The list of winners of the Institute's TOP SAFETY PICK award is longer than ever this year, with vehicles in nearly every size category the Institute evaluates earning accolades. From minicars to sedans to pickups, consumers have a record number of choices among 2012 models.
In all, 69 cars, 38 SUVs, 5 minivans, and 3 pickups earn TOP SAFETY PICK. The award recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rollover, and rear crashes based on ratings in Institute evaluations. The ratings, which cover all 4 of the most common kinds of crashes, help shoppers pick vehicles that offer the highest levels of crash protection. Because the federal government now requires all 2012 and later passenger vehicles to have electronic stability control to help drivers avoid loss-of-control crashes, ESC no longer is a requirement to win as it was in prior years.
The winners’ circle includes 18 new recipients for 2012, while 97 models that previously qualified for the 2011 award carry over to 2012.
TripAdvisor®, the world’s largest travel site*, today launched its “Friend of a Friend” feature that highlights trusted reviews and opinions from friends of Facebook friends. Representing the next step in making travel planning more social for the TripAdvisor global community, travelers are now ten times more likely to see personalized travel advice on TripAdvisor.
“Travel advice from friends is incredibly useful, but your inner circle may not have all the answers on a particular hotel or destination you are researching,” says Adam Medros, vice president of global product for TripAdvisor. “The Friend of a Friend feature increases the probability of an even greater personalized TripAdvisor experience by highlighting opinions from a larger network of travelers that know the people you trust.”
To view Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/49262-tripadvisor-introduces-travel-advice-from-friend-of-a-friend
The Renault-Nissan Alliance has sold its 100,000th zero-emission car.
Electric cars from Renault and Nissan have driven approximately 841 million zero-emission kilometers – enough to circle the earth more than 20,000 times. Together, they represent 53 million liters of oil saved and 124 million kg of CO2 that have not been emitted.
“The age of the mainstream zero-emission vehicle is here,” said Renault-Nissan Alliance Chairman and CEO Carlos Ghosn. “We expect demand to keep growing as the charging infrastructure develops – and we remain 100% committed to zero-emission technology for the long term.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/mnr/62389-renault-nissan-sells-zero-emission-car
Only 1 minicar out of 11 tested achieves an acceptable rating in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's small overlap front crash test, making these tiny vehicles the worst performing group of any evaluated so far.
The Chevrolet Spark's acceptable rating in the test, along with good ratings in the Institute's four other crashworthiness evaluations, earns the new minicar a 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK award. The Spark was among the initial award winners announced in December. The new small overlap test results for the rest of the minicar group mean that no other models in this size category join the Spark in the winner's circle yet.
At the heart of the story is Lucinda, who moves to Sierra to escape her past, but now struggles with her daughter’s illness, her former husband and a deadly virus. The Estrogen Chronicles, Circle of Friends, a novel of friendship, love, courage, and compassion gives an inside view of hospital operations under desperate times. Find out more at http://ckumanchik.com/ The Estrogen Chronicles by Cynthia Kumanchik book trailer Women’s Fiction/Literary
Today, more than six thousand pancake lovers from around the globe gathered in Monument Circle in Indianapolis, Indiana for a pancake fundraiser hosted by IHOP Restaurants and Kiwanis International. Thousands of Kiwanis volunteers, in town for their annual convention, and members of general public enjoyed free IHOP pancakes and coffee. Two dozen IHOP cooks prepared the pancakes made from more than 240 gallons IHOP’s famous buttermilk pancake batter, which were accompanied by 189 gallons of maple syrup, 94 pounds of butter and 625 gallons of coffee.
The celebratory event raised funds through voluntary donations to help eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus through the Eliminate Project. It was the first in a series of events planned by IHOP Restaurants as part of its “Summer of Smiles” campaign that celebrates individuals and organizations which have devoted countless hours to making others smile through their philanthropy. The celebration coincides with the family-friendly brand’s launch of a new ‘smiling’ logo and its 57th Anniversary.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7428053-ihop-summer-of-smiles-pancake-party/
Call it a homecoming.
When Toyota introduced Lexus to the U.S. market in 1989, the Georgetown, Ky., plant – its first stand-alone vehicle manufacturing facility in America – was just in its second year of producing the Camry.
Fast forward 26 years and that same plant is celebrating the start of U.S. Lexus production. Today at a ceremony fit for a luxury brand king, the first-ever U.S.-produced ES 350 was unveiled before several thousand proud team members in Georgetown. And, just like a newborn foal at the nearby horse farms in Central Kentucky, the newcomer was brought into the world with plenty of TLC and hope for a bright future.
“This is really a proud moment for us and brings us full circle,” said Wil James, president, Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc. “To be the first wholly owned plant, building the number one best-selling car in America, the Camry, for 13 years in a row, and then to be selected to build the first Lexus is truly a tribute to our team members.”
For the past two and a half years, the Kentucky plant – Toyota’s largest in North America – has been gearing up to make the ES 350, Lexus’ best-selling sedan in the U.S. In all, $360 million was invested toward a new dedicated assembly line, adding 750 new jobs. Total capacity for the new line will be 50,000 vehicles.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7655351-lexus-kentucky-plant-es-350/
After successful exploration runs in 2013 and 2015 the Dutch polar cruise company Oceanwide Expeditions has announced two new expeditions to the Ross Sea in 2017. The ice-strengthened vessel “Ortelius” will be accommodated with helicopters for the two Antarctica cruises, sailing from the South-American continent to the Antarctic Peninsula, crossing the Polar Circle, further west to Peter I Island, sailing in the Bellingshausen sea along the ice-edge of “deep Antarctica” into the Ross Sea. The voyage continues to the uninhabited sub-Antarctic Campbell Island and ends after 32 days in New Zealand. The second cruise offers the same itinerary, but in reverse.
The Ross Sea Challenge
The Ross Sea region of Antarctica has always presented a dream but also a challenge to visit to explorers. The Ross Ice Shelf prevents a full seasonal operation and distances are enormous. Apart from the extremes, landing sites are still difficult to reach. “With the advantages of the “Ortelius” in combination with the use of helicopters, our travelers are having some great opportunities exploring Antarctica’s most fascinating sites”, says CEO Michel van Gessel.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7726051-oceanwide-expeditions-new-ross-sea/
For Spring-Summer 2016, Maison Roger Vivier has entrusted one of its icons line to celebrity Stylist Camille Seydoux: Prismick. A friend of the house, this young woman has dreamed up a version all of her own: a capsule collection entirely in denim.
Six pieces make up this perfect wardrobe: platform sandals, ankle boots, a shoulder bag, a bucket bag, a backpack and a sneaker. Camille melds her creativity with the Roger Vivier legacy. She says:
"We decided that my collection would be dedicated to the Prismick line created in 2012, which is one of my favourites. I began by attentively exploring my own Prismick bag, which is in a melting fade of black and grey. I wanted to work on the idea of facets that make up grades of shading. I looked through the Maison's archives and then I thought of denim. It's a fabric that naturally burnishes. Denim is both classic and modern, and significant detail, is very resistant."
Camille grew up in fashion's inner circle. She opened her own art gallery at the age of 25. Today, she is revolutionising the role of stylist by working hand-in-hand with couture house studios to design bespoke dresses for actresses. For Roger Vivier, she brought her own touch of impertinence: "Denim can be worn with everything and can tone down an outfit. This capsule collection shakes up the look. "
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7776151-prismick-denim-camille-seydoux-roger-vivier/
