Is a Holiday Home a Good Investment?

A holiday home (Image via Pixabay)

If you are looking to generate a second income, as many people are, then buying a holiday home could be a good option for you. It needs to be seen as more of an investment, that’s for sure, but it can be a good income generator and help to pay for itself. Plus, it means that there will always be somewhere for you to travel to, as well as being able to rent out to others. When it comes to owning a second home, or a holiday home, then you may be left wondering about the practicalities of it all and thinking about realistically, how much money you could earn.

If that sounds like you, intrigued but unsure, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are some answers to help guide you in making a holiday home decision, and looking at realistically what kind of money you could be looking at.

What are the best options for raising capital for a holiday home?

The majority of people are likely to choose a mortgage to help with the purchase of a holiday home, simply because a lot of people are unlikely to just have several thousands of pounds just hanging around. Holiday home mortgages tend to differ slightly from standard residential mortgages so they could definitely be worth looking into. There are, of course, options like equity release and so on.

Why Do Homeowners Let out their Homes?

Because there have been some changing tax rules around buy-to-let properties that have put people looking to invest off, short-term holiday homes to rent are becoming an increasingly attractive option, especially when compared to a long-term let option. And with sites like Airbnb on the rise, it does help to make it easier to list your property and get a second home to rent out.

But the thought of running a holiday home may sound quite stressful and a little too much like hard work. The good news is that you don’t have to do it yourself. Of course, there will be costs associated with it, but you could use a management team to run it for you.

What is the Expected Return on Investment (ROI)?

At the end of the day, the decision to get a second property can be quite a big one, so naturally, checking that you will be able to make money from it is what you will be wanting to do. How good of an investment is a holiday home? On average, it has been found that you can make around £18,000 annually through people booking to stay in the rental. But there are massive factors that can impact how much you are able to charge people, and other things like extras. The things that can make a difference, and help you to charge more (or less) are:

A summer house (image via Pixabay)

• The location of the property. There will be people looking for rentals in all sorts of locations. But you can make a lot more money through a central city location, as well as one that is close to certain tourist spots like the beach. So if you’re on the lookout for a new property launch 2019, then look out for the ones in the best locations (whether that is suited for tourist or business people is up to you).
• On a similar note, the type of guests that you want to have will play a role in what you can charge. If you want to keep things pretty basic and just have families with children there, then you will make money, but perhaps not as much as a couple or business group that are looking for something more luxurious. So think carefully about the pros and cons of the guests that you’d want to stay in the home.
• The features of the property are going to play a role in what money you can make. A property abroad with a swimming pool is going to be able to charge more than the house next door to it that doesn’t have one. So what features appeal, and what features would your ideal guests want?
• The number of rooms in the home is an obvious one, but an important thing to think about nonetheless. You can charge more generally, in a large home compared to a small one bedroomed one.

Maximise Your Income

When you’ve bought your holiday home, making sure that it doesn’t cost you more than you can make from it is going to be one of the main goals. So you will be looking to make a good income from it. There are some trends that can certainly help to give your revenue a boost.

There are things, as mentioned above, that can help your income to be higher, by the things that your home has. If there is a pool or a hot tub, then research shows that it would be likely to earn more than half of what a home without could earn. So although there may be an upfront cost for those kinds of thing, it can help you to earn more in the long run. Small things like making sure that you have wifi is going to add extra cash too. If there is a choice between somewhere with wifi that costs a little extra compared to somewhere without, a lot of people are going to choose the former option.

Home comforts are also something that is attractive to travellers when they’re looking for somewhere to stay. That could mean providing a few bits and pieces in a welcome pack, having things that they’d need like highchairs, as well as offering a home that is pet-friendly, can all be good ideas.

If you are able to work out the finances and put a plan in place, then a holiday rental could be a great investment for your future, as well as something that you could do for work if you’re able to take over the management of it all by yourself. It just takes a leap; finding the right property is the first step, and then you can go from there.

Announcing GearStorm: Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Military Sim - Outside the Sandbox

GearStorm

Iron City Games has announced their new dystopian Sci-Fi Military Simulation FPS, GearStorm, which will release on Steam for PC in summer, 2019. Set on a distant planet in a zombie infested, post-apocalyptic future; players wage war amidst the devastation caused by the biological catastrophe known as the Phage.

GearStorm is a hardcore Sci-Fi military simulation set in a huge, persistent, destructible, open world with crafting, mining, harvesting, base building, and survival features. It's filled with next-generation combat components like player and AI damage consequences, diverse field-configurable weapons and equipment, squad support, vehicles with cockpit instruments and damage systems, stealth, and many more, including advanced AI enemies, who coordinate their attacks and take advantage of cover.

GearStorm gives players and admins unprecedented control over their environment and gaming experience. The game puts the future of the planet in the player's hands with its completely destructible terrain, quest-writing systems, and living alien world full of dynamic AI factions for you to fight alongside or against. Admins will have even greater control by being able to set weapon range and damage, weather, time of day, AI difficulty, spawning items, and base-building capabilities.

"People said not to try to do everything in one game, but we spent the last 5 years tirelessly building every feature we always wanted into the ultimate 'everything' game and now we are proud to finally share it with the world."

Brian Rivers and Shawn Ellis, Co-founders, Iron City Games

Whether you want team battles over the resources of the planet, or a story-packed colony-building experience, or a persistent player vs player environment that you can customize, this game has you covered. GearStorm isn't just another survival game, or a base-builder, or a sci-fi shooter, or a sandbox...it's all of them and more.

GearStorm

• Visit gearstorm.com to learn more and support GearStorm by visiting their Kickstarter Page

SOURCE: Iron City Games, LLC

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Developing An Android App

A smartphone with screen horizontal (Via Pixabay)

There is no doubt about it; Android smartphones have become extremely popular over the past few years. The main reason for this is because of the vast range of exciting and innovative apps that the Android system boasts. There is so much that can be done from simply downloading different apps from the app store, such as; game playing, map reading, video editing, image sharing, music listening, weather reading and note-taking. But, has anybody ever wondered about how they can develop and program an app themselves?

This blog post will reveal exactly how to do just that by taking people through a step by step guide…

Step one – Make sure you have got a high-speed internet connection

Anybody who wants to develop and program an app will obviously need a high-speed internet connection. A weak connection will simply not be enough as it will keep faltering during the development of the app.

Step two – Install the latest version of Java

It is crucial to install the latest version of Java onto the computer in use, as if the individual developing the app does not have it at present they will be prompted to download it at some point during the process anyway.

Step three – Install the Android Software Development Kit

In order to develop and program an app for Android, one will need to download the appropriate Android Software Development Kit for their operating system from the following website link here. The Android Software Development Kit is essential because it allows an individual to author an Android application. Once the folder has been downloaded the individual in question must open the file labelled as ‘Android’. Then they must click on ‘Available Packages’. Click on all of the packages and then click on ‘Install Selected’. After this a box will appear, select ‘Accept All’ and then a final box will come up and click on ‘Install’. And that is step three complete!

Step four – Install Processing

The next step is to go online and download the latest version of Processing, however, make sure that it is one which is compatible with Android. And of course; make sure that the option download is one that is compatible with the operating system it is going to be used on.

Step five – Develop an app!

Here comes the fun part, the reason everyone is reading this page – time to develop an app for an Android system phone. Before you start to engage in the development process, it is highly advisable that they take the time in order to do a little bit of background research. As you are going to use the Processing system, it is crucial to read up on the basics in order to know how to utilize the program. Otherwise, you will simply be at a loss. The Processing software that has been installed should have an ‘Android Mode’ whereby individuals can view what they have developed and, of course, publish it when the time is right. Needless to say, if you are having an app developed for business purposes and you haven’t got all of the time in the world to mess around, you may want to hire a professional for this part. This is also important because they will handle all security elements, for example, ensuring KYC compliance with a seamless customer experience so that the risk of identity theft is minimised as much as possible.

Step six – Step up a smartphone for app running

Before one gets to the final part of the guide they will need to ensure that the smartphone they are using is set up in order to run the app. This is simple to do. Go to the device in question, go to settings, select applications and then click on the development menu option.

Step seven – Run the app

The moment of truth! Time to run the app! To do this all that one needs to do is connect the Android device in question then select the following from the menu bar: ‘Sketch > Present’.

Hopefully, this step by step guide will have helped individuals on their app making mission. The only question that remains is; what app will we witness being developed next?

"Oberlin's Anomaly" Released, Sci Fi Novel Unmasks Alien Intervention

"Oberlin's Anomaly" - Book Cover

Did you ever wonder if our human ancestors came down from the trees, crawled out the caves, and created civilization all on their own? Or did they have some help? 

The gripping new science fiction novel from L Chance Shiver reveals the alien cause of early man's acceleration from Neanderthal to Einstein

Oberlin's Anomaly's main character, Jack Starkey, still struggling with clinical depression arising out of the deaths of his wife and son, is caught up in a secret war that threatens life on earth. 

Proteus, a benign alien entity, awakens Jack to his true identity after a violent attack on his life begins an astounding mental and physical metamorphosis. 

• A series of historical flashbacks demonstrate Proteus' pivotal influence on the rise of man from earliest times. 

Jack joins Proteus and his cadre of extraordinary and diverse Warriors in an ancient, clandestine conflict. Proteus' Warriors battle against a malign alien species and their abduction of pregnant humans to create slaves for their purposes, defending the future of mankind.

Review: 

Oberlin's Anomaly is L Chance Shiver's riveting, eloquent embodiment of an alien world within our own. "Taken" might be another title for Shiver's thoughtful page-turner, because that's what readers will be from page one. 

Tommy Hays, author of The Pleasure Was Mine. 

L Chance Shiver (image via chanceshiver.com)

About The Author:

L Chance Shiver is a Science Fiction writer now living on a small mountain near Asheville, North Carolina. Native to Washington, DC, he is deeply tied to Washington and particularly the area surrounding Rock Creek, the Potomac River, and the C&O Canal National Park and these settings figure prominently in Oberlin's Anomaly. 

When not writing, Chance and his wife Susette tour the South East playing early country and old-time music. 

Chance has been a part of the Great Smokies Writers Program at UNC Asheville, and has been published by the Great Smokies Review.

• Order Oberlin's Anomaly now at your local independent bookstore or online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and elsewhere in paperback or eBook.

SOURCE: L Chance Shiver

Winter Is Here … 'Game Of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition' Arrives in Belfast with Exclusive Additions

Michele Clapton at 'Game Of Thrones: The Touring Exhibition' at TEC in Belfast, Northern Ireland

To celebrate, 'Game Of Thrones' actors, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Ian Beattie and Liam Cunningham, alongside award-winning costume designer Michele Clapton, were the first to experience the dramatic exhibition, which features costumes, authentic props and majestic settings from all seven seasons, as well as the Winterfell Crypt and Dragon Skull Pit, which have been exclusively added for Northern Ireland.

Designed specially by GES Events in collaboration with HBO Licensing and Retail, the must-see exhibition is the largest public display to date and offers fans an interactive and immersive Game Of Thrones experience like no other.

From 11th April through to 1st September 2019, fans can have an up-close and personal look at the ancient dragon skulls, ranging in size from about that of an apple to the one belonging to Balerion the Dread, which decorated the throne room in the Red Keep until King Robert Baratheon had them hidden away in the catacombs.

Isaac Hempstead Wright

Visitors can also see publicly for the first time the vast and sacred crypt of Winterfell, guarded by stone direwolves, to pay their respects to six of the Stark ancestors as well as explore the settings and view authentic artefacts from:

• The wintry landscapes of the North
• The tree-lined pathway of the Kingsroad
• The regal settings of King's Landing
• The conquered city of Meereen with its garrisons of Unsullied warriors and the loyalists of House Targaryen
• Iconic settings like the House of Black and White
• The home of the Night's Watch --- Castle Black
• The frozen lands Beyond the Wall
• The show stopping centerpiece of the exhibition, the Iron Throne Room

Ian Beattie

Venue
TEC Belfast
17 Queen's Road
Belfast
County Antrim
BT3 9DU

Hours of Operation
April, May
Monday – Sunday 10am – 7pm

June, July, August
Monday – Sunday 9am – 8pm

Ticket Prices
April and May
Monday – Thursday
Adult (13+) £15
Carer Free

Friday – Sunday
Adult (13+) £17.50
Carer Free

June, July, August
Monday – Sunday
Adult (13+) £17.50
Carer Free

Liam Cunningham

• Bend the knee and book tickets for this not-to-be-missed blockbuster at gameofthronesexhibition.com

SOURCE: GES Events

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'Tolkien,' From Fox Searchlight Pictures, Premieres as a One-Night LIVE Cinema Event on May 7

Tolkien: Live From the Montclair Film Festival With Stephen Colbert

Fathom Events partners with Fox Searchlight Pictures for the theatrical debut of "Tolkien," giving audiences the chance to see this much-anticipated film on May 7 ahead of its theatrical nationwide release on May 10. 

The Fathom cinema event will also feature an exclusive live Q&A with stars Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins and director Dome Karukoski, moderated by Tolkien super-fan Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS. 

"Tolkien" tells the story of how J. R. R. Tolkien transformed from a lonely orphan into one of the great storytellers of all time — a story that is itself an enchanting tale lit with the power of imagination, the bonds of fellowship and the forging of purpose in the fires of love and war.

Fathom Events and Fox Searchlight Pictures present this special event in hundreds of U.S. movie theaters for one night on Tuesday, May 7, ahead of the film's theatrical nationwide release on May 10, through Fathom's Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). 

• For a complete list of screening times and theater locations, visit the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

"Tolkien" explores the formative years of the renowned author's life as he finds friendship, courage and inspiration among a fellow group of writers and artists at school. Their brotherhood strengthens as they grow up and weather love and loss together, including Tolkien's tumultuous courtship of his beloved Edith Bratt, until the outbreak of the First World War which threatens to tear their fellowship apart. 

• All of these experiences would later inspire Tolkien to write his famous Middle-earth novels.

"We're thrilled to partner with Fathom Events and the Montclair Film Festival for this very special 'Tolkien' event," said Frank Rodriguez, SVP General Sales Manager, Fox Searchlight Pictures. "To be able to share this film about one of the greatest storytellers of all time with movie fans across the country through a conversation with Tolkien aficionado Stephen Colbert truly makes it a one-of-a-kind event not to be missed."

Directed by Dome Karukoski ("Tom Of Finland"), "Tolkien" is written by David Gleeson ("Cowboys & Angels") and Stephen Beresford ("Pride"), and stars Nicholas Hoult ("The Favourite") as J.R.R. Tolkien with Lily Collins ("Okja") as his future wife and muse Edith. 

The film also stars Colm Meaney, Anthony Boyle, Patrick Gibson, Tom Glynn-Carney, Craig Roberts, Derek Jacobi, Harry Gilby, Adam Bregman, Albie Marber, Ty Tennant, Laura Donnelly, Genevieve O'Reilly and Pam Ferris. 

"Tolkien" is produced by Peter Chernin, p.g.a., Jenno Topping, p.g.a., David Ready, p.g.a., and Kris Thykier p.g.a.

"We're so excited to bring the premiere of 'Tolkien' to audiences across the country," said Tom Lucas, Fathom Events VP of Studio Relations. "Fathom operates the world's largest live cinema network, which allows us to create live premiere events like this one that are unmatched in the industry."

• Tickets for "Tolkien: Live From the Montclair Film Festival With Stephen Colbert" can be purchased at FathomEvents.com and participating theater box offices nationwide.

SOURCE: Fathom Events

The Trailer:

Is Humanity Stuck in a Downward Spiral of Hate and Polarization, Or Can We Find a Better Way Forward?

Buried Rivers - Cover

Although the Holocaust happened some 75 years ago, religion-based hate crimes and the audacious rise of white nationalists continue to roil the U.S. and the world, from the Tree of Life massacre of Jews in Pittsburgh to the senseless loss of Muslim lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.

As Israel and the world prepare to celebrate Yom HaShoah or Holocaust Remembrance Day marked by the period from April 28 through May 2, and the number of living Holocaust survivors continues to fall, second-generation Holocaust survivor Ellen Korman Mains maintains that this topic could not be more current.

Mains says, "It's important to commemorate these events, not only to remember the dead and overcome ignorance of the past, but to take stock of our personal and societal patterns in the present and how we can shift these so that genocides and mass violence don't continue into the future."

Mains adds, "Since the Holocaust could not have happened without the silent participation of bystanders − ordinary people not so different from ourselves − we need to look at the deeper roots of genocide and how we can prevent them from spreading."

In her No. 1 Amazon bestseller, Buried Rivers: A Spiritual Journey into the Holocaust (West Lake Books), Mains, whose mother survived Auschwitz, explores the question "How can you still believe in basic goodness?" while journeying through Poland and Germany, where she felt troubled spirits seeking answers to this question.

In an interview, Mains, who will be giving a Yom HaShoah talk based on her book at the Boulder JCC at noon on May 1, can answer such questions as:

• What do the roots of nationalism and of genocide have in common?
• The Politics of Us and Them: Can religious or spiritual practice help us come together or do these only serve to divide and polarize us more?
• The Cycle of Victim/Perpetrator: How do we shift from blaming others to creating positive action in the world?
• Why is it easier to believe in lies than to deal with the complexity of truth?

Praise for Buried Rivers

"A powerful testament to human resilience and courage, this book reflects the power of inquiry in a world riven with suffering, and the capacity to transform that suffering into wisdom." 
Rev. Joan Jiko Halifax, Abbot, Upaya Zen Center and author of Standing at the Edge

"A beautiful and important memoir that uplifts as much as it compels." 
Rabbi Tirzah Firestone, Ph.D., author of Wounds into Wisdom: Healing Intergenerational Jewish Trauma

"A compelling personal spiritual journey that crosses religious boundaries in order to tackle some of the deepest mysteries of life and death." 
Zvi Ish-Shalom, Ph.D., author of The Kedumah Experience: The Primordial Torah

"By shedding light on something so dark, she demonstrates that healing, opportunity, and magic can emerge from the densest suffering." 
Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel, author of The Power of an Open Question and The Logic of Faith

Ellen Mains

About the author

The daughter of Polish-born Jews who survived the Holocaust, Ellen Korman Mains has led meditation retreats internationally, and speaks about the cross-section of spirituality and social change. 

Trained in several body-mind disciplines, she also helps individuals deepen compassionate self-awareness. 

A citizen of Canada, the USA, and Poland, she lives in Boulder, Colo., but spends extended periods of time in Poland teaching, promoting dialog, and connecting with her heritage.

SOURCE: Ellen Mains

Paul David Pope Decries on National Television the Political Direction National Enquirer Has Taken Since His Father Made It America's Most Influential Newspaper

Paul David Pope (image via pauldavidpope.biz)

Paul David Pope was interviewed in a special "Headliners" report on tabloid journalism that aired nationally last night on MSNBC.

Citing the one-sided pro-Trump direction American Media Inc. has taken under Pecker's command, Pope said "My father would be turning over in his grave to see what his baby has become."

Pope said Pecker has "weaponized" the National Enquirer to go after Trump detractors and advance the President's political agenda, whereas once the newspaper had a blind eye and just went after compelling stories regardless whom they involved or who won or lost.

AMI's flagship publication, the National Enquirer "made its name by breaking the rules and being unconventional," said Pope.

"My father told reporters to do whatever you have to do to get the story" like once taking a picture of Elvis Presley in his coffin or publishing a photo of Senator Gary Hart with his alleged girlfriend Donna Rice that ended his Presidential campaign.

Pope said his father redefined the landscape of American journalism just as his grandfather Generoso Pope Jr's Il Progresso newspaper changed how Italian American Immigrants were viewed in New York and helped to bring them into the mainstream of American culture.

According to Pope, his father invented a different kind of hard-hitting journalism resorting to methods to get the story frowned upon by mainstream media.

Under his leadership, it would never become the promotional arm of any one political candidate or leader as Pecker has taken the once super dominant National Enquirer.

• Pope is planning a podcast on this and other subjects on behalf of a cause he is espousing called "Saving America," about which there will be more information forthcoming.

Pope recently retained the international public relations firm TransMedia Group to publicize the impact he and his family have had on journalism by creating the most influential publication in the history of the United States.

Pope cites the wealthiest man in America, Jeff Bezos, having to announce publicly "I am having an affair and I am being extorted" as evidence of how low the National Enquirer has sunk..

SOURCE: Paul David Pope

Nannion: Science & Fantasy On A Mysterious Greek Island

Nannion - Cover

Nannion is an amalgam of many elements (mystery, metaphysics, consciousness, biology), delivering an original, surprising, and informative read. 

The novel is jam-packed with hard science information, seamlessly weaved into the story of a small, secluded, and abandoned Greek island, once the site of a major international science experiment that was intended to study natural selection and, perhaps, evolution in a new aquatic ecosystem. 

Decades later, a photograph of the corpse of a large shark prompts a team of biologists to visit the island. They discover unique environments, including an underwater brine lake. The new ecosystem is dangerous. How to cope with it? The biologists will need some form of interspecies communication with the sea life and even with a cat that has been stranded on the island. It's simple in theory...

Nannion introduces us to many amazing, actual natural phenomena, such as underwater brine lakes and animals with extraordinary regenerative abilities. The author explains, in simple terms, biology concepts that science is only beginning to grasp, and uses them to create fantastical environments and lifeforms. 

The characters, including a small, stranded and hapless cat, are complex and determined to understand the mysteries of the island and overcome peril. In this strange and evolving world, they also change, and they must define their own identity, on the little island of the Aegean Sea.

• Order Nannion for kindle or on paperback from Amazon

Andreas Androutsellis-Theotokis

About the author: 

Andreas Androutsellis-Theotokis obsesses with a molecular mechanism of his own discovery, which controls fundamental functions of stem cells with profound consequences in degenerative disease, diabetes, and cancer. He is determined to see his work benefit patients through his Biotech startup, Innate Repair. 

• He is an experimental biologist and Biotech CEO (Imperial College London, Yale, National Institutes of Health, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Innate Repair) whose research on stem cell biology has been featured in many scientific journals and the media

SOURCE: Andreas Androutsellis-Theotokis

Students Put Energy Efficient Cars to the Test at Shell Eco-marathon Americas

NIU Supermileage team competing under Prototype – Internal Combustion category on the track at Make the Future Live California featuring Shell Eco-marathon Americas at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. (Scot Tucker/AP for Shell)

Make the Future Live California featuring Shell Eco-marathon Americas drew more than 1,000 students to Sonoma Raceway to compete for the title of most fuel-efficient vehicle.

Northern Illinois University of DeKalb, Illinois took home first place in the Internal Combustion Engine Prototype category with their gasoline-fueled vehicle achieving 1,524 miles per gallon. This was the college's first time winning the Shell Eco-marathon Americas Mileage Challenge competition.

"This award means everything to our team," said Josh Helsper, team leader of Northern Illinois University. "It validates all the engineering we've learned and the work we've done."

Mater Dei High School broke the United States UrbanConcept record in the Battery Electric category with a 68.2 miles per kilowatt-hour run. The high school has participated in every Mileage Challenge since the inaugural Americas competition in 2007.

This year, a total of 88 high school and college teams from across the Americas including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and the United States, participated in the competition, in two vehicle classes: Prototype and UrbanConcept. The Prototype class is focused on ultra-efficient, lightweight designs, typically with 3 wheels. The UrbanConcept class focused on more "roadworthy" vehicles aimed at meeting some of the real-life needs of drivers. Entries were divided into three energy categories: Internal Combustion Engine (gasoline, diesel and ethanol), Hydrogen Fuel Cell and Battery Electric.

"These students have dedicated countless hours to developing solutions that support a cleaner, lower-carbon energy future," said Shanna Simmons, Global Technical Director Shell Eco-marathon. "The mileage challenge is a platform for students to test their theories on energy efficiency and receive hands-on experience before entering the workforce."

The Shell Eco-marathon Americas 2019 Winning Teams

Student teams worked intensively from Wednesday to Saturday to pass detailed technical and safety inspections before heading to the iconic Sonoma Raceway track for the Mileage Challenge. Each team's vehicle was required to make eight laps for a total distance of 6.12 miles within 24 minutes. 

The winners in each class follow, based on vehicle class and energy category:

• Prototype Internal Combustion Engine: "NIU Supermileage," Northern Illinois University, 1524.9 mpg
• Prototype Battery Electric: "Eco Illini Supermileage," University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 152.0 m/kWh
• Prototype Hydrogen Fuel Cell sponsored by Linde: "Ualberta EcoCar Prototype Team," University of Alberta, 159.8 m/m3
• UrbanConcept Internal Combustion Engine: "Wawasee Gold," Wawasee High School, 680.7 mpg
• UrbanConcept Battery Electric: "Mater Dei Supermileage 2," Mater Dei High School, 68.2 m/kWh

Student teams also won awards for their work off the track, in the following categories:

• Technical Innovation Award sponsored by Southwest Research Institute: BYU SMV, Brigham Young University implemented a system to quickly optimize the air-fuel ratio over a short engine burn time. The optimization is meant to achieve better fuel economy and reduce harmful emissions.
• Most Innovative H2 Award sponsored by Linde: Ualberta EcoCar Prototype Team, University of Alberta was awarded this off-track award for the customized controller built for their hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicle.
• Communications Award: LA Tech EcoCar, Louisiana Tech University submitted an integrated communication plan with clear objectives, audience and content strategy, multi-channel tactics and measurable analytics.
• Vehicle Design Award for Prototype: Pato a Jato, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná used an eco-friendly plant-based resin and biodegradable material made with a 3D printer. The car is painted yellow, which was chosen to reflect light better than dark colors, decreasing the internal temperature.
• Vehicle Design Award for UrbanConcept: LA Tech EcoCar, Louisiana Tech University pushed the envelope in design. They paid attention to detail including mounted LED lights inside the body of the car for a sleeker and more aerodynamic look.
• Safety Award: Texas A&M University had a high-quality submission and went into great detail on their processes to ensure their car and driver were safe. Ultimately, they chose driver safety over and above track performance and chose not to take an additional risk to complete a last attempt.
• Perseverance and Spirit of the Event Award: EEV at Sac State, California State University, Sacramento. This team was organized, funded and managed entirely by students with minimal support from the school. The team included students from diverse engineering disciplines with a clear delineation of roles, while still working collaboratively.
• Southwest Research Institute Scholarship Winners: $1,000 scholarships were awarded to three students from University of California, Berkeley; Rice University; and San Antonio College.
• Travel Safety Stipend: The LSU Capstone Team from Louisiana State University provided a very detailed journey management plan, which took into account rest times, driver changes and proper sleep times.

Drivers' World Championship Qualifier

The winning schools have earned themselves a place in the Drivers' World Championship to be held at the Make the Future Live event in London, UK, from July 1-5, 2019. 

They will face-off against teams from Asia and Europe for the chance to be crowned world champions and earn a once-in-a-lifetime experience at the home of Scuderia Ferrari in Italy. 

This is a global competition to match the proven energy efficiency of their cars, with the speed, skill and strategy of the driver to see who can cross the finish line first without running out of their limited allocation of energy.

Within the Drivers' World Championship Terms and Conditions, only one team from any school can be awarded an opportunity to compete in the Shell Eco-marathon Drivers' World Championship. As such, the team who finished fourth in the race, Alden-Conger High School's Knights 3 team, will also join the following teams in London:

• First Place: Wawasee Gold, Wawasee High School
• Second Place: Mater Dei Supermileage 2, Mater Dei High School
• Third Place: Mater Dei Supermileage, Mater Dei High School

Shell's Make the Future Live Partners, many of whom actively used the event as a recruitment ground, included: Agility, Altair, Dassault Systèmes, HP, Linde, Sonoma Raceway, Southwest Research Institute and Toyota.

To learn more about Make the Future Live California, please visit the website.

About Make the Future Live

Make the Future Live is one of Shell's global platforms that offers conversation, collaboration and innovation around the world's energy challenges. With events hosted in countries around the globe, they aim to provide an opportunity for multiple stakeholders: including students, entrepreneurs, businesses, governments and the public, to experience, test and contribute bright energy ideas.

About Shell Eco-marathon

Shell Eco-marathon is a global program built to offer students hands-on opportunities to develop ideas and technology, knowledge and skills, within an arena of competition.

Currently held in Asia, the Americas and Europe and made up of two key competitions: Mileage Challenge, and Drivers' World Championship, students from countries across their respective regions use innovative problem-solving skills to design and build their own cars. Looking at every aspect of design and technology, students then compete to prove that their bright ideas will produce the most energy-efficient vehicle when tested on the track.

The concept of Shell Eco-marathon began in 1939 at a Shell research laboratory in the United States as a friendly wager between scientists to see who could get the most miles per gallon from their vehicle. In 1985 in France, Shell Eco-marathon as we know it today was born. In April 2007, the Shell Eco-marathon Americas event was launched in the United States, and in 2010, the inaugural Shell Eco-marathon Asia was held in Malaysia, up until 2013. In 2019 Regional Shell Eco-marathon Mileage competitions will be held in Kuala Lumpur, California and London. London will also host the Drivers' World Championship, with qualifying events held in California and Kuala Lumpur..

Mater Dei Supermileage team competing under UrbanConcept – Battery Electric category on the track at Make the Future Live California featuring Shell Eco-marathon Americas at Sonoma Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. (Scot Tucker/AP for Shell)

SOURCE: Shell

Melbourne-Based Immersive Tech Studio Create AR Social Experience To Complement Netflix's New Series, 'Our Planet', Narrated By David Attenborough

REWILD Our Planet

Melbourne-based immersive technology studio, PHORIA, announced the launch of REWILD Our Planet, which uses persistent and social Augmented Reality (AR). In partnership with Netflix, WWF, ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands, Arup and Google, this innovative installation blends location-based AR technology and IMAX-style content into an immersive and interactive experience. 

The exhibition complements Our Planet, an eight-part documentary series narrated by Sir David Attenborough. 

Our Planet showcases the Earth's most fragile ecosystems through cutting edge multimedia storytelling and is available to stream worldwide on Netflix from April 5. 2019.

The Our Planet documentary series captures the impact of human life across Earth's diverse and interconnected biomes, including forest, grassland, ocean and frozen regional landscapes. 

REWILD Our Planet takes on a macro perspective of the same biomes to help users understand their role in restoring these ecosystems. The experience brings to life an unflinching account of how humanity has damaged the natural world and encourages humans to take back control and restore balance by rewilding these environments.

REWILD Our Planet combines 2D storytelling with AR gameplay, supported by sensory sights and sounds. The experience prompts users to physically collaborate with one another to restore damaged biomes, unlocking unique weather patterns and wild animal encounters. 

By rewilding realistic 3D landscapes together, users are able to realise their collective power to take action. Finally, users will leave their mark on the exhibition by placing ongoing AR pledges. 

• These are a commitment to the environment and connect to WWF's Voice for the Planet campaign.

This one-of-a-kind experience is achieved through PHORIA's software platform CAPTUR3D, whose unique digital twin system creates a virtual clone of each exhibition site. The digital twin system aligns digital information within the physical space, and as a result, it generates a new form of contextual storytelling. 

REWILD Our Planet is the first shared and ongoing AR experience to operate across three cities at the same time. This was achieved by leveraging Google's ARCore software - an Android SDK that brings AR to mobile devices and by partnering with Arup for the structural design of the physical elements of the exhibition that could be scaled internationally. 

To intensify the visitor experience, Arup's acoustics team also created an immersive, emotive soundscape: it adapted the series' master audio score (comprising original music by Steven Price - best known for his Academy Award-winning score for 'Gravity') and added sound effects from nature to enhance key moments in the video. Thanks to these partners, developers like PHORIA can bring these experiences to an even larger user base, helping launch REWILD Our Planet globally.

"REWILD Our Planet showcases how AR has the power to build bridges between people and the places they love," said Trent Clews-de Castella, CEO of PHORIA. "This evocative experience emphasises the connection between human beings and our environment. It generates a sense of presence and interactivity for every individual user. Building this exhibition with Netflix and Google and combining it with compassion-driven narrative from WWF demonstrates how emerging XR technologies will transform the social impact sector for good."

• Launching at three renowned venues across the globe, ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore (6 April, 2019 - June 2, 2019) Dolby Studio in New York City (6 April, 2019 - 22 April, 2019) and We The Curious in Bristol (UK) (12 April, 2019 - 2 June, 2019), REWILD Our Planet aims to augment the emotional connection users feel to each other and the planet.

"Together, these world first features will generate a shared understanding of our responsibility to protect nature through time. The global activation has been designed to remind users that we are all on the same team and that the effort to rewild the world needs everyone involved," continued Mr. Clews-de Castella.

'Our Planet'

About the series:

In the groundbreaking Netflix original documentary series Our Planet, viewers will witness stunning, never-before-seen footage of wildlife and their habitats - while also discovering why the natural world matters to us all and what steps must be taken to preserve it. 

All eight hour-long episodes of Our Planet will become available to Netflix members worldwide on April 5, 2019. The series is accompanied by Behind-the-Scenes content which will launch simultaneously on Netflix. Produced by Silverback Films, Ltd. and in partnership with WWF, the landmark series is narrated by renowned broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough. 

SOURCE: PHORIA

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'Avengers: Endgame' Stars and Disney 'Team of Heroes' Unite to Support $5 Million Donation to Benefit Children's Hospitals

Paul Rudd, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr., Bob Iger, Brie Larson, Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner attend Avengers Universe Unites, a charity event to celebrate the donation of more than $5 million in cash and toys to nonprofits supporting children with critical illnesses, at Disney California Adventure Park on April 5, 2019 in Anaheim, California.

The stars of Avengers: Endgame today visited the Disneyland Resort to launch Avengers Universe Unites, a charity event that supports The Walt Disney Company's signature philanthropic commitment, Disney Team of Heroes, which delivers comfort and inspiration to seriously ill children around the world

Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd and Brie Larson were on hand at Disney California Adventure Park to celebrate the donation of more than $5 million to nonprofits supporting children with critical illnesses, including $1 million in cash from Disney to Starlight Children's Foundation. 

• The LEGO Group, Hasbro, Funko and Amazon together donated over $4 million in Avengers: Endgame toys and products which will be sent to hundreds of children's hospitals throughout the country, as well as Give Kids the World, a nonprofit resort in central Florida.

"The superheroes in Avengers personify traits like courage, perseverance, bravery and hope – the same traits countless kids and their families in children's hospitals exhibit every day," said Robert A. Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, who joined the kickoff celebration. "We are grateful to have the Avengers cast take time out of their day to be a part of this effort to lift spirits and bring comfort to children during a difficult time." 

The Avengers stars joined kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Anaheim and Garden Grove to play at a larger-than-life LEGO build at The LEGO Store in Downtown Disney and were treated to a visit by Amazon's Treasure Truck stocked with Avengers: Endgame toys., including Hasbro action figures, Iron Man MK50 robots by UBTECH and Funko POP! vinyl figures.

"Nobody understands magical experiences better than Disney, and we've been proud to partner with them in bringing those experiences to kids in children's hospitals for more than 20 years," says Adam Garone, CEO, Starlight Children's Foundation. "From delivering hospital care packages, to storytelling through Starlight Xperience virtual reality, to our recent Disney-themed Starlight Gowns, millions of seriously ill children have benefited from our amazing relationship together. And with this donation, even more kids will get to experience the magic of Disney."

Avengers: Endgame - Poster

About Avengers: Endgame

The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios' grand conclusion to twenty-two films, "Avengers: Endgame."

Kevin Feige produces "Avengers: Endgame," and Anthony and Joe Russo are the directors. Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Trinh Tran, Jon Favreau, James Gunn and Stan Lee are the executive producers, and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay. "Avengers: Endgame" is in U.S. theaters on April 26, 2019.

SOURCE: Disney Parks, Experiences and Products