Latest news with #Thomsen
Associated Press
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
The Puppet Hideaway Announces The Launch Of Multi-Platform Live Series
07/10/2025, BELLEVUE, WA // PRODIGY: Feature Story // The Puppet Hideaway In an ambitious new chapter for digital puppetry, Eric Thomsen, puppeteer, media creator, and founder of The Puppet Hideaway, has officially launched his live shows across five major platforms: Substack, Twitter, Patreon, OnlyFans, and YouTube. With the curtain now lifted on a project years in the making, Thomsen is inviting audiences of all ages into an immersive and collaborative puppet experience like no other. A lifelong puppetry enthusiast, Thomsen's journey began during his youth, when a love of puppets became a refuge and creative outlet during challenging times. 'I was a teen, an American kid living in the U.K., and I just fell in love with puppets,' Thomsen recalls. 'It was how I built a world of my own, and it grew from there.' From local community shows to a degree in radio, television, and film, Thomsen's passion led him to start a successful career in entertainment merchandising, working behind the scenes with well-known household names. Eric Thomsen in 1993 with His Original Puppets But even as his resume expanded, something vital was missing: the chance to create his own show. That opportunity finally arrived in 2020 when, at age 50 and mid-pandemic, Thomsen made a bold leap, leaving his high-paying job to fully pursue The Puppet Hideaway, a vision that had been building for decades. Today, Thomsen is embracing the creator economy with a self-funded, platform-diverse puppet series that's accessible to fans around the world. Each day of the week is dedicated to a different aspect of the creative process: Monday is the writer's workshop, Tuesday dives into technical production, and Wednesday through Friday deliver multiple 'takes' of the live show across YouTube, Patreon, and OnlyFans. On Saturday mornings, the final edited show premieres on YouTube, blending the week's best content into a polished episode. Subscribers can choose to support one or all of the platforms, $5 each, or $20 for full access, to not only watch the shows but also participate in them. Supporters get access to archives, behind-the-scenes dress rehearsals, live interaction, polls, and even the chance to shape storylines. 'Fans can watch for free, but supporters are part of the show,' Thomsen explains. 'They can chat live, vote on plot directions, and even introduce their own puppet characters.' Eric Thomsen with Ima Fraida Nuttin Puppet Thomsen's programming is intentionally varied. He doesn't anchor the show to a recurring cast, but instead showcases a wide range of puppets to highlight diversity in design, storytelling, and voice. 'It's all about the puppets,' he says. 'I want to show the richness of what puppetry can be, not just one story, one character, one world.' In addition to episodic series like Halloween Candy Hunt, The Little Merman, and Bunny Club, the Puppet Hideaway features standalone segments such as Puppet World Tour and Career Day, designed to both entertain and educate. Thomsen also hopes to expand into children's books based on his stories, with plans to publish in the future. The overarching mission of The Puppet Hideaway is simple yet powerful: promoting puppets and puppery. Thomsen sees puppetry as a tool to spark joy, connection, and creativity. 'Puppets are a shared experience,' he says. 'I have seen kids and parents light up when handed a puppet; they begin talking to each other in a whole new way. That's what I want to bring to the world.' Media Contact Name: Eric Thomsen Email: [email protected] Source published by Submit Press Release >> The Puppet Hideaway Announces The Launch Of Multi-Platform Live Series
Otago Daily Times
08-06-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Young drivers' offending cut in half over decade: AA
Young drivers are committing fewer driving offences than a decade ago, but road deaths remain high, according to new research from the Automobile Association. The AA said between 2013 and 2024 overall rates of offending by 15 to 19-year-old licensed drivers fell by 41%. Drunk and drugged driving offences fell by 58% and seat belt offences dropped by 52%. AA road safety spokesperson Dylan Thomsen said it was encouraging that more young people were following the rules. "That's a real positive and demonstrates that we are heading in the right direction with the various road safety initiatives and legislative and policy changes that have been undertaken over time," he said. This included the driving age being raised from 15 to 16, the introduction of a zero-alcohol limit for people under 20 and the toughening of the restricted licence test, Thomsen said. "I think there's also been a bit of a cultural shift that's started to go on of a bunch of our younger drivers taking a few less risks and being a bit more careful," he said. The AA's data also showed a reduction in the number of fatalities of young drivers on the roads. New Zealand had a death toll of 16.6 road deaths per 100,000 licensed young drivers last year. This was compared to 19.7 deaths per 100,000 young drivers in 2023 and 22.5 deaths in 2013. "Even though the picture is better, we still have the worst rates of road deaths amongst young people of any developed country, and people under 25 in New Zealand die from road crashes at a much higher rate than older age groups," Thomsen said. "These figures show we need to be focusing on more than just enforcement to bring crash rates down even further." Thomsen said this latest data was timely with the government considering changes to the Graduated Driver Licensing System. The government was proposing to remove the practical driving test needed to get a full car driver's licence, and reduce the number of eye tests required. It was also proposing some new safety measures, including requiring drivers on a restricted to keep a clean driving record, halving the demerit threshold for learner and restricted drivers to 50 points, and a zero-alcohol limit for learner and restricted drivers of any age. Skills and training vital Any changes would be implemented in July 2026. "The AA supports some of the changes being proposed, in particular extending the zero-alcohol limit to cover a learner or restricted driver and more consequences if people offend while novice drivers," Thomsen said. "However, we also need to lift the level of practice, skills and training that young people have before they start driving solo to help reduce road fatalities. "The learner and restricted stages of the licensing system are the ideal time to instil practices and habits that will keep novice drivers and others safe on the road." The AA wanted three changes added to the government's driver licensing proposal: Increasing the learner period from six to 12 months to allow people to gain more experience under supervision before driving solo. Requiring a minimum 60 hours practice with a supervisor across a range of conditions on a learner licence. Professional training incentivised by accelerating progress through the practice hours system - for example crediting two or three hours following a one-hour session with a professional instructor.
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Business Standard
06-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Airlines facing skewed value chain, profit margin never crossed 5%: IATA
IATA Chief Economist hope that any efforts to address making the airline value chain less skewed will surely be an example for other countries Press Trust of India New Delhi Airlines are grappling with a skewed value chain globally and historically, the profit margin has never crossed 5 per cent, according to IATA Chief Economist Marie Owens Thomsen. Also, she expressed hope that any efforts to address making the airline value chain less skewed will surely be an example for other countries. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation market. At an interaction in the national capital this week, Thomsen said the skewed value chain for the global airlines industry is also a result of legacy policies. Thomsen is the Chief Economist & Senior Vice President Sustainability at the International Airport Transport Association (IATA), a grouping of over 350 airlines. "Nobody sat down from the beginning and said, I'm going to create a super skewed value chain and make sure that the airlines never make any money. "I don't think anybody had that intent. But unfortunately, that's sort of where we've ended up. And our industry globally has never made a profit margin in excess of 5 per cent," she said. While noting that all participants in the value chain make more money than the airlines, she mentioned about the oligopolistic pricing power among the aircraft manufacturers and the outsized market power of oil companies. "... then downstream, you know, notably here in India, maybe a very price competitive environment... our customers choose their airlines primarily on price. So the airlines are left completely squeezed between these two with very few ways out," she said. Further, Thomsen said that if the Indian government tries to do everything to create a less skewed value chain, and that becomes possible, then that would surely be an example to follow for every other country. For 2025, IATA has projected airlines to report a net profit of $36 billion and a profit margin of 3.7 per cent. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Airline Industry Value Chain: IATA Chief Economist highlights airlines' struggles with skewed value chain and low profit margins, ET Infra
Advt Airlines are grappling with a skewed value chain globally and historically, the profit margin has never crossed 5 per cent, according to IATA Chief Economist Marie Owens Thomsen Also, she expressed hope that any efforts to address making the airline value chain less skewed will surely be an example for other is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation an interaction in the national capital this week, Thomsen said the skewed value chain for the global airlines industry is also a result of legacy is the Chief Economist & Senior Vice President Sustainability at the International Airport Transport Association (IATA), a grouping of over 350 airlines."Nobody sat down from the beginning and said, I'm going to create a super skewed value chain and make sure that the airlines never make any money."I don't think anybody had that intent. But unfortunately, that's sort of where we've ended up. And our industry globally has never made a profit margin in excess of 5 per cent," she noting that all participants in the value chain make more money than the airlines, she mentioned about the oligopolistic pricing power among the aircraft manufacturers and the outsized market power of oil companies."... then downstream, you know, notably here in India, maybe a very price competitive environment... our customers choose their airlines primarily on price. So the airlines are left completely squeezed between these two with very few ways out," she Thomsen said that if the Indian government tries to do everything to create a less skewed value chain, and that becomes possible, then that would surely be an example to follow for every other 2025, IATA has projected airlines to report a net profit of USD 36 billion and a profit margin of 3.7 per cent.
Mint
06-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Airlines facing skewed value chain; profit margin never crossed 5 pc; IATA executive
New Delhi, Jun 6 (PTI) Airlines are grappling with a skewed value chain globally and historically, the profit margin has never crossed 5 per cent, according to IATA Chief Economist Marie Owens Thomsen. Also, she expressed hope that any efforts to address making the airline value chain less skewed will surely be an example for other countries. India is one of the world's fastest growing civil aviation market. At an interaction in the national capital this week, Thomsen said the skewed value chain for the global airlines industry is also a result of legacy policies. Thomsen is the Chief Economist & Senior Vice President Sustainability at the International Airport Transport Association (IATA), a grouping of over 350 airlines. "Nobody sat down from the beginning and said, I'm going to create a super skewed value chain and make sure that the airlines never "I don't think anybody had that intent. But unfortunately, that's sort of where we've ended up. And our industry globally has never made a profit margin in excess of 5 per cent," she said. While noting that all participants in the value chain make more money than the airlines, she mentioned about the oligopolistic pricing power among the aircraft manufacturers and the outsized market power of oil companies. "... then downstream, you know, notably here in India, maybe a very price competitive environment... our customers choose their airlines primarily on price. So the airlines are left completely squeezed between these two with very few ways out," she said. Further, Thomsen said that if the Indian government tries to do everything to create a less skewed value chain, and that becomes possible, then that would surely be an example to follow for every other country. For 2025, IATA has projected airlines to report a net profit of USD 36 billion and a profit margin of 3.7 per cent.
