Would you risk flying on a Boeing 737 Max 8 right now?

UPDATE: Boeing grounds its Max aircraft worldwide

It's midnight in Manhattan, this is no time to get cute - Bruce Springsteen

Two fatal crashes in quick succession but the Boeing aircraft company cannot resist the opportunity to get cute in its press releases.

In October 2018, a Lion Air Boeing Max 7 plane crashed in the Java Sea off Indonesia, killing 189 people.

This week, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing Max 7 crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. 

And today it was revealed that pilots on two US flights previously reported that an automated system seemed to cause their Boeing 737 Max planes to tilt down suddenly.

The pilots said that soon after engaging the autopilot on Boeing 737 Max 8 planes, the nose tilted down sharply. In both cases, they recovered quickly after disconnecting the autopilot.

Aircraft manufacturers Boeing, who made a $10.6 billion profit last financial year, and the civil aviation authorities in the US and Canada, have failed to follow authorities around the world in banning the aircraft until safety checks have been completed.

US Federal Aviation Authority administrator Daniel Elwell said the FAA was "monitoring data" and the performance of the 737s, and saw no basis yet to stop them from flying in the US.

Boeing, too, is happy for its planes to continue to fly.

"Safety is Boeing's number one priority and we have full confidence in the safety of the MAX," Boeing said in a statement.

"We understand that regulatory agencies and customers have made decisions that they believe are most appropriate for their home markets. It is also important to note that the Federal Aviation Administration is not mandating any further action at this time, and based on the information currently available, we do not have any basis to issue new guidance to operators." 

Two US airlines flying the 737 Max 8 - American Airlines and Southwest - say they will continue to fly the planes. In my opinion no sensible flyer would opt to fly on one of these aircraft until copious checks have been taken.

But when it comes to money, self-interest wins out over safety every time.

Australia's Virgin Airlines, which has 30 of the planes on order, says it is taking a "wait and see" approach.

It said it would not fly any new Boeing 737 Max 8s until it was completely satisfied with the plane’s safety.

Expedition to rescue lost World War I wine treasures

In 1918, just two months before the end of World War I, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank a merchant vessel sailing from Bordeaux to Britain carrying a cargo of Champagne, rare wines, brandy and Benedictine.

The ship - which has been code-named Mercury - has laid undisturbed on the seabed off the Cornish coast for a century. 

Now Cookson Adventures, an adventure travel group, is offering divers and wine lovers the opportunity to join a team who discovered the ship's secret location and help them to retrieve a potential treasure trove of cargo.

At around 100 metres below sea level, the darkness and constant cool temperatures should have done an exceptional job in preserving the bottles’ contents. Estimates from archival research and initial dives put the number of bottles on board in their thousands.

 

The base of the salvage operation will be Falmouth in Cornwall. Should you wish to join the mission your stay will be a luxurious one. Your base for the week will be a private Cornish mansion with its own beach, stunning sea views and a dedicated personal chef.

The bottles remaining on board are potentially worth several million pounds, UK magazine Drinks Business reported. 

Phase Two of the project will see several days of further mapping and surveying before the salvage work begins.

Several bottles will be sent to the University of Dijon for further testing and the National Maritime Museum of Cornwall in Falmouth has apparently expressed an interest in housing some in its collection.

Adam Sebba, CEO of Cookson Adventures, said: “We don’t consider ourselves a luxury travel company or an adventure travel company – we like to do things differently. That’s why this is precisely the type of unique experience we like to build for our clients. It’s a one-of-a-kind opportunity to be a part of one of the most significant historical discoveries of the century.

“The rarity of such a cargo is unprecedented and we’re waiting with bated breath to dive and see if we can recover the wine. The dive will be challenging but, by working with a team of leading experts in a number of specialist fields, we are confident that we can extract the prized artefacts intact.”

# The press released actually says "baited breath" - but that sounds unlikely.   

Calling all lovers of peanut butter

New Zealand has a new gourmet attraction; Pic’s Peanut Butter World opened in Nelson last month and has been pulling in the crowds. 

Pic’s Peanut Butter World is a purpose-built destination for locals and visitors to the Nelson Tasman region and is billed as "a fantastic place to visit for all lovers of good food and peanut butter". 

The key element of Pic’s Peanut Butter World is the free factory tour. 

From specially constructed viewing platforms visitors can see Pic's peanut butter being made, meet the people who make their favourite spread, learn more about owner Pic Picot’s journey and even make their own peanut butter.

Peanut Butter World is owner Picot’s way of thanking the Nelson Tasman community for the support it has given him, his product, and 50 employees during the 11 years the company has been in business to date.

“This is place where our consumers and producers come together,” says Pic. “By building connections between us, our customers, and the jars in their cupboards I feel we connect with our customers’ friends…and their friends’ friends…until one day their friends’ friends’ friend will turn up here, feeling they’ve come home.”

There is also an eatery on-site, so guests can get their coffee fix and a treat featuring peanut butter. 

Pic’s Peanut Butter World offers souvenirs to take home and samplings of not only peanut butter but some of the region's award-winning local produce. 

The industrial ambiance at Pic’s Peanut Butter World celebrates its function as a working factory but it is also designed as a welcoming space for people to come and learn about nut butter.

Peanut Butter World is located at 49 Saxton Road, Stoke, Nelson Tasman.

NRL and AFL fans can watch games live wherever they travel

Fans of the National Rugby League and Australian Football League can watch every match live no matter where in the world they happen to be. 

In Albania and want to watch the State of Origin opener? No problem. Stuck in San Diego and worried you'll miss the AFL Grand Final? Solved. 

WatchNRL and WatchAFL are the official international streaming services that ensure sports fans can watch their favourite team play every round in 2019. 

AFL fans can access WatchAFL outside of Australia and League fans can access outside of Australia, New Zealand and certain Pacific nations.

With both codes kicking off this month (NRL on 14 March and AFL on 21 March), fans living abroad or planning to travel overseas can watch games both live or on demand - if the time difference is just too much. 

Thanks to features like instant full match replays, and ‘hide scores’ features, fans have the ability to choose when and where they want to start watching, without any spoilers, so they can watch any match as if it were live. Other Fox Sports NRL and AFL content is also available.

WatchNRL is available at www.watchnrl.com, via the WatchNRL mobile and tablet apps for iOS and Android or through screens with Airplay or Chromecast enabled for WatchNRL. First-time subscribers who sign up any time before March 21 will get the first two weeks free.

WatchAFL is available at www.watchafl.com, via the WatchAFL mobile and tablet apps for iOS and Android or through screens with Airplay or Chromecast enabled for WatchAFL. First-time subscribers who sign up any time before March 28 will get the first two weeks free.

Fans also have the flexibility and freedom with their sign-up, with options between a weekly, monthly and 12-month subscription.

US celebrity hangout to hit the Australian market

Accor has chosen Australia as the first Asia Pacific market to launch its luxury lifestyle hospitality brand Hyde. 

Global behemoth Accor's acquired a 50% stake in Hyde owner sbe in October 2018. 

Opening in Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast this month, Hyde Paradiso will be a fashionable playground (read restaurant/bar/club) that its developers say is inspired by Los Angeles' famous Sunset Strip. 

The venue will open all day and evolve into an evening lounge and dining experience.

Simon McGrath, Chief Operating Officer of Accor Pacific, said: “We are extremely excited to open the first sbe venue for Accor in Australia, on Queensland's Gold Coast. 

"Our partnership with sbe and its Founder and CEO Sam Nazarian will combine the best of both our worlds to provide unparallelled lifestyle experiences for our guests. Hyde Paradiso will be a game changer for the Gold Coast, which is befitting of a sophisticated and energetic venue which will become the place to see and be seen by the sea.”

Sam Nazarian, Founder and CEO of sbe: “Everyone at sbe is hugely excited to expand our hospitality brands through the strategic partnership with Accor and to work closely with Simon McGrath and his talented team. 

"Australia is such a welcoming, youthful, and dynamic market full of growth opportunities for our brands, and we couldn't be more thrilled to launch Hyde on the Gold Coast. We look forward to bringing more of our brands, dining and entertainment experiences to Australia and across the globe with Accor in the future.”

Hyde has evolved from its Sunset Strip flagship (a popular celebrity hangout) to include locations in South Beach, Las Vegas, Downtown LA, Miami and more to come across the United States and beyond. 

Hyde is one of sbe's leading hospitality and residential brands including SLS, Delano, Mondrian, The House of Originals (Sanderson, St. Martin Lane, 10 Karakoy and Shore Club) and The Redbury Hotels. 

Just surreal. Discover Dali at d'Arenberg

It is fair to say that the great 20th-century artist Salvador Dali was a little eccentric. As is d'Arenberg winemaker Chester Osborn. 

It makes sense, then, that d'Arenberg is to host a Salvador Dalí Art Exhibition; to be shown at the McLaren Vale winery from March 9 through May 31.

Art Evolution.com is presenting a major exhibition and sale of 23 Salvador Dalí bronze sculptures and graphic artworks, which will subsequently tour throughout Australasia.

The collection is valued at over $6 million and has been exhibited in major cities and museums worldwide. 

It is on loan from the Dalí Universe in Switzerland.

Founded in 1912, d’Arenberg has firmly established itself as a world-class winery. The opening of the d’Arenberg Cube in December 2017 saw the winery expand from the traditional cellar door to immersive food, wine and art experiences, including the formation of a contemporary art gallery, the Alternate Realities Museum, located on the ground floor. 

Complementing the Dalí exhibition, d’Arenberg is holding a gala event on April 6, inspired by the Rothschild Surrealist Ball in 1972, where distinguished guests such as Salvador Dali and Audrey Hepburn explored the boundaries of their imagination. 

Guests will be encouraged to explore the five levels of the d’Arenberg Cube, including the Dali  collection, while enjoying a selection of canapes, wine and creative cocktails, as artistic performers bring the story of surrealism to life. 

Tickets to the d’Arenberg Cube Surrealist Ball can be purchased online via www.darenberg.com.au/ball.