washington University in St. Louis, and Waterkotte is an assistant professor of printmaking at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Together, these two artists use a combination of printmaking, photography, and digital technology to create more complex and unique artwork. Each artist brings their own style to the artwork—Collis uses “confetti-like explosions or atmospheric layering of abstract forms” to represent fragmented memories while Waterkotte adds layers of media screen to represent the contemporary world.

Conbere teaches drawing and printmaking at St. Olaf College in Northfield. He has an MFA in illustration and in printmaking. This past year, he was an artist-in-residence in Roswell, New Mexico. His work has also been featured in the Rochester Art Center and will be in the MAEP Gallery at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts in 2009. Conbere brings a real world vision into his artwork through drawing, printing, and animated panoramas. He creates multiple points of view in each piece, overlapping small pieces of the world, and then leaves it up to the viewer to find the intertwining stories. For Conbere, “The works represent how our world is structured personally and experientially rather than literally or geographically.”

Exhibits are free and open to the public. The gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Go to for more information.

Image caption: Waterkotte, Not to Save Phenomena but to Mislay Them, 2008, unique print, mixed media and collage

Article by Amanda Symes

Share this:


text:
Virgin Active, Thailand

Innovative solutions from Aurecon help Virgin Active transform Thailand’s health and fitness industry

  • Largest, multipurpose fitness facility in Bangkok
  • Subsequently appointed to work on three more clubs
  • Aurecon's role: MEP and structural engineering design
  • Clients: Virgin Active (Thailand) Limited

As clients become increasingly more discerning in their health and fitness needs, fitness centres in Asia are evolving to create more holistic experiences for their members.

In its ambitious plan to significantly increase its presence in Southeast Asia, Virgin Active is committed to opening up to 20 new clubs in Thailand by 2022, creating approximately 1,500 jobs in the country.

Fuelled by an investment of 5 billion Thai Baht, this expansion plan aims to provide Thais with a luxurious and unparalleled experience when working out inside a Virgin Active club. It aims to raise the general public’s perception of the local health and fitness industry with its state-of-the-art facilities and innovative use of open spaces for various group exercise programmes.

To bring this vision to life, Virgin Active appointed global engineering and infrastructure advisory company, Aurecon in 2015 to deliver mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) and structural engineering services for its club at the iconic Siam Discovery building; currently the largest multipurpose fitness facility in Bangkok.

Capitalising on Aurecon’s wide range of expertise and familiarity with the Virgin brand, the company was subsequently appointed to provide the same services for the following clubs – Virgin Active Eastville (launched in January 2017), Virgin Active Wireless Road (launched in October 2017), and Virgin Active Chiang Mai (launched in March 2018).

According to Aurecon Project Director Ingkamol Mahabavornruk, it is a huge privilege to be entrusted with these projects as the company is deeply committed to health and safety. By providing the client with innovative solutions, Aurecon is also doing its part in promoting a healthier community in Thailand.

The challenge for the project team was to deliver Virgin Active’s innovative brand and design aesthetic to its new clubs, while working within a limited budget and on pre-existing buildings where the new centres are located.

To address this, Aurecon’s project team had to modify the MEP designs for each club to suit the layouts of the building they are occupying, ensuring that members will feel completely comfortable, relaxed and recharged while within its premises.

As a value-added service, the team also helped to arrange and organise the equipment and facilities in the various clubs strategically to enable Virgin Active’s staff to conduct their maintenance more efficiently. These services provided include the design of electrical systems, building management system, heat, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, sanitary, and fire protection systems.

To top


text:
Dressing for Success

Granite Falls, Minn. – In the convenience- food age, Karen Henning says consumers still have only two options for putting potato salad on the dinner table – make it from scratch or buy it ready made. There are no quick-fix alternatives. “You can’t go into a store and buy a jar of potato salad dressing,” Henning says.

Seeing an opening in the market, Karen and husband Doug are marketing their own brand of sweet, tangy dressings. This fall, Cedar Valley Foods dressings will be available at several grocery and retail stores in west central Minnesota. Along with the usual ingredients – soybean oil, eggs, sugar, vinegar – Hennings’ dressings are made with a secret formula “of this and that,” Karen says.

Karen developed the dressing recipes by making thousands of pounds of potato and pasta salad every year for Doug’ s Cafe and catering business in Renville, Minn., which they purchased in 1975 and sold in 1990.

Serious about salad

Karen came upon her hit creation by trying different combinations of ingredients and seasonings until the salads became so popular that customers started ordering them by the gallon to take home. Some suggested the Hennings sell dressings that customers could mix with their own potatoes and pasta at home. The idea simmered for years as both Doug and Karen pursued other opportunities. Doug is now an American Family Insurance agent and Karen works for the Jennie-O Turkey Store in Montevideo, Minn. About four years ago they decided to take their recipe more seriously.

The Hennings invested in a marketing study and worked with AURI on feasibility and nutritional labeling. The Small Business Development Center in Marshall, Minn. helped with business development and financing. The Hennings then formed a new company: Cedar Valley Foods. Bottling the products in their own kitchen, Doug and Karen began giving out samples at tradeshows and special events.

“Taste is still consumers’ number one criteria,” says Charan Wadhawn, AURI food scientist who has assisted Cedar Valley. “I believe this product has passed the taste test of thousands.”

In 2001, the Hennings served 500 pounds of salad at the Women’s Expo in Willmar. “There were 3,000 to 4,000 women there and they thought the dressing was great,” Doug said. “It was then that we decided to get the dressing in jars.”

They also gave out product samples at the 2003 Minnesota Inventor’s Congress in Redwood Falls. Almost everyone who tried it was impressed, Doug Henning said. “One little girl came back half a dozen times.” Many requested to purchase the dressings, although they were not yet commercially available.

To the bright lights

This summer, a friend suggested they compete in the Million Dollar Idea show on KSTC Channel 45, a Twin Cities cable television station. Karen auditioned with a videotape of her demonstrating “Karen’s Recipes” dressings in an Edina mall. She was selected to be one of 62 contestants appearing in the show’s eight weekly episodes. Karen moved up to the final round of the contest but didn’t win the grand prize – a $40,000 package of business services. However, the Hennings gained exposure and experience.

They contracted with a specialty food processor in Indianapolis to make the dressings; the first batch was shipped to Klein Foods in Marshall for bottling in late August. The bottled dressings will be in local stores this fall. In September, they presented samples of Karen’s Recipes at the Chef’s Medley Show in Willmar.

The Hennings are confident their business will succeed – with a large support group to lean on: “There are a lot of friends and family, plus eight newspapers, four radio stations… our local support,” says Doug who served a combined 10 years on the Renville City Council and as mayor.

Within two to three years, the Hennings want their products in major retail stores. They also hope to eventually construct their own bottling plant. But for now, they are focused on attracting customers. Doug says people who have tried the dressings are persistently asking where they can buy it, “so it’s time to get it in the stores.”

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin


text:
Questions? Feedback? powered by Olark live chat software

The Importance of Data Backup

13th October, 2016 | by admin

Despite our colleagues and bosses consistently drumming into us that we need to backup our data, few take it seriously.

Firstly, backing up all our files seems like an enormous task and something for a day less busy.

Troubled man with smoking laptop computerThe harsh punishment comes when disaster strikes and all those critical files are lost. You may think it is a ‘never happen to me’ situation but the statistics say otherwise.

When over 1,000 employees were surveyed in 2011, it found that there were fundamental gaps in their back-up and storage systems. Even though 70 percent of interviewees claimed to have completed some data back-up, almost half said they still had their data lost or deleted at some point. This type of startling disparity suggests that many don’t understand the extent of the storage they have to undertake, or that their current techniques aren’t sufficient.

Take the next minute to think of some of your most important files you have and how you could operate without them.

Think all your emails (sent and received), files on clients, customer research and surveys, accounts payable and receivable, long-term strategies and plans.

Think about losing them in a split second and how you could function.

Everything: gone.

If the thought of that has you feeling slightly queasy, then be reassured there are measurements you have in place to protect you, your intellectual property, and the success of the business.

one computer server with a cloud shape, concept of remote data storage (3d render)It all begins with a backup and disaster recovery system, which can be implemented by AUS-IT. The system is a necessary element of the cloud services, which provides a cost-effective offsite backup of all your data.

Importantly, recovery systems don’t have a one-size fits all solution. For every business, the strategy will have to be specifically designed to reflect the direct needs and requirements to ensure recovery is as smooth as possible.

Your next question should be, how does it start?

At AUS-IT, we begin every plan with a meeting. This step is crucial to developing a comprehensive understanding of the intricacies of the business. We ask, as an example, if you lost all the logins to your relevant sites, how would this impact the business? Will it be priority one to recover those or do you have preliminary strategies in place?

importance of backing up dataThe next consideration is a more intrinsic understanding of all the applications or operating systems within your organisation, and their order of importance. If all your systems and files were lost, what would be the first set of files or applications to be recovered? And even though we pride ourselves on working effectively and efficiently, no one can guarantee to hit a button and everything lost instantaneously is recovered. So, discussions will take place on the maximum time a system can be down to ensure there is realistic time frames and expectations implemented.

Following that, consultations will occur to finalise the recovery of systems so it occurs in a logical way for you and your business. The recovery plan will be designed to mitigate the damage of the disaster, for example, it makes sense to restore email in most businesses before file data.

These solutions and objectives are all developed so they can be achieved within your budget.

back up data onlineNotably, these strategies implemented by AUS-IT are beneficial for all types of disaster that can hit a business, including true disasters like fire, flood, or theft. Of course, most businesses are far more likely to fall victim to server failure, power outage, and virus or database corruption.

Whatever the disaster is, your data and applications are securely backed up on data centre hosted storage platforms. The process is completely automated for you – so you don’t have to be concerned about a thing – and the backup is completely daily.

If you are still left unsure about whether having a recovery system is really necessary or worth the immediate cost, don’t let yourself risk it. Don’t put your business and all its intellectual property at risk simply because disaster striking seems like an improbable event.

Get in touch with AUS-IT today to talk more about how we can specifically design a cloud-based disaster recovery system for you. With just a few meetings, we can absolve your business or any worries about lost data and ensure you are on track for IT security.

Comments Off on The Importance of Data Backup


text:
Fun Ways to Use Stencils

Fun Ways to Use Stencils for Kids

Stenciling for Kids Stencils are a fun and easy way to add interesting elements to cards, clothing, and other craft projects. Stencils give young artists and crafters a clear shape to work with, which can boost their creative confidence since they don’t have to worry about drawing details. Stenciled shapes are a fun addition to …

Read moreFun Ways to Use Stencils for Kids

How To Use The Color Wheel

Make a Basic Color Wheel

Color Wheel Guide Create a color wheel and then use it to find a variety of color schemes that will work for getting dressed, decorating, or making art and craft projects. Whether you are getting dressed in the morning, decorating your room, or working on an art or craft project, your options for combining colors …

Read moreMake a Basic Color Wheel


text:
2018 India

Sophie Spencer

Principal Trumpet – Australian Youth Orchestra

Australian Hometown(s): Sydney & Melbourne
Education: Sydney Conservatorium of Music; Australian National Academy of Music

Sophie Spencer is currently studying at the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) under the tutelage of Tristram Williams. In 2017, Sophie was the recipient of a Sydney University Sydney Scholars Award and the J. J. Kelly Memorial Scholarship at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she commenced her Bachelor of Music (Performance) degree. She studied with Andrew Evans in 2017 and has studied with David Elton since 2013.

Sophie has performed in programs with the Australian Youth Orchestra (AYO) since 2014 and was the 2018 Principal Trumpet at National Music Camp, February Season and July Season. This year, she participated in the AYO Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Fellowship Program and an ANAM Side-by-Side project with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra in a Brass Concert. Sophie has held Principal Trumpet positions in the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Wind Symphony and the Castle Hill RSL Youth Wind Orchestra, and has performed with Sydney Youth Orchestra, The Metropolitan Orchestra, The Musician’s Project, and Willoughby Symphony Orchestra.

Last updated 2020


text:
Enjoying Our New Website?

Date Published
Published by

Our new website has been live for a couple of weeks now and over here at Autobrite Direct we are thrilled with the new look and are pleased that we can offer our customers a better buying experience. Having organised our reputable car detailing products in an easier to find format, slotting them into categories that represent which step of car detailing they are used for. Another new feature is our 6 Step detailing page which talks in length about the process our professional car detailers use in our valeting services packages so that our customers can get both the products and technique of the pros.

6 Steps to Success

A new dedicated section on our website, our 6-step detailing page covers the necessary steps to achieve flawless results at home. Starting with the wheels, customers are taken step by step through the products to use to remove dirt, decrease the appearance of scratches and get rims shining. Moving onto washing, followed by decontamination and polishing we state the importance of these steps in maintaining the appearance of a vehicle and increasing the resale value. As always, we finish our 6-step detail with a section on polishing and a section on protecting so car owners get the longest-lasting results.

List of Stockists

Many of Autobrite’s biggest fans love the products but live too far away from our Staffordshire headquarters to come and chat with our knowledgeable team about them. Our brand-new stockist page allows customers to enter their location and find their nearest Autobrite Direct Stockist with the click of a button. Alternatively, our trade customers can use this page to become an AD stockist which will give them in-depth training on all of the products so that they can provide their catchment area with the same level of service that our Staffordshire base does.


text:
Uber aims to develop autonomous electric flying cars by the next decade

by Rachel Burgess, Autocar UK 02 Nov 2016

American ride-sharing service, Uber Technologies is planning to develop an electric flying car in the next decade, which would provide a taxi service in the sky, alleviating traffic, reducing emissions and cutting commute times.

Called a Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft, Jeff Holden, chief product officer at Uber posted a white paper on the firm’s website talking about the flying car, an abbreviation of Vertical Take-off and Landing.

Uber described the plans as enabling “rapid reliable transport between suburbs and cities, and ultimately, within cities”. Daily long-distance commutes in heavily congested urban areas not served by existing infrastructure would likely to be the first to use the aircraft.

It said more than a dozen companies are working on the project, with “many different design approaches”.

Twice as safe as a car

The electric aircraft, which would be quieter, cheaper and less polluting than its nearest equivalent – the helicopter – would ultimately use autonomous technology making it much safer by “significantly reducing operator error”.

Uber envisages VTOL flying cars can be twice as safe as driving a car through both autonomy and distributed electric propulsion (DEP). The use of DEP allows for fixed-wing VTOLs, which wouldn't need large helicopter rotors and provide lift with greater efficiency than rotors.

However, Uber commented: “No vehicle manufacturer to date has yet demonstrated a commercially viable aircraft featuring DEP, so there is real risk here.”

Cheaper than running a car

Uber believes that in the long term, VTOL flying cars will be more affordable than running a car. Acknowledging that today’s aircraft and helicopters cost about 20 times more than a car, due to low-volume manufacturing, it said: “If VTOLs can serve the on-demand urban transit case well — quiet, fast, clean, efficient, and safe — there is a path to high production volume manufacturing (at least thousands of a specific model type built per year) which will enable VTOLs to achieve a dramatically lower per-vehicle cost. The economics of manufacturing VTOLs will become more akin to automobiles than aircraft.”

It added that early VTOL vehicles are likely to be very expensive, but because the ridesharing model quickly reduces vehicle cost, “the high cost should not end up being prohibitive to getting started”.

“Once the ridesharing service commences, a positive feedback loop should ensure that ultimately reduces costs and thus prices for all users, i.e. as the total number of users increases, the utilisation of the aircraft increases,” the company said.

Uber also identified a number of challenges which must be addressed to make VTOL vehicles viable. These included the certification process for new aircraft concepts, battery technology for electric transport and air traffic control.

The greatest operational barrier for deploying a VTOL fleet is a lack of sufficient locations for landing pads, said Uber.

The company described the vision as “ambitious” but believes “it is achievable in the coming decade if all the key actors in the VTOL ecosystem — regulators, vehicle designers, communities, cities, and network operators — collaborate effectively".

You may like:

Uber exploring a move towards self-driving trucks

- Uber and Volvo Cars to jointly develop autonomous driving cars


text:
Skip to main content

Sundance Film Festival Names Stewart an Official Provider

Sundance Film Festival Names Stewart an Official Provider

Stewart Filmscreen has been chosen as an Official Provider for the Sundance Film Festival from January 22-February 2, 2015, in Park City, Utah. Stewart Filmscreen has a rich history with the film community, from inclusion in many of the top movie studios, theaters, venues, and post-houses around the world, to two Academy Awards for technical screen innovation under its belt.

The Sundance Film Festival and other public programs connect audiences to artists in igniting new ideas, discovering original voices, and building a community dedicated to independent storytelling.

Holden Payne, Technical Director, Exhibition and Production, Sundance Institute, talked about the new screen: “Stewart Filmscreen dominates the projection screen industry in both technical capability and image fidelity and that’s what Sundance facilities require. We’re in the business of delivering the image and experience the filmmakers envision and Stewart Filmscreen consistently delivers. The image just looks so good, we couldn’t be happier with our decision to integrate Stewart Filmscreen into another screening room, just in time for the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.”

The Sundance Mountain Resort Screening Room now features a gigantic acoustically transparent 136.5” x 308.5” Stewart SnoMatte 100 Microperf projection screen with a specially engineered lacing system that allowed Sundance technicians to retrofit the Stewart screen material to an existing frame while providing impeccable image quality and screen surface for some of the Festival’s most anticipated films. In fact, dozens of notable films will make their premiere on this Stewart Filmscreen at the Sundance Resort, including James Franco in I Am Michael, Director Noah Baumbach’s Mistress America, Ethan Hawke in Ten Thousand Saints.

“From the early days of Stewart during the Golden Age of Cinema, Stewart Filmscreen has been there, producing screens that not only produce picture quality worthy of the Silver Screen, but that help filmmakers execute innovative visual effects behind the scenes and an immersive experience for the viewing audience,” said Grant Stewart, President and CEO of Stewart Filmscreen. “We continually push the envelope to deliver unrivaled image integrity for any application, and are honored Stewart Filmscreen has once again been chosen as the projection screen of choice for the Sundance Institute and Sundance Film Festival.”