Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry, today announces the winners of the 2017 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards, honoring the top new model-year vehicle choices available in the U.S. market. The 2017 Honda Civic is named Kelley Blue Book’s Overall Best Buy of 2017, alongside Best Buy Award winners in 12 major vehicle categories.
The Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Awards are designed to provide a significant service to new-car buyers by identifying the cream of the crop of all available 2017 model-year vehicles. The awards are the culmination of a year-long regimen of expert vehicle evaluation and testing of nearly every new vehicle available in America, along with analysis of a broad swath of vehicle-related data, including vehicle pricing/transaction prices, 5-Year Cost to Own data (which includes depreciation, insurance, maintenance, financing, fuel, fees and taxes for new cars), consumer reviews and ratings, and vehicle sales/retail sales information. Of more than 300 new-car models available for 2017, Kelley Blue Book’s expert editors initially narrowed the field to a few dozen Best Buy Award contenders in 12 major vehicle categories and then spent several weeks testing and evaluating all of the finalists head-to-head to ultimately determine the winners.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7952451-kelley-blue-book-2017-best-buy-awards/
Research from CEB (NYSE: CEB), a best practice insight and technology company and the creators of the Challenger™ Selling model, shows that 51 percent of customers who might be willing to buy from a supplier are not willing to advocate for them and help them get deals over the finish line. This is a direct result of the difficult, internal buying process. Unfortunately, sales organizations lack a true understanding of their customers and are unable to simplify the complexities of buying for them.
“Willingness to buy is not the same as willingness to advocate; suppliers need customers to advocate and fight for them to get deals done today,” said Brent Adamson, principal executive advisor at CEB and co-author of The Challenger Sale and The Challenger Customer. “In order to move past ‘good enough’ and ‘status quo,’ suppliers need to go beyond just understanding how customers interact with them, to gaining a thorough understanding of how they work, what is important to them and how they interact with each other.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7427254-ceb-challenge-align-prescribe-b2b-sales-strategy/
Using an entrepreneurial distribution model, the Natural Light project will now donate a second instalment of 20,000 solar lamps. These will be sold by new sales agents in off-grid communities in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone and, for the first time, in Malawi.
The aim of this project, besides bringing a sustainable light source to off-grid communities, was to create a business model for local sales agents to make a living. This has been a great success. Today more than 50 sales agents in three African nations – Zimbabwe, Zambia and Sierra Leone – have their own businesses selling Natural Light solar lamps.
The Natural Light project, in collaboration with social business Little Sun, and NGO Plan International, was created to celebrate the VELUX Group’s 75th anniversary. Following an international design competition last year, which received 172 submissions from all over the world, the winning design was chosen and 14,500 units of the solar lamp were distributed in Africa – one for each employee of the VELUX Group and its sister companies.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8006751-velux-more-natural-light-shine-in-africa/
Two all-electric vehicles fall short of meeting the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s awards criteria, but consumers who want to minimize gas consumption while also prioritizing safety can choose from two plug-in hybrids that earn the 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.
The two recently evaluated all-electric models are the 2017 Tesla Model S and the 2017 BMW i3. The plug-in hybrid models are the Chevrolet Volt, whose award was announced in December, and the Toyota Prius Prime.
To qualify for the 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK award, a vehicle must earn good ratings in all five crashworthiness evaluations — small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints — and come with a front crash prevention system that earns an advanced or superior rating. The “plus” is awarded to vehicles that meet all those criteria and also come with good or acceptable headlights.
For those using the “I don’t bake” excuse for not investing in a KitchenAid® Stand Mixer, the brand has introduced two new attachments that reinforce its role as the culinary center of the kitchen. A new Fresh Prep Slicer/Shredder attachment and Vegetable Sheet Cutter attachment will join more than a dozen other attachments used for grinding meat and grains, spiralizing and juicing, and making everything from ice cream to pasta.
“There’s no question that Stand Mixers have always been a kitchen essential for bakers,” notes Beth Robinson, senior manager of brand experience for KitchenAid. “But every cook should know that each KitchenAid® Stand Mixer model has an attachment-ready Power Hub that opens up a world of possibilities for making one appliance do the work of many.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8013851-kitchenaid-stand-mixer-culinary-center/
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is naming the institution’s principal research tower after Donald Pinkel, M.D., whose legacy of driving progress toward advancing cures for pediatric catastrophic diseases continues at the institution today.
When St. Jude was established 55 years ago, Pinkel, the hospital’s first medical director, committed to finding cures for childhood cancer, leading to groundbreaking treatments that saved countless children’s lives. Many of these cancers were deemed incurable prior to Pinkel’s research, but his distinct approach to eradicating diseases established a model for how cancers could be treated.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7924752-st-jude-childrens-research-hospital-donald-pinkel-tower/
With its eye-catching design and impressive roster of features, the all-new 2018 Rio sedan and 5-door are the latest additions to the world-class Kia Motors America (KMA) model lineup. Penned at Kia’s European and U.S. design studios in collaboration with Kia’s design base in Namyang, Korea, this subcompact duo will bring an exciting combination of impressive fuel efficiency, innovative technology, advanced safety features4, everyday convenience and fun-to-drive character to value-conscious consumers when they arrive at Kia retailers later this year.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8016953-kia-rio-nyias-2017/
Consistent, reliable starting, smart load sensing technology, fuel protection and fuel savings are hallmarks of a new 27-gross hp1 Briggs & Stratton Commercial Series Engines with electronic fuel injection (EFI) now available on Simplicity’s Prestige garden tractor. Available at Simplicity dealers this spring, EFI brings several added benefits to a garden tractor model already known for its impressive power, performance and reliability.
“The new Commercial Series V-twin engine with EFI provides more reliable starting,” says Ryan Fredrickson, product manager for consumer rides, Briggs & Stratton Turf & Consumer Products. “Hot or cold, regardless of conditions, the addition of electronic fuel injection offers car-like starting. And because it uses a closed fuel system, EFI helps preserve the fuel, preventing it from going bad and reducing starting issues.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8092851-briggs-and-stratton-electronic-fuel-injection-simplicity-prestige-garden-tractor/
The Ferraro family is under attack and one of them will die.
When a mysterious woman applies to be Ricco Ferraro’s Shibari rope model realizes she’s a shadow rider, just as he is. Their attraction becomes passion and passion becomes dangerous as the he discovers she’s an assassin sent to kill him.
Now Ricco must decide if she’s the threat, or if those who sent her are. Mystery, passion, drama and paranormal mix to bring us the Shadow Reaper. Find out more at http://www.ChristineFeehan.com
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http://www.christinefeehan.com/community/login.php Genre- Paranormal romance, thriller
Renault ZOE is the first car to be designed as an all-electric model. A city car ideal for everyday use, it boasts the latest technology. Renault ZOE ships with six world firsts, designed to make it an easy-to-drive connected car with significant range. Revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in 2012, Renault ZOE will be available in three versions (Life, Zen and Intens) at end-2012.
Driving Renault ZOE is a new and enjoyable automotive experience. The wound rotor synchronous electric motor develops 65 kW with maximum torque of 220 Nm delivered instantly. ZOE combines strong acceleration and pick-up from the lowest engine speeds with a range of 210 km over an NEDC cycle.
// Renault ZOE est la première voiture conçue pour être 100 % électrique et idéale pour les usages quotidiens. Cette citadine intègre la technologie la plus avancée à travers six premières mondiales au service de la simplicité d'utilisation, de l'autonomie et de la connectivité. Révélée au salon de Genève 2012, Renault ZOE sera commercialisée dans trois versions différentes (Life, Zen et Intens) fin 2012.
Conduire Renault ZOE est une nouvelle expérience automobile, source de plaisirs. Le moteur électrique synchrone à rotor bobiné d'une puissance de 65 kW délivre instantanément un couple maximum de 220 Nm. Les accélérations et les reprises sont franches dès les bas régimes. Elle affiche par ailleurs, une autonomie de 210 km en cycle NEDC.
Imagine finding the most qualified candidate for a job, but that person is blind. Or perhaps a long-term employee experiences vision loss as a result of an accident. What would an employer need to do to accommodate that person? Is the employee able to keep the job?
Serving as a national model for how technology can create job opportunities and accessible workplaces for people without vision, Indianapolis-based nonprofit Bosma Enterprises is one of the first organizations in the U.S. to use BlindSquare, an innovative wayfinding technology. Bosma is using BlindSquare to help clients and employees better navigate its new, state-of-the-art headquarters, which opened June 2, and is representative of the nonprofit’s mission to assist people who are blind or visually impaired gain the life skills they need to remain independent, and the job skills they need to stay self-sufficient.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8116051-bosma-enterprises-blindsquare-mobile-navigation-technology/
2017 Renault Zoe
Renault has introduced a new Z.E. 40 battery for ZOE. At the same, ZOE owners can benefit from a range of new connected services and equipment upgrades. Order books for the new ZOE line-up are open. The new ZOEs fitted with the new Z.E. 40 battery are made at Renault's Flins plant in France and will be available for delivery before the end of 2016.
Double the range for even longer journeys
As the pioneer of all-electric mobility and Europe's number one seller of electric vehicles, Renault has stepped up its innovation programme and the deployment of its Zero Emissions strategy.
Fitted with the new Z.E. 40 battery, the Renault ZOE now delivers a record NEDC driving range of 400km, which is twice the distance delivered by the model at the time of its original launch.
The new Z.E. 40 battery has a real-world range of 300 kilometres in urban or suburban areas, for example.
The range permitted today by the ZOE is the longest of any mainstream all-electric vehicle and motorists can take advantage of this step forward now.
The ZOE is the best-selling electric vehicle in Europe and provides a real alternative to internal combustion-engine cars, since average daily commuting distances are well within the ZOE's capabilities.
The new battery removes the final psychological barrier that stands in the way of buying an electric car since ZOE users can now travel further and enjoy a wider variety of driving situations without worry about charging. This makes weekend trips a real possibility.
The Z.E. 40 battery's charging rate is similar to that of the standard battery, so 'topping up' doesn't take long at all. For example, just 30 minutes are required on average to charge the battery for an extra 80 kilometres of driving range when plugged into one of the many public charging points in operation in Europe. The ZOE continues to be equipped with the Quick Charge function to take full advantage of the maximum capacity of fast charging points located predominantly along motorway corridors.
An innovation that doubles battery capacity with no increase in size
The ZOE's new Z.E. 40 battery boasts 41kWh of useful energy, equivalent to almost double the storage capacity of the ZOE's standard battery (22kWh of useful energy).
Developed in close partnership with LG Chem, the battery uses high-energy density lithium-ion technology.
Renault and LG engineers have succeeded in increasing storage capacity without making the battery any bigger or a lot heavier. It was optimised by working on the chemistry of the cells in order to increase their energy density, rather than stacking additional battery modules, a commonly used technique.
This major new technology has been developed while ensuring the battery's reliability or safety.
The battery's large storage capacity ensures longer range for the ZOE thanks to the meticulous work that went into integrating the battery in the vehicle. The electronic management system of the battery optimises the ZOE's energy use on the move, while the new air circulation system maintains the temperature of the ZOE's battery at a constant level, making the car economical to run in very hot or very cold weather.
