Why You Should Hire an Architect

2010 September 8
by squadron

An architect is a well qualified expert who has experience in planning, designing and the construction of buildings and the management of construction projects.

Also, one is not considered an architect until he or she has properly passed all the necessary education and accredited programs to procure a license in order to practice architecture. When practicing architecture, the architect can have free reign to design the building or group of buildings, as well as the space around it that still counts as part of the property. These ideas form the planning stage of the project and can take months to finalise.

The reason why architects are so crucial to the success of any building plan is simple: they can put your ideas into a feasible and plausible reality. If you have great ambitions for your home or place of business, then an architect can ensure that those plans will come true.

But aside from the actual design of the building, there are so many other complex factors (beyond the scope of inexperienced people) that need to be considered, and these are also covered in the responsibilities of the architect.

For example, there are some architectural firms that not only design the building for you, but they also prepare the tender documents for the costing of of the entire project, and are the ones that most commonly talk to the contractors, stakeholders and any third parties involved in the assignment.

When you hire an architect, you will not have to be confused by by all the small technical details. All you have to be concerned about is if whether or not the building is coming along according to your plans originally devised with the help of the architect.

The architect is also very helpful before construction begins. If you do not have an actual plan but do have an idea on what you want your structure to look like, then that is where the professional can help you on the project.

All you have to do is to present them with some ideas and they can be the ones to take care of site analysis, the assistance you may need in zoning and planning, any environmental impact studies you may need, tendering and contract negotiation with the contractor and his men, and so much more.

The architect that you hire will be involved in all of the aspects of your project. Essentially, you are hiring an architect because you require a trained expert to take charge of planning and designing the building or dwelling as well as provide the necessary feedback and support throughout the entire assignment.

Engaging an architect is like taking on a business partner for your project, one who is knowledgeable, knows the risk areas around the project and knows how to minimize those risks, has the necessary people skills to work with contractors in order to hire additional resources within budget.

A good architect will treat the project as though it is his or her own and will devise creative ideas and plans to the manager, and discuss in great detail the advantages, disadvantages, any problems of a particular strategy.

These are just some of the many important benefits and key reasons why you should hire an architect. There are so many more reasons that really prove that any project worth going through with has to be under the supervision of a highly qualified architect. In the end, it all boils down to the fact that you have a dream construction project, and your architect is the person to make all these dreams become reality.

Looking for Brisbane architects? For renovation architects Brisbane, contact Dion Seminara Architecture. They are leading home improvement architects. Brisbane office is located in Morningside.

Tents and Marquees

2010 September 2
by squadron

marquees-pavillion-3Event Tents, such as wedding tents are for when you want to make a remarkable outdoor scene. They are generally structures installed at a location for a period of time.

Why A Tent?
Commercial Tents are used as protection from the sun, rain or a gathering place. They can make a stunning and creative atmosphere for any event.

Tent Rentals
Tents can be rented or leased for a day, a weekend, weeks, months, etc. For one or two day events, the Tents are usually installed a few days before the event, depending on scheduling and weather, and remain until a few days after the event. Many rentals are quoted for the entire week, allowing for time to set up and design the interior and exterior. Some Tents are built for exceedingly long-term events and have been installed and remain installed for years.

What Kind of Tent Should I Rent?
Tent rental companies come in all sizes – from small-sized companies with just a few Tents to exceedingly large-sized companies – carrying dozens of several sizes and styles of Tents. Some general rental companies rent from tent rental companies to accommodate their client’s needs.

You may know you want to use a standard Tent for your event, or your event planner may already have in mind to use a Tent. You have options! There are lots of other fantastic
structures and Tent styles out there. Some are unique and make a statement of their own. Ask the rental company you’re working with for a list of the type styles they have on hand.

Usually, the different types of Tents available in most companies are (the names vary depending of the company):

Folding Tents Easy and fast to use and always in demand. Very popular, because usually is the less expensive tent. Fast, flexible, cost effective and long lasting.

They are used by:

  • Corporate brands across most industries
  • Government & Council buyers
  • SME business marketers
  • Franchisees
  • Agricultural exhibitors
  • Emergency services & community groups
  • Folding Tents create brand exposure opportunities.
  • You can reach your audience at the right time, in the right place with the right message.

Inflatable Tents An exciting and lively alternative Tent. Easy & fast to set up. Be sure they have removable printed roof because in that way you can share the investment with other licences.

What Size Tent Will I Need?

The size of Tent depends on a few factors:

1. The number of guests you expect
2. Layout or seating arrangements or the style of event:

* Reception with what type of tables?
* Speaker engagement with what type of seating?
* Will you need a dance floor?
* Will you need display areas for your products?

If you are interested in a Tent, you can expect to need about 2,000 – 2,500 square feet for 200-seated guests. That could mean a 40 x 60 size Tent (Always ask the Tent rental vendor directly and they’ll give you the best dataabout the size of Tent you’ll need).

Therefore, the key rule is; know what you are going to use your tent for. The choice of tents is amazing, almost on par with the choice of cars that you can buy.

So if you need a tent for the family BBQ, for example, your needs are fairly rudimentry
and your budget may be low. Look for cheap tents that offers a waterproof Polyester roof and a decent warranty for under $600.

If you need a tent for a school or sports club you will need a selection of sizes, and colours. Most plain colour Tents s range between $995- $2900. If you are keen to advertise yourself, you can have your names printed for around $150-$300. Printing logos usually cost a little more.

In the last 5 years, portable Tents have become important to businesses for their marketing. The key need for these buyers is a prominent and premium reproduction of their logo. Sign written or printed Tents can be as dull as a website address or they can be a design extravaganza.

Remember, if it is for commercial purposes, the aim is to build recognition of your company with your printed Tent. Printed corporate Tents range in price from $1500- $4000. Good ones will really catch your eye.

Once you have decided on what sort of buyer you are and how you are going to use your Tents, a good Tents company will offer you a choice of frames, a warranty of between 3-5 years and help with formulating the printing-if you need it.

For more information about tents, contact Extreme Marquees. We have a range of cheap tents, for all sorts of home and business applications.

New Zealand’s Top Holiday Cities

2010 August 23

New Zealand has a wonderful array of beautiful landscapes. Like imposing mountain ranges, sweeping coastlines, abundant rainforests, deep fiords, snow capped mountains and steaming volcanoes. These picturesque wonders have all made New Zealand an inspired destination for all kinds of holidays.

Amazing travel packages and holiday specials are available on quality accommodation in modern city hotels and luxurious wilderness lodges at reduced prices. Among the top holiday cities in New Zealand, Queenstown, Christchurch and Auckland would definitely be there. Travel Online is a celebrated online specialist travel operator and provides fantastic tourist services for New Zealand. Travel Online provides an instant quote and booking service for accommodation in cities right across the country.

Queenstown
The international resort town of Queenstown is situated on the shoreline of Wakatipu Lake. This beautiful region is among the most scenic locations on the globe. Throughout the year adventurous and exciting sports like jet boating, bungy jumping, and white water rafting take place. This town is the epicentre of the entire world’s bungy jumping activities too. With the advent of winter, the town gets transformed to an alpine wonderland with snowboarders and skiers from all corners of the world assembling at the annual Winter Festival.

There is constant demand for Queenstown Accommodation all round the year and Travel Online offers a select group of hotels best suited for New Zealand holidays. 1, 2, 3 or 4 bedroom apartments, with cutting-edge facilities, gyms, spas and fantastic views are available at various holiday retreats across the city. Larger apartments with more bedrooms, tennis courts, private jetties and fitness centres are also available at a higher price. Luxury complexes with studio rooms in the vicinity of cafes, bars, and restaurants are also found in Travel Online’ Queenstown Accommodation selection.

Christchurch
When choosing a place to stay in Christchurch look for hotels that give views over the wonderful Victoria Square, across the mesmerizing Avon River or towards the epochal Anglican Cathedral. Situated on New Zealand’s South Island, this cosmopolitan city is always abuzz with colourful festivals, shopping spots, theaters and art galleries. Hotels overlooking Victoria Square provide visitors with an insight in to the city’s English history.

Individuals accommodated in the vicinity of the Christchurch Cathedral will find hotel rooms with a Manhattan-style feel. Tradition and elegance are everywhere in these hotels along with a keen eye on service excellence. Huge bedrooms with full-fledged kitchen facilities are common, along with hi-tech conference facilities, resort-like leisure features like spas, saunas, gyms, and swimming pools. Many of these hotels provided by Travel Online are located in the vicinity of the Technology Park, the International Antarctic Centre, and the airport. Travelers who want to stay away from the hustle and bustle of the cosmopolitan life will find suitable accommodation in the splendidcountryside surrounding the city.

Auckland
Auckland, also known as the City of Sails, is situated in between 2 harbors and has more boats per person than anywhere on the planet. Within minutes a person has the choice of sailing away on yachts to isolated nearby islands, living the high life in the casino, surfing at winding beaches or tasting the exotic wines at local vineyards. Hotels come in stylish and comfortable studios, and luxurious executive / marina suites. Travel Online caters to the tastes of corporate and business tourists and can beat any price seen on Auckland accommodation advertised. Auckland harbor is stunning, and is seen perfectly from atop Sky City and the surrounding accommodation.

Affordable and comfortable apartments are available for casual tourists, equipped with kitchens, laundries, and balconies to provide a memorable holidaying experience. Visitors to Auckland love visiting the Antarctic Encounter, which showcases the only penguins present in the sub-Antarctic region. More adventures include cage-bereft shark dives, scuba expeditions and snorkel safaris. New Zealand is waiting.

Travel Online has a wide range of Queenstown accommodation close to all the snow action and cosmopolitan Christchurch accommodation surrounded by all that theatre and art. For holidays in and around the water, Auckland accommodation is as good as anywhere in the world.

Repairing Flooded Carpet: A cheap job is a good job right? Wrong….

2010 August 18
by squadron

Don’t permit an inexperienced 24 hour carpet cleaner show up to repair your water damaged carpets. These are the things you have to be watchful of:

Overcharging. An amateur water restoration restorer may load the job up with unnecessary inclusions. E.g. using dehumidification for the flooded carpets when it is not needed.

Having the correct equipment. They can use equipment from hire companies for the carpet. This is acceptable, but an experienced water damage cleaner will have all their equipment to provide a quicker response and hopefully a better value job.

Proper moisture metre. If they don’t have the choice moisture meter, they cannot know whether the carpet is fixed. This enhances the potential of mould in future. Removal of the mould in future may be required.

Specialised. There are many “Carpet Cleaners” in this industry who do water damage restoration repairs on the “side.” i.e. they do not complete this type of repair every day. Be aware of it. Restoring carpets is an art. Taking carpet off the gripper strips then reinstalling them must be completed by a professional, otherwise it can be damaged incontrovertibly.

You could be pondering, how do I decide on a proper Flood Restoration Business? Below I have listed some pointers to look out for when hunting around for a carpet flood damage business:

How large is their Yellow Pages ad slot: This can be a sign of how much repair work they are doing already. A full-size Yellow Pages ad slot can cost more than $50 000. When they have invested in a big ad, you can at least have some expectation that they are professionals.

Where do they show in Google? The higher they rate in Google, the more webpage views there have been for their business.

What Qualifications do they have? The base qualification they need is a IICRC qualification of Applied Structural Drying and Water Damage Restoration.

Do Insurance companies source them for carpet water damage jobs? This is a better indicator. If insurance companies source them, the business is likely to be good at their job. Insurance companies generally use the companies that give them the top value for their money.

What Equipment do they have? They should own about 100 Air movers. If they own this many, this could show they have been established for a while. It took our business 8 years to own that many wet carpet drying air movers.

What type of commitment can you get for them by calling them? See if you can pin them down to a price for water extraction, water removal and initial inspection. If they don’t give you a rate for just this, you know they are not willing to serve you, so look elsewhere.

Response Time – Our Water Damage Brisbane-based business is committed to a 59 minute response time to a water damage emergency. The business needs to be attended to ASAP. Mould can appear in a 24 hour period.

If you focus on these tips you are sure to get a Flood Damage Restoration company who can get the job done right.

If you have carpet water damage Brisbane, call us for flooded wet carpet drying. Brisbane storm season is approaching and you may need storm damage carpet cleaning. Brisbane and surrounding areas serviced.

Eight Steps to Great Web Design

2010 August 7
by squadron

Take charge of getting your site produced by a developer and know the process it will save you money and get you a site that actually works the intended purpose!

1. Knowing your business and how you are currently positioned in your market.
In order to formulate a site that truly meets your requirements; you first need to have a full understanding of your business including your products, and/or services and more importantly their market position. You then have to examine how you want to explain your business and what it offers in 7 seconds or less. Sounds impossible? Well that is the average time that a user will consider the point “is this site I searched for?”.

2. Budget and estimation
Have a budget in mind and don’t be afraid to let the developers know what it is. In saying this: BE REALISTIC, $500 will never see a great web site created, nor will they be anything left in the bank to market it.

3. The creative process
Be armed with example sites and more importantly the elements of the site you like so they can attain an understanding of what you would like to see on your site and also what you find frustrating about other sites. This will build a good profile and analyze not only what type of site to build for you but your tolerance to colours, animations, layouts etc. for your requirements which will allow for effective development. The more interaction and information you bestow them in the beginning the more time you will save everybody in the long run by getting what you want 1st time round. Check with the designers on how many rounds of changes come with the contract, most will allow for a total conceptual redesign only once and 2 rounds of changes after that.

4. Production and Content
After the home page design is made, the developers will more than likely collect the general layout of this concept and then construct the inner page template. It is this template that will be replicated for most of your pages for your site.
Present your content in a pre-proofed word processed document; don’t become too creative with the document fonts etc. as these will not be preserved when the content is copied into the code of the site. It is suggested that you do use bolding, underlining, headings and sub heading though ,as these highlights are transferred into the site and are crucial later on in not only establishing with the reader but for Search Engine Optimisation.
One last tip for content; provide a decent amount of content but provide it in a way that a reader may attain a summary of what you are trying to infer across in the 1st couple of paragraphs and an image or to. The rest of the paragraphs that get into finer details ARE FOR GOOGLE !

5. Development Programming and CMS
If your website contains Content Managed Areas (CMS) or has any other dynamic sections the developers will wrap your design around a content management program such as Joomla or Drupal or they may have a custom built system. Make sure that you get to see how the CMS system operate on another site they have developed or an example site they may have. You need to know that you can utilize and understand the system when your site is complete.

6. Testing and training
We work closely with the developers to test your site especially if there are any CMS or special programs that have been created for you. You can guarantee if it is has just been written for you then it will not operate 100% first time round. This is a where things can get ugly in the process you must understand the way the program works and test it as if you were normal website user. If it doesn’t make sense to you, chances are it won’t make sense to your audience. Make sure you test your website on more than just your browser, try to test it on Internet Explorer, Firefox and Safari. All of these browsers are avialable on the internet for free!

7. Launch – going live
When the developers are ready to make your site onlive make sure you have finished the above testing step until you are content that this website is the best representation of your business / product it can be. Remember even though you can change things after going live it is still a poor reflection on your business if there are spelling mistakes or broken images when you launch.

8. Marketing
There is little point in having a website if nobody visits it, make sure as part of you contract you have discussed search engine optimisation and or search engine marketing as part of your website build. This is the absolute most important factor of the whole process. If you are the only one looking at your site then you are in trouble.

Remember Search Engine Optimisation is about 30% Onsite (getting your site correct for Search Engine to index correctly) and 70% Promotion. Any developer who tells you otherwise hasn’t been in the industry too long.

For more information about web design Brisbane, contact Web Site Blue. Our web designers understand marketing as well as design.

Tips to Creating a New Business Logo

2010 August 6

A logo is a essential step to building a business. It is the face of your business. And like your face conveys the tone of your business, indicates the service and screams the professionalism or lack there of.

People spend a lot of money on the formation of their logo and walk away with no artwork files. Then a couple months down the track when they need to put signage on their new building they cannot track the design studio down that formulated the original logo for them and so incur costs to have it recreated. This is needless and may cause obstacles when trying to replecate the logo exactly as done originally.

We have created some basic tips you for to think about when creating a logo. Hopefully these will help you from experiencing any future obstacles.

Tip 1
First things first – you need to decide if you would like your logo to have an accompanying icon. It is desired that if your service or product name is not in your business name then perhaps an icon will help in conveying a clear message across to your target audience.

An icon can add an extra element to your branding in that you could use the icon on its own on collateral where perhaps you are looking for a more illustrative finish without losing recognition.

A good example of this is the well-known and executed Fedex logo.

Tip 2
Colour can be an extremely important decision as it not only could affect the output costs but can also limit your output use. Think about the end result and what you will be bringing your branding onto in the future. Make sure your designer is aware of this as they should design accordingly.

Tip 3
Ensure you get a back up disk of your logo as a master file and ensure that it includes all the files required for the different printing formats.

Creative software updates frequently and some programmes become obsolete. Make certain you have a copy of your logo as a PDF – with the text converted to curves.

Tip 4
Using images in your logo is not very easy to manage. For example it is hard to to reverse into black and white. Images also have limitations when it comes to size – they can only be reproduced to a certain size before they start pixilation.

Tip 5
Using gradients in your logo is not recommended. This too can have limitations when it comes to output for ie: gradients are hard to reproduce when embroidering fabrics.

Tip 6
Confirm sure the font is legible. Some logos need to be reproduced on small pieces of collateral ie: post stamps. It is important that in this case the text is
readable

Tip 7
Make sure that you acquire a copy of your logo in CMYK high resolution 300 dpi (for printing use) and RGB 72 dpi(for web use).

Tip 8
It is important to have a style guide of your logo. It will clearly show you how to use your logo so it looks exactly the same every time it is reproduced. This allows you to keep your corporate image consistent.

Tip 9
Make sure that you get a letter from the design studio declaring that you own the copyright to your logo.

If you follow these tips then not only will you acquire a well-designed logo but you will also own the artwork. And when it comes to reproducing your collateral you will be doing it the most cost effective way.

For logo design Brisbane and web design Brisbane, contact Bydaughters today for a free two hour consultation.

How to Create a Style Guide

2010 July 31
by squadron

How many times have you commissioned business cards to print and obtained yet another version of your corporate colour? Ever been thrilled to see your advert in the latest newspaper and then spotted that the crucial tag line is not present or your logo has been wrecked.

There is only one way to stop this from happening and that is to use a style guide. Not only will a style guide aid you direct the reproduction of your logo – it will also help you extend your brand recognition – which many argue is one of the strongest selling tools.

We have placed the below steps together for you as a starting point.

Step 1 : Mark the audience for your Style Guide. Is this for staff to use in-house or is this for suppliers and contractors to refer to?

Step 2 : Mark what your output uses are. This is important because you will require different logos and file formats for example, black and white publication adverts in comparison to vehicle graphics.

Step 3 : Define the tone for the copy and content required. For example you may wantcopy rules for printed content and then copy rules for website content.

Content rules cover all punctuation rules and how to attribute to the business and team.

Step 4 : Assure you layout all the design templates so it is clear how and where the logo and branding lies on all the different pieces of collateral that may be reproduced.

Step 5 : Make certain to accommodate any contributing logos or logos of business that are linked with you. It’s also important that you deliver a copy of the layout to these companies to ensure they accept the layout of their logo as they too may have their own Style Guide and hierarchy layout rules.

Step 6 : Assure that grammar, spelling and contact details are correct.

Step 7 : Ensure that when suppliers are using the Style Guide they understand~know~discern~apprehend} that a proof needs to be dispatched~sent~mailed~commissioned}to you to be validated as correct.

Have your Style Guide finished and as secure as possible. Then have it saved in an email friendly file format and have a couple printed. Once this is done we strongly suggest a training session – whereby your design studio comes in and trains your staff on how to use the Style Guide and most importantly your brand.

For graphic design Brisbane, logo design Brisbane and web design Brisbane, contact Bydaughters today. We help your brand build business.

Projectors: LCD Verses DLP (The downfall of DLP technology)

2010 July 19

The most typical question customers ask when acquiring a new projector for the home, office, or classroom is: would I take an LCD projector or a DLP projector? LCD, which stands for ‘liquid crystal device’ and DLP, standing for ‘digital light processing’ are the two commonplace projector imaging technologies. With so many brands and types available, it can be difficult for clients to pick between both technologies. It comes down to the fact that LCD projectors give far superior image quality and colour accuracy. The next part of this article tells you why DLP projectors struggle with projecting a comparable standard of image quality.

Visualise a set of blinds in your room over your bedroom window. With the twist of a rod you can turn the shutters open or closed, according to whether you want to let light in or not. And this is exactly how an LCD projector works. Each pixel operates like its own shutter on a set of blinds to either pass light through or to block it. DLP on the other hand is formed of millions of microscopic mirrors or ‘pixel elements’ as experts like to call them. Each pixel element operates to either reflect light or block it.

How the light source is processed from the point at which the projector switches on to when the picture reaches your screen is vitally important in regard to image quality, brightness and colour accuracy. LCD projectors process white light from the lamp by cutting it into red, blue and green components, by three mirrors which direct the coloured light to 3 separate LCD panels. The 3 LCD panels cast the elements of the image by processing each pixel on and off. The pixels are then simultaneously processed in a glass prism to send the projector image. A point to know about LCD projectors is that all three colours are projected onto your wall at the same time. The way a DLP projector runs is very different and even the produced image shows up is not the same. With DLP, white light from the lamp is sent through a turning colour wheel with transparent red, blue and green segments, at speeds up to 11,000 rpm/s. This method of making an image casts a sequence of red, blue and green light. The millions of micro mirrors as mentioned above reflect the coloured light on the pixels to construct the image elements. The elements of the image are sent in sequence on the screen, one colour at a time. The viewer’s vision will then draw each coloured element of the image into a single full image. Using LCD projectors, all colours are available all the time to deliver top brightness and great colour accuracy. In DLP, just one colour is available at a time, and so causing lower colour brightness and accuracy. Some designers have added a white segment into the colour wheel to improve brightness generally, but this goes and degrades colour accuracy.

I see in forums all the time that DLP offers a higher contrast ratio and therefore must be superior. For those unaware, the contrast ratio is a measure of a display system defined as the ratio of the luminance of the brightest white to that of the darkest black that the projector is able to produce. DLP projectors do possess high contrast specifications as compared to the majority of LCD projectors. Initially, this must be a plus, however, in reality, the true black level is determined by the ambient light in the room when the projector is used. Do not be duped by contrast specifications on websites and in brochures.

When the content you wish to see includes moving images, DLP projection technology also has image marks, or ‘artifacts’. The most commonplace artifact that a DLP projector shows with moving images is colour break up. Colour break up is incontrovertible in DLP systems because moving images change position between the time red, blue and green colours are pulled up. LCD projectors do not have this downside because every colour is delivered at once. DLP developers have developed 3DLP solutions using 3 chips to answer the colour break up issue, but the price of these projectors make them impractical for the majority of businesses and consumers.

Another differentiation between LCD and DLP is how they balance for the refractive qualities of light. Remember back to high school science, and recall when they taught you how various colours of light refract varied amounts when shone through the same lens. The problem with DLP projectors is that they take the one same panel for the same lens to project Red, Blue and Green. All 3 colours are obviously different and refract light at different levels. Most of the time with a DLP projector, some yellow colour will show above and some extra blue will come through below an image containing something as simple as a single black line. In manufacturing LCD projectors can be set to reduce these effects on the projected image, because each colour is refracted on separate LCD panels.

The sole real plus (excluding price) with picking a DLP projector is its smaller total size and weight. However, this is only relevant with regard to mobility and needs to be traded off against the image plusses of LCD projectors. If overall picture quality is important to you, then the answer is simple. Take an LCD projector! LCD projectors will consistently make bright, colourful images with fewer image errors. If you want to learn more about LCD technology in more detail, have a look at this tremendous resource website: Explore 3LCD. If you have any additional questions, jump onto Projector Central and send me an email.

Jonathan King is the sales and marketing manager of Projector Central, Australia’s top online provider for projectors. Based in Brisbane, Projector Central has serviced Australia for 15 years. For data projectors in the Gold Coast and Interactive Whiteboards, contact Projector Central today.

Yachting and Yacht Clubs

2010 July 16

As the Dutch found preeminence in sea power during the 17th century, the initial yacht became a pleasure craft used first by royalty and then by the burghers for the canals and then in the protected and unprotected waters of the Low Countries. Yacht racing was incidental, coming out of private challenges. English yachting started with King Charles II of England during his exile in the Low Countries. On his reaffirmation to the English royalty in 1660, the city of Amsterdam sent him a 20-metre (66-foot) pleasure boat with a beam (maximum width) of 5.6 m (18 feet), which he named Mary. Charles and his brother James, the duke of York (James II, sovereign 1685–88), built other yachts and in 1662 raced two of them from the Thames, from Greenwich, to Gravesend, and back, on a £100 bet. Yachting was found to be classy among the rich and nobility, but after that time the fashion did not last.

The first yacht club in the British Isles, the Water Club, was formed at about 1720 at Cork, Ire., as a cruising and unofficial coast guard organization, and had much naval panoply and formality. The closest thing to racing boats was the “chase,” when the “fleet” pursued an imagined enemy. The club went on, mostly as a social club, until 1765, and in 1828, after joining with other societies, it became known as the Cork Yacht Club (later the Royal Cork Yacht Club).

Yacht racing was first seen in some stipulated method on the Thames in the mid-18th century. The duke of Cumberland instigated the Cumberland Fleet for Thames racing in 1775. When George IV ascended to monarchy in 1820, it was then called the Fleet to His Majesty’s Coronation Sailing Society. The Thames Yacht Club seceded after a racing dispute, to become the Royal Thames Yacht Club in 1830. The first English yacht society had been formed at Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1815, and royal patronage made the Solent – the strait between the mainland and the Isle of Wight – the continued site of British racing. The association at Cowes became the Royal Yachting Club, again at the rise of George IV. Each member was required to own boats of at least 20 tons (20,321 kg). Sailing tests for large stakes were held, and the social life was splendid. It came to be that the Royal Yachting Club boats grew in size to over 350 tons.

In North America, yachting started with the Dutch in New York in the 17th century and continued when the English held control. Sailing was mostly for fun and found its high point in George Crowinshield’s Cleopatra’s Barge (1815), which sailed on the Mediterranean Sea and set a standard of luxury and elegance for the later yachts in the area from the late 19th century. The first enduring American yacht group, the Detroit Boat Club, was started in 1839. In 1844, John C. Stevens instigated the New York Yacht Club while aboard his schooner Gimcrack.

Kinds of sailboats
The first sailing yachts were within the style of such naval craft as brigantines, schooners, and cutters from the 17th century through to the second half of the 19th century. The design of sizeable yachts was first largely put upon by the success of America, which was drawn by George Steers for a association led by John C. Stevens, and it was the boat for which the America’s Cup (q.v.) was named after its victory at Cowes in 1851. The first yachts were not designed and built in the modern sense, with only a model being used. Not until the later half of the 19th century did what was known as naval architecture come into being. Not until the 1920s did the application of the research of aerodynamics do for the craft of sails and rigging what science had already done for hulls.

Because almost all sailboats had to be individually custom-built, there was a desire for handicapping boats previous to the one-design class boats were designed. Thus, a rating rule was decreed, which is found in the International Rule, adopted in 1906 and amended in 1919. In modern times, one of the fastest flourishing areas in the field of sailing is that of one-design class boats. All boats in a one-design class are created to single dimensions in length, beam, sail area, and other elements (for an example of a two-person sailboat, see illustration). Racing between these boats can be had on an even par with no handicapping necessary. A perfect example is the uniform International America’s Cup Class adopted for racers in the 1992 America’s Cup race.

As long as yachting belonged primarily for the nobility and the wealthy, cost was no object, and the size of boats increased, in both length and weight. The promotion and preference of smaller yachts came in the later half of the 19th century from the sailing of the Englishmen R.T. McMullen, a stockbroker, and E.F. Knight, a barrister and journalist. A voyage around the world (1895–98) led single-handedly by the naturalized American captain Joshua Slocum in the 11.3-metre Spray proved the seaworthiness of less sizeable yachts. Thereafter in the 20th century, for the larger part after World War II, smaller racing and pleasure craft became more common, down to the dinghy, a popular training boat, of 3.7 m. In the late 20th century, yachts of less than 3 m were traveled in single-handedly across the Atlantic Ocean.

Kinds of power yachts
After the decade 1840–50, in which steam was set to emulate sail power in public vessels, the steam engine, and later the internal-combustion engine, were favoured increasingly in leisure boats. Large power yachts were furthered to a high degree, and long-distance sailing was a fond activity of the well off. The earliest power yachts were paddle-wheel boats; those then made way to those powered by the completely submerged screw or propeller type of propulsion. As in the case of naval and merchant yachts, auxiliaries with both sail and power were the yacht standard for several years. By the latter half of the 20th century, several yachts were still auxiliaries, but the large part were exclusively power yachts with gasoline or diesel engines.

From the last decade of the 19th century there was a boom in the design of more sizeable steam yachts. Conspicuous within these was the Mayflower (1897) of 2,690 tons, with triple-expansion engines, twin screws, and a compartmented iron hull, and was sailed by a crew of over 150. The Mayflower, purchased by the United States Navy in 1898, was the official yacht of the president of the United States until 1929 and gave active service for World War II.

As larger and better quality internal-combustion engines were developed, many large yachts began using them for power. The creation of the diesel engine, with heavy oil for fuel, advanced from World War I. In the decade following that, big power-yacht manufacture grew, reaching a climax in the Orion (1930) at 3,097 tons. During that time the biggest auxiliary yacht constructed was the four-masted, steel, barque-rigged Sea Cloud (1931) of 2,323 tons.

The manufacture of big power craft lessened after 1932, and the fashion from then was in preference of smaller, less expensive boats. After World War II, a lot of small naval vessels were traded by private owners for conversion to yachts. In the late 20th century, yachting has become a globally beloved activity enjoyed by thousands of yachtsmen individually manning and keeping their own small pleasure yachts. The popularity of craft and yachtsmen increased steadily, not only in the traditional locations by the beach but also on inland waterways and lakes.

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Proportional, Progressive, and Regressive taxes

2010 July 8

Taxes are distinguished by the effect they have on the placement of income and wealth. A proportional tax is one that impinges the same relative requirement on each taxpayer—i.e., in the case where tax liability and income grow in the same levels. A progressive tax is recognised by a greater than proportional rise in the tax burden in relation to the increase in income, and a regressive tax is recognised by a less than proportional increase in the relative liability. Thus, progressive taxes are regarded as removing inequity in income distribution, whereas regressive taxes are believed to result in an increase these inequalities.

The taxes that are usually considered progressive include individual income taxes and estate taxes. Income taxes that are declarably progressive, however, may become less so in the upper-income demographic—especially if a taxpayer is permitted to lower his tax base by claiming deductions or by taking some income parts from his taxable income. Proportional tax rates if applied to lower-income demographics could also be more progressive if such personal exemptions are made.

Income measured over the period of a given year does not absolutely offer the best measure of taxpaying status. For example, transitory increases in income might be saved, and in temporary declines in income a taxpayer could decide to pay for consumption by taking from savings. So, if taxation is compared alongside “permanent income,” it can be less regressive (or more progressive) than if it is held in comparison with annual income.

Sales taxes and excises (with the exception of those on luxuries) tend to be regressive, because the portion of own income consumed or spent on a specific good declines as the rate of personal income increases. Poll taxes (aka head taxes), calculated as a set amount per capita, clearly are regressive.

It is not simple to determine corporate income taxes and taxes on business as progressive, regressive, or proportionate, because of uncertainty around the ability of businesses to shift their tax expenses (see below Shifting and incidence). This difficulty of deciding who bears the tax burden lays crucially on whether a national or a subnational (that is, provincial or state) tax is being decided.

In analysing the economic effects of taxation, it is relevant to distinguish between several points of tax rates. The statutory rates will be specified in the law; generally speaking these are marginal rates, but in some cases they are mean rates. Marginal income tax rates denote the fraction of incremental income demanded by taxation when income increases by one dollar. So, if tax liability increases by 45 cents when income grows by one dollar, the marginal tax rate is 45 percent. Income tax laws usually contain graduated marginal rates—i.e., rates that grow as income increases. Careful analysis of marginal tax rates are required to take into account provisions apart from the formal statutory rate structure. If, for example, a particular tax credit (reduction in tax) decreases by 20 cents for each one-dollar rise in income, the marginal rate is 20 percentage points greater than indicated within the statutory rates. Since marginal rates signify how after-tax income increases or decreases in response to changes in before-tax income, they are the relevant ones for considering incentive effects of taxation. It is even more difficult to understand the marginal effective tax rate applicable to income from business and capital, as it may rely on such considerations as the structure of depreciation allowances, the deductibility of interest, and the provisions for inflation adjustment. A basic economic theorem grants that the marginal effective tax rate in income from capital is nil under a consumption-based tax.

Average income tax rates show the portion of total income that is demanded in taxation. The pattern of average rates is the one that is necessary for judging the distributional equity of taxation. Under a progressive income tax the average income tax rate rises with income. Average income tax rates usually increase with income, both because personal allowances are provided for the taxpayer and dependents and because marginal tax rates are graduated; on the other side of things, preferential treatment of income received mostly by high-income households might swamp these effects, allowing regressivity, as displayed by average tax rates that decrease as income increases.

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