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All eyes are back on Congress as the lame duck session continues. One topic on everyone’s mind: extending the Bush tax cuts. In fact, the showdown over the cuts is likely to be one of the biggest policy fights of President Obama’s term to date.
For months, the Administration officials said they would only accept an extension for the middle class, and fully intended to raise rates on “the wealthy” (defined as those making over $250,000 per year). So who are “the wealthy,” exactly?
In many cases, the “wealthy” are small businesses.
Given that many small businesses aren’t structured as formal corporations, their owners file as individual taxpayers – meaning they are subject to increases in the income tax rate. According to the Internal Revenue Service’s 2008 Statistics of Income Data, there are 30 million small business owners in the country – 22 million sole proprietors, and 8 million partnerships and S-corporations. Ryan Ellis, director of tax policy at Americans for Tax Reform, estimates that two-thirds of small business profits face tax rate hikes under the White House’s plan.
Those successful small businesses – the ones with profits – are the ones who hire workers. They are the ones who purchase goods and services from other companies. These are the people who will be hit with tax increases. In an increasingly interconnected economy, it is impossible to penalize the few without injuring many. Pillaging these businesses' profits will mean less expansion, fewer jobs, and diminished output and will decrease incentives to be successful.
Many “wealthy” small business owners are women. According to the Oct 2010 Department of Commerce report “Women-Owned Businesses in the 21st Century,” 6.7 percent of all women-owned firms had sales of $250,000 or above in 2002 – a year that boasted 6.5 million women-owned firms in total. Breaking those numbers down, that means that 435,500 women-owned firms saw sales of $250,000 or above. Given the number of women-owned businesses jumped to 7.8 million in 2007, that number is sure to rise (the Census Bureau will release more detailed data from 2007 regarding women business owners in December 2010). The report goes on to note, however, that women-owned businesses are often smaller than men-owned businesses, and "average sales/receipts for women-owned businesses are only 25% of average sales/receipts for men-owned businesses." With a narrower margin, higher taxes bills can mean the difference between staying open or shutting the doors for these companies.
The “wealthy” are also the upwardly mobile. Americans are an aspirational people. Although many Americans are not “wealthy” in the White House’s eyes, many would like to be. College enrollment continues to increase, demonstrating the priority that individuals place on education as the stepping stone to a better life.
In addition, entrepreneurship – the very essence of trying to better one’s station in life – has long been a hallmark of the American economy; the Small Business Administration’s September 2010 report “Global Entrepreneurship and the United States” ranks the U.S. third out of 71 countries on its Global Entrepreneurship and Development Index, which provides a comprehensive measure of entrepreneurship drawing on economic freedom, competitiveness, and entrepreneurial activity. Women have taken advantage of the United States’ business-friendly environment; according to “Women-Owned Businesses in the 21st Century,” between 1997 and 2007, the number of women-owned businesses grew 44 percent – twice as fast as men-owned businesses.
The American economy is extremely dynamic, and income mobility is considerable. A 2007 report from the U.S. Treasury Department notes “the analysis found that more than half of taxpayers (56 percent by one measure and 55 percent by another measure) moved to a different income quintile between 1996 and 2005.” Importantly, however, not only do people have the chance to move up, but the top bracket is not set. The report also states that, “the composition of the very top income groups changes dramatically over time. Less than half (40 percent or 43 percent by different measures) of those in the top 1 percent in 1996 were still in the top 1 percent in 2005.” Taxing the “wealthy” doesn’t just affect those at the top, but slows the ascent of those who dream of making it to the top, discouraging the innovation and hard work needed to grow the economy.
Despite the government’s best efforts at class warfare, to attack “the wealthy” will only serve to slow the overall economy – hurting everyone in the process. In order to maintain the nation’s global competitiveness, it is critical to not raise rates on engines of growth and mobility. By penalizing the most productive members of society, small businesses, and entrepreneurs, our country’s leaders will discourage the virtues that made this country great. The only true solution to the nation’s fiscal crisis is for the economy to grow – not to tax itself to irrelevance.


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Frontier Airlines Holdings said its Lynx Aviation regional subsidiary will not receive US FAA certification in time to fly by the originally scheduled launch date of Oct. 1 (ATWOnline, July 4). The company assured Frontier Airlines customers flying to Lynx destinations that they would not be affected by the delay. It also said it expects pre-operating expenses attributable to Lynx will total around $8 million in the third fiscal quarter ending Dec. 31.
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The largest European economy is starting to slow down, which will have consequences for supply chains and manufacturers in developing countries.
Germany putting on the brakes
Europe’s largest economic power and the world’s third largest supplier, is clearly slowing down. It is still too early to speak of a German crisis, although experts are noting its first symptoms. An important warning signal came in the spring of this year when the Federal Bureau of Statistics announced the results of foreign trade in May. To the surprise of experts and the business community, for the first time in 30 years(!) a shortfall in foreign economic turnover has emerged.
Let’s begin with an issue that is of interest to manufacturers and managers organising deliveries in their companies: whatever happens on the German market, freight prices should not be expected to fall as a result. Although the local market absorbs a huge portion of the world’s supply each year and is itself one of the largest suppliers, the demand for capacity on the European market is enormous. – The current situation of global trade will result in a natural redirection of supply chains to emerging markets, e.g. Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia, believes Rafal Jablonski, CEO of System Transport logistics company.
Producers are slowing down
Germany is also a large market for not only finished products, but also energy raw materials, metal ores and components for industrial production. And here we come to the core of the German economy’s problems. One of the most important reasons for its deceleration is the war in Ukraine and the disruption of important supply chains. (For example, the suspension of production of neon needed in the manufacture of processors has limited the work of MAN and other German automotive manufacturers). A real challenge for the German locomotive is, of course, the energy crisis related to the interruption of oil and gas supplies from Russia.
– German manufacturers, especially the automotive industry and its suppliers, are reducing capacity, consolidating locations, changing working time models to reduce production costs and, thus, follow the trend of falling orders – confirms Guido Kuckartz, Business Development Director at Trans.eu, logistics market expert in Germany. The long-term consequences of the war in Ukraine and previous lockdowns (it is uncertain what will happen with the current wave of pandemics) are aggravating German inflation, which in recent months has already reached – according to various counting methods – 8.5-9%.
This situation is already being felt strongly by German carriers. As recently reported by the Federal Association of Road Transport, Logistics and Utilisation (BGL), only in the first few months of this year, the costs of the associated transport companies increased by 34%, and yet they continue to grow. BGL primarily brings together small and medium-sized companies, and these are in a particularly difficult situation because, given their small fleets, they cannot afford downtime and are more vulnerable than large companies to a shortage of drivers (the loss of even one driver turns the operation of the entire company on its head). Furthermore, unlike the large operators, they do not have a financial cushion.
Economists recall the so-called European banana area, in which industrial production is concentrated. – This area includes southern UK, Benelux, western Germany, eastern France, Switzerland and northern Italy. If industrial production is declining in these countries, it is simply necessary to reduce the fleet and not to consider other markets, as there are simply no alternatives, believes Wroński. While not everyone shares his view on the lack of transport alternatives, there is no doubt that the need for capacity in Europe’s largest economy will decrease. Which, as we mentioned earlier, does not significantly change the forecasts for freight rates in Europe. They will remain at high levels because demand exceeds supply many times over. That’s the basic law of economics.
- Guido Kuckartz
- Business Development Director, for DACH region
- The coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine, inflation and rising production costs are just some of the reasons for the downward trend seen in the German industry. Together with increasingly higher costs generated by the energy sector (gas, electricity, fuels), this results in rising inflation in Germany and the rest of the EU. Carriers and forwarders are seeking to optimise vehicle utilisation, consolidate and combine routes to resist the ever-increasing cost pressures caused not only by rising fuel costs but also by a shortage of drivers.


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The company’s Q3 Consumer Trends Report highlights which industries are open and back to normal, and which are lagging behind
DULLES, Va., November 10, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Gravy Analytics, the leader in enterprise location intelligence, today released its Q3 Consumer Trends Report, which analyzes foot traffic data across a variety of locations from Q3 2021 to Q3 2022 to see how consumer behavior has changed across industries. Foot traffic to entertainment, shopping, and business locations increased while significantly decreased in the lodging, outdoor recreation, and automobile categories. The data shows that while most of the world has reopened, not all businesses are back to normal amid ongoing challenges related to the pandemic, inflation and supply chain restrictions.
The chart above from Gravy Analytics shows the percentage change in foot traffic to various location categories in Q3 2022 compared to Q3 2021.
Shopping and entertainment are increasing while outdoor recreation is decreasing
The latest report from Gravy shows that in-person shopping is back with a vengeance as consumers once again enjoy the social experience of shopping at a mall and leisurely browsing stores. Foot traffic to shopping destinations was 15% higher in Q3 2022 compared to Q3 2021, and department stores (49%), outlet malls (38%) and shopping centers (37%) saw the largest increases in foot traffic during this period .
The entertainment category also saw a significant increase in walk-in traffic as consumers wanted to enjoy a night out on the town or at a local sporting event. Visits to general entertainment and nightclubs increased by 18% and 11%, respectively, in the third quarter of 2022 year-on-year. Visits to arenas and stadiums increased by 90%, suggesting that not only are these venues fully open, but consumers are also flocking to major sporting events and concerts. Foot traffic to more modest and closer entertainment venues also recovered, with bowling alleys (79%) and movie theaters (65%) attracting far more consumers in Q3 2022 than in Q3 2021.
While most outdoor venues such as parks and wilderness areas have seen heavy traffic during the pandemic as consumers searched for activities that allowed them to go outside in a safe and socially distanced manner, the same cannot be said now due to foot traffic to outdoor recreation decreased by more than 19% in Q3 2022.
The story goes on
“With the world open again, consumers are increasingly looking to live entertainment and in-person shopping compared to last year,” he said Jeff White, Founder and CEO of Gravy Analytics. “Consumers still care about where they spend their money, such as with wholesalers, and we can expect this to remain so while inflation remains high. We’ve also found that areas that have thrived during the pandemic, such as parks and outdoor sports centers, have seen lower levels of traffic as other indoor entertainment venues and recreational activities have reopened.”
Inflation continues to have an impact across sectors
Data from the report shows that today’s shoppers appear to be shopping more at wholesalers such as Costco and Sam’s Club, where they are buying in bulk and getting more bang for their buck during this time of high inflation. Compared to the third quarter of 2021, foot traffic to Sam’s Club, Costco, and BJ’s Wholesale was at least 25% higher this year, suggesting that inflation is having a strong impact on the grocery category.
Many assumed consumers would prioritize the summer months this year to take long-awaited vacations, but insights from Gravy’s human mobility data show that wasn’t the case. Foot traffic to places in the lodging category (hotels, motels, golf resorts, vacation spots, and lodges) was 28% lower in Q3 2022 compared to Q3 2021, when many consumers were struggling to travel again. This decline in walk-in customers was most pronounced at motels, which saw 55% fewer walk-in customers in Q3 2022 compared to a year ago, likely reflecting their target customers being impacted by higher prices for everyday necessities like gas and groceries. Visitor traffic to hotels also fell by 27% over the same period.
Workers are beginning to return to traditional office spaces
This year, many companies have begun implementing return-to-office policies, and findings from Gravy’s report suggest that workers are slowly but surely returning to traditional office spaces. In Q3 2022, foot traffic to office buildings was 7% higher than in Q3 2021, while visits to general business services increased by 19%. Orlando, Philadelphiaand Washington, D.Call saw at least 35% more visits to store locations in Q3 2022 NYCone of the first markets to see a return of foot traffic to office locations after COVID-19 grew just 12%, suggesting this space is slowing in terms of return to the office.
Forecasts for Q4 2022
“Based on our insights, we are predicting a strong holiday season for shopping and entertainment venues,” White said. “Unfortunately, low-income consumers will continue to be hit hardest by inflation, and businesses that predominantly serve this market, such as discount stores and motels, will continue to see fewer passers-by until prices come down.”
For more information on Gravy Analytics research, download the full report.
About Gravy Analytics
Where people go and why tells the story of our world. Founded in 2011, Gravy Analytics is the enterprise location technology company that delivers actionable intelligence to businesses. With its patented technology, the company brings together data about people, places and events to understand human mobility and help companies improve their sales and marketing strategies and streamline business operations. Today, the company’s intelligence powers leading-edge solutions for a wide range of industries – from advertising to market research, financial services to supply chain risk management – that depend on knowing how people, products and materials move around the world . Visit www.gravyanalytics.com for more information.
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Linux-based VoIP gateway designs boast 1Gbps throughputs
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| The companies say their combined offering will handle more than 1Gbps
| of traffic, and more than half a million packets per second --
| about 1,000 percent more throughput than "standard software
| products" have offered.


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The NextGen Consortium founded by McDonalds and Starbucks, has announced the winners of its NextGen Cup Challenge, a competition to redesign the fiber to-go cup and create a widely recyclable or compostable cup.
After a four-month review process by a group of industry judges including NextGen Consortium business leaders, as well as experts in recycling, composting and packaging, the candidates were narrowed down to 12 winners out of the 500 who entered. The 12 winning solutions were categorised into cup liners, new materials and reusable cup service models.
Jaz Rabadia, senior energy and sustainability manager at Starbucks UK, said: “This is an exciting milestone in our ongoing search to find innovative cup solutions that we can all benefit from as an industry. We take our responsibility to reduce the impact we have on the environment seriously.
“For us this forms part of an approach to tackle the issue of paper cup waste through a combination of new paper cup options alongside effective cup recycling infrastructure in and out of our stores as well as making it easy for our customers to choose reuse.”
Marion Gross, senior vice president at McDonald’s, added: “McDonald’s is proud to work with such an unprecedented number of brands to address the issue of fiber to-go cups. Collaboration is what we need to truly move the needle, amplify impact and bring solutions to scale quickly.”
Up to six winners will enter the NextGen Circular Business Accelerator, where they’ll be given access to a network of experts, business and technical resources and testing opportunities to ensure these innovations can successfully scale to serve the needs of the industry and maintain performance standards.
Erin Simon, director of sustainability at the World Wildlife Fund, said: “By working across the entire value chain and engaging key stakeholders, winners of the NextGen Cup Challenge are tackling a complex problem in a holistic way, sending valuable material back into the supply chain, benefiting people, the planet, and businesses.”


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just-drinks authors and correspondents
Articles by Stuart Todd
Sales of Champagne in 2016 hit their second-highest level in value terms, although currency fluctuations related to the UK referendum hampered the year for the segment’s biggest market.
Carlsberg-owned French brewer Brasseries Kronenbourg has announced the launch an "alcohol-free" version of its 1664 Blanc brand.
France’s wine and spirits exports registered a second consecutive record year in 2016, according to data released this week.
Heineken has confirmed plans to spend EUR9.3m (US$10m) on one of its three breweries in France.
The Cognac industry set new export records last year for both volumes and value, according to recently-released figures.
Hit by a succession of small wine harvests in recent years, Bordeaux's 2016 crop is set to be the biggest since 2009, easing pressure on the region’s stocks considerably.
French maritime shipping giant CMA CGM is moving into the bottled water market with the creation of a joint-venture company in partnership with the Société des Eaux Minérales d’Ogeu.
French customs officers have dismantled a wine trafficking ring in the Bordeaux region that focused on passing off lower grade products as wines with as 'appellation d'origine contrôlée' (AOC).
Castel Frères has unveiled a EUR100m (US$111.8m) project to modernise production, bottling and storage facilities at its headquarters in Blanquefort, near Bordeaux.
Exports of Bordeaux wines to China have leapt in recent months, although the fallout from the European Union referendum has hit shipments to the UK, recent figures have shown.
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- What the future looks like for Australian wine
- Interview, Fever-Tree's founders
- Travel Retail needs a disruptor - Comment
- Diageo ready to lock horns with AB InBev in Africa
- Heineken sees Tesco pull SKUs in UK
- Coca-Cola Co announces senior executive shake-up
- Fever-Tree eyes bumper NPD, pack formats for 2017
- Heineken mulls M&A with $1.75bn notes issue
- Central and East Europe Report Package
- Battle of the Generations - The fight for iGen, Millennial, Gen X and Baby Boomer consumers
- Global vodka insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global Scotch insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends
- Global liqueurs insights - market forecasts, product innovation and consumer trends research


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Owners of classic Aston Martin models can help replace key vehicle components with brand-new parts directly from the manufacturer through a new service.
Aston Martin Works has announced the release of a range of new components for some of its most iconic sports cars like the DB4, DB5 and DB6. Aston Martin also says that parts will be available for ‘certain’ V8 models from the 1960s and 70s.
Paul Spires, president of Aston Martin Works, explained: “Working with the exceptional engineers both here and at Aston Martin’s Gaydon headquarters, key parts suppliers were tasked with developing these new components.
The move ties in with Aston Martin’s continuation programme – which includes the DB4 G.T. and Goldfinger DB5 – which has required a steady stream of new components. As a result, owners can now fit out their cars with parts that have been produced to original factory specifications.


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Construction supply platform ZippMat has raised $10 Mn in a mix of equity and debt as part of its seed funding round. The round was led by Matrix Partners India. The fundraise also saw participation from existing investor Zephyr Peacock, HDFC Bank and TradeCred.
The company will use the fresh funds to scale its user base, digitize supply chain, innovate products and expand the team.
Founded in 2021 by Abhijeet Kudva and Nandeesh Hasbi, the Bengaluru-based startup is a full-stack supply chain platform for the construction industry. It procures construction material for engineering and construction companies and delivers the material to the desired location. It claims to resolve three problems in the construction industry – project execution delays, increased project costs and access to working capital.
ZippMat manages the entire supply chain and delivery of construction materials. It further helps businesses track their delivery and manage multiple vendors at the same time, according to its website.
It offers services to more than 30 customers across 10 product categories. The startup currently delivers construction materials in 10 states in the country. ZippMat clocked an annual revenue of over INR 100 Cr in the fiscal year 2021, it said.
“The construction industry contributes to over 5% of our GDP. Yet, this is one of the most archaic industries with no proper solution to bridge the various communication gaps. ZippMat is building a platform to help our construction community manage their entire supply needs, from planning to order to delivery at the site. The company’s mission is to disrupt the entire supply chain and act as a one-stop shop for contractors and suppliers in the construction industry,” said Kudva, Co-founder and CEO, ZippMat.
“We have seen significant tailwinds of digitization and formalization across MSMEs in the construction space. ZippMat, with its tech-led procurement and financing solutions is enabling construction companies to grow faster than ever before while reducing costs,” said Sudipto Sannigrahi, Principal, Matrix India.
Also, Read This: Aditya Birla Group Is Planning To Invest Rs 700 crore In Gorakhpur


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Both companies also are charged with making deceptive environmental claims, touting that the “bamboo” textiles were made using ecofriendly processes, while the reality is that converting bamboo into rayon requires the use of toxic chemicals and results in hazardous pollutants.
The FTC has asked the court to order Kohl’s and Walmart to stop making deceptive green claims or using other misleading advertising, and pay penalties of $2.5 million and $3 million, respectively, by far the largest penalties ever levied in this area. The complaints and proposed orders were filed by the U.S. Department of Justice on the FTC’s behalf.
“False environmental claims harm both consumers and honest businesses, and companies that greenwash can expect to pay a price,” said Samuel Levine, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
According to the complaints, since at least January 2015, Kohl’s and Walmart have each marketed at least two dozen items as made of bamboo in both product titles and descriptions. In addition, the companies have marketed some of the “bamboo-derived” products as providing general environment benefits, such as being produced “free of harmful chemicals, using clean, non-toxic materials.”
As the complaints allege, Kohl’s and Walmart’s supposed “bamboo” textiles are actually made of rayon derived from bamboo, which was not disclosed to consumers, in violation of the FTC Act and the Textile Act and Rules. Further, the complaints allege the claimed environmental benefits of the products are false and misleading because the rayon manufacturing process uses toxic chemicals and results in the emission of hazardous pollutants.
The proposed orders settling the FTC’s complaints against Kohl’s and Walmart prohibit the companies from conduct alleged in the complaint. The companies must shut down bogus bamboo marketing claims; stop claiming that a textile product is made of bamboo or bamboo fiber, unless they can substantiate it; stop making unsubstantiated green marketing claims for products made of bamboo or bamboo fiber; stop claiming that it is produced free of harmful chemicals, using non-toxic materials or in a way that is safe for the environment or non-polluting, or has any other environmental benefits because it is derived from bamboo, unless they can substantiate it.
They must also stop violating the FTC’s Textile Act and Rules by deceptively advertising textile contents, in addition to paying a combined $5.5 million in penalties. Walmart did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kohl’s acknowledged the FTC fine and pledged to follow agency guidelines.
“We have reached a settlement with the FTC and continue to take these regulations seriously,” Kohl’s said in a statement.
The FTC’s Penalty Offense Authority enables the agency to seek civil penalties provided that the company knew the conduct was unfair or deceptive in violation of the FTC Act and the FTC had already issued a written decision that such conduct is unfair or deceptive. Over the past six months, the FTC has revived this authority and expanded it to address false earnings claims, false job placement claims and deceptive reviews.
In conjunction with this announcement, the FTC is reviving additional Notices of Penalty Offenses that were issued in the 1970s or 1980s but remain valid and relevant today. These notices cover, for example, textiles, energy savings, fur products, home improvement products, auto rentals, bait and switch, toys and weight reduction. Businesses in these industries should familiarize themselves with the commission’s determinations in these areas, it said.
The vote to authorize the staff to refer the complaints to the DOJ and to approve the proposed orders was 4-0. The DOJ filed the complaints and proposed orders on behalf of the FCT in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
The FTC authorizes the filing of a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the named defendants are violating or are about to violate the law and it appears to the commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. Consent orders have the force of law when approved and signed by the District Court judge.
In 2010, the FTC sent letters to 78 companies nationwide warning that they may be breaking the law by selling clothing and other textile products that are labeled and advertised as “bamboo,” but actually are made of manufactured rayon fiber. The letters made the retailers aware of the FTC’s concerns about possible mislabeling of rayon products as “bamboo,” so the companies could take corrective steps to avoid agency action.
Additional reporting by Jessica Binns.


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QBD Books has revealed plans for its first-ever Mini-Con. This event will take place across 44 locations throughout Australia, kicking off on Thursday, September 7th through to Sunday, September 10th.
Following on from the exploding popularity of the ‘manga’ book genre in Australia, Mini-Con is a free event that takes inspiration from the renowned Oz Comic-Con and Supanova conventions. These popular conventions showcase manga comics, graphic novels, anime, cosplay, and video games.
While manga has an already-established fan base in Australia, QBD has seen an enormous amount of growth in the sector, says QBD Books CEO Nick Croydon.
“There has been a continuing surge in the popularity of manga in Australia since 2017, when publishers Simon & Schuster picked up the media imprint for the US-based Viz manga titles, making this genre more readily accessible to Aussie consumers,” says Nick.
The promotion is part of QBD’s Book Fest program, which is currently running across the country until Sunday 10 September.
Mini-Con will cap off the event with four days of manga giveaways, gift vouchers, cosplay competitions, and manga/anime character standees.
During Mini-Con, Australian manga fans will have access to popular titles such as Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer, My Hero Academia, Jujutsu Kaisen and Spy x Family, with a special ‘buy one get one, half price’ offer available on Viz titles.
Find out more about the QBD Books Mini-Con here


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Electric cars – they seem so smart to drive, and most of them come with a nice design and lots of cool options. Especially with all the concerns about oil and gas prices (and usage).
Well, nothing’s perfect and the big news last week was when a Chevrolet Volt bought by the federal government for crash tests actually caught fire over three weeks after the Volt was used in testing — which means that now, lots of folk are wondering about how safe these lithium-ion vehicles really are, after a crash.
Three weeks after the crash, the Chevy Volt is on fire? No wonder people are scratching their heads.
Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will be checking into what happened to that electric car – and it’s already known that the crash testing did some sort of damage to the Chevy Volt’s lithium-ion battery. How that crash resulted in a fire over 21 days later, that’s still a mystery.
The manufacturer is pointing the finger at the folk who did the crash tests, opining that they failed to follow standard safety protocols – and that the only Chevy Volt known to catch fire was this Crash Test Volt.
What happens if you own an electric car and you are in a crash? Well, be careful and be aware of the unknown risks at this point – and remember, product liability laws are designed to protect you from harm in these kinds of situations.
Electric vehicles show great promise as an innovative and fuel-efficient option for American drivers. These vehicles have already demonstrated their potential to save consumers money at the pump and help protect the environment — and they could pave the way to the kind of clean energy jobs that will help our country compete on a global scale. As manufacturers continue to develop vehicles of any kind — electric, gasoline, or diesel — it is critical that they take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of drivers — and first responders — both during and after a crash.
That’s why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is working with all vehicle manufacturers to ensure they have the appropriate post-crash protocols. Let us be clear: NHTSA does not believe electric vehicles are at a greater risk of fire than other vehicles. It is common sense that the different designs of electric vehicles will require different safety standards and precautions. The Department of Energy and the National Fire Protection Association already collaborate to ensure first responders know the risks and the appropriate steps to take so they can perform their jobs safely given the shock hazard that a damaged electric vehicle may present, and NHTSA will work closely with these organizations to ensure that guidance for the emergency response community reflects the information NHTSA obtains.
In the near term, NHTSA is focused on identifying the best ways to ensure that consumers and emergency responders are aware of any risks they may encounter in electric vehicles in post-crash situations. The agency has asked all of the manufacturers who currently have electric vehicles on the market (or plans to introduce electric vehicles in the near future) to provide information on the protocols they have established for discharging and handling their lithium-ion batteries — including any recommendations for mitigating fire risks in these vehicles. Ultimately we hope the information we gather will lay the groundwork for detailed guidance for first responders and tow truck operators for use in their work responding to incidents involving these vehicles.
NHTSA has carefully investigated an incident involving a fire in a Chevy Volt that occurred more than three weeks after that vehicle had been crash tested as part of the agency’s New Car Assessment Program on May 12 of this year. NHTSA has concluded that the crash test damaged the Volt’s lithium ion battery and that the damage led to a vehicle fire that took several weeks to develop after the test was completed. That incident — which occurred at the test facility and caused property damage but no injuries — remains the only case of a battery-related fire in a crash or crash test of vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries, despite a number of other rigorous crash tests of the Chevy Volt separately conducted by both NHTSA and General Motors. In the coming weeks, in collaboration with the Department of Energy, NHTSA will conduct additional testing of the Volt’s lithium-ion batteries and will continue to monitor these vehicles — as the agency does with all vehicles on our nation’s roadways — should any safety issues arise.
Based on the available data, NHTSA does not believe the Volt or other electric vehicles are at a greater risk of fire than gasoline-powered vehicles. In fact, all vehicles — both electric and gasoline-powered — have some risk of fire in the event of a serious crash. NHTSA urges the following precautions in the event of a crash involving an electric vehicle:
- Consumers are advised to take the same actions they would in a crash involving a gasoline-powered vehicle — exit the vehicle safely or await the assistance of an emergency responder if they are unable to get out on their own, move a safe distance away from the vehicle, and notify the authorities of the crash.
- Emergency responders should check a vehicle for markings or other indications that it is electric-powered. If it is, they should exercise caution, per published guidelines, to avoid any possible electrical shock and should disconnect the battery from the vehicle circuits if possible.
- Emergency responders should also use copious amounts of water if fire is present or suspected and keeping in mind that fire can occur for a considerable period after a crash should proceed accordingly.
- Operators of tow trucks and vehicle storage facilities should ensure the damaged vehicle is kept in an open area instead of a garage or other enclosed building.
- Rather than attempt to discharge a propulsion battery, an emergency responder, tow truck operator, or storage facility should contact experts at the vehicle’s manufacturer on that subject.
- Vehicle owners should not store a severely damaged vehicle in a garage or near other vehicles.


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Another Successful Customization Launch with mytheresa.com
We’ve finished a limited duration, highly successful product customization offering with mytheresa.com, one of the world’s leading online retailers for women’s luxury fashion.
Using our patented process for transforming physical samples of products into 3D digital models, we created a virtual customizable version of a Burberry leather card holder. High-fidelity images of the card holder were dynamically rendered in real time as shoppers personalised them.
The options consisted of three different colors and a monogram in five different colors.
The card holder was made available on mytheresa.com on Dec. 7 and sold out in less than 24 hours.


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Postal Service employees can participate in an upcoming webinar to learn how to avoid food waste by extending the life of your food.
The session, “Should It Stay or Go: Avoid Food Waste,” will be held Tuesday, May 18, at noon EDT.
Melanie Berdyck, a nutritionist for the Giant supermarket chain, will conduct the webinar and discuss expiration dates of food and provide tips to reduce food waste.
Participants must register before the event on the webinar website. After signing up, directions for accessing the webinar will be emailed to each registrant.
Following the webinar, every registrant will receive an email with a link to an archived recording of the session and the slides.
Participation is voluntary. Nonexempt employees may only participate off the clock or during authorized breaks.
For more information, email the USPS Health and Wellness team.


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WASHINGTON — The economy grew at an annual rate of 3.1 percent in the final three months of last year, up from an earlier estimate, the Commerce Department said Friday.
The figure was roughly in line with economists’ projections and the widely held view that the recovery, while still moderate, picked up some steam at the end of last year. Economic growth in the third quarter was 2.6 percent and had been just 1.7 percent in the second quarter.
Overall, the nation’s economic output, or gross domestic product, increased 2.9 percent last year, a significant turnaround from 2009, when the economy shrank 2.6 percent, the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis said. It was the best annual growth for the economy since 2005.
But turmoil in the Middle East, which has triggered higher fuel costs, and supply problems caused by the Japanese earthquake and tsunami loom as a drain on economic growth.
“With gasoline prices north of $4 a gallon, there are yellow flags out there, and my guess is it will begin to spill over into consumer spending,” said Gary Schlossberg, senior economist for Wells Capital Management in San Francisco.
Corporate profits rose in the fourth quarter to a record $1.68 trillion, up from $1.64 trillion in the previous quarter, the report said. The previous quarterly record was $1.66 trillion, set in 2006. But after-tax profits went down during the last three months of 2010, to $1.37 trillion from $1.42 trillion.


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The Consumer Goods Forum is pleased to announce that it is an official partner of the upcoming Sustainable Brands® Copenhagen event on 30th October – 1st November at the Radisson Blu Scandinavia Hotel.
In May 2017, Sustainable Brands® launched a 3-year initiative to explore our global societal aspirations and start a conversation about how we can rethink what the ‘Good Life’ means for a healthy individual, family, community, city, country and planet. SB’17 Copenhagen provides the opportunity for brand and sustainability leaders to come together for a conversation about how businesses can position themselves for success and deliver value to customers against the backdrop of changing societal needs.
During the three days, attendees will have the opportunity to take part in plenaries, workshops and break-out sessions, and hear from over 100 world-class thought leaders, practitioners and solution providers as they share new ideas, creative solutions and innovative products and services.
To learn more about the event, view the programme or register, please visit Sustainable Brands®’ event website: http://events.sustainablebrands.com/sb17cph/
CGF members will be offered a 20% discount on the registration fee.


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From House Set to Approve Energy Bill:
The House bill also would shield the makers of MTBE, a gasoline additive that has prompted dozens of lawsuits over drinking water contamination, from defective product liability claims. The issue was blamed for scuttling energy legislation in the Senate in 2003.
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, has insisted that the MTBE liability waiver be included, arguing that the oil industry produced MTBE to help meet government-imposed clean air requirements in the 1990s, so Congress should protect the industry against what is expected to be an avalanche of lawsuits that claim the product is defective.
Or should it open the government to liability suits? I mean, if the industry was forced to use an unsafe product due to government requirements, why isn't the government at least partially liable for the problems that product caused?


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Alibaba is not making any fresh investments in India: Reports
- According to reports,
Alibabais pausing on its India startupinvestments.
- It has made big bets on India like
Paytmand Paytm Mall, Zomato, BigBasket, Snapdeal and logistics firm Xpressbees.
- Alibaba was also reported to have been looking at a deal with Reliance Retail.


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RTF MEMO - extended terms of payment
There has understandably been considerable angst recently over the unilateral actions of some large companies to extend the payment term for goods and services provided to 60 days and beyond.
From discussions with MBIE, Commerce Commission officials and legal experts I am advised that such actions are not of themselves illegal.
This advice is reinforced by the comments of the Minister of Finance, Hon Bill English, in reply to the Parliamentary question from Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday 8th March 2016.
“Jacinda Ardern: Does he believe the new terms of payment for contractors and small businesses adopted by Fonterra, including a shift to paying invoices after an additional 61 days, is acceptable?
Hon BILL ENGLISH: Well, it would be unacceptable if it was outside the current legislative requirements. In the end, these are freely transacting people doing business. Any party to the transaction is able to choose whether the terms are suitable for them, or not. But Fonterra, I am assured, is operating within New Zealand legislation.”
The key point is that all transport operators who choose to conduct their business without written contracts specifying their own terms of trade, including payment periods leave themselves vulnerable to what is effectively corporate bullying.
Generally, in commercial transactions no provider of a service is compelled to provide that service and any party to the transaction is free to choose whether the terms are acceptable to them or not.
However, under contract law, written contracts place obligations and responsibilities on both (all) parties which are legally binding for the duration of the contract.


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With the launch of the iPhone 6 just around the corner, the leaks surrounding Apple’s next flagship have also begun to intensify. The latest leaks suggest that Apple will launch an iPhone 6 variant with a massive 128GB of storage but will not launch a 32GB variant. Leaked documents procured by Geekbar show that the iPhone 6’s 128GB memory module will be made by Toshiba while the 64GB module will be made by Toshiba, Hynix and Sandisk, and the 16GB module by Toshiba and Hynix.
The rumoured memory modules inside the iPhone 6
This will be a significant change in strategy for Apple which launched the iPhone 5S in 16, 32 and 64GB variants, with each variant costing $100 more than the lower one in the U.S., whereas in India, there is a Rs. 20,000 (or more) gap between the 16 and 32GB variants and about a Rs. 7,000 gap between the 32 and 64GB variants. If the 32GB model is indeed being discontinued, then we could see an iPhone 6 16GB model priced closer to the Rs. 45,000 mark followed by the 64GB model priced around Rs. 60,000, and the 128GB one priced around Rs. 75,000.
However, if Apple chooses to handle its India pricing strategy in a more intelligent manner, then it could use this opportunity to bring the prices of the iPhone down to more realistic levels. Keeping in mind its previous pricing strategy and with a large helping of pragmatism, Apple should price the 128GB model closer to the 60K point and the 16GB model at 40K with the 64GB model falling in between. Then again, this is just me flipping a fictitious coin into an imaginary wishing well.


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Services will resume in just a few weeks! 🇨🇦
It's back, baby! Greyhound bus service between Canada and the U.S. is set to resume within weeks and the company says it's ready to "reconnect."
After 19 months of shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, services across the border will restart as of November 8, when the U.S. land border reopens to fully vaccinated Canadians and other travellers.
This includes the popular route between Montreal and New York, as well as services over the border from both Toronto and Vancouver.
Greyhound Canada contacted subscribing customers on Monday to let them know cross-border services would be making a comeback. "We're ready to reconnect," read an email, per CTV News.
All of the Canada-U.S. (and vice versa) trips are now available to book online, with the first buses leaving early on Monday, November 8.
Face masks will be required for all passengers and travellers must be fully vaccinated to take non-essential trips to both the United States and Canada.
Before you get going, check out our Responsible Travel Guide so you can be informed, be safe, be smart, and most of all, be respectful on your adventure.


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With all eyes on Dropbox as it got real with rivals and partners positioning ahead of the news, Google Drive has finally been introduced »
Earlier this week I appeared on the TWiT network’s FourCast podcast to predict the future of space telescopes, biological supercomputers and DNA reprogramming »
So, you've decided you need an iPad. Here's the rock-bottom cheapest way that it's possible to get it »
Hard drugs up close can be mindblowing »
Comparing Samsung's Galaxy S5, Sony's Xperia Z2 and HTC's One M8 - which is best? »


text: Students at Columbia University are working on a new type of compatibility architecture that they have called Cider, which will allow iOS apps to run on Android hardware. The tech is still very much in development, as there is not yet support for apps that require access to certain hardware such as the camera, GPS, or bluetooth, but a video showing the proof of concept and basic functionality has been released. No plans have yet been released to make this project available to the general public, but should this project come to fruition, it could be a very handy way to gain access to apps that are available to all your iOS using friends that us Android folks wouldn't ordinarily be able to use. Very cool stuff. You can learn more and watch the aforementioned video.


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Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (TEVA) Stock Rating Upgraded by ValuEngine
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE:TEVA) was upgraded by analysts at ValuEngine from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Tuesday.
Several other brokerages have also commented on TEVA. Cantor Fitzgerald set a $10.00 target price on Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, November 27th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 4th. Goldman Sachs Group restated a “neutral” rating and set a $21.00 target price (down previously from $28.00) on shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in a research report on Thursday, August 31st. BTIG Research upgraded Teva Pharmaceutical Industries from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $24.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, September 11th. Finally, Morgan Stanley set a $15.00 target price on Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 5th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seventeen have given a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $21.65.
Shares of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE TEVA) traded up $0.01 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $15.06. The stock had a trading volume of 10,220,158 shares, compared to its average volume of 15,647,037. The firm has a market capitalization of $15,500.00, a PE ratio of 3.52 and a beta of 0.55. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.66 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has a 12 month low of $10.85 and a 12 month high of $38.31.
About Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited is a pharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in developing, producing and marketing generic medicines and a portfolio of specialty medicines. The Company operates through two segments: Generic medicines and Specialty medicines. The Company develops, manufactures and sells generic medicines in a range of dosage forms, including tablets, capsules, injectables, inhalants, liquids, ointments and creams.
To view ValuEngine’s full report, visit ValuEngine’s official website.
Receive News & Ratings for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.


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Realme is all set to unveil its latest addition to the Realme 11 series, the Realme 11 4G. The excitement builds up as leaks have surfaced, revealing most of the phone’s specifications. Here is the inside scoop:
- A MediaTek Helio G96 processor will power the Realme 11 4G.
- It will have a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate.
- It will have a 64MP triple-camera setup on the back and a 16MP selfie camera on the front.
- A 5000mAh battery with 30W fast charging support will power it.
- It is expected to be priced around ₹15,000.
The Realme 11 4G is expected to be a great mid-range smartphone. It will have a powerful processor, a beautiful display, and a good camera setup. It is also expected to have a long-lasting battery and fast charging support. If you are looking for a good mid-range smartphone, the Realme 11 4G is worth considering.
The Realme 11 4G is expected to have a 6.4-inch FullHD+ AMOLED display featuring a buttery smooth 90Hz refresh rate. And that’s not all; the display will be protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5, ensuring durability and peace of mind.
The Realme 11 4G is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 processor, which promises seamless performance and efficient multitasking. The phone has a whopping 108MP main rear camera that will take stunning photos and an additional 2MP shooter to enhance your photography experience. You can rely on the 16MP front camera for selfies and video calls.
Battery life won’t be an issue with the massive 5000mAh capacity, and the convenience of 67W fast charging will keep you going all day long. The phone is designed to impress with a slim profile, measuring just 7.95mm and weighing only 178 grams, making it exceptionally lightweight.
The Realme 11 4G will be available in sleek Black and Gold colour options, adding a touch of elegance to your style.
Get ready for an extraordinary experience with the Realme 11 4G, set to launch on July 31. Stay tuned for more updates, and make sure you don’t miss this exciting release!


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The blockchain gaming industry has experienced remarkable growth in recent years. As per the Polaris Market Research Blockchain Game Report, the total transaction volume of blockchain games is projected to reach $5.41 billion in 2022, with an anticipated compound annual growth rate of 68.9% in the coming years.
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Vinsbah DOF6 Series is a smart watch with 5-week battery life, solar charging, and robust scientific data management capabilities.
Metaverse is definitely a hot area for Internet 3.0. Tech giants are competing in metaverse field, for example, Facebook, as a social networking magnate, has changed the “Face” as “Meta”, and Tencent, Google, Bytedance and Microsoft are all taking actions. So why is metaverse so attractive to these big companies and capitals? Why can it go viral on the Internet?
Zuckerberg holds his annual Connect conference on October 28 at Facebook's Silicon Valley headquarters. During the meeting, Zuckerberg announced that Facebook would change its name to "Meta" and that it would invest $100 billion in metaverse in 2022. And that the company's stock code would change from "FB" to "MVRS" from December 1. A new name, Meta, and a new LOGO similar to the "Infinity" symbol were born, marking the opening of a new era of the metaverse that belonged to Zuckerberg.
With the magnificent quartet and the beautiful fashion light show, the 2020 Fashion Qingdao Series Selection Award Ceremony opened in the Qilu Hall of Qingdao International Conference Center.
December 12th, 2020, weilu won the prize of top ten tech brand during the bsan forum in Beijing, begins a new trend of localized vlog in China.
Recently, there seems to be a lot of discussions about whether Maochun Yu, a native of Shouxian County, Anhui Province, is a traitor on the Internet. As a native of Shouxian County as well, also a netizen, I have a few words to say.
Picasso, one of the greatest artistic geniuses of the 20th century, the name has become a brilliant artistic symbol. His amazing talent and creativity exert a profound impact on the endless exploration spirit of art forms.
Large character online inkjet printers play an important role in the printing industry. Some recent changes have made practitioners pay special attention to them. More and more customers require printing of variable content. These variable contents not only include variable characters such as serial numbers, but more customers require the printing of variable barcodes, variable QR codes and other


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In Q3 2020 Fastned Increased Revenues By 54%
More electric cars on the road and people are driving more again it seems.
After the second quarter, highly affected by the COVID-related lockdown, the third quarter finally brought an important rebound in the usage and revenues of the Fastned fast-charging network.
The company reports a 54% increase in revenues and a similar increase in energy dispensed and the number of customers.
2020 Q3 results (vs 2019):
With more EVs on the road every day, and more Fastned charging stations, it’s expected that soon the network will again be setting new records, basically every quarter.
The number of over 167,000 charging sessions reveals also some other average results, like:
The company ended the third quarter with 123 stations. First stations are under construction in Switzerland (two) and in Belgium (one).
For those who are more deeply interested in the financials of the network, Fastned released a table with additional info. The average new station cost (initial) is €329,000, while the average revenues are €53,000. Even at today’s low EV share levels, Fastned reports a few percent of return on invested capital.
Fastned’s Q3 highlights:
Source: Read Full Article


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PlayStation 4 reaches 2.5 million consoles sold in Japan
And he does it on a very special date: just on his second anniversary.
New milestone for Sony in his native country. Latest sales of MediaCreate in Japan confirmed that during the second anniversary of PlayStation 4 in the Asian country has reached 2.5 million machines sold.They are, specifically, 2,508,223 of PlayStation 4 between the Japanese players.
Although the Sony console was released in November 2013 In various regions of the world, Japan had to wait until February 22, 2014 to sink their teeth into it, a paradoxical situation for the PlayStation and Sony, which traditionally debuted their device first in their home country.


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1,000+ expected at massive classic car collection in Iowa
A Red Oak car collector is auctioning off 94 classic vehicles this weekend.
When Bill “Coyote” Johnson looks at his collection of classic cars, he sees decades of finding, buying and restoring each one.
“Memories, you will always keep them,” Johnson said. “It’s always nice to relate it to someone or cars or girlfriends.”
Johnson expects the car auction to attract a few thousand people. He said his cars are in demand.
Johnson is not the only person expecting the car auction to hit overdrive.
“We’ve been getting 30,000 to 60,000 people to the website every day,” said Yvette Vanderbrink, an auctioneer.
She expects online bidders from around the world and people in person from around the nation. All of the bidders want a piece of their past.
“Now the kids are gone, they graduate from college and paid for college,” Vanderbrink said. “Now they are trying to buy back the car that got away.”
The auction is Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Red Oak.
More than 1,000 people are expected to attend.
Hot rod lovers revved up over Iowa car collector’s auction


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Pyry Tamminen has invented a new form of sports equipment, the Pool Sprint, for underwater sports. The Pool Sprint is being described as the new era of running and could take water sports to a new level. The Pool Sprint is actually a submersible running track or mat that comes with specially gripped shoes to enable maximum performance.
Pyry Tamminen's Pool Sprint was also presented at the 2010 New York Design Week.
Implications - Health-conscious consumers are constantly seeking new methods of exercise that are active and innovative. These customers seek specialized equipment for their various sports and practices. Companies can appeal to athletic demographics by manufacturing tailored sporting equipment.
Pool Sprint is the Future of Innovative Water Sports
References: ohgizmo & poolsprint


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In an executive brief, Trendfocus, Inc., wrote:
Response to Coronavirus Spread in SE Asia Directly Hits Storage Device Companies
Large jumps in detected coronavirus infections have sparked dramatic movements by governments around the globe to stem the speed of the infection rates to relieve the potential run on medical services. This week, much of the San Francisco bay area, home to Silicon Valley and the industry’s largest tech giants, mandated shelter-in-place orders, forcing everyone not in essential businesses to stay home. Widespread school closures and panic buying of goods ensued over the past week as a partial result of the uncertainties surrounding the potential trajectory of further restrictions imposed over the next few weeks.
In Southeast Asia, both Malaysia and the Philippines also imposed strict limitations on business operations as a result of spiking infection rates. Home to much of the HDD and, to a lesser extent, SSD supply chain, the past two days have seen companies scrambling to deal with the impact on the availability of personnel and other critical items, resulting in a slowing and, in some cases, an outright shut down of production. While the situation remains fluid and will likely change drastically even as this report is posted, here is what we know so far:
- Some aluminum finished substrate manufacturing has been halted. All companies in the region are scrambling to get governmental approval to operate factories, either first on a skeleton crew basis, or allowing enough employees on an as-needed basis to show up to factories to continue production. Some companies have continued to operate over the past two days while others have shuttered factories until March 19 or later.
- Media manufacturing in Malaysia continues at some suppliers while the availability of Malaysian-based employees needing to travel each day to Singaporean-based media companies appears to be constrained for now and may take several more days for the situation to clarify itself. As a result of the reduced workforce, output may slow.
- HDD manufacturing in the Philippines has ceased for at least the next three days.
- Suppliers of materials to these operations are also chasing down more information to clarify the impact of component manufacturing slow-downs or temporary shutdowns.
Governmental orders restricting human movement around the globe have been issued quickly, resulting in at least as many questions as answers in each case. What has been clear thus far is that with these orders it takes several days for people to understand the actual case-by-case limitations and for companies to either file for permission to operate or to receive governmental exemptions.


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Are you starting mulling your digital strategy for the year ahead? Well, 2022 is just around the corner, and it’s about time we start considering what next year has in store in terms of digital marketing trends.
Digital marketers can’t expect to go through something like a yearlong (and still counting) global pandemic and not see plenty of things changing. After all, marketers and change aren’t exactly strangers. They’ve always lived and promoted in a world where consumers’ preferences are constantly evolving and changing, forcing them to adapt.
In the past year and in 2021, marketers had to adapt to very abrupt changes that literally no one saw coming. From the abrupt suspension of in-person events, a massive global shift towards digital marketing, and for many marketers, significantly decreased budgets, these were all challenges that no marketer faced before.
Now, things are starting to see some ease. Consumers and brands alongside are more at peace with doing everything online, making the jobs of marketers a lot easier. But, although marketing budgets are starting to increase again, how should marketers spend them wisely? What messages will best attract consumers in a post-pandemic world? And will consumers go back to the old normal or stick to the habits they’ve developed during the pandemic?
As the marketing game must go on, here are some first predictions of digital marketing trends for 2022.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced closures and social distancing requirements, making marketers worldwide face the cancellation of all sorts of in-person events they had in mind. Store grand openings, big-ticket concerts, tradeshows, or conferences, all such events were off the table.
In their place, virtual events became a new “normal” that marketers had to adapt to in order to engage customers continuously and leads despite the physical limitations imposed by the pandemic.
But, 2022 almost feels like a post-pandemic time. So, it’s almost counterproductive for marketers to stick to virtual events when they know that in-person events bring the best results and genuine connections. So, the urge to gather in person again is strong. But, will these in-person events feel kind of boring after all the virtual experiences consumers had online? Possibly. That is why we’re expecting hybrid events to take place in 2022.
To cater to both audiences, those who missed in-person connections and those tech-savvy consumers who loved digital experiences, marketers will need to craft in-person events using hybrid event apps that will have a strong digital component with technologies like VR or AI to create unique experiences.
Fighting for position zero in search engine
No-click searches or featured snippets are not new to the marketers’ world. They are kind of old, being around since 2014 when they were first introduced and created quite a furor in the search engine optimization community. So, why are they predicted to be more of a thing in 2022?
Well, it took some time for companies to get frustrated by the fact that their websites don’t get clicked on because Google displays Internet users the answers that they are looking for pretty quickly, in position zero. So, for business owners looking to convince Internet users o enter their websites, it’s pretty clear now that they first need to make it to Position zero.
How to get there? Well, valuable content is always the answer for all sorts of search engine optimization strategies.
Marketing companies taking more ownership
Another digital marketing trend expected to become a big thing in 2022 is marketing companies getting more involved in their jobs, even financially. More precisely, sales and marketing companies seem to take more ownership in the products they help other brands to sell. And, it’s a shift that genuinely makes sense.
Think about it: if you manage to market a brand’s product/service so well that it gets sold like hot cakes, like the marketing agency on this website, you basically help increase the value of that company. So, if you have an ownership stake, you’ll be more motivated than ever to go above and beyond to make sure the product gets sold. This is a strategy that benefits both sides.
Non-profits as a part of companies’ marketing
Today’s consumers are more aware than ever before of environmental and social issues. And, they are also mindful of the fact that companies could be the entities that can give back in some way, which is why they are willing to support those brands by buying from them.
This trend isn’t new either. But, it is definitely expected to increase, especially in a post-pandemic world after consumers had quite some time for reflection on their values.
So, another trend that we’re expecting to form in 2022 is more partnerships between companies and non-profits to grow business by getting involved in philanthropic missions that are important to customers.
Visual searches on the rise
Today’s Internet users are busier than ever before, which is why they want immediate information with minimum effort required from their side. This is how voice and visual searches are fulfilling their needs.
Users no longer have to waste time typing a description into the search bar. They can simply upload an image and get information about the item in the photo in just a few seconds. For this reason, Visual search marketing is expected to grow and be a major digital marketing trend in 2022.
AI and influencer marketing will join forces
Influencer marketing is far from being dead, despite some industry experts predicting it. In fact, the sector, valued at $9.7 billion in 2020, is expected to reach $15 billion by next year. What’s more, a majority of marketers agree that they direct over 20% of their budgets to influencer content.
So, influencer marketing isn’t going anywhere for 2022 as well. But the sector will join forces with a new allay to bring brands better results, and that allay is artificial intelligence.
By 2022, we’re expecting to see widespread adoption of artificial intelligence that will also be used to create better influencer marketing campaigns. More precisely, AI can help with influencer identification and improve the performance of influencer marketing. Think about it: powered by a predictive AI, you’ll screen thousands of influencers in minutes and in ways that a human could never do. Once you find the one right influencer that AI predicts that will bring your company the best results, ROI is practically assured.


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Arrest made in Credit Card Fraud Case
LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – Laurel County deputies arrest a suspect believed to be involved in the fraudulent use if a credit card and also wanted on outstanding warrants of arrest from Laurel and Knox counties.
Christopher Surgener, 32, of Corbin was arrested just before noon on Monday morning approximately 10 miles south of London in a home off Hemlock Drive. Deputies found him hiding under a pile of clothes in a closet. Surgener had to be physically subdued after failing to comply during his arrest.
He allegedly used a credit card from a woman who owed him money from a drug debt to buy over $500 worth of merchandise from a Walmart in Corbin o Monday morning. Deputies claim Surgener was aware the credit card did not belong to that woman.
He is facing charges of fraudulent use of a credit card $500 or more but under $10,000 and resisting arrest. Surgener was also charged on a Laurel County bench warrant of arrest for failure to appear in court on charges of public intoxication – controlled substances. In addition, he was wanted on a Knox County bench warrant for failure to appear in court on charges on criminal trespassing.
Surgener is currently being held at the Laurel County Detention Center. More suspects have been identified and additional arrests are expected to follow.


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GM Invests $50 Million In Chevy Cruze Plant< < Back to
General Motors says it is investing $50 million at the northeast Ohio plant that builds the popular Chevrolet Cruze.
The company said the investments, which include a new trim shop, are directed at the next generation of the Cruze compact sedan to be built at the Lordstown plant near Youngstown.
The Cruze has become GM's best-selling car since it was launched in September 2010.
The auto-workers union said it is buying 1 millionth Cruze, which was built at Lordstown on April 10. The car will be raffled off to a plant employee with all ticket proceeds donated to local charities.
GM says it has invested approximately $250 million at Lordstown since 2009. The complex has built more than 15 million vehicles since opening in April 1966.


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Cause sought in Camden warehouse fire
CAMDEN, N.J. - November 27, 2012 (WPVI) -- Smoke and flames damaged a warehouse in Camden early Tuesday morning.
It was around 2:00 a.m. when fire crews were called to 3rd and Spruce Streets. It took almost an hour to get the flames under control.
There are no reports of injuries.
Officials are investigating what may have sparked the blaze.
camden, camden county, new jersey, fire, local/state
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16 min ago


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JERUSALEM, Oct 4 (Reuters) - JFrog, the U.S.-Israeli provider of technology that delivers software updates to devices, said on Thursday it had raised $165 million in a private funding round led by New York-based Insight Venture Partners.
JFrog, which says it is valued above $1 billion, said the funds would drive product innovation, support expansion into new markets and accelerate organic and inorganic growth. The firm previously raised $62 million, including $52 million in 2016.
JFrog offers a solution for software artefacts — small building blocks that deliver software updates to devices.
“Users expect their software to update continuously, non-intrusively, seamlessly,” the company said in a statement.
“It is not acceptable that you get into your car and it will not start because of a software update. Think about your Facebook or LinkedIn. Do you really know what version of their software you’re running? You don’t, because it’s seamless to you.”
JFrog said that since its previous funding round two years ago, sales had grown more than 500 percent. It has more than 4,500 customers, including Amazon, Facebook, Google, Netflix, Uber and Spotify.
Along with Insight, new investors Silicon Valley funds Spark Capital and Geodesic Capital participated in the funding round, as well as existing investors including Battery Ventures, Sapphire Ventures, Scale Venture Partners, Dell Technologies Capital and Vintage Investment Partners.
Reporting by Steven Scheer Editing by Edmund Blair


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CHIANG RAI, THAILAND, 3 July 2012: Knowledge Media Group Thailand has announced the launch of a new business unit called “China Hotel Marketing” (CHM), offering China marketing services to small independently owned boutique hotels in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS).
The initiative will also include offering services to SME hotels and resorts in ASEAN countries that lack professional promotion and marketing resources.
Services offered according to the group’s announcement include “positioning and branding, engineering creative strategic sales and marketing plans, marketing research, performing and fulfilling the professional role of public relations, marketing and communications.”
BANGKOK, 11 June 2012: Tourism Authority of Thailand recognised 88 persons for their support of Thailand tourism during the Thailand Tourism Festival 2012, 8 June.
Presiding over the award ceremony, TAT governor, Suraphon Svetasreni said: “The awards honour people who have contributed tourism or created tour programmes and introduced higher standards to the industry.”
In the tourism association category the following were recognsed:
BANGKOK, 10 May 2012: Three people appointments were announced earlier this week one in a hotel industry and two inThailand’s travel agency sector.
Kata Group Resorts named Glen Rodil Ferrer as the general manager of its soon-to-opened hotel, Beyond Resort Krabi.
Khiri Travel Group filled two management positons; Andre van der Marck as general manager Thailand and Mark Remijan as chief financial officer and company partner for the group.
BANGKOK, 9 March 2012: Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau president, Akapol Sorasuchart, announced his resignation on Tuesday saying he was leaving at the end of the month.
He sent his resignation letter to the TCEB’s board, 29 February, without giving a reason.
However, during his tenure of two years and five months, his struggled to preserve the agency’s independence in the face of political interference that was widely reported in local media. Read more
Lothar Pehl, Starwood Regional Vice President for Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia and Regional Vice President for Japan, Korea and Guam, is pleased to announce the appointment of Keith Hardie as General Manager at Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, Bangkok effective on 16 February 2012.
Over 32 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Keith Hardie has been with Starwood Hotels & Resorts for 18 years, Mr. Hardie returns to Thailand from being the General Manager of the Le Royal Meridien, Shanghai. Previously, he was General Manager of the Westin Grande Sukhumvit, Bangkok and General Manager of El Gezirah Sheraton Hotel, Towers & Casino Cairo, Egypt.
Prior to Mr. Hardie’s career with Starwood, he held management positions at InterContinental Muscat, Shangri-la’s Fijian Resort, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Manila and The London Marriott Hotel at Grosvenor Square.
BANGKOK 2 March 2012: Thailand’s tourism is set for a bumper year. That’s the view of Andrew Wood, the newly-designated National President of Skal in Thailand. Skal is a global tourism industry organisation with almost 20,000 active members in 450 clubs across 85 countries worldwide.
Mr Wood, formerly general manager of the Chaophya Park hotel in Bangkok, is confident that the tourism and aviation in Thailand can bounce back from recent man-made and natural disasters.
“The signs are looking good, with encouraging numbers of business and leisure travellers opting for destinations in Thailand. Hotel rates in Thailand remain remarkably competitive but hoteliers need to maintain higher levels of occupancy throughout the year to regain, and then maintain, profitability.” Read more
BANGKOK, 15 February 2012: Absolute Hotel Services Group announced on Monday the appointment of Jean-matthieu Beroujon as corporate director of operations.
Mr Beroujon has over 11 years experience in hospitality having held management positions in Europe, the United States and Laos. Read more
BANGKOK, 10 February 2012: Absolute Hotel Services recently announced the appointment of Sorasa Phungsupan as senior public relations manager – Thailand.
She will be responsible for public relations for five hotels in Thailand. They are: Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn Bangkok, Eastin Hotel Makksan Bangkok, Eastin Easy Siam Piman Bangkok, U Chiang Mai Hotel and U Inchantree Kanchanaburi Hotel.
Prior to joining Absolute Hotel Servies, she was assistant marketing communication manager – international at Centara Hotels and Resorts.
SYDNEY, 8 February 2012: Travelport, an online distribution company for travel announced Tuesday the appointment of Nicolas Pierret as its senior director of corporate development for the Asia/Pacific.
Mr Pierret will be responsible for selling Travelport products to corporate travel users. He used to work for Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Singapore and Delhi overseeing global accounts. Read more
Bangkok, 7 February 2012: Amadeus announced last week the appointment of Jeff Edwards to head up its hotel support business.
A former chief information officer and EVP distribution of Wyndham Worldwide, Mr Edwards will lead the company’s hotel division selling distribution and IT services to hospitality companies. Read more


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FARGO — A North Dakota State University student has claimed he found a dead mouse in his drink after visiting a north Fargo McDonald's, although a company spokeswoman said the city's health department has found nothing to substantiate the claim.
Landen Brocato, a freshman from Langdon, N.D., told The Forum he bought a caramel frappe at the store late Thursday night, Nov. 7, and drank part of it before setting it down on a table by his bedside at his dormitory.
He said he noticed something "dark" in the bottom of the drink that night but thought it was just the caramel syrup.
Brocato, a marketing major, said he didn't finish the drink because he had to get to bed as he works an early shift at the airport and had to be there at 5 a.m.
When he returned from work Friday, he said the dead mouse had floated to the top of what was left in the drink.
"It's been pretty rough," he said about his day when contacted by phone Friday night. "It's disgusting."
He took the drink back to the McDonald's store at 1220 19th Ave N., talked to a manager there and received a refund.
Brocato said he was also asked to make a statement. He posted photos on Facebook, called the McDonald's corporate office and also the Fargo Cass Public Health office.
He said because the drink was blended, it didn't make much sense that the mouse was in the bottom of the cup. He said the McDonald's manager thought the same thing.
Brocato also said he didn't think the mouse got into the cup in his dorm room because it was covered by a domed lid and was high up on his bedside table, which would have made it almost impossible for the mouse to climb up there.
The owner and operator of the McDonald's, Kevin Cook Jr., said he was looking at footage from a camera in the restaurant.
"I don't know anything; I can't comment yet," he said. "I'm trying to figure out if there is any nonsense going on there."
In a later statement issued on Cook's behalf, spokeswoman Anne Christensen of the corporate office of McDonald's released a statement in Cook's behalf that said, "serving high quality food to my customers is a top priority. We took this claim seriously and partnered with the health department to investigate. There was nothing found to substantiate this claim and the health department has closed its file.”"


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How Westfield is combating the Amazon threat with digital upgrades at its malls
Not all malls are floundering in the face of Amazon and e-commerce. Westfield is trying to adapt with plans to spend $1 billion on digital upgrades over the next five years.
“We want to upgrade our properties in ways that better speak to the way that consumers want to experience a mall environment,” said Charley Delana, Westfield’s head of brand ventures.
Westfield has replaced older ad formats such as ads on escalators with 450 eye-level digital media screens at 17 of its 33 malls across the U.S. meant to show shoppers relevant messages.
The screens will use cameras and sensors to track how many people pass by and collect real-time demographic data, such as the gender and age, within 20 feet. Westfield is also quantifying how consumers receive the screens’ ads by measuring consumers’ emotional responses and how long they spend in front of the screens. Using this and other web-based data such as weather reports, the screens can adjust the ad content to target individuals to make the ads more efficient.
“[Advertisers] can now see that we’re serving them the right audience, but they can also understand which creative is right at certain times of the day,” said Delana. “We’re only encumbered, if you will, by the amount of creative that they’re willing to provide us.”
For instance, if a group of men walk up to the screen and it’s a rainy day, the network can choose to show them one of five Burberry ads that promotes outerwear.
Brands can also choose to live stream from any of the screens and then stream that content to every Westfield property. Next month, Ford plans to roll out a new car at Westfield World Trade Center, Westfield’s newest location, this way.
At a time when people are glued to their smartphones, the screens aim to grab their attention while in the malls. However, in the future, Westfield plans on incorporating mobile into the strategy by serving ads to consumers’ phones when they are in proximity to the screens.
Westfield is also looking for retailers that are willing to innovate. At Westfield World Trade Center, for instance, it selected retailers that could provide mobile and in-store digital services.
A Credit Suisse study out in June predicted that 25 percent of malls will close in the next five years as Amazon and other e-commerce sites grab market share. Amazon was mentioned in at least 100 earnings calls in the past month. Westfield has 33 properties, down from 67 in 2005.
Westfield isn’t exactly shunning Amazon, though. Westfield has already placed Amazon bookstores in several of its properties and is considering incorporating Amazon Lockers, too.
“We embrace — embrace may be too strong of a word — but we certainly welcome a conversation with Amazon, and we have welcomed Amazon into our centers,” said Delana. “I don’t think we’re afraid of them so much as we’re looking to them as an opportunity to figure out how to partner.”
Image courtesy of Westfield
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Love it or hate it, that iconic PDX airport carpet is on the outs. Starting in January 2015, the 25-year-old turquoise carpet – with its whimsical blue, purple and red pattern (which corresponds to Portland's intersecting North-South runways, as seen from the control tower) – will be ripped up and
To 20-something Portlanders, who never knew another PDX carpet, the changing of the floor guards has been an occasion to mourn.
To mark the change, Port of Portland commissioned local artist Nancy Wilkins, who crafted an 11-foot by 16-foot collage made of carpet from different locations throughout the airport, appropriately titled "Carpet Diem!"
It's a fitting memorial, but it's far from the only celebration of the '87 design. Last year's announcement launched a sudden nostalgic response from some Portlanders, leading to the creation of a Facebook page and Twitter account for fans, as well as a bounty of memorabilia, including T-shirts, socks, mugs, water bottles, pillows, totes, posters, iPhone cases and even bike helmets.
Don't be surprised if the airport starts auctioning off pieces of the well-worn carpet itself. Stains included!
The nostalgic hysteria took over Portland, even overshadowing the announcement of the new carpet design (which happens to look a whole lot like the old carpet design). So as the carpet replacement project begins in January 2015, expect to see your Twitter and Instagram feeds flooded with shoe-selfies atop the iconic design, beside a melancholic #RIPDXcarpet.
Until then you can wax nostalgic in concourse D, where "Carpet Diem" will hang through the end of the year. I would task you all to remember it well, but given the deluge of early memorials, there should be no doubt of its lasting place in Portland carpet history.


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Epic Games an released a amazing looking tech demo of the Unreal Engine 4 running on the recently announced PlayStation 4.
Epic Games founder Tim Sweeney said the following regarding its collaboration with Sony and the PS4 “We are thrilled to build onto our long-established success with PlayStation. Unreal Engine 4 is expertly designed for the next generation of game development and the outstanding power of PlayStation 4. Today’s demonstration offers a preview of what developers can accomplish using our tools to create games for PlayStation 4.”
You can check out the amazing video below.


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According to the new research report published by The Insight Partners, titled “Global Mobile Data Consumption Trends Market to 2027 – Global Analysis and Forecasts by Subscribers, Technology and Geography.’ – in 2018, the Internet subscriber base stood at 3.58 billion and it is expected to reach 6.26 billion in 2027 with a CAGR of 6.4% from 2019 to 2027.
The market leaders in this market are extensively adopting for several marketing initiatives to enhance their footprint in different geographies. A few initiatives taken by the operators for enhancing their offering and expand their user base include partnership of T-Systems with VMWare Cloud. Through their partnership, Deutsche Telekom IT connects customers’ private clouds with the VMware Cloud on AWS. Furthermore, Deutsche Telekom and SK Telecom signed an MOU to look ahead for better technological opportunities in 5G networks, LTE, security, OTT media, and Cloud industry. Both the companies have agreed to estimate possible aspects in their long-standing partnership.
From 2019 to 2027, the growth of mobile internet and subscribers will be driven by developing countries especially China and India in Asia Pacific region. The other prominent countries/regions which will contribute to this growth include Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America.
Request Sample PDF Copy @ https://www.theinsightpartners.com/sample/TIPRE00004297/
With some of the biggest tech players from US and China such as Google, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, IBM, Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence research and development, this technology is expected to change the face of internet applications in the coming future. AI will be the key factor in transforming the present businesses and digital applications by improving customer experiences based on their behavior.
Some of the remarkable partnership and collaboration in this industry are collaboration Orange announced acquisition of Basefarm Holding a leading European player in cloud-based infrastructure and services. The acquisition would help the company to accelerate growth in public and private cloud-services. CK Hutchison and Telefónica announced strategic partnership to offer fixed, mobile and other digital communications solutions to large enterprises and multinational companies (MNCs). As the part of the agreement CKHH’s 3 Group Europe would join another 10 operators already in the Telefonica’s Partners Program with operations in 65 countries and a total of 1.8bn customers.
The most notable market participants are China Mobile (CHINA), Vodafone Group (UK), Bharti Airtel Group (INDIA), China Unicom (CHINA), China Telecom (CHINA), Reliance Jio (INDIA), América Móvil Group (MEXICO), Telefónica Group (SPAIN), MTN Group (SOUTH AFRICA), Veon Group (NETHERLANDS), Orange Group (FRANCE) for a considerable share of the market owing to their offerings to the market.


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"Iran's principled policy is non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. Developments of the recent days in Sudan are domestic issue of the country. Iran always stands and will stand for stability and security in Muslim countries," Ghasemi said in a statement.
Ghasemi also called on Sudan's conflicting sides to engage in a peaceful dialogue to normalize situation in the country.
Sudan has seen months of protests that erupted in the country in December. The rallies were initially caused by the rise in prices for bread and other consumer goods that greatly increased the vulnerability of Sudanese citizens. The protests then took on a new dimension as Sudanese citizens started calling for the resignation of Bashir, who has been in power for nearly 30 years.


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Shinmei Co., Ltd., will open its first U.S. facility in West Sacramento, it was announced Friday.
The 28,000-square-foot facility will be built on six acres in Southport Business Park and is expected to open in June 2014.
The Japanese company will produce its "Rice Bun," a gluten-free alternative to the burger bun. The company plans to source the bun's primary raw material rice locally from Sacramento region farmers.
Shinmei is investing more than $10 million in the new facility, which will employ around 100 permanent jobs in Phase 1 and increase up to 500 positions in the near future.
"We will bring Japanese rice processing technology to California," said Mitsuzo Fujio, president of Shinmei U.S.A., in a statement. "Our goal is to build relationships with the agricultural sector by collaborating with local rice farmers, integrating our Rice Bun product into the U.S. market, and streamlining our entire process from the beginning to the end. We hope that through our Rice Bun product, American people can enjoy rice, Japan's most treasured commodity, as a key part of their everyday meals."
The Rice Bun is sold in many global markets including Australia, China, Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Indonesia.
The debut of the Rice Bun in the United States' retail and food service markets parallels the rapidly growing number of American consumers moving towards gluten-free diets. The Rice Bun is GMO-free, microwavable and versatile - it can be made from brown or white rice, and organic or non-organic, with multiple flavors.
"Food production is a major component in the global economy," said West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon. "West Sacramento has the location and transportation modes which provide businesses a foundation to succeed. From West Sacramento, businesses are producing and shipping products around the world."
In 2013, Japan's Nippon Shokken, Norway's Tomra Sorting Solutions and Germany's Bayer CropScience have opened or are building new facilities within the city. West Sacramento is already home to several food industry businesses including Raley's Family of Fine Stores, Nor-Cal Beverage and Tony's Fine Foods.
"We welcome Shinmei U.S.A. to the growing community of food-related companies in the Sacramento region, America's farm-to-fork capital,' said Sacramento Area Commerce and Trade Organization Chairman Gary Bradus, shareholder with Weintraub Tobin. "We are honored that Shinmei has chosen West Sacramento in which to locate its new U.S. headquarters and production facility."
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Toy giant Lego is becoming more diverse and inclusive.
A fan video posted on YouTube Wednesday featured a Lego City set with a figure of a boy that uses a wheelchair. The minifigure, who wears a cap and a hoodie, was also showcased on German fan blog Promobricks, which called the move “long overdue.” The figurine was first spotted at a toy fair in Nuremburg, Germany.
A Lego spokesperson confirmed the news in an email to NBC Owned Television Stations. It's the first time the company has made a figure that uses a wheelchair.
“We are introducing a LEGO City set later this year that features a minifigure scale wheelchair. It will be available starting in June,” the email said.
Toymakers like Lego have been under pressure to be more reflective of real life and to be more diverse in their offerings.
Activists are applauding the news.
"We changed the world today as Lego reveal first disabled mini-figures in response to #ToyLikeMe," said in a Facebook post of online campaign #ToyLikeMe, which says it represents parents of children with disabilities.
#ToyLikeMe has called on Lego to be more reflective of disability in its toys. Its petition has already gained more than 20,000 supporters.
“Your little plastic bricks and mini figures are loved the world over, we love them too,” the petition says. “Please, Lego, put some wheelchair vroom vroom into the toy box and help generations of kids, (both with and without disabilities), grow up with a more positive attitude to human difference!”


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Monday 16th January 2017
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Bapcor, the ASX-listed autoparts firm, lifted its interest in Hellaby Holdings to 56 percent from 52.5 percent after declaring its takeover unconditional and extending its offer by three weeks.
Bapcor wants Hellaby for its automotive business and plans to sell its equipment, resources and footwear businesses. The deal will give it a foothold in the New Zealand market, where car sales have been hitting record levels over the last three years due to a rapid increase in population and fast growing economy.
On Friday it declared the $3.60-per-share offer unconditional and plans to dispatch funds to shareholders who have accepted within seven days. The offer now closes on Feb. 7.
Representatives of the two companies met last week to discuss the takeover after Bapcor gained effective control of Hellaby by securing more than 50 percent of the shares. It said Hellaby's independent directors have now provided Bapcor with "sufficient comfort around the remaining offer conditions" and these have now been lifted.
Hellaby's independent directors had opposed the takeover, arguing it undervalued the business. In its statement, Bapcor said the company "considers that the Hellaby board should now be recommending that it is in the best interests of all shareholders to accept the Bapcor offer."
Hellaby shares last traded at $3.57 and have gained 23 percent in the past 12 months.
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