Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (OTC:ACTC) On the Progressive Move Again

http://www.hotstocked.com/article/4393/advanced-cell-technology-inc-otc-actc-on-the.html

Substitution of Pixantrone for Doxorubicin in CHOP Chemotherapy Regimen Produces High Rates of Complete Remissions and Long-Term Disease Free Survival in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Aggressive NHL Who Previously Failed Frontline CHOP Therapy

SEATTLE, April 4, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. ("CTI") (NASDAQ and MTA: CTIC) announced today that the April 2011 edition of the peer reviewed journal, Leukemia & Lymphoma (April 2011; 52(4): 620-628) published results of a phase I/II clinical trial evaluating the effect of cyclophosphamide, pixantrone, vincristine, and prednisone ("CPOP") in treating patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma ("NHL") who relapsed following initial therapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine (Oncovin), and prednisone ("CHOP"). In the CPOP regimen, pixantrone substitutes for doxorubicin (H) in the CHOP regimen. Peter Borchmann, M.D., of the University Hospital of Cologne, led the study. CPOP produced high rates of complete remissions ("CR") and overall response rate ("ORR"). In some patients, these remissions were highly durable despite patients having relapsed after receiving CHOP and other multi-agent therapies.

The study enrolled 35 patients in the phase I portion of the trial and 30 patients in the phase II portion of the trial. A major tumor response was reported for 80% and 73% of patients in phase I and II respectively, with 57% and 47% of the patients achieving a complete or unconfirmed CR. Median overall survival in the phase II portion of the trial was 17.9 months with four patients achieving notable long-term disease-free survival ranging from 55 to 77 months, despite in some cases having failed multiple prior regimens including stem cell transplantation. High response rates were also observed in the 43% of patients who had received prior rituximab as part of their front-line regimen (CHOP-R), with an ORR rate of 77% and CR rate of 54%. Myelosuppression was the most common toxicity. Side effects (grade 3/4) in phase I of the trial included febrile neutropenia (11%), grade 3/4 infections (3%), and cardiac failure (6%). In phase II of the trial, side effects (grade 3/4) included febrile neutropenia (20%), and cardiac failure (3%).

"Although there are a number of treatment regimens that have been studied as salvage therapies in patients with relapsed aggressive NHL, few have demonstrated a high proportion of complete responses and many of the remissions achieved are of relatively short duration," said Jack W. Singer, M.D. Chief Medical Officer at CTI. "Patients who have completed a course of CHOP therapy are unable to be retreated with the same regimen due to the potential for severe heart toxicity when the lifetime limit of doxorubicin is exceeded. Pixantrone has substantially less cardiotoxicity than doxorubicin in animal models and was found to be adequately tolerated in patients treated with prior doxorubicin in phase I trials. The present study suggests that use of pixantrone with CPOP not only offers a high response rate, but in some patients these responses had impressive durability. Four patients in the study had unmaintained remissions of between 4+ and 6+ years duration following CPOP, which is highly unusual in the setting of treating relapsed disease. The opportunity to re-challenge patients with a CHOP-like regimen, using pixantrone instead of doxorubicin after relapse from initial therapy with CHOP indicates that pixantrone-based regimens may represent a new approach to managing relapsed aggressive NHL. A Phase III clinical trial with pixantrone in this setting has recently been initiated, the PIX-R TRIAL(TM)."

Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Announces Amendments to Articles in connection with Implementation of CCAA Plan of Compromise or Arrangement
April 3, 2011 6:29:45 PM PDT
VANCOUVER, April 3 /CNW/ - Angiotech Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Angiotech" or the "Company") today announced that, in connection with its previously announced creditor protection proceedings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (the "CCAA Proceedings"), upon implementation of the Second Amended and Restated CCAA Plan of Compromise or Arrangement (as amended from time to time, the "Amended Plan") concerning, affecting and involving Angiotech and certain of its subsidiaries (the "Angiotech Entities") certain additional amendments (the "Additional Amendments") will be made to the Company's articles.

In particular, the Company's articles will be amended to provide that:

Subject to certain exceptions, holders (the "New Common Shareholders") of the Company's new common shares to be issued pursuant to the Amended Plan (the "New Common Shares") will generally be afforded pre-emptive rights with respect to certain future equity issuances by the Company prior to any initial public offering;
Subject to a de minimis exception, in connection with any sale by a New Common Shareholder that owns 45% or more of the outstanding New Common Shares, tag along rights will be provided to other New Common Shareholders to allow them to participate in such sale should they elect to do so;
Any offer by the Company to purchase or redeem any of its New Common Shares shall be made to all New Common Shareholders on a pro rata basis, subject to an exception relating to purchases pursuant to management incentive or other stock-based compensation plans;
Any going private transaction will require the approval of the board of directors as well as a fairness opinion;
Any transaction between the Company and a New Common Shareholder (a "Special Majority Shareholder") holding, alone or with its affiliates, 66?% or more of the outstanding New Common Shares may not be completed unless (i) it is on arm's length terms; and (ii) if the transaction involves consideration in excess of $25 million, the Company has obtained a fairness opinion in respect of such transaction. In addition, if any such transaction requires approval by special resolution, such transaction must also be approved by an ordinary resolution passed by the New Common Shareholders, excluding any Special Majority Shareholder;
The initial term of each member of the new board of directors appointed in connection with the CCAA Proceedings will expire upon the election or appointment of new directors at the Company's third annual shareholders' meeting following the implementation the Amended Plan;
The size of the board of directors will be set at seven members, subject to adjustment by special resolution; and
Shareholders' meetings may be held at any place inside or outside Canada as designated by the board of directors.
Alvarez & Marsal Canada Inc. (the "Monitor"), as Monitor of the Angiotech Entities in the CCAA Proceedings, as well as the holders of a majority of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Company's 7.75% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2014, have respectively consented to the implementation of the Additional Amendments. As contemplated by the Amended Plan, the Additional Amendments will be filed with the Supreme Court of British Columbia in advance of the meeting of the Angiotech Entities' creditors to be held on April 4, 2011.

More information about the Angiotech Entities' restructuring process, including the text of the Additional Amendments, can be found at www.angiotech.com and on the website of the Monitor, at http://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/angiotech.

The above descriptions of the Additional Amendments do not purport to be complete statements of the Additional Amendments. The above descriptions of the Additional Amendments are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Additional Amendments, copies of which can be found at www.angiotech.com and on the website of the Monitor, at http://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/angiotech.

Huntsman Acquires Chemicals Business of Laffans Petrochemicals Ltd.

12 hours agoPR Newswire

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, April 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) today announced that it has completed its acquisition of Indian chemical producer Laffans Petrochemicals Ltd., and has taken ownership of the manufacturer's 60kt ethylene oxide derivatives facility in Ankleshwar, Gujarat. The purpose-built plant produces specialty intermediates for use in agrochemicals, household and personal care products, oil and gas applications and automotive lubricants and brake fluids. Financial details were not disclosed.

Huntsman Corporation 2010 revenues were $9.2 billion. In 2010 Laffans had revenues in excess of $50 million. News of the Laffans acquisition follows another recent Asian announcement from Huntsman Performance Products outlining a $70 million investment in a capacity expansion program at its polyetheramine plant in Singapore.

Commenting on the acquisition, Peter R. Huntsman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Huntsman Corporation, said, "This acquisition is a continuation of our strategy to build our Asian business. We look forward to integrating this business and further expanding our Indian business."

About Huntsman:

Huntsman is a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals. Its operating companies manufacture products for a variety of global industries, including chemicals, plastics, automotive, aviation, textiles, footwear, paints and coatings, construction, technology, agriculture, health care, detergent, personal care, furniture, appliances and packaging. Originally known for pioneering innovations in packaging and, later, for rapid and integrated growth in petrochemicals, Huntsman today has approximately 12,000 employees and operates from multiple locations worldwide. The Company had 2010 revenues of over $9 billion. For more information about Huntsman, please visit the company's website at http://www.huntsman.com/

Study Suggests Potential For Bristol Leukemia Drug For Lung Cancer

58 minutes ago Dow Jones

By Jennifer Corbett Dooren

Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

ORLANDO, Fla. (Dow Jones)--Researchers have identified a mutation in a gene in some patients with squamous cell lung cancer that appears to respond to Sprycel, a Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (BMY) drug.

According to a study, scheduled to be published in a new cancer journal called Cancer Discovery, researchers found mutations in a gene called DDR2 among some patients with squamous cell lung cancer. That type of cancer affects about 50,000 people annually in the U.S. and researchers said there are no approved therapies that specifically target that type of lung cancer.

The research was led by Matthew Meyerson, a professor of pathology at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Meyerson and his colleagues looked at about 290 samples of squamous lung tumors and ran them through genetic sequencing tests to look at the genes and any mutations of those genes in each tumor. They found that the DDR2 gene was the most frequently mutated in the samples. However, the mutation is rare and occurred in just 11 samples or 3.8%.

Meyerson estimates that DDR2 mutations would be present in 1,000 to 2,000 lung cancers in the U.S.

Researchers then tested some drugs against the tumors with the DDR2 mutations in the laboratory and found that Sprycel appeared to be the most effective.

"As a percentage of the millions of people who get cancer each year it is small, but cancer therapy is going more in the direction of personalized medicine as we learn more and more about the complicated biology of each tumor," Meyerson said.

The study is also being presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting.

Because Sprycel is already approved for use to treat cancer, researchers said they hoped the findings would stimulate larger clinical studies into whether Sprycel or a similar drug might work to treat some types of squamous cell cancer.

Sarah Koenig, a spokeswoman for Bristol-Myers said, "We will review these data, but I wouldn't want to speculate about future development plans for Sprycel and lung cancer."

Sprycel is in a class of medicines called protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitors. It works by blocking the action of an abnormal protein that signals cancer cells to multiply. Another drug in the class, Tasigna, is marketed by Novartis AG (NVS).

-By Jennifer Corbett Dooren, Dow Jones Newswires, 202-862-9294; jennifer.corbett@dowjones.com

Reaffirms my commitment and belief in this company and where their heading. Thnx

Not sure if this had been posted earlier. Here is a link to New York State Unified Court System NYSCEF website. Document List Case Summary.
Gives a documented history of what's gone on so far (down loadable pdf files). For any one interested, makes for good bedtime reading.

https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?row=2

Riggs Eckelberry's New Energy

Progress on Carbon Capture in US?
Posted: 01 Apr 2011 02:02 PM PDT
Right now, the single greatest driver for microalgae production is a government’s push to reduce carbon emissions. That’s why Australia is a very busy place for us and other algae companies.

Until now, the USA has not been very active in the area. Here’s an encouraging development:

CLIMATE: Senators float bipartisan CCS bill

A bipartisan group of senators led by Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman floated legislation yesterday aimed at sparking development of carbon capture and storage projects at coal-burning power plants. The bill from Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) mirrors a provision reported out of the Energy panel as part of a broad energy package in 2009

http://www.originoilceo.com/

GO HLNT indeed.

Not so. . . .

April 1, 2011, 2:50 p.m. EDT

Ford to Idle Truck, Car Plants

By Jeff Bennett

Ford Motor Co. will idle a heavy-duty truck assembly plant next week amid softening consumer demand for full-size pickup trucks and a move by the company to conserve components following the March 11 earthquake in Japan.

The auto maker's Kentucky Truck Plant, located in Louisville, Ky., will close for five days starting Monday, Ford sales analyst George Pipas said. The plant produces such vehicles as the F-250 Super Duty pickup truck, Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition. The plant operates two shifts and employs a total of more than 4,000 workers.

In addition to the Kentucky plant, Ford said it is also idling its Flat Rock, Mich., plant for one week starting Monday. That shutdown is in response to building Mustang inventories. The auto maker had more than 116-days worth of supply at the end of March, far above the 60- to 80-day supply it traditionally keeps.

As gasoline prices have risen in the last two to three months, Ford and other auto makers have seen a swing in consumer buying habits away from larger vehicles and toward compacts and other small cars.

Ford's sales of full-size pick up trucks to consumers has dropped, Ford sales chief Ken Czubay said in a conference call on Friday. "It is something we are keeping our eye on," he added.

Mr. Pipas said the latest decline is "not unlike" the slump in truck sales in 2008 that was sparked by rising gas prices. This time, however, softer sales of pick ups to consumers have been partially masked and offset by higher truck sales to fleet customers including corporations and large construction companies, Mr. Pipas said.

Declining truck demand is worrisome for Ford, General Motors /quotes/comstock/13*!gm/quotes/nls/gm (GM 32.42, +0.01, +0.03%) Co. and Chrysler Group LLC. Each makes a substantial portion of their operating profits from such vehicles. The Detroit auto makers believe they are better able to weather a shift to small cars because their finances are much stronger than in 2008. They also have upgraded their own compacts and subcompacts and are more competitive with rivals in small cars.

In March, sales of small cars, which have thin profit margins, jumped and now account for 25% of the overall U.S. market in March, Mr. Pipas said.

Overall, Ford will idle three plants this month due to a parts shortage or to adjust inventory levels. The auto maker pulled ahead a plan to shut down its auto plant in Genk, Belgium, for five days in an effort to conserve auto parts in the wake of the earthquake in Japan. That plant also will be idled starting Monday.

Write to Jeff Bennett at jeff.bennett@dowjones.com

There we go. . . amateur hour is over.

What I figure doesn't really matter. Light trading will continue and FSNR will remain under the radar until some substantial positive numbers are seen in their financials. They need some serious contracts. With any luck this Hydrex deal will be give us a start in that direction. Any news concerning the recovered shares will only add to that momentum.

UPDATE 1-TABLE-March U.S. light vehicle sales major automakers

14 minutes ago Reuters

April 1 (Reuters) - The following are U.S. auto sales results for the month of March reported so far on Friday by top-selling automakers. U.S. Auto Sales For March 2011

AUTOMAKER MARCH LAST YR PCT CHNG 1 Ford Motor 212,777 178,546 19.2% 2 General Motors 206,621 188,546 9.6% 3 Chrysler 121,730 92,623 31.4% 4 Nissan 121,141 95,468 26.9% 5 Kia 44,179 30,522 44.7% 6 Mitsubishi 7,560 5,434 39.1% 7 Porsche 2,588 1,905 35.9% 8 Suzuki 2,497 2,246 11.2%

TOTALS 719,093 595,290 20.8%

AUTOMAKER YTD YTD 2010 PCT CHNG 1 General Motors 592,545 477,322 24.1% 2 Ford Motor 496,720 428,596 15.9% 3 Chrysler 286,950 234,215 22.5% 4 Nissan 285,358 228,229 25.0% 5 Kia 104,774 76,696 36.6% 6 Mitsubishi 20,167 13,623 48.0% 7 Porsche 7,007 5,222 34.2% 8 Suzuki 6,702 5,661 18.4%

TOTALS 1,800,223 1,469,564 22.5%

I'm jones'n for some more news on this & Hydrex too.

Ford March US Sales Rise 19% On Broad Gains; Tops Rival GM

11 minutes ago Dow Jones

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Ford Motor Co. (F) reported March U.S. vehicle sales jumped 19% due to broad gains for cars and larger vehicles, selling more units than crosstown rival General Motors Co. (GM) for the first time since a historic victory in February 2010.

Shares of Ford rose 2.8% to $15.32 in recent trading.

The auto maker's strong sales built on a 40% increase in sales that Ford reported last March. Car-shopping website Edmunds.com last week projected Ford would sell more new vehicles than GM, saying the latter's results would likely be constricted by a pullback in incentive spending.

Ford, the only member of Detroit's Big Three auto makers that didn't file for bankruptcy reorganization in 2009, has been outperforming peers the past two years, returning to No. 2 domestically behind GM in the process.

The company reported it sold 212,777 vehicles in March, compared with 178,546 a year earlier, and 36% higher than in February. The larger Ford brand reported a 28% increase in sales, while Lincoln sales fell 2.2%. A year ago, Ford sold 10,486 Mercury vehicles, a brand it has since phased out.

Company-wide, truck sales jumped 24%, while sport-utility vehicles sales improved 22%. Car sales increased 13%.

March had 27 selling days, one more than last year.

Ford sold 17,178 units of the Focus, down 12% from last year, although Focus retail sales increased 16%. The company has initiated a global launch of the new Focus, as it bets traditional small-car buyers will embrace innovative technology. On Friday, it said sales were lower as the all-new model was just starting to arrive at Ford dealers.

-By John Kell, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2480; john.kell@dowjones.com

Foster Wheeler wins FEED contract for Huntsman petrochemicals project in China

March 31, 2011

Source: Foster Wheeler

Foster Wheeler AG (Nasdaq: FWLT) has received a contract from Huntsman (NYSE:HUN) to undertake the front-end engineering design (FEED) for the expansion of Huntsman's Isocyanates Facility at Caojing, in Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Isocyanates are used in the production of polyurethanes which have a wide range of uses in the plastics industry.

The Foster Wheeler contract value for this project was not disclosed and will be included in the company's first-quarter 2011 bookings.

Foster Wheeler's scope will include front-end engineering, technology licensor management and development of the project schedule and cost estimates. The FEED phase of the project is scheduled for completion in the third quarter of this year, with the overall project scheduled for mechanical completion by the fourth-quarter of 2013.

"Key to Huntsman awarding this project to us was our depth of experience in the technologies involved, the quality of our project team and proven execution capability of our Chinese operation in Shanghai," said Umberto della Sala, interim chief executive officer, Foster Wheeler AG. "We worked with Huntsman on the original development of this facility and will bring this wealth of experience to the planned expansion."

MLV Capital analysts cut their price target on shares of XOMA Ltd (NASDAQ: XOMA) from $12.00 to $10.00. They now have a "buy" rating on the stock.

http://www.americanbankingnews.com/2011/01/10/analysts-weekly-ratings-changes-for-xoma-ltd-nasdaq-xoma-2/

Finally!

UPDATE 1-Ford tops in U.S. auto customer loyalty-Polk
26 minutes agoReuters

* Ford improved most in loyalty rates among top brands

* Honda brand loyalty up 1.1 pct pts, but passed by Ford

* Toyota brand loyalty up 0.4 pct pts after rough 2010

DETROIT, March 31 (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co was the top automaker in 2010 as measured by U.S. customer loyalty, overtaking General Motors Co , the 2009 leader, market consultancy Polk said on Thursday.

Ford was also tops for brand loyalty in the Polk analysis of purchases by 5.2 million households, Polk said.

Loyalty rates are a measure of how many households buying a new vehicle purchase or lease the same kind. Measures include manufacturer, brands and models.

Ford-built vehicles, including its Ford and Lincoln brands, showed a loyalty rate of 63.1 percent in 2010, followed by GM at 59.9 percent and Toyota Motor Corp <7203.T> at 58.8 percent, Polk found.

The Ford brand itself showed a loyalty rate of 60.3 percent, over second-place Mercedes-Benz of Daimler at 56.7 percent; the Honda brand of Honda Motor Co <7267.T> at 56.6 percent; the Toyota brand at 56.4 percent; and GM's flagship Chevrolet brand at 53 percent.

Each of those fop five brands showed gains of at least 1 percentage point but Toyota, which gained 0.4 percentage point, Polk said. In 2010, Toyota's vehicles had massive recalls and its safety was questioned in U.S. congressional hearings.

Ford improvement was the greatest for customer loyalty among the top manufacturers and brands listed, Polk said. Its manufacturer loyalty rate rose 3.9 percentage points and its Ford brand loyalty rate rose 4.5 percentage points.

In 2010, Ford's U.S. sales for its brands rose 19.5 percent, and it overtook Toyota to be No. 2 in sales in the United States. Toyota sales fell 0.4 percent in 2010 in the U.S. market.

GM held on to the top spot for U.S. auto sales in 2010, and showed a rise of 7.2 percent from the previous year.

Honda was fourth in U.S. auto sales last year, when its sale rose 6.9 percent.

Overall, the U.S. auto industry showed an 11 percent gain in sales to 11.6 million, according to Autodata. (Reporting by Bernie Woodall; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

Listen here jackson - I don't appreciate the fact that you would think that no one appreciates your posts, talk about feeling unappreciated! So I would appreciate if you continue posting in hopes that one day you just might appreciate the importance and significance of living in America where you have the freedom and right to post your opinions, thoughts and making your appreciations known in a public forum, whether they are appreciated or not - damn it!

Alright then, thanks for posting. And thanks for reading this, I appreciate it.

Looking forward to your next post!

Biotechnology Stocks Advancing On Cephalon Takeover Offer

3/30/2011 11:24 AM ET

(RTTNews) - Biotechnology stocks have shown a strong upward move on Wednesday, with Cephalon (CEPH) leading the way higher after receiving a hostile takeover offer from Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX).

The strength among biotech stocks is reflected by the 2.8 percent gain currently being shown by the NYSE Arca Biotechnology Index, which has risen to a record intraday high.

Shares of Cephalon have shown a substantial upward move on the day, advancing by 28 percent. With the gain, the stock has risen to its best intraday level in over two years.

The gain by Cephalon comes after Valeant offered to acquire the company for $73 per share in cash, representing a total value of approximately $5.7 billion. The offer represents a 24 percent premium to Cephalon's closing price on Tuesday and a 29 percent premium over its 30-day trading average.

Amylin Pharmaceuticals (AMLN) is also turning in a strong performance, with the biopharmaceutical company currently up by 4.2 percent. Shares of Amylin are climbing further off a two-year closing low set last Wednesday.

Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR), Qiagen (QGEN) and Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN) are also posting notable gains, contributing to the strength in the sector.

by RTT Staff Writer

For comments and feedback: editorial@rttnews.com

Out of Office AutoReply: out to lunch will be back later to reply.

What your smelling is a winner!

Over 10x average volume and +73% on no news at this writing.

Something is going on, but I can't find anything specific.

Interesting site

http://medicalmarijuana.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=002481

Eureka! Put away the burgers, and take out the steaks!

Nice solid run

I'm keeping an eye on it as well. . . .

These might help too. . . . look for


the "fire breathing dragon" and very rare "black swan" formations

Weighing up the cost of nuclear power. . .



http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2011/mar/29/the-cost-of-nuclear-power

OriginOil to Pursue Seamless Integration with Algae System Vendors
New policy responds to customer demands for minimized vendors, improved efficiencies

Los Angeles, CA – March 28, 2011 – OriginOil, Inc. (OOIL), the developer of breakthrough technology to transform algae, the most promising source of renewable oil, into a true competitor to petroleum, today announced a new policy of seamless integration with other vendors, recognizing its strategic customers want to work with the fewest possible vendors.
Speaking today at the National Algae Association’s New York conference, OriginOil CEO Riggs Eckelberry said that technology proliferation has helped overcome critical barriers to commercialization, but that customers now want simplicity and integration.

“The algae industry is maturing fast,” Eckelberry observed. “We all need to become more efficient for our customers. We will now use product alliances, joint ventures, private labeling deals, licensing and acquisition to widen our offerings beyond our core technologies. That includes integration and support services – to offer true solutions to our strategic customers.”

Eckelberry said this policy would improve efficiency, centralize responsibility and leverage better prices for OriginOil’s direct customers, including Australia’s MBD Energy and Mexico’s Genesis Ventures, and other projects now in the works.

In his presentation, “Integrating the Algae Process for Producers”, Eckelberry highlighted areas in the algae value chain where OriginOil has innovated. He showed how OriginOil would fill gaps between its processes so as to widen product offerings. He said the company would start with the most obvious integration steps, such as the “pre-concentration” stage between algae dewatering and extraction.

Eckelberry said the new policy would apply only to OriginOil’s direct customers, adding that the company plans to pursue distribution agreements with companies that have global sales networks. He also predicted out-licensing agreements to put non-core technologies to work for specialized companies, while retaining usage rights for its own direct customer base.

“We’re confident that our partners will now reap even more value from OriginOil’s approach,” said Paul Reep, OriginOil’s senior VP of technology. “We have a team that knows technology transfer and licensing, and we plan to put it to work to develop integrated and efficient solutions for our customers and the entire industry.”

Consumer Demand for the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Continues to Outstrip Expectations; MKZ Range Excels for Choice and Dependability

5 minutes agoPR Newswire

DEARBORN, Mich., March 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --


Sales of the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid luxury sedan continue to exceed expectations. Having launched with a sales mix of approximately 15 percent within the MKZ model range, sales have continued to track at more than 20 percent since January 2011.

In addition to sales momentum, the MKZ Hybrid is proving popular for its other strengths, including fuel economy and top-rated dependability. No other four-door luxury sedan – gasoline, diesel or hybrid powertrain – can top the MKZ's certified 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway EPA rating.

Lincoln Dependability

Recently, Lincoln received the highest score for long-term durability among all vehicle brands in the annual J.D. Power and Associates 2011 Vehicle Dependability Study, the second-highest performing model for long-term durability in the entire study.

The study asked owners about their experience in the past 12 months with their three-year-old vehicles (for the 2011 study, 2008 model-year cars and trucks were surveyed). Survey respondents were asked to indicate any problems they experienced with their vehicle in the previous 12 months, choosing from a list of more than 200 issues in eight diverse categories.

The study also shows a strong link between reliability and purchase. Nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of new-vehicle buyers say reliability/durability is one of the most important factors in choosing a new vehicle. Additionally, the study found that fuel economy is among the top 10 purchase considerations.

Lincoln MKZ Choice

Lincoln was the first luxury automaker to offer a hybrid vehicle with the same base price as its gasoline counterpart. Both gasoline and hybrid versions of the MKZ have the same suggested retail price of $34,605.

That’s a value equation for the consumer that San Diego Lincoln dealer Ed Witt calls “huge.” He has delivered Lincoln MKZ Hybrids to customers who traded in other luxury brand vehicles as well as other hybrids. Witt’s store has delivered MKZ Hybrids to drivers of Toyota’s Prius and Lexus luxury vehicles, and has even taken BMWs in on trade for the car. One family, he said, traded in three cars and bought two Lincoln MKZ Hybrids.

To date, Witt has sold the most MKZ Hybrids out of any other Lincoln dealer in the United States since the vehicle's launch in October. “Potential customers are surprised by the Lincoln MKZ Hybrid’s quietness, comfort and power. They just love the performance,” says Witt.

Outfitted with Ford’s award-winning 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder engine, permanent magnet electric motor and eCVT transmission, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid delivers seamless performance. The gas-electric powertrain is rated at 191 horsepower.

MKZ’s interior has been laid out with an array of standard features, including real wood trim taken from sustainable forests, supple leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, and the award-winning SYNC voice-activated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system.

Lincoln is also the only luxury car brand to offer a THX® II Certified Audio System, bringing home theater sound quality to the MKX through 14 speakers strategically spread around the acoustically engineered cabin.

“Lincoln’s latest models continue to be well received by luxury car customers,” said C.J. O’Donnell, Lincoln group marketing manager. “The MKZ Hybrid is just the start of the journey we are taking in redefining the Lincoln brand and its new model range for the future. Lincoln uniquely blends the style today's luxury vehicle customers demand with impressive, clean, economical performance as well as a wide range of intuitive technologies and features.”

Riggs Eckelberry's New Energy

Besides Saving Planet Earth, Algae Can Improve Your Skin, Too
Posted: 27 Mar 2011 11:37 PM PDT
Most posts on this blog deal with the importance of our single-celled friends in solving really huge problems. But, suppose your skin looks old and tired? Turns out algae can help there too, according to San Francisco’s KGO-TV:

“We weren’t looking for this stuff at first,” said chief scientist Tony Day.

The stuff is alguronic acid — a discovery made by scientists at South San Francisco-based Solazyme. They weren’t looking for alguronic acid at first, but they were looking for other products they could squeeze out of continuing research into algae. A consultant told them to think outside the box — and consider anti-aging creams and lotions.

“Algae has to survive in harsh sunlight, nutrient depletion, they get washed up on the shore and they’re desiccated and they evolved to tolerate those kinds of environmental insults,” said Day.

This is one the unexpected uses for algae that begin to appear as we create more and more of it in commercial production. We’ll find interesting new ways to make money from it it–after it’s helped us save the world, of course.

humble2 - Form4
A document that must be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) whenever there is a material change in the holdings of company insiders. Insiders required to submit a Form 4 include directors and officers of the company as well as any shareholders owning 10% or more of the company's outstanding stock.
This two-page document covers any buy-and-sell orders on the open market as well as the exercise of company stock options. A Form 4 is mandatory within two business days starting from the end of the day the material transaction occurred. This filing is related to Form 3 and the Form 5, which also cover changes to the company insider holdings.

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/form4.asp

http://www.secform4.com/

Ford Motor Company - revived US powerhouse or minnow in the East?

http://www.stockopedia.co.uk/content/ford-motor-company-revived-us-powerhouse-or-minnow-in-the-east-55186/

Shares in Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) recently came off significantly following an earnings announcement that didn't quite match analysts' expectations. However, the shares have been a great investment over the past three years, rising from not much more than a dollar in 2008 to nearly USD 20 as stock exchanges recovered and Ford won market share in a recovering US auto market. With a USD56 bn market cap, it's a heavyweight share, with most analysts positive on the stock - so what went wrong to make the shares fall more than 12% in a single day?

On the positive side, Ford looks to have been doing well, having - unlike rivals Chrysler and GM - not taken bankruptcy as a route out of its problems. It's grown its market share for the past two years, with 16% of the market now, though there's still room for it to expand (its market share used to be around 20% in the 'good old days' before Japanese carmakers started making inroads). Toyota, in particular, seems to have lost market share in the US last year. That puts Ford well ahead of the competition. The company has also got one of the youngest product ranges on the market, with 26% of its models recently upgraded and a further 19% to be upgraded or rejuvenated this year. That's well ahead of GM, for a start. Ford's surging sales over the past couple of years can be seen as evidence that it's spending its upgrade money wisely - it's creating new models that consumers really want to buy.

The company has also been paying down its debt. Most car makers have considerable debt - Ford is not the only one - but few are making such good progress on repayments. Moody's raised its outlook on Ford's debt from stable to positive at the end of last year, though it's still two levels below investment grade, and singles out Ford's debt reduction strategy as one of the reasons for its positive opinion.

So why the plunge in the share price?

Industry fundamentals are certainly one reason behind the fall. Commodities prices and oil prices have been spiking northwards. Higher oil prices don't directly hurt Ford, but are likely to put consumers off purchasing cars - particularly discouraging the purchase of larger, less fuel efficient cars, which will make it difficult for car dealers to 'upsell'. At the same time, increasing metals prices increase carmakers' input costs. That's one reason Ford made a loss in Europe last quarter, apparently. And those sparkling new models have also led to increased design and production costs.

Ford's huge debt also needs to be factored in. Looking at the enterprise value, rather than market capitalisation - that is, including debt as well as equity in the financing equation - Ford doesn't seem nearly as cheap. On a PE basis, Ford trades below NYSE:GM but on an EV/EBITDA basis, because GM only has USD 8bn against Ford's USD 34bn debt, the comparison works in GM's favour.

Investors who are not convinced we're out of danger of a double-dip may well be trimming their exposure to such highly indebted stocks. After all, compared to previous recessions, one of the most interesting features of this one has been the fact that we've seen few forced debt for equity swaps... but if anything does go wrong at Ford, the banks could be in the driving seat, and that would leave shareholders highly diluted. (If you want to know just how nasty a debt for equity swap can look, consider the example of Eurotunnel).

The auto sector has been a graveyard for investors, and one of the reasons is its marginal profitability. The highest operating margin in the sector belongs to Indian stock Tata Motors, at just over 10%; most of the major carmakers are getting six or seven percent, with some coming in way below that. By comparison, NYSE:MSFT is getting operating margins of 40%; or to compare another manufacturing company, though in the tech not the automotive sector, Nasdaq:CSCO gets 21% operating profit on its sales.

Add to that the possibility of softer sales, and the impact on auto companies which have high operational gearing, and there's not much margin for error - if the car market catches a chill, those companies with low operating margins could quite easily see their next quarterly statements in red ink. Ford does have one of the better ratios - alongside NYSE:HMC and Nissan - but it's still pretty slim.

Looking further out, the big question for investors in the sector is where is the exposure to growth markets? It's interesting to look at the research from JD Power, which shows over the next year that - perhaps surprisingly - the US is the place to be for car sales. Power says that global auto sales are rising at 6%, ahead of global GDP growth, but North America is expected to be by a long way the fastest growing market next year.

That would seem to be good news for Ford, which has got the US very right indeed in the last couple of years. However, that's only looking at 2011 growth rates. A typical value investor wants to see the likelihood of a five or ten year growth trend. For that, emerging markets offer a more interesting play than the US. First of all, they have younger populations, which means more drivers reaching the age at which they can get their first licence and buy their first car. Market penetration is also way lower than in the West. In the US, there are 1022 cars per 1000 drivers - that's right, more than one car each. In India, there are only 25 cars per thousand drivers, and according to BASF, China, which had 24 per 1000 inhabitants in 2007, will still only have 102 cars per 1000 in 2020.

And the USD is no longer the world's biggest car market. That is now China, which is expected to see growth rates of 30% plus. Will Ford benefit from all this emerging markets growth? Possibly not, according to research fromGlobal Insight. In China, Ford ranks only thirteenth in the car market with a 3.5% share. It's GM which is raking in the renminbi, with a 14% market share making it the country's largest automaker. So while GM's share price reflects its loss of market share in the US market, the company is presumably likelier to see its growth coming elsewhere.

Investors in Ford will be presumably watching with interest to see if it can raise its game in the East. Is it this concern that lead to the recent change in sentiment or more general anxieties about the oil price and its impact on the US economy? One reason to suggest that it may be the former is the way in which Ford traded up again this week, after announcing big plans for its Asian expansion. According to Zacks, it plans to introduce 8 new models in Southeast Asia over the next 5 years in order to boost its market share from 3% at present and will invest 7 billion yuan ($1.1 billion) in China in order to expand production capacity, amongst other measures. Shares in Ford were up 3.6% this week by Friday's close.

How's your Friday?

On Wednesday, I talked with Matt Miller and Carol Massar on Bloomberg Television's "Street Smart."
(Watch the broadcast here http://www.vimeo.com/21461034 .)

We discussed the price of algae, which we know is still very high.

But Matt thought we might not be so far off now — with some analysts predicting $200/barrel oil by the end of the YEAR...

On the nuclear front, I talked about Japan's own algae efforts, which will likely get a big boost from the situation there.

And with nuclear's future in grave doubt, I predicted a fossil fuel boom, especially in natural gas... which in turn would drive the need for the world's most efficient CO2 absorber: algae.

MoneyTV - Focus and Policy

Yesterday on MoneyTV (watch it here http://www.vimeo.com/21489320 ), I discussed the need for focus to stay on top of our latest successes.

I'll be discussing our policy direction this Monday in New York, at the National Algae Association's conference. Our pioneering algae customers want a united vendor offering. The algae industry needs to integrate and consolidate. That's the next big trend, and more on this very soon. http://www.nationalalgaeassociation.com/

Have a great weekend!

Riggs and team

Riggs Eckelberry
President & CEO
OriginOil, Inc. (OOIL)

Huntsman Co. (HUN) Posts Large Volume Increase, Hits $17.43
March 25th, 2011 • View Comments • Filed Under • by ABMN Staff

http://www.americanbankingnews.com/2011/03/25/huntsman-co-hun-posts-large-volume-increase-hits-17-43/


Shares of Huntsman Co. (HUN) saw unusually high trading volume on Friday. Approximately 3,546,287 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 27.40% from the previous session. The stock last traded at $17.43.

Separately, analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) raised their price target on shares of Huntsman Co. from $14.00 to $18.00 in a research note to investors on Monday, February 28th. They now have a “neutral” rating on the stock. Also, analysts at Macquarie initiated coverage on shares of Huntsman Co. in a research note to investors on Friday, January 28th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $20.00 price target on the stock.

Huntsman Corporation is a manufacturer of differentiated organic chemical products and of inorganic chemical products. The Company operates all of its businesses through its 100% owned subsidiary, Huntsman International LLC (Huntsman International). The Company's products comprise a range of chemicals and formulations, which it markets globally to a group of consumer and industrial customers. The Company operates through five segments: Polyurethanes, Advanced Materials, Textile Effects, Performance Products and Pigments. On June 23, 2009, the Company acquired the Baroda Division of Metrochem Industries Ltd.

Shares of Huntsman Co. traded up 3.76% during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $17.37. Huntsman Co. has a 52 week low of $8.17 and a 52 week high of $19.10. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $17.33 and its 200-day moving average is $14.91. The company has a market cap of $4.164 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 146.84.

Huntsman Co. last announced its quarterly results on Thursday, February 17th. The company reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the previous quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $0.20 EPS by $0.04. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $0.27 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 16.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Huntsman Co. will post $0.42 EPS next quarter.

Mind Technologies, Inc. Seeks to Partner with Global Gaming and Software Developer for Worldwide Distribution of Thought Controlled Technology Applications
3/23/11PR Newswire

CARDIFF, Calif., March 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mind Technologies, Inc. (http://mindtechnologiesinc.com) (Pink Sheets: JEDM), announced this morning that once successful completion of Mind Technologies' new EEG headset has been achieved, the Company has plans for a world-wide marketing effort to bring the headset and applications to markets around the world.

Work on the EEG headset is on schedule and the Company expects to announce a release date soon. Mind Technologies plans to partner with a global gaming software developer for a sales and marketing agreement that would span the globe. Initially, the Company's application "Master Mind" will be marketed and distributed with other applications to follow.

Master Mind is a revolutionary gaming application that allows users to play their favorite PC games with the power of their mind. Existing PC games such as World of Warcraft and Call of Duty can now be played with the power of your mind, rather than using the traditional computer keyboard and mouse.

"We are very excited about the new level our Company is heading," said Brent Fouch, President and CEO of Mind Technologies, Inc. "Once we complete the EEG headset and begin global marketing of our products, it will truly take our Company to the next level and make us a global player. Master Mind can be used to play any sort of PC game so this gives it a global appeal," Fouch said.

And thank you Professor Whoopee . . . .

Edmunds: Ford's US New-Vehicle Sales May Top GM In March

12 minutes agoDow Jones

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES

Edmunds.com predicted Ford Motor Co. (F) would sell more new vehicles in the U.S. than any other auto maker in March, as crosstown rival General Motor Co.'s (GM) results would likely be constricted by a pullback in incentive spending.

The car-shopping website estimated Ford would sell 210,400 units in March, 2,000 more than GM. If the beat were to occur, it would be the second victory for Ford in at least 50 years, excluding strike impacts. Ford last sold more vehicles than GM in February 2010.

"GM seems to have pulled back on incentives in March and could suffer a sales hangover through the next few months, given that the company's earlier offers have been quite generous and may have pulled ahead future sales," said senior analyst Jessica Caldwell.

Broadly, Edmunds estimates U.S. new-vehicle sales will rise 12% in March from a year ago, with five of the six major auto makers expected to report higher sales. Toyota Motor Corp. (TM, 7203.TO), which halted some production in North America as a result of parts shortages stemming from the earthquake in Japan, was expected to post a 6.7% decline.

March sales are expected to increase 10% for Ford and 6.7% for GM. Stronger growth was projected for Chrysler Group LLC, Honda Motor Co. (HMC, 7267.TO) and Nissan Motor Co. (NSANY, 7201.TO).

The industry has benefited from improved sales of trucks and other large vehicles, a trend that has continued for months. The pickup in new-vehicle sales comes after the industry suffered mightily during the financial crisis, although the annual sales pace is still off from what was considered normal prior to the last few years.

Edmunds estimated that March's seasonally adjusted annualized rate, or SAAR, would be 13.1 million, down from about 13.4 million in February.

It also estimated that average auto incentives in the U.S. were $2,321 per vehicle sold in March, down 9.5% from February and 18% lower than a year ago.

March had 27 selling days, one more than last year.

-By John Kell, Dow Jones Newswires; 212-416-2480; john.kell@dowjones.com

Reminds me, it's time for my meds

Ye of little faith