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Higher prices and understaffed travel providers aren’t the only elements ruining the luxury travel experience. Overuse of technology, hotel managers seeking to monetize every inch of their properties, staff outfitted to look like runway models, airline accountants, too much truffle oil, and even fellow guests are making luxury travel less enjoyable. Speaking to over 2,250 travel buyers and executives from more than 2,000 luxury travel brands during the opening ceremony of the International Luxury Travel Market being held this week in Cannes, Canadian magazine publisher, brand agency executive and style guru Tyler Brûlé reeled off a litany of places that he says the industry is letting down guests. However, guests weren’t shielded from his sharp criticisms. Using tablets at check-in instead of just jotting down your address and signing means navigating different keyboards, which can be confusing and frustrating for jet-lagged visitors. This is not the best way to start your stay. Sins of Silicon Valley continue into your room, where he says glass-plated touchscreen control panels make turning the lights on or off another test of patience. However, QR codes top the list of tech misdeeds, which he says have often replaced printed leather-bound folders with high-quality paper that was easy to peruse. In some cases, he has found multiple codes, “so you don’t know if you are getting room service or housekeeping.” Oh, and what about just standard power outlets conveniently located next to both sides of the bed instead of a host of different plugs, usually none of which work for your device? It wasn’t just the IT department that Brûlé took to task. He criticized hotels that no longer have comfortable seating in the lobby to wait for a friend or just people-watch without being hounded to order a drink, as well as big city hotels that close their bars before 10 pm. And then there is the staff, which Brûlé says are often outfitted so they are mistaken for guests and, in some cases, don’t even have name tags. While he says uniforms “don’t have to look like you’re from a circus,” they are “part of the brand,” like a “fantastic logo.” Training should also remind staff about the old three-ring rule, which dictated picking up the phone on the first ring. “There is a paying guest on the other end of the line,” he told the audience of hotel executives. Oh, and stop it with the truffle oil (on everything from potato chips to cashews) and put a hold on those brand scents “that follow you home in your luggage.” This brings us to airline procurement executives, who Brûlé says need a lesson in ordering comfortable pillows. The current offerings at the front of the airplane are either too flimsy or resemble “a stuffed rugby ball.” And you could be part of the problem. Brûlé says he is tired of people holding Zoom meetings in the lobby as if they were at WeWork and playing YouTube videos on full blast in the fine dining restaurant. He says hotels should send out guidelines outlining proper attire and etiquette. He also suggests hotels bring back soundproof phone booths around the hotel so guests can rant without letting everyone at the pool know about their problems. And by the way, add windows that open to what makes a luxury hotel luxury.
SEOUL — South Korea’s president on Wednesday met a visiting Ukraine delegation and called for the two countries to formulate countermeasures in response to the threat posed by North Korea’s recent dispatch of more than 10,000 soldiers to support Russia’s war against Ukraine. The North Korean troop deployment is threatening to expand the almost three-year war, with Ukraine and the U.S. saying that some of the soldiers have already begun engaging in battle on the front lines. Leaders in Seoul and Washington also worry that Russia might in return help North Korea build more advanced nuclear weapons targeting their nations. In late October, South Korea warned it could respond by supplying weapons to Ukraine. During a meeting with the Ukrainian delegation led by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov, President Yoon Suk-yeol said he hopes that the governments in Seoul and Kyiv will work out effective ways to cope with the security threat posed by the North Korean-Russian military cooperation, Yoon’s office said in a statement. The Ukrainian delegation later met separately with Yoon’s national security advisor, Shin Wonsik, and Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun. During the meetings, Umerov briefed the South Korean officials on the status of the Russia-Ukraine war and expressed hope that Kyiv and Seoul will strengthen cooperation, the statement said. It said the two sides agreed to continue to share information on the North Korean troops in Russia and North Korean-Russian weapons and technology transfers while closely coordinating with the United States. The South Korean statement didn’t say whether the two sides discussed Seoul’s possible weapons supply to Ukraine. Many observers say Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election could make South Korea more cautious about potentially shipping weapons to Ukraine because the president-elect has promised to end the war swiftly. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 , South Korea has joined U.S.-led sanctions against Moscow and provided humanitarian and financial aid to Kyiv. But it has avoided directly supplying arms in line with its policy of not supplying lethal weapons to countries actively engaged in conflicts. South Korean officials have said they will take phased countermeasures, linking the level of their response to the degree of Russia-North Korean cooperation. Shin, the national security advisor, said last week that Russia has supplied air defense missile systems to North Korea in exchange for its sending troops to Russia. Experts say it’s unlikely that Russia will transfer high-tech nuclear and missile technology to North Korea in the initial stage of the troop dispatch. North Korea and Russia have sharply increased their military and other cooperation as each face confrontations with the U.S. and its allies. The U.S., South Korea and others accuse North Korea of having shipped artillery, missiles and other conventional weapons to Russia. Kim writes for the Associated Press.WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump says he will nominate former George Soros money manager Scott Bessent to lead the Treasury Department.
Hannah Waddingham has made it very clear that Ted Lasso and its cast mean the world to her. She’s besties with Juno Temple , she and Jason Sudeikis are very tight, and she’s loud and proud about the fact that this show has made the most positive impact on her life. However, it’s not just for professional reasons, it’s personal too, as she revealed the emotional story and circumstances behind what led to her auditioning for one of Apple TV+’s best shows . Long before Ted Lasso , Waddingham was in Belfast shooting a project, and her daughter became “seriously ill with a mysterious affliction.” She was later diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura, which is an immune-mediated disease that causes swelling of small blood vessels that can cause kidney damage. The actress had a really hard time getting back home to her kiddo because of travel delays, and that scared her a lot. So, after that, she decided to pursue roles in shows that were shot in London. While explaining this for Jeremy Egner’s book Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, The Show That Kicked Its Way Into Our Hearts , she said she was determined to stay close to home, and she told her management team the following: I said, ‘This is not happening again. Whether that means that I have to dumb down what I’m doing or be less committed to work that might have the possibility of taking me abroad or whatever, I’m perfectly happy to be here doing bits and pieces. I’ll do concerts, I’ll do voice-overs.’ Later, she made it clear that her priority was her daughter, and she put her foot down, saying: And I said, ‘Look, I get it. I don’t want it this way either. But I’m first and foremost a mum and more importantly a single mum, and I’m happy with that decision.’ Then, her daughter got better, and Waddingham started looking for more work again. Two months into that quest, Ted Lasso entered the equation. She explained that before she sought more work she “looked up at the skies” and said thank you for saving her little girl. Then, she asked for a job, specifying exactly what she wanted: ‘...And also, can I be so cheeky as to say, could it be something that shows everything that I can do and things that I don’t feel like I’ve been able to do yet? And is there any way it could be here, maybe around the corner?’ And I’m not joking: in two months, the audition came in for Ted Lasso, which shoots forty minutes away from my house. Completely mental. Ask the universe, people, it works! It couldn’t have worked out any better too. After a great audition process, which included the creators of Game of Thrones sending an email on Waddingham’s behalf, she eventually landed the role. Jason Sudeikis also made it clear that he knew from the minute he saw her audition that she was their Rebecca. In the co-creator and Ted Lasso actor’s words: It’s one of those neat things where sometimes that right thing shows up at the right time, and you’re ready for it and they’re ready for you. And off we went. Well, we know the rest of this story, both Waddingham and Sudeikis won Emmys for their performances. Rebecca went on to have a wonderful story across three seasons. And now, well over a year after we said so long to AFC Richmond after Season 3 , the wait to see if Ted Lasso Season 4 happens is in full swing. CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News Overall, it’s inspiring to hear Waddingham tell this emotional story, and it’s wonderful to know the personal details behind what makes Ted Lasso’s success inspiring. To read the full history behind Ted Lasso , you can buy Beleive on Amazon . To go back and see Hannah Waddingham’s brilliant performance as Rebecca, you can stream all three seasons of the comedy with an Apple TV+ subscription .Devin Booker scores 27, Suns win 113-105 as Warriors lose their 4th straight game
President-elect Donald Trump’s announcement that on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, and an extra 10% on all Chinese goods on top of existing tariffs, has all the hallmarks of a classic Trump policy proclamation. He , while in reality it’s a terrible idea that he may not even enact. And what he does plan to do may be even worse. This is an economic story with serious real-world consequences, few of them good. But it’s also a performance, full of bluff and bluster — and a preview of the corruption that will be a hallmark of his second term in office. During the campaign, Trump said he wanted to impose tariffs of 10%-20% on all imported goods, and up to 60% on goods coming in from China; this proposal is just the start. Were these tariffs actually put in place — and again, the jury is still out on whether Trump will actually follow through — they would be devastating to the American economy. In 2023, we just under $900 billion worth of goods from Mexico and Canada, everything from avocados to lumber to auto parts. Putting a 25% tariff on all of it would amount to a sales tax of $225 billion — or increased costs of about $1,800 per American . Trump’s proposal would also trash the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, the free-trade accord Trump himself signed in 2020, and inevitably produce retaliation from the affected countries; Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum that if Trump imposes these tariffs, Mexico will respond in kind. We saw that in the first Trump administration as well: When he imposed tariffs on Chinese goods, China responded by cutting off imports of American agricultural commodities. American farmers who rely on exports had their livelihoods threatened, so the Trump administration paid them off. In the end, 92% of the revenues brought in by the tariffs — which were essentially paid by American taxpayers — of farmers, to the tune of over $60 billion. If the affected population had been people Trump didn’t want to help — let’s say, minority populations living in cities — he may have let them suffer (recall that he initially refused to until aides explained how many residents voted for him). But he was happy to have Americans subsidize a bailout for farmers, because rural voters are essential to his base. You can call this approach “transactional,” or you can call it corrupt. “To me, the world’s most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariffs. It’s my favorite word,” , and now he is promising tariffs much more comprehensive than those implemented during his first term. That experience gives us a guide to how his future tariffs will be deployed. As soon as tariffs were enacted in his first term, his administration was by lobbyists, who filed thousands of requests for special exemptions and carve-outs to allow their clients to import goods and parts without paying the tariffs. And who found favor with the Trump administration? According to , companies that had donated to Republican candidates were more likely to get their exemption requests approved; one of the researchers “a very effective spoils system.” While small businesses lacked the resources to file for exclusions, bigger corporations and their chief executives could expend the time and money necessary to claim carve-outs. Apple and its CEO, Tim Cook, offer an illustrative case study. Throughout Trump’s first term, Cook buttered Trump up with personal attention, something other CEOs who found Trump personally repugnant were more reluctant to do. As , Cook tailored a strategy to massage Trump’s ego over a series of meals and meetings in which he would explain how Apple’s interests dovetailed with Trump’s. “That’s why he’s a great executive, because he calls me and others don’t,” Trump would later say. The strategy paid off with tax breaks and changes to Trump’s tariff plan that kept the iPhone safe from price increases that would go into government coffers rather than Apple’s. In a second term, Trump won’t just be doling out favors; he’ll also deliver punishments. During the campaign he about how John Deere was planning to move jobs to Mexico, but likely changed its plans after he threatened the company with tariffs so high it wouldn’t be able to sell the equipment it made there in the U.S. The story may have been false, but the message was clear: Trump will not hesitate to single out specific companies with penalties (and ensuing abuse from his army of online trolls) if he doesn’t like what they’re doing. We’ve seen before how personal Trump’s view of the economy is: There are good companies and bad companies, within good industries and bad industries, and the determining factor is whether they treat him like the king he imagines himself to be. Firms looking at this history might reasonably decide that making good products isn’t enough to succeed; they also must win the goodwill of a petty and mercurial president, just as companies do in dictatorships around the world. And since everyone knows that Trump is not above a personal payoff, they might feel it wise to put money directly in his pocket. There are multiple ways to do so: They could book rooms at his resorts (as in his first term), or boost in the Trump Media & Technology Group with a large purchase of shares, or invest in his , or perhaps buy a few thousand or or . This president makes it easy to grease his palm. Trump believes that tariffs can do almost anything — force other countries to their knees, bring prosperity to the nation, even restore your sense of manly virility. Best of all, they can provide an avenue for him to reward those who please him, hurt those who fail to bend the knee, and maybe even use his office to make a few more bucks. As corrupt as Trump’s first term was, it could pale in comparison to the second.Trump likely to turn to tested trade law tools in his tariff offensiveThis comes weeks after Newsom and his administration passed new refinery and carbon credit regulations that will add up to $1.15 per gallon of gasoline and require Californians with gasoline-powered cars to earn up to another $1,000 per year in pretax income to afford. “We will intervene if the Trump Administration eliminates the federal tax credit, doubling down on our commitment to clean air and green jobs in California,” said Newsom in a statement. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose rocket launches were recently blocked by a California regulatory board that cited his personal politics, shared his disapproval on his social media platform, X, after Newsom staff told Bloomberg that Tesla models would not qualify for California rebates. “Even though Tesla is the only company who manufactures their EVs in California,” said Musk. “This is insane.” Musk recently moved SpaceX and X out of California, citing a new law signed by Newsom banning parental notification for gender change requests from K-12 students. The credits would be paid for through California’s cap-and-trade program, which requires carbon emitters to purchase credits from the state — costs which are generally passed on to consumers in the form of more expensive gasoline, energy, and even concrete. Emitters buy a few billion dollars worth of credits from California each year, with the state’s $135 billion high speed rail project getting the lion’s share of the revenue. The California Resources Board — all but two of whose voting members are appointed by the governor — recently approved $105 billion in EV charging credits and $8 billion in hydrogen charging credits to be largely paid for by drivers of gas cars and diesel trucks. An investigation by The Center Square found the change was pushed by EV makers and the builders of EV charging systems. Buyers of EV chargers, who pay for the energy and own the charger, sign installation contracts that permanently give away their rights to government or other EV charging credits generated from fueling a vehicle with electrons instead of gasoline. These chargers are often bundled with the purchase of an EV, or covered entirely by utility or government rebates, meaning they are permanent, zero-or-low-cost revenue streams for the company collecting the credits.
Wicked director defends the movie's BIGGEST flaw amid fan outrage Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com By TERRY ZELLER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 22:58 GMT, 25 November 2024 | Updated: 23:01 GMT, 25 November 2024 e-mail View comments The new Wicked movie has dazzled critics and dominated the box office , but its director still felt the need to defend one of the film’s most debated aspects: the color grading. Some moviegoers have taken issue with the film’s more muted tones, especially when compared to the vibrant Technicolor magic of the original 1939 The Wizard of Oz. Jon M. Chu, who helmed the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway smash starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande , addressed these critiques head-on after the film was called ‘a little desaturated’ during an interview with The Globe and Mail . 'I mean, there’s color all over it,' Chu said. 'What we wanted to do was immerse people into Oz, to make it a real place. Because if it was a fake place, if it was a dream in someone’s mind, then the real relationships and stakes that these two girls are going through wouldn’t feel real.' Chu went on to explain that his goal was to present Oz in a fresh way, one that audiences hadn’t seen before. 'It’s been a matte painting. It’s been a video game digital world,' he noted. 'But for us, I want to feel the dirt. I want to feel the wear and tear of it. And that means it’s not plastic.' Jon M. Chu, who helmed the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway smash starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande , addressed critiques head-on after the film was called ‘a little desaturated’ during an interview with The Globe and Mail 'I mean, there’s color all over it,' Chu said. 'What we wanted to do was immerse people into Oz, to make it a real place. Because if it was a fake place, if it was a dream in someone’s mind, then the real relationships and stakes that these two girls are going through wouldn’t feel real' The film’s color grading, Chu explained, mirrors the deep connection between the characters and the land they inhabit. The vast landscapes, natural light, and creatures of Oz are central to the story, particularly how Elphaba’s presence gradually shapes the world, with the color contrast intensifying as her influence grows. Read More Fans baffled by Ariana Grande's unrecognizable appearance in 2022 throwback snap from Wicked However, Chu’s explanations didn’t exactly win over all fans, with some taking issue with his emphasis on realism. 'Counterpoint: movies are dreams and can look as bold and crazy as dreams do. Why not? Who is demanding this realism?' one fan retorted. Another added, 'The real world isn’t desaturated.' And one user didn’t mince words, bluntly stating, 'The film is lit like an insurance commercial.' The color scheme has been a hot topic on social media ever since the first-look images were released in April. And when asked about criticism that those early images were too dark, Chu had an explanation. However, Chu’s explanations didn’t exactly win over all fans, with some taking issue with his emphasis on realism The color scheme has been a hot topic on social media ever since the first-look images were released in April 'I chose those images specifically,' he admitted at the time in an interview with Variety . 'It was so early, and we had just started shooting. I wanted images that were evocative and provocative to show it’s not some bright, poppy story.' 'We didn’t even have the effects done. The background was blue. I had to have VFX put in the sky. I was coloring it on my iPhone,' he added, clearly unbothered by the early criticism. The defense comes as Chu also offered one piece of advice for those going to see the film - as some viewers have been complaining about sound issues. He encouraged fans to take their audio experience into their own hands in a social media post on November 23 ahead of the film's opening weekend. Posting on X he penned: 'Tell your movie theater to turn it up to a 7... 'I've gone to a couple screenings and they are more like a 6.4. If you want it the way it was intended 7 is the way.' His comment refers to sound levels for the Dolby audio systems used in some cinemas. The news comes after it was reported that British filmmaker Stephen Daldry was originally set to direct the spectacle and had big plans to cast Lady Gaga as Elphaba and Shawn Mendes as Fiyero Dolby then responded to Chu's post, writing underneath: 'We've got you covered.' The news comes after it was reported that British filmmaker Stephen Daldry was originally set to direct the spectacle and had big plans to cast Lady Gaga as Elphaba and Shawn Mendes as Fiyero, according to a source who spoke to Page Six on Tuesday. The Born This Way singer even met with the production team multiple times to discuss her take on the character. 'They had meetings, the two of them, about the character and who she would be. [Gaga] was essentially cast in his version, and then it fell through,' the insider revealed. But Daldry’s vision never came to be—he left the project in 2020 due to scheduling conflicts. Enter Chu, who took over as director and reimagined the cast, ultimately bringing Erivo on as Elphaba, Grande as Glinda the Good Witch, and Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero. Share or comment on this article: Wicked director defends the movie's BIGGEST flaw amid fan outrage e-mail Add comment