Monthly Archives: October 2010
President Signs Small Business Lending Bill
President Obama signed the Small Business Jobs Act on Sept. 27, which the Hardwood Federation says will lend $30 billion to community banks with the goal of lending money to small businesses. The new law includes $12 billion in tax breaks aimed at small businesses. “It would exclude from taxes all capital gains on sales of small-business stock, and accelerate tax write-offs for purchases of equipment and other property. Specifically, to motivate companies to spend money on equipment, the provision of the 2009 Recovery Act which allowed businesses to write off up to $250,000 of equipment is extended through 2011 and increased to a maximum of $500,000,” the Hardwood Federation said. The group also points out that hardwood suppliers might target restaurant owners and retailers, who could receive tax breaks for remodeling their stores or building new ones.
Home Wood Collection 2010
La Choob’s Home Wood Collection has come to fruition after seven years of extensive research in contemporary and traditional designs of wood work products. This unique collection combines patterns borrowed from traditional custom wood handcrafts, with contemporary design to create a unique blend of today’s life style with classical 15th century accentuation.
The ancient art of Khatam-Kari was very popular amongst royal princes in the 15th century. They were encouraged to learn this art along with music and painting. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the interest in Khatam declined significantly. Approximately 70 years ago, special craft schools in several major cities of Iran such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz were established to revitalize the traditional crafts such as Khatam.
“Khatam” in Persian means “incrustation” and “Khatam-kari” means “incrustation work”. This craft consists of production of incrustation patterns (generally star shaped), with thin sticks of wood (ebony, teak, ziziphus, orange, rose) and brass (for golden parts). Coming from techniques imported from China and improved by Persian know-how, this craft existed for more than 700 years and is still perennial in Shiraz and Isfahan.
This new approach to hardwood design based on Khatam-Kari techniques has opened new doors to designers, architects and builders enabling them to offer world-renowned unique and innovative products.