Waching daily Jul 30 2018

[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]

MARK: Hey, everybody, it's Mark from Edmunds.

And today, we're talking about ultra-premium luxury sedans.

It's a very select class of cars.

And in that class, it's pretty hard

to beat this, the Mercedes-Maybach.

Prices for the Mercedes-Maybach S560

start right around $175,000.

This, however, is the S650 that has

a six-liter turbocharged V12 that puts out 621 horsepower.

And it starts at $200,000.

That's about twice as much as you'd

expect to pay for the regular S-Class, which is already

impeccably executed, luxurious, and it has

everything you probably need.

Is the Mercedes-Maybach worth $200,000?

[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING]

MR. TAKAHASHI: Well, that's all really interesting, I'm sure.

But the reason you buy a Maybach, I contend,

is for this, the rear seats that I'm in right now,

with the executive rear seat option.

That eliminates the fifth seat and puts this wonderful console

here.

Rear entertainment screens, ventilated seats,

heated seats-- it's everything that you can enjoy up front,

except you don't have to drive.

MARK: Now, this amount of power and torque,

it's not going to pin you to the seat.

It's more of this just push of power.

The 650 is rear-wheel drive only,

while the 560 is 4MATIC all-wheel drive all the time.

That really doesn't matter unless you're

driving someone very wealthy in inclement weather.

MR. TAKAHASHI: Obviously, you have the recline function.

This folds the front seat completely out of the way

and then starts pushing me horizontal.

Oh, and this is nice.

This is really nice.

At the same time, I have control over the energizing comfort

system.

That combines a whole bunch of other things in this car.

I'm getting a seat massage.

It will change the climate control of the seat, as well

as the regular climate control.

It will play a specific track tailored

to whether you want vitality, enjoyment, well-being,

or even a little bit of in-seat calisthenics.

It changes the ambient lighting.

It fragrances the air.

Think of it as a spa for your car.

I really like it back here.

MARK: Part of the recent refresh for the Mercedes S-Class

and Maybachs, you have a new steering wheel

and you have some new features, some more advanced safety

features, as well as some low level automated driving

systems.

MR. TAKAHASHI: Underneath my left elbow here,

this center console has wonderful fold out tables,

if you're in business first class.

This cubby here, wonderful heated and cooled cup holder.

One thing you don't get, of course, is a butler.

MARK: [SIGHS]

To be perfectly honest, any S-Class

is going to do just fine.

The Maybachs, they're more about bragging rights,

I suppose, especially this, the S650 with the V12.

It's completely unnecessary.

The 560 has a ton of power.

So this is more of a one-upmanship,

just in case your wealthy neighbor has an S560 Maybach.

It's a weird world.

MR. TAKAHASHI: The one option I wish I had though,

is the refrigerated compartment that would go right here.

It's only an $1,100 option.

It's a great addition, especially

if you're going to be spending a lot of time back here.

There's so much added to the entire experience,

thanks to the magic ride control.

It just senses the road in front.

It adapts to bumps and ruts.

It rolls right over them, as if they don't even exist.

Been driving long?

MARK: Really?

MR. TAKAHASHI: It doesn't show.

As you'd expect from an S-Class, and especially a Maybach,

it's as quiet as a crypt in here.

Very little road noise.

And even if there was, this has the massive Burmester sound

system to drown pretty much anything out.

I'm sure that even on the autobahn,

doing 140 miles an hour would be just as quiet.

Mmm.

MARK: [GROANS]

It's a very narrow class of cars that this Maybach

competes against.

And they're all really good.

That includes the Bentley Flying Spur,

which is about the same price as this.

And then you get into things like the Rolls-Royce Ghost

Series II and Bentley Mulsanne, which start around $300,000.

If you're looking at a $200,000 car,

is a $300,000 car really going to break you?

Probably not.

MR. TAKAHASHI: It does have a panoramic sunroof above me,

but it's closed right now because it's actually

pretty hot, which might actually make a case for the magic sky

control option.

That is a dimmable sunroof.

So if it's a hot day like today, but I still

kind of want that airy feeling, I can hit a button

and it will go opaque.

It's lovely.

There are also selectable drive modes,

as you expect from any car these days.

So that if I'm being chased down,

he can throw it in dynamic mode and we

can make a quick getaway.

Of course, as a driver, you're not

enjoying everything I have back here.

It's really quite lovely.

You should try it sometime.

MARK: The Maybach represents more

of a technological advancement over the others, which

are more old world, British/German luxury.

With all of these systems, all the advanced safety features,

as well as the automated driving,

it gets that tech edge.

MR. TAKAHASHI: This is obviously the preferred seat

in the Maybach.

My driver, well, he's making do with what he's got up front.

Quite honestly, he could be just as pampered as I am back here,

but I don't allow that.

The Mercedes-Maybach, is it worth it?

If you have the money, yes, yes it is.

It's a good thing we have that magic ride

control too because he's hitting almost every bump there is.

For more information on the Maybach,

as well as its competition, head over to edmunds.com.

To see more videos like this, hit subscribe.

[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]

For more infomation >> Is the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Maybach Sedan Worth $200,000? - Duration: 6:04.

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Families Struggle 3 Years After Florida Teens Lost at Sea: 'There Is No Healing Process' - Breaking - Duration: 9:42.

 Unending mourning, ongoing legal battles and bittersweet celebration mark the third anniversary this week of the disappearance of two Florida teenagers into the Atlantic waters off Jupiter Inlet

On the morning of July 24, 2015, longtime friends Austin Stephanos and Perry Cohen boarded Austin's 19-foot 1978 SeaCraft and set out for a fishing excursion, but never returned

 "It's so hard to put into words," Austin's father, Blu Stephanos, told PEOPLE

"Losing a child is the most unnatural thing that can happen and we're doing the best we can

There is no healing process."  Perry's mother, Pamela Cohen, shares a similar sentiment

 "For three years, I've put my head on the pillow each night, thinking of him and praying that this wasn't real," said Pamela

 "I used to dream about what he would be like as a man. I was robbed of that."  On Tuesday, the anniversary of the boys' disappearance, family and friends of Perry held a small candlelight vigil at a private beach on the north side of 400-foot-wide Jupiter Inlet, near the spot where he and Austin were last seen motoring into the waters

 "Our family and close circle of friends gathered, lit candles, hugged each other and prayed for both boys," Pamela said

 By all reasonable accounts, the sea stole from both families that day. Just two hours after a final text from Austin to Blu and his mother, Carly Black — "What's up? I am checking in

I'm just out here fishing," it read — a fierce storm ripped through the area. By nightfall, a massive air, sea and land search by multiple law enforcement, search and rescue agencies, as well as hundreds of volunteers, garnered worldwide attention, but ultimately would turn up no trace of the boys

 An investigative report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement released last year cites analysis by Gainesville's Six Maritime concluding that Perry and Austin most likely remained together until they died off the coast of northern Georgia

 In the three years since their sons vanished, the boys' families have sought answers as to exactly what led up to the boys' disappearance and whether the tragedy could have been avoided

Sadly, the quest for answers also has forged a rift between them.  Central to the ongoing legal battle is cell phone communication between Austin and his family and friends in the days just before and during the boys' fishing trip

The most recent revised complaint in a case filed by Pamela last July requests that text and other data from both Austin's and Blu's cell phones be shared

 Pamela and her attorneys assert that data may prove that Austin's parents were aware the boys planned to fish for dolphin offshore and allowed it despite knowing that Perry was forbidden to travel offshore without an adult

Blu counters that he knew nothing of the boys' plans that day and had never seen the boat, which Black had purchased for Austin just two months before

 "We don't believe that, from a legal perspective, there is any case against Mr

Stephanos," argues attorney Michael Pike, who, along with Dan Santaniello and Chris Moore, represents Blu

"This is a monumental tragedy. However, the law is designed to look past that and get the heart of liability

There's a saying in the legal world that Lady Justice is blind and part of that is the ability for judges and juries to see past the emotional aspect of a case and determine whether or not there is actual liability

There is no liability that should or will attach to Mr. Stephanos and we believe that he was added wrongfully to the lawsuit as a defendant

"  When reached by PEOPLE, Black declined to comment.  "She's saddened and she has periods of emotional anguish over the loss of the kids, like any mother would," Black's attorney, George Harris, said

 In any case, "We are not going to leave any avenue unchecked," Cohen's attorney Guy Rubin told PEOPLE

"That is Pamela's right as the mother who entrusted her child to other parents and he never came home

That's a very difficult position for anyone in this world to be in, to not only lose a child to but have questions go unanswered and to never have closure

"  Austin's iPhone, recovered with the capsized boat found floating 100 miles off the Bermuda coast eight months after the boys' disappearance, remains with Apple, Inc

, where it was sent for forensic examination. Unfortunately, technicians were unable to power up or recover any data from the phone

 Today, Austin and Perry, both 14 when they vanished, would be 17, undoubtedly looking forward to their senior years in high school and all that this coming-of-age time typically entails — prom, graduation and plans for college and careers

Instead, their families manage to find some solace in running foundations they've each established in their sons' names

 The Perry J. Cohen Foundation has served more than 1,000 underprivileged children via boating safety courses, sailing school and an environmental studies summer camp

Last year, the organization broke ground on the Perry J. Cohen Wetlands Laboratory at Jupiter High School, slated to open in May 2019 — the same time Perry would have graduated

And an endowment in Perry's name will fund scholarships for students of the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

 "Our lives now are about fulfilling Perry's legacy," Pamela said. "While he's physically vanished, it's impossible to let his spirit and who he was disappear

"  The AustinBlu Foundation also promotes boating safety and related legislation

The organization was key in securing passage of Florida's Beacon Bill, which offers boater registration discounts for boats equipped with an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB), or whose owner has a personal locator beacon (PLB)

Mikele D'Arcangelo, vice president of global marketing for ACR Electronics, says the legislation has driven sales of EPIRBs and PLBs by some 15 percent

 "Ever since that unfortunate day three years ago, when we go to trade shows, three of every five people we talk to bring up the boys to this day," D'Arcangelo tells PEOPLE

Several have been survivors of boating mishaps who credit Austin and Perry's loss with prompting them to better prepare

"We get to call Blu and Carly and say, 'Thanks to all that hard work you've done, here's a family that doesn't have to go through what you did,'" adds D'Arcangelo

 "It's bittersweet," Blu admits. "But I know this is what Austin would want."  Despite the families' differences, "Two beautiful souls were lost that day," Pamela says

"We never forget that."

For more infomation >> Families Struggle 3 Years After Florida Teens Lost at Sea: 'There Is No Healing Process' - Breaking - Duration: 9:42.

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Luxurious And Warm Architecture For Your Life The Is Z114 D - Duration: 4:42.

Luxurious And Warm Architecture For Your Life The Is Z114 D

For more infomation >> Luxurious And Warm Architecture For Your Life The Is Z114 D - Duration: 4:42.

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Is Trump Winning His Trade War With Europe? | Heavy.com - Duration: 8:48.

Is Trump Winning His Trade War With Europe? | Heavy.com

There appears to be a cease-fire in the trade war brewing between the U.S.

and the European Union.

After a meeting at the White House between U.S.

President Donald Trump and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the two leaders declared a temporary truce to escalating trade tensions and agreed to begin negotiations to eliminate tariffs and subsidies on everything but cars.

Juncker also agreed to buy billions of dollars more in U.S.

soybeans and natural gas.

Since to some it seems like the U.S.

got more than it gave in this tentative deal, it's a good time to ask: Is Trump winning the trade war he began with Europe?.

My research on international trade suggests that a good way to analyze what's happening is not in terms of conflict but as a soccer match.

Let's say it's halftime and the U.S.

and EU are tied at 1-1.

Who wins will depend most on the strategy each team works out in the locker room and how well it's executed in the second half.

So let's examine their game plans.

The Lay of the Pitch.

Juncker's visit was meant to cool the temperature and avoid the full-blown trade war the U.S.

is already fighting with China.

The "game" began in March when Trump levied tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

The EU was initially granted an exemption that expired in May.

The EU responded with its own tariffs on US$3.2 billion of U.S.

imports.

And Trump has since threatened to levy hefty tariffs on EU automobile imports.

For his part, Trump believes that the EU is a trade "foe" of the U.S.

and that his tariffs are necessary and appropriate.

The EU, naturally, disagrees, as evidenced by its complaint to the World Trade Organization.

The US Side.

A big advantage enjoyed by the U.S.

is that it is able to make decisions quickly since there's only one American president, while the EU has 28 leaders who all must agree to major decisions.

In addition, the U.S.

runs a trade deficit with the EU, which means Americans buy more stuff from the Europeans than vice versa.

Armed with these advantages, Trump's strategy seems to be to use the threat of tariffs to create uncertainty, sow dissension within the EU and extract concessions.

Perhaps Trump thinks that because he can impose tariffs on more goods than the Europeans, the U.S.

will win the game.

He may also believe that his threat of steep tariffs on cars will compel Germany to force the EU to capitulate because Chancellor Angela Merkel won't want to hurt her export-oriented auto industry.

While Trump somewhat effectively employed this strategy with South Korea, it may not work with the EU.

The EU's Divided Union.

That's because the EU is no pushover.

The EU trades $3.

7 trillion worth of goods and services with the rest of the world, four times more than South Korea and more than the United States' $3.

5 billion.

That said, the key problem in the EU is that different nations are displaying different levels of interest in a trade fight with Trump, making it hard to take advantage of its inherent economic heft and act in unison.

As long as Germany is less interested in fighting this war than France because of the importance of its U.S.

exports, the EU is hamstrung in its decision-making.

This makes it more likely that it will yield to Trump's demands.

While some claim this is what happened in the July 25 meeting, I think the outcome was more like Juncker buying time in hopes of getting Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to unify over a common EU response.

If the EU manages to unite, however, the bloc could focus on becoming more competitive in other markets, such as China – where many American exports are now subject to tariffs – which would hurt the U.S.

So there is an opening for the EU to sell goods to China that previously the Chinese would have bought from the U.S.

In other words, halftime is almost over, and the two teams will soon be on the field.

Will Trump's strategy of divide and conquer continue to work?.

A lot more is at stake in this game than a trophy and bragging rights.

Nothing less than the rules-based international trading system – which has brought prosperity to much of the globe, including to both Americans and Europeans – may be on the line.

Let's hope we don't have to go to penalty kicks.

Amitrajeet A. Batabyal, Arthur J.

Gosnell Professor of Economics, Rochester Institute of Technology.

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

Read the original article.

For more infomation >> Is Trump Winning His Trade War With Europe? | Heavy.com - Duration: 8:48.

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Demi Lovato Is "Getting Better" Following Multiple Visits from Ex Wilmer Valderrama - Duration: 1:56.

Demi Lovato Is "Getting Better" Following Multiple Visits from Ex Wilmer Valderrama

This week, it was reported that Demi Lovato has been hospitalized following a suspected drug overdose, according to TMZ. And one of the people who has been at her side throughout the scare is Wilmer Valderrama, the singer's ex-boyfriend.

Even though they broke up in 2016, Valderrama has proven just how much he cares about Lovato, by visiting her on more than one occasion following her hospitalization.

And according to E! News, "Lovato is resting and getting better, while her whole family and Valderrama are there to support her through her recovery." TMZ also claims that Valderrama "stayed with her for about 5 hours" during one of his visits, proving that they've remained close since breaking up.

Valderrama and Lovato previously dated for around six years, before ending their relationship in June 2016.

In a joint statement released on Instagram at the time, they revealed, "This was an incredibly difficult decision for both of us, but we have realized more than anything that we are better as best friends.

We will always be supportive of one another. Thank you to everyone who has offered us kindness and support over the years.".