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InventionHome® Product Developer Creates Remote-Controlled, Motorized Outdoor Umbrella Stand Dollie

InventionHome® Product Developer Creates Remote-Controlled, Motorized Outdoor Umbrella Stand Dollie

PITTSBURGH, PA, UNITED STATES, July 16, 2025 / EINPresswire.com / -- Julius B. of Jupiter, FL is the creator of the Outdoor Umbrella Stand Remote Control Dollie, a motorized platform developed to facilitate safe and effortless repositioning of heavy outdoor umbrella stands. The platform can be used in both residential and commercial environments, enabling users to adjust shading coverage without the physical effort traditionally associated with moving large base units. This offers a much-needed functional improvement for patios, pool decks, and hospitality settings.
Traditional umbrella stands can be difficult to reposition due to their weight and bulk, especially when filled with ballast material. Users commonly need to lift or drag these units to adjust shade position as the sun moves, often risking muscle strain or injury. In addition, frequent manual repositioning can disrupt comfort and routine, particularly in settings such as lounges or poolside areas.
The mobile, motorized platform is operated via handheld remote or smartphone app. It is constructed using weather-resistant materials such as aluminum, reinforced plastic, or vinyl, and the dollie is engineered to accommodate a variety of umbrella base shapes and sizes. A locking mechanism secures the umbrella during repositioning, and no user assembly is required. The unit arrives pre-configured and ready for immediate deployment. The remote-control system can be included in the manufacturing process of the actual umbrella stand; therefore, it can be purchased as an add on for any existing umbrella stand or manufacturers may want to build it in during the manufacturing process.
Key features and benefits of the invention include:
• Remote-Controlled Operation: allows users to reposition umbrella stands using a handheld remote or mobile app, minimizing physical effort.
• Reduced Risk of Injury: reduces the chance of strain or injury by eliminating the need to manually lift or push heavy umbrella bases.
• Universal Compatibility: platform size and design are optimized to accommodate most standard umbrella stands, with 1-inch clearance for fitting flexibility.
This solution is suited for homeowners, commercial pool facilities, resorts, and country clubs where outdoor shading needs change throughout the day. By integrating remote mobility into outdoor shading systems, the Outdoor Umbrella Stand Remote Control Dollie significantly enhances usability, safety, and comfort.
Julius filed his Utility Patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and is working closely with InventionHome, a leading invention licensing firm, to sell or license the patent rights to his Outdoor Umbrella Stand Remote Control Dollie. Ideal licensing candidates would be U.S. based product manufacturers or distributors looking to further develop and distribute this product innovation.
Companies interested in the Outdoor Umbrella Stand Remote Control Dollie can contact InventionHome at [email protected]. Inventors currently looking for assistance in patenting, marketing, or licensing their invention can request information from InventionHome at [email protected] or by calling 1-866-844-6512.
About InventionHome®
InventionHome® is a top-rated invention marketing and product licensing company dedicated to helping inventors successfully patent, prototype, and promote their new product ideas. From securing intellectual property to connecting with potential licensees, InventionHome® offers a streamlined path to commercialization. Learn more at https://www.inventionhome.com or email [email protected].
For expert guidance on every step of the invention process, visit our growing library of inventor resources and articles at https://articles.inventionhome.com.
InventionHome
InventionHome
+1 866-844-6512
[email protected]
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From Refugee To CEO: 5 Hard-Earned Skills For Success
From Refugee To CEO: 5 Hard-Earned Skills For Success

Forbes

time16 minutes ago

  • Forbes

From Refugee To CEO: 5 Hard-Earned Skills For Success

Hao Lam, entrepreneur, author, speaker, founder of Adaptively Education and Best in Class Education Center. Behind every business is a story, and mine started long before I ever opened an education center. When I escaped communist Vietnam and arrived in Canada as a refugee, I didn't speak the language and had very little to my name. What I did have was a fierce determination to rebuild. I put myself through school, moved to the United States, became a teacher and eventually built a national education franchise. The journey came with a lot of twists and turns and taught me more than just how to grow a business—it taught me how to lead one. Success isn't just about having the right idea at the right time. It's about developing the mindset, skills and habits that carry you through the uncertainty that comes with every stage of growth. Here are five hard-earned skills that shaped my journey from refugee to CEO—skills I often share with other entrepreneurs working to build a company grounded in purpose and growth. 1. Grit And Resilience: Keep Going, Especially When It's Hard I wish I could tell you there's a stress-free path to success. There isn't. You will be underestimated. You will frequently feel stretched thin. You'll need to find harmony between work and the other integral parts of your life. You'll face moments of self-doubt. Entrepreneurship, while a rewarding career path, is certainly not an easy one. What enables entrepreneurs to build something lasting is the ability to keep moving forward when things get uncomfortable or uncertain. Grit is about persistence, but resilience is about how you recover when something doesn't go as planned. I didn't get here because I avoided hard things—I got here because I faced them, got knocked down and kept showing up. 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The End Of ‘Smelly' Arguments? Tax Court Targets Easement Abuses
The End Of ‘Smelly' Arguments? Tax Court Targets Easement Abuses

Forbes

timean hour ago

  • Forbes

The End Of ‘Smelly' Arguments? Tax Court Targets Easement Abuses

United States Tax Court building in Washington DC Judge Ronald L. Buch has issued a warning to the syndicated conservation easement industry and their attorneys about the litigation that is piling up in the Tax Court. When I think of the Tax Court issuing sanctions, I usually think of stubborn pro se litigants like Brian Swanson. This May the Eleventh Circuit denied him relief from a $25,000 Tax Court frivolity penalty. You have to work your way up to that amount. Usually the Tax Court starts off with a warning. And that is what happened with Mr. Swanson, for whom I have a grudging admiration. Judge Buch's warning, on the other hand, is going out to some of the best represented taxpayers currently in the Tax Court dockets and the attorneys themselves, but let's look at the case that it came up in - Veribest Vesta, LLC. About Veribest Veribest owned 55 acres of land in Oglethorpe County, Georgia near the city of Elberton. The parcel was referred to as the old Grimes quarry site. 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"It is not credible to posit that a buyer would pay -for the easement property alone- the entire NPV of a hypothetical business on the property." He notes that the Tax Court has written that valuing land based on the going concern value of a business operating on the land "defies economic logic and common sense." He also has older appellate opinions that support the same notion. The Fourth Circuit when faced with a situation where the deduction was eight times what was paid a year earlier does not pass any reasonable smell test. And now he is facing a situation where 200 times was claimed. Judge Buch then notes all the time and aggravation involved in the two week trial. He notes that True North Resources, the partnership representative in the case, has ten other cases before the Tax Court and provides warning that 'continuing to pursue similarly incredible, nonsensical, and quite frankly, smelly arguments may result in sanctions on petitioner or its counsel'. Other Tax Court Action The case of Paul-Adams Quarry Trust LLC is scheduled for trial this week. Judge Emin Toro has ordered that the parties be prepared to discuss their views on Veribest and Rock Cliff Reserve, another syndicated conservation easement decision that did not go well for the taxpayers. There is an intriguing footnote Rock Cliff Reserve: "Mr. Collins understood the valuation method for a conservation easement (the value of the land before the easement minus the value of the land after the easement) but repeatedly balked on the stand at admitting that the value of a conservation easement could not exceed the value of a fee simple interest in the land." Is The Industry Based On Nonsense? When I first heard about the idea of buying land and then selling it to people who would take deduction for donated conservation easements, I thought it was one of the stupidest ideas I had ever heard. That's because I believed that an easement could not be worth more than the fee simple interest in the land and that the market for unimproved land, while imperfect, is not full of a lot of stupid people. Although the notion that an easement can be worth more than the land was floating around, I had not seen it being argued in court until recently. Jones Day made the argument in Beaverdam Creek Holdings. Judge Goeke was not impressed. Jones Day is representing Paul-Adams Quarry Trust. It is difficult to give the Jones Day argument justice without going longer than I care to here. Basically the idea is that only sales between fully knowledgeable and capable parties count as comparable sales. So when the syndicator buys land from a farmer for $1,000 per acre, it is possible that the land can really be worth $100,000 per acre. Here is an article in Bloomberg Tax written by Jones Day people that explains it more fully. Reaction Lew Taishoff has a piece titled Judge Buch Says It All Here where he quotes more extensively than I do. Jack Townsend has a passionate piece - Tax Court Rejects a ******** Tax Shelter False Valuation Claim with Warning of Sanctions for Taxpayers, their Counsel, and Expert Witness Proffering the ******* (7/16/25; 7/18/25). I bowdlerized his title based on my understanding of the standards of this platform. The ******* represent Townsend's characterization of abusive tax shelters. The poetic reference is to bovine excrement. Kirsten A. Parillo has Tax Court Warns of Frivolous Argument Penalties in Easement Cases behind the Tax Notes paywall. In that piece she quotes Frank Agostino, who represents taxpayers - 'Having an expert testify that in his or her professional opinion DCF produces the most accurate value is within the province of the expert. The trial attorney has an obligation to represent the taxpayer zealously. It should be a rare case where damages under section 6673 are appropriate. Those cases are resolved by summary judgement.' I followed up with Mr. Agostino and he wrote me the following: "The Veribest Vesta decision is a stark warning for attorneys and taxpayers who rely on non-cash charitable contribution deductions, especially in the context of conservation easements. The Tax Court made clear that even a 'qualified appraisal' by a credentialed expert will not protect taxpayers from severe penalties if the Tax Court judge concludes that underlying assumptions are speculative or unsupported by the facts. For practitioners, the message is clear: formal compliance with appraisal requirements is not enough if the Tax Court judge concludes that the facts do not support the claimed value. As the legal landscape evolves, especially in light of recent Supreme Court decisions on administrative penalties, there may be growing calls to expand taxpayer and tax practitioner access to jury trials in valuation penalty based cases to ensure procedural fairness and maintain trust in the tax system." I also heard from Steve Small, an authority on private land protection, who has probably done more than anyone to expose abusive conservation easements in the interest of preserving the legitimate use of the technique. "The rule for valuing federal income tax charitable contribution donations has been the same for decades, in both easement cases and any other valuation of charitable gift cases: willing buyer, willing seller, comparable sales in the relevant marketplace. The price you recently paid for the property is the best evidence of fair market value. There are no other acceptable methods. In very limited circumstances a DCF can be ok but only in situations that are not based on fanciful assumptions. A 'correct' value determined by a 'correct' DCF should be substantially close to a value determination by comparable sales. The problem is that counsel for well bankrolled syndicators have been trying to convince people that the rule is something different. It's not. They keep blowing smoke, with claims and arguments that are nothing more than red herrings. They are bluffing, the wizard is still behind the curtain, all of these efforts are a totally valid attempt, under the American judicial system, to convince the IRS and the courts that the rule is something different – it is not something different. They are simply representing what they believe to be the best interests of their clients, that's all. But enough is enough. The courts are FINALLY starting to say 'what part of 'willing buyer willing seller based on comparable sales in the relevant marketplace' don't you understand?'"

What a Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern deal could unlock
What a Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern deal could unlock

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

What a Union Pacific–Norfolk Southern deal could unlock

Union Pacific (UNP) is exploring a $60 billion deal to acquire Norfolk Southern (NSC), aiming to create a transcontinental rail network. Ken Hoexter, BofA Securities transportation analyst, explains what's driving the talks and discusses how regulators may respond. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Catalysts here. There could be a mega merger in the railroad world, Union Pacific confirming it's in talks to acquire rival Norfolk Southern in a deal that could be worth over $60 billion. Following the confirmation, Ken Hexter of B of A Securities Transportation Analyst raised his price objective for Union Pacific stock to $271, up from $262 and he is joining us now. Ken, it's good to see you. Hey, good morning, Julie. So why would it make sense to bring these two railroads together? What, when you're talking about two railroads, right? What kind of synergies are you talking about especially since I don't think it would mean fewer rail lines, right? No, in this case, it doesn't, right? In in historical mergers, we've seen that, you know, back in the '80s, '90s, we saw a lot of overlapping mergers where there was Burlington Northern Santa Fe or UPS P. You actually saw them go in and then actually rip out network. This would be an end-to-end merger, so you're getting transcontinental, which you don't have in the United States. You have two in Canada, but we don't go from coast to coast in the US. This would be about connectivity, and that's, you know, efficiency. So when you ask what's the benefit, it's for customers, right? You can get, you don't have to spend a day, day and a half sitting in a yard as you transition from UP to an eastern carrier, you can get a good solid flow through. And why if it, I mean that's, that makes it sound logical, right? Has it just not happened before now for regulatory reasons or are there other, have there been other historical obstacles? Well, there's nothing magical about the Mississippi River in terms of how historical mergers occurred, but it is just, you know, what you saw a lot of initially was overlapping ones. Even, you know, Norfolk Southern and CSX split Conrail up in the late '90s. So you were looking at things where you had overlapping and you could come to investors and say, "We're doing this and we're just ripping our costs." This one is is about growing, you know, how do you win business from the trucks? You have better service and you continue to grow. So you're right, the regulators have been hesitant before about allowing mergers. There was a proposal in 2000 to merge Burlington Northern and Canadian National, one of the national Canadian railroads. And that's what launched the merger moratorium. So the STB said, "Wait a minute, we've just gone through a lot of mergers. Let's think about this." And part of that was, you had to, it has to be for the public good, public interest, and you have to increase competition through the mergers. So that's what you have to walk away with. Well, now, is it just railroad competition or are we increasing competition from the trucking? That's what this administration probably looks at when they look at this merger, and you're probably looking at how do you make the railroads more competitive for industrialization and everything else that this administration wants to drive on a domestic basis. So do you think, so I mean how likely do you think then if they, you know, there's obviously a couple of ifs here. If the two actually agree on a deal, then do you think that there would be that regulatory approval? Well, look, I think there's been a lot of opportunities where Jim Vena, the CEO of Union Pacific has floated this. He did an article in mid-May where was discussed amongst the industry. We had the chairman of the STB at our conference in mid-May. We've had Jim Vena at our conference on conference calls. So there's been a lot of talking about this before, you know, we got to this point where they've now confirmed that they are in discussions. And I think that's interesting because you haven't heard a loud voice come over the top and say absolutely not. It's never going to happen. And I think that's why you have each of these progressive steps about discussions continuing because, you know, it's getting the market ready. But you know, look, we'll certainly have time where regulators, government agencies, shippers, unions all will have their voices heard through the STB process to see exactly what you're saying. What's going to be the outcome? Will it even be allowed to go through? Will there be things that they're going to have to give up, whether it's line sales or overlapping access to the network, something called open access for others to compete? So it'll be interesting to see where on the spectrum this comes out. But so far the discussions are progressing. They noted that they're in advanced talks and we'll see where it goes from here.

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