One lucky homeowner is going to be living the life in the mountain town of Asheville, North Carolina, location of the HGTV Urban Oasis® 2015. Viewers can now enter for a chance to win the grand prize package valued at more than $500,000 that will be awarded this fall. In addition to this approximately 1,300-square-foot residence and all its furnishings, the grand prize winner will receive a 2016 Acura TLX and $50,000 cash provided by national mortgage lender Quicken Loans.
During the giveaway period, which runs through September 24, eligible viewers can enter twice per day online at HGTV.com/UrbanOasis and can sign up for daily email reminders. HGTV Facebook and Twitter fans (#hgtvurbanoasis) can check in for ongoing updates and new details.
Decorated by interior designer Brian Patrick Flynn, the fully furnished HGTV Urban Oasis 2015 features an open-concept floorplan with two bedrooms and two baths. All the renovations on the home were overseen by HGTV house planner Jack Thomasson, which included raising the original roof to include a loft over the dining room. Designed by Wilson Architects and fully renovated by JAG and Associates Construction, the home remains indicative of the Asheville style: bold, transitional, creative, vintage, and handmade, with an emphasis on art and practicality.
To view the multimedia release visit:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7582251-hgtv-urban-oasis-2015/
Nearly 50 vehicles meet tougher criteria for 2016 to take home the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, earning good ratings in all five IIHS crashworthiness evaluations and an advanced or higher rating for front crash prevention. An additional 13 models qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK.
The baseline requirements for both awards are good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as a standard or optional front crash prevention system. The 48 winners of the “plus” award have a superior- or advanced-rated front crash prevention system with automatic braking capabilities. These vehicles must stop or slow down without driver intervention before hitting a target in tests at 12 mph, 25 mph or both. Models with a basic-rated front crash prevention system, which typically only issues a warning and doesn’t brake, qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK.
IIHS inaugurated TOP SAFETY PICK in the 2006 model year to help consumers home in on vehicles with the best safety performance. The TOP SAFETY PICK+ accolade was introduced in 2012 to recognize vehicles that offer an advanced level of safety.
Approximately one year after leading roof window manufacturer VELUX Group joined forces with social business Little Sun and NGO Plan International, launching a design competition to bring clean, sustainable light to Africa, the first solar lamps have now arrived on African soil.
The VELUX Natural Light International Design Competition received 172 proposals from 65 countries. A high-level jury of experts in the fields of architecture, art and design subsequently selected the winning design, by Mariana Arando and Luca Fondello of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Their solar lamp design was inspired by the way light can bring people together.
The VELUX Group has so far produced and donated 14,500 of the solar-powered lamps, and 150 local sales agents are now being trained in how to sell the lamps in off-grid communities in Senegal, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The training combines workshops, roleplay, demonstrations, and group work.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7724551-velux-natural-light-solar-lamps-in-africa/
A new solar power system is installed in the United States every 1.6 minutes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). With the number of residential solar installations expected to increase this year by 35 percent according to GTM Research, more consumers will have an opportunity to choose the best solar solution for their home, saving on electricity bills while generating clean energy. Offering a record-setting, proven solar power solution, SunPower reminds homeowners that better solar technology exists and is accessible today.
“Solar technology differs widely from brand to brand, so it’s important for consumers to consider that not all panels deliver the same amount of energy, look elegant on a roof, or are guaranteed to last as long as promised,” said Howard Wenger, SunPower president, business units. “SunPower® panels are the most efficient that homeowners can buy, and we stand behind them for a quarter century. We’re proud to hold the world-record title for efficiency.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7706151-sunpower-residential-solar-panel/
Famous for having the most beautiful countryside in China, Huangling village in China’s Jiangxi Province launched helicopter tours from March 11, 2016 offering visitors the opportunity of a bird’s eye view of the region’s beautiful spring rapeseed flower blossom.
Tours take off from Jiangwan Town airfield, about 28 kilometers from Huangling, fly by the village and over the magnificent flower terraces and Hui-style houses with their black roof tiles and white walls.
Surrounded by green mountains and steep cliffs, Huangling village was settled hundreds of years ago and is recognized as one of the most beautiful destinations in China. With its towering trees, stone paths, winding creeks and rich folk culture, the ancient village also retains the unique folk tradition of shaiqiu, or “crop drying in mid-air” as villagers sun-dry chili pepper and corn harvests around the houses throughout the year. This remarkable spectacle is a symbol of the Huangling culture.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7793351-huangling-village-tourism/
Three out of seven large pickup trucks evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in a new round of crash tests earn an acceptable or higher rating for occupant protection in a small overlap front crash.
IIHS evaluated two body styles of each 2016 model-year pickup — crew cab and extended cab. Crew cabs have four full doors and two full rows of seating. Extended cabs have two full front doors, two smaller rear doors and compact second-row seats.
IIHS last year decided it would test the two most popular variants of large pickups instead of just one after discovering that the Ford F-150 extended cab lacked structural countermeasures that helped the crew cab earn the top rating of good in the small overlap test. The test replicates what happens when a vehicle runs off the road and hits a tree or pole or clips another vehicle that has crossed the center line.
Ford improved the 2016 model F-150 SuperCab to clinch a good rating in the small overlap crash test, up from the 2015 model’s marginal rating. The F-150 is the only large pickup in the latest test group to earn the Institute’s top rating in the test. It joins the F-150 SuperCrew in earning a 2016 TOP SAFETY PICK award when equipped with Ford’s optional basic-rated forward collision warning system.
Vehicles that earn a basic rating for front crash prevention plus good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint evaluations qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK. To qualify for 2016 TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the five crashworthiness tests and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.
Think “muscle car” performance, and images of speed and power are more likely to come to mind than crash tests and safety ratings. Because no one buys a sports car to drive in the slow lane, the best all-¬ around occupant crash protection is crucial. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently put a trio of iconic sports coupes through their paces, and unlike more sedate sedans, none earns the scores needed to clinch a TOP SAFETY PICK award.
IIHS evaluated 2016 models of the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang in the full battery of crashworthiness evaluations. The Mustang comes closest to earning TOP SAFETY PICK, while the Camaro falls shortin one category and lacks an available front crash prevention system. The Challenger is most in need of improvement.
To qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK, vehicles must earn good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint evaluations and have a basic-¬rated front crash prevention system. To qualify for the Institute’s highest award, TOP SAFETY PICK+, vehicles must earn good ratings in the five crashworthiness tests and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.
GAC Motor, one of China's leading automobile manufacturers, released its first 7-seat SUV, the GS8, at Hangzhou International Expo Center, the main venue of the G20 summit on Oct. 26.
A c-level high-end SUV self-developed by GAC Motor, the GS8 meets the North American SUV roof anti-force standard and redefines Chinese high-end SUV market. It integrates the GAC production system, global R&D network and global supply chain system and has formed the core competitive advantage of sustainable development, leading Chinese brands with innovative paces.
An important step in GAC Motor's strategic plan to fully enter high-end market, the GS8 is a c-level high-end product based on the creative cross-platform modular architecture, a platform focusing on technological innovation to guarantee quality consistency, lowers production and manufacturing cost, accelerates development speed, and expands technical advantages among competitors.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7977551-gac-motor-gs8-high-end-suv/
Consumers who choose a 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+ award winner shouldn’t have trouble seeing the road on nighttime drives. Good or acceptable ratings in the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s new headlight evaluations set the latest crop of qualifiers apart. Thirty-eight models earn the “plus” accolade, and 44 earn TOP SAFETY PICK.
IIHS toughened the criteria for TOP SAFETY PICK+ to reflect new headlight evaluations launched in 2016. The recognition program is meant to encourage manufacturers to offer state-of-the-art protection for people in crashes, along with features that help drivers avoid crashes in the first place. In addition to good or acceptable headlights, the latter includes automatic braking technology, which has been part of the criteria since 2015.
For both awards, models must earn good ratings in the Institute’s small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention with standard or optional autobrake. Headlights are factored in only for the top award.
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.
Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of destinations, announced today that Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi will feature six immersive worlds: Metropolis and Gotham City, inspired by the universe of DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains; Cartoon Junction, Bedrock, and Dynamite Gulch, themed after iconic animated brands such as Looney Tunes and Hanna-Barbera; and Warner Bros. Plaza, reminiscent of old Hollywood, where these seminal characters and stories were originally brought to life.
Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, which is located on Yas Island and set to open in 2018, will be a one-of-a-kind, world-class destination home to state-of-the-art thrill rides, interactive family friendly attractions, and unique live entertainment. From the action and adventure of DC to the wacky and wonderful world of Looney Tunes, this immersive and interactive new indoor experience brings some of the world’s most popular stories and characters under one roof.
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/uk/8091351-miral-reveals-warner-bros-world-abu-dhabi/
The Lincoln Continental, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Toyota Avalon come out at the top of a group of six large cars recently evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The three cars qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK+, the Institute’s highest award. The Tesla Model S, the Chevrolet Impala and the Ford Taurus fall short of any award because they each earn only an acceptable rating in the small overlap front test.
Vehicles qualify for either the TOP SAFETY PICK or TOP SAFETY PICK+ award if they have good ratings from IIHS in five crashworthiness tests — small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints — and an available front crash prevention system that earns a superior or advanced rating. To qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle also must come with good or acceptable headlights
