Lufthansa is teetering on the brink of collapse. Currently negotiating a $13 billion rescue package with the German government, the global (aviation) heavyweight entered “intensive negotiations” late last week in an attempt to secure the group’s solvency (and downsizing) with the best long-term outcomes possible.According to a report by The Financial Times, Lufthansa may prefer creditor protection to a government bailout, if the government continues to insist on onerous ownership demands.Right now the German government’s coalition partners are proposing not only an equity stake in the airline but also seats on Lufthansa’s board, as well as guarantees over job retention. This is something, Business Traveller reports, “CEO Carsten Spohr regards as impossible requirements.”

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However, after reporting a €1.2 billion ($A2 billion) operating loss in the first quarter and being forced to make redundancies, Lufthansa is not in the strongest position.According to The Financial Times, the airline is burning through $1.6 million per hour, forcing the airline to seek funding from governments in Brussels, Vienna and Bern.To get what it wants (a Schutzschirm protection, which would shield the airline from creditors for three months while restructuring finances and management) Lufthansa will need to submit an application to be approved by a court, and prove it is no longer able to pay bills.

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On this note, Lufthansa has grounds: “Like British Airways, which has announced 12,000 potential redundancies, Lufthansa believes that it will take years for travel to return to pre-pandemic levels, and that it needs to be a much smaller airline to survive,” (Business Traveller).Also, according to The Financial Times, Lufthansa currently transports only 1 per cent of passengers compared with a year ago in Europe.Reuters reports, which show some 100 aircraft of Lufthansa’s 760-strong fleet could be idled and 10,000 jobs are in danger, back this up.According to news.com.au, “It is understood the airline won’t be able to survive without state aid, but there is a chance it may knock back a financial lifeline from the German government… because of the terms attached to the offer.”

“According to reports, the government is seeking at least a 25 per cent stake in the airline in exchange for the bailout, and would have at least two seats on the company’s supervisory board.”

It is also understood, according to news.com.au, “the funding would come in the form of a capital increase and loans, which would have relatively high interest rates attached at 9 per cent.”The Lufthansa Group, while considering all possible options to stay afloat, fears accepting the proposed bailout would limit the airline’s ability to compete with rival European airlines.They also believe it could set a precedent, meaning every European government that helps them out might expect a seat at the table.

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In light of the current Virgin Australia situation, one wonders whether we will see similar concerns play out here, should the private investment options fall through.

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The post Lufthansa Bankruptcy: Heavyweight Airline Could Be Next To Fall appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Counterfeit goods make up a multi-billion dollar industry. Anything and everything from money, pharmaceuticals, music, film and fashion are copied and sold on the black market. Watches, of course, are not immune from counterfeiters either, and the Federation of Swiss Watches claims they’re the second most counterfeited good behind textiles, and estimate that from as far back as 2012, fake watches have been generating at least $1 billion each year.You may find a Rolex or a Breitling or any other luxury brand’s timepieces being sold on what’s known as the ‘grey’ market. Watches sold here are usually the real deal, but they’re not sold to you by an authorised dealer. They may be used or could have been sold to the dealer from an authorised retailer, and then passed on to you. You probably won’t get the original box or paperwork, but you will have a genuine article.Rolex is widely perceived to be the brand most susceptible to counterfeiting, largely due to its desirability among watch enthusiasts and wannabe enthusiasts alike, not to mention its global brand awareness. The counterfeiting of Rolex watches has become so common that the term ‘Fauxlex’ has been coined.As Forbes points out, the real vs fake watch industry in a vicious cycle: brands spend money on marketing to increase brand awareness and sales, they become more popular with the wider community and more desirable, and therefore become more susceptible to being imitated.Counterfeit watches – and all counterfeit goods for that matter – could one day be put to a stop however thanks to a new technology developed by researchers at the University of South Australia. Research fellow Dr Nicolas Riesen –lead author of the paper “Ultra-high-resolution fluorescence images in thin phosphor films” – found that “exposing certain inorganic nanocrystals to ultraviolet (UV) light will activate the nanocrystals, essentially turning on their fluorescent properties.”

“When those nanocrystals are exposed to blue light, the regions that have been activated by the UV light will emit red fluorescent light.”

Dr Riesen reasons that small images could be placed on items most likely to be replicated – he initially suggests banknotes or medical packaging – that are difficult to forge. Suspicious items could then be exposed to UV light at customs, for example, and the small images would emit red light to prove they are genuine. It’s not a costly procedure either, as Dr Riesen adds, “Expensive chemicals are not required to make the nanocrystals, rather the difficulty comes in their application.”The cost would come in paying specialised workers to apply the nanocrystals to whatever the item may be. And because it’s such an intricate process, it makes it harder to forge.The good news is Dr Riesen confirms the technology can be applied “on different consumer products”. We reached out to him to ask if he believed this could include luxury watches. The good news is, yes, it definitely could.“There are a few trade secrets behind synthesising the nanocrystals for them to be efficient at emitting fluorescence, and this would take years for someone to successfully replicate. This would make it an ideal anti-counterfeiting measure for the luxury watch market.”And for any doubters out there who think the small images could be forged by some master counterfeiters, Dr Riesen adds,

“There are also tricks that can be played with tweaking the fluorescence signature that add a further layer of complexity that is so specialised that the prospects of forgery are vanishingly improbable.”

With the number of fake watches being produced each year, it would definitely take some time to put an end to the fake watch market, although realistically bringing it to a complete stop is unlikely, but it could certainly deter a large number of forgers out there, meaning you’re less likely to get ripped off when buying a new timepiece.

Read Next

• Best Rolex Watches
• How To Buy A Vintage Watch & Not Get Ripped Off

The post Fake Watches: Australian Technology Could Kill Off Fake Watch Market appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Luxury German watchmaker A. Lange & Söhne has announced the arrival of a supremely elegant timepiece for Watches & Wonders 2020. It doesn’t come in the form of a new model, but rather a current model made from new materials. The Odysseus – named after the Greek God – is the watch in question, which was only released in October 2019, so it’s most definitely a young model.

It arrived with a steel case and matching steel bracelet, and was made to slot into the sporty yet elegant luxury watch category dominated by the likes of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak. A. Lange & Söhne is pushing further into AP’s territory with the launch of a new white gold model of the Odysseus, which also brings with it a couple of new straps.

The Odysseus already has a striking appearance, although if you know your watches you only need one glance to know it comes from the German manufacturer. That head-turning nature is more present than ever with this updated version, and the brown leather and black silicone straps – the latter being a first for Lange – only add to its sporting credentials.

Rocking a 40.5mm white-gold case with matching white-gold hands and notched baton indices, the updated Lange timepiece exudes quality and luxury, while offering excellent legibility against its dark grey dial. The real headline feature of the Odysseus is, however, its outsize day/date complication. You’ll find the day at 9 o’clock and the day at 3 o’clock.

The mechanism for this is supremely complex, as the date is split into a units disc (0-9) and a tens disc (1-3), which are driven by a program wheel. It’s not a perpetual movement however, so you’ll need to interfere using the tapered, almost hidden, day and date pusher buttons.

A. Lange & Söhne’s L155.1 Datomatic calibre – developed especially for the Odysseus – powers the watch. It’s a self-winding mechanism with a power reserve of 50 hours. The hour wheel that rotates once every 12 hours transfers its motion to a 24-hour wheel. Once this wheel completes a full revolution, the day display switches to the next day. You can view the 312-component movement through the sapphire glass case back.

The white gold Odysseus is available for €39,500/AU$62,000, regardless of the choice of strap.

Read Next

• Germany’s Finest Watchmaker To Open Debut Boutique In Sydney
• Watches of Switzerland Launches Australia’s First Online Boutique For Luxury Watches

The post A. Lange & Söhne Makes The Jump Into Luxury Sports Watches With Latest Release appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image="253600" img_size="medium" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://www.toddsnyder.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/teva-original-universal-90s-multi-multi"][vc_column_text]When it comes to choosing the perfect summer sandal the choi...

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If you thought a Range Rover or something from Porsche was the coolest SUV on the road right now then think again, it’s a Suzuki Jimny, don’t even @ us. And you can revel in your newfound coolness right now with this model from 1980 available right now on Carsales. Better yet, you can own it and receive change from AU$10,000. How good.The Jimny was launched by Suzuki in Japan in 1970 – where it is now referred to as the Jimny Sierra – and was so small and lightweight that it was able to slot into Japan’s Kei car category, which refers to the smallest highway-legal passenger vehicles. Recognising that such a small model may not prove to be popular across the world, Suzuki decided to make other versions that exceeded the Kei car criteria, and it’s these that have proved popular.Suzuki officially refers to the Jimny with an LJ (Light Jeep) model number. The first was given the number LJ10, which arrived in 1970 with a 359-cc engine, before releasing the LJ20 and LJ50. The Jimny 8, or LJ80 as it was known in some markets – and the model on sale here – was the last of the first generation to be released in 1977 and was given an 800-cc four-stroke engine delivering 42hp.What makes the Jimny so likeable is that Suzuki has barely changed a thing when it comes to the design. Clearly going with the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” adage, Suzuki builds the dinky little SUV with a separate frame and body design, meaning the cabin doesn’t provide any structural use, it’s merely a cabin to house the driver and passengers. Don’t worry, it still provides ample protection in crashes.The LJ80 did, however, bring with it new seats and a new steering wheel, and introduced metal doors by default for the first time in 1979.The Jimny’s suspension proved particularly effective (the suspension on this particular model has been upgraded) as it allowed it to effectively tackle all types of terrain, handy for an SUV. It also has manually adjustable part-time four-wheel drive transmission, allowing the driver to switch from the default setting of power being sent solely to the rear wheels, to having it supplied to all four.This model for sale right now has undergone a virtually entire engine rebuild, had all dents removed from the body panels and has been given a full set of mud-terrain tyres. It’s covered just 83,000km since new having spent a lot of the 90s and 00s in storage, meaning it will be in terrific working order when you take delivery of it. And considering its low price of $9,750, we don’t expect it to hang around long.

Read Next

• Vintage ‘Bronze Whaler’ Range Rover For Sale In Melbourne Is Too Good To Miss

The post Suzuki Jimny For Sale appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Just as Australia’s most iconic beach was about to open for exercise, the Bondi property market stirred too, with iconic Icebergs and Cicciabella restaurateur Maurice Terzini selling his two-bedroom Francis St residence, according to Real Estate.com.au, in the “high twos.”Terzini, who has warned Sydney’s foodie scene “might never recover” from The Virus unless residents supported takeaway from their favourite establishments, listed his architecturally-designed residence at 89 Francis St just weeks before the pandemic properly spilled into Australia.Agents Dion Markovics and Paul Langsam of Raine and Horne Double Bay proffered a $2.65 million buyer’s guide ahead of a planned April 2nd auction.

The auction never happened, but they sold it last week in the “high twos,” which, agent Markovics told local paper The Wentworth Courier, “was a good result, all things considered.”Markovics announced the Terzini sale – along with a Diamond Bay Rd Vaucluse apartment for $1.3 million – on Instagram saying: “In arguably the toughest market in history, I was extremely fortunate to successfully negotiate both of these sales last night.”While this is one of the best humble-brags we’ve seen for a while (and while we wouldn’t expect specifics from an Instagram post), it fails to mention two key points: why and how did this property sell for such a good price, even in a Pandemic Market?DMARGE got in touch with Eastern Suburbs real estate agent Gavin Rubinstein, to ask both those questions, as well as a bigger one: what does this mean for the future of Sydney’s property market?

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A post shared by Gavin Rubinstein (@g_rubinstein) on Feb 6, 2020 at 1:25am PST

Though he wasn’t the agent for the Terzini listing, Gavin is the Eastern Suburb’s leading real estate agent, and an expert on the property market. He started off by telling us house prices haven’t tanked like you might’ve expected.

“From what I have seen over the past 4-6 weeks, the market certainly hasn’t crashed, it’s simply changed. I have sold a number of properties during this period for excellent outcomes for my clients.”

That said, “I’d suggest prices have come off 5-10% and there are many buyers looking to purchase,” Gavin told us. “My market place is full of astute buyers and the view amongst many of them is that the COVID crisis will pass in the short term.”“Underpinning this is that there hasn’t been a rush of new listings come on the market, and quality properties are still hard to come by. So… I don’t think the Terzini sale was a ‘one-off’, rather the market is still active and performing especially well for unique properties like Terzini’s – supply and demand will always underpin value in the East.”This links in nicely with what Edward Brown, director at Belle Property told DMARGE at the start of April, as part of an article entitled “how savvy buyers can soon take advantage of the Australian property market.”Edward told us there is opportunity in any market: “if they need to upgrade because they’re downsizing or upsizing due to growing family needs, they’re going to move regardless.”

“Good quality homes will sell for a fair and reasonable price – maybe not the same price they could have once achieved in a booming market – but good homes will always have demand in any marketplace.”

A point the Terzinis, who realestate.com.au reports, sold their Bondi home because they wanted “more room” for their “growing son”, have demonstrated to the tee.

“Terzini and his 10 Pieces design director wife Lucy Hinkfuss are moving to the three whole-floor apartments in nearby Sandridge St that they bought for $4.8 million through Markovics in February.”

What does leading Eastern suburbs agent Gavin Rubinstein think of the sale? “A good result indeed. I have always held the view that quality properties in the Eastern suburbs will always attract good interest, in good times and bad.”

“I remember back in the GFC of 2008/2009, the Bondi Beach/North Bondi postcodes were incredibly resilient compared to the rest of the market. Supply of land and availability of quality homes are fewer and fewer each and every year. The fundamentals of demand and supply, in my opinion, is the most important factor when considering the Eastern suburbs property market.”

For those interested in what the Terzini residence had going for it, beyond – obviously – location, realestate.com.au provides some tasty insights.

Crafted by renowned architects Herbert and Mason, the Terzini (or rather, ex Terzini) residence offers multiple living areas, which are “connected by a seven-metre long Corian kitchen bench, polished rendered walls and custom joinery” as well as “floor-to-ceiling glass walls” which let in plenty of natural light.There’s also a north-facing garden, a luxurious and large master bedroom with a mosaic-tiled ensuite and walk-in wardrobe and a second bedroom also with an ensuite and built-ins.

“The home is hidden from the street yet just a short walk to Terzini’s world-famous Icebergs Dining Room and Bar along with Harris Farm, and Bondi’s coastal lifestyle.”

Unfortunately, it’s now been sold. Fortunately, there are more opportunities.As Gavin puts it: “I sense there will be a lot of transactional movement in the property market Sydney wide as people readjust to their financial realities. As a result, I think we’ll see a spike in supply in particular areas/postcodes and this where you’ll find better value as a buyer.”More to come as more properties sell…

Read Next

• Property Expert Reveals ‘Lowball’ Mistake Australian Buyers Often Make In A Falling Market
• How Savvy Buyers Can Soon Take Advantage Of The Australian Property Market

The post Icebergs Restaurateur Maurice Terzini's Bondi Beach House Sale A Glimpse Of What's To Come For Sydney Property appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Australia Post is hiring 600 new workers to keep up with parcel delivery demand as Australians turn to online shopping during the national shutdown.

Even though the situation is set to ease in the coming month (potentially), in the meantime, Australia Post still needs the extra hands.

Australi...

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It’s a saying said the world over: “never skip leg day”. However, despite its worldwide notoriety, some gym junkies out there decide to ignore the message and focus on building bulging biceps and boulder shoulders to the exclusion of all else. Because (bicep) curls get girls, right?

But few look as silly as someone with a huge upper half and a thin set of matchsticks to support them. Fortunately, footballing legend and superfit-for-his-age Cristiano Ronaldo is on hand to show you some simple and easy leg exercises to get rid of the chicken legs once and for all.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Apr 27, 2020 at 5:07am PDT

In a series of posts on his Instagram account, the often-cited-greatest-footballer-ever takes us through his rigorous workout routine. He starts proceedings with some time on the exercise bike, which can improve the strength of your legs, just as long as you have it on a high resistance setting. Your calves, hamstrings and quads can all benefit from cycling, and your overall cardio fitness will improve too.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Apr 25, 2020 at 4:33am PDT

Next up is lunges, which are a staple of any well-rounded leg routine. Ideally, you want to perform your lunges with some extra weight, whether you hold dumbbells in each hand, or hold a kettlebell close to the centre of your chest. As with most exercises, lunges go by the form over function motto, so you’ll want to make sure you’re performing them correctly before adding some heavier weight.

Once you’ve got stationary lunges sorted, you can work you way up to performing walking and reverse variations. They not only continue to add strength to your legs but can activate muscles in your core, too, thereby improving your overall stability.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Mar 21, 2020 at 6:57am PDT

Ok, so this leg extension exercise does require some gym equipment, but if you don’t want to wait until you’re back in the studio of muscle when it eventually reopens, you can use some furniture around the home to achieve a similar result. To start, kneel down and with your arms stretched out in front of you, slowly lower yourself back towards your feet and hold the position once you’re at a roughly 45-degree angle.

Another variation is to put yourself in a push-up position with your feet on a box, bench or even your sofa, and then slowly lower your knees toward the ground, making sure to not let them touch it. Hold the position for a few seconds before raising yourself back up and repeat.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Cristiano Ronaldo (@cristiano) on Apr 8, 2020 at 4:25am PDT

Finally, finish your home leg workout with some sprints. If you can find a steep hill nearby, even better, as the incline will force you to work that bit harder. As you can see in Ronaldo’s example, take a light jog up to the hill, explode up it, and then slowly bring yourself back down before repeating.

Hill sprints not only work to strengthen your leg muscles, but they can improve your stamina and because they’re a HIIT exercise, they can boost your metabolism which subsequently keeps your body working for the rest of the day to help you lose fat.

We’ve already seen how Ronaldo can help us improve our abs, as well as showing us an all-round gym routine and now legs are taken care of too. There’s even less of an excuse preventing from achieving that summer bod now.

Watch how to get lean like Cristiano Ronaldo

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The post Cristiano Ronaldo’s Leg Workout Will Kill Your Chicken Legs For Good appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

If you’re a regular reader of DMARGE you will be all too aware of the number of articles we’ve written relating to exercise and how you can keep your body fighting fit during the global pandemic. You may even have been inspired to take up a new sport or hobby, such as skipping like an Olympic athlete. But in case you hadn’t quite summoned up the motivation to get out the yoga mat or a set of resistance bands, a recent mental health study may just give you the extra push you need.We reached out to the Black Dog Institute to ask them how we can look after our mental health during the lockdown period. After all, spending days on end cooped up in our own homes is just cause for making us go a little stir-crazy. Aside from giving us daily rituals to practice to keep our minds at ease, their answer is to turn to exercise.But before you start thinking you need to put yourself through crazy workouts to counteract any negative feelings, Dr Kathleen O’Moore, a clinical psychologist at the Insitute told us “even just an hour of exercise a week has been proven to lower depression and anxiety.”

 

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In fact, according to a study led by Black Dog Institute, “regular exercise of any intensity can prevent depression, regardless of your age or gender,” Kathleen O’Moore.“If you’re a regular exerciser, you’re probably familiar with the endorphin rush and the subsequent improved mood you often experience after a workout. That’s because exercise provides a wide range of mental health benefits, from building coping and resilience to distracting from negative thoughts and improving memory and sleep.”To arrive at their conclusion that exercise equals good mental health, Black Dog Institute took data from the Health Study of Nord-Trøndelag County (HUNT study), which examined some 34,000 Norwegian adults and monitored how much exercise they did in correlation to the levels of depression and anxiety they self-reported over an 11-year period.

 

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The results found that “even small amounts of exercise were protective against depression”,

“12 per cent of cases of depression could have been prevented if participants had undertaken even a single hour of exercise a week.”

It doesn’t matter too much what type of exercise you carry out either, just as long as you’re moving. Dr Kathleen adds, “find an exercise that works for you, from one on one PT sessions to YouTube or Instagram workouts, or even using fitness apps.”“They’re packed with various workouts from HIIT classes to boxing and meditation. Online group classes from your regular gym are great too, as they allow you to feel connected to others.”So if you were putting off exercise to binge-watch a new show on Netflix, get up off the couch or out of bed, even for just 20 minutes to do a HIIT workout and you will find surviving the lockdown becomes a whole lot easier.

Read Next

• Mental Health Professionals Urge Australians To Follow This Simple Daily Ritual
• Headspace’s Advice Proves Why ‘Self Care’ Is So Damn Important Right Now
• Best Boxing Gyms In Sydney

The post Mental Health Exercise: Study Proves Reveals Why Exercise Is So Damn Important appeared first on DMARGE Australia.