Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Register for free to join our community of investors and share your ideas. You will also get access to streaming quotes, interactive charts, trades, portfolio, live options flow and more tools.
Datawatch Strengthens Sales and Services Team to Take Advantage of the Growing Need for Integration of BI and Content Management
February 05, 2008 09:00 AM Eastern Time
CHELMSFORD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Datawatch Corporation (NASDAQ-CM: DWCH), a leader in Enterprise Information Management (EIM), today announced three key promotions and appointments to help the Company take advantage of the significant opportunity in the EIM market. BI market consolidation in 2007 has reinforced the need for a solution that bridges the gap between BI and Enterprise Content Management (ECM) and delivers on the promise of pervasive BI at a fraction of the time, cost and complexity.
As the need for BI and ECM solutions continues to grow, the industry is demanding that the two markets converge. The solution is EIM: the process of simplifying access to information from wherever it resides to help companies do a better job of quickly capturing and analyzing data so that they benefit from the right information, in the right context, at the right time. Only Datawatch—with report mining solutions that bridge the gap between the BI and ECM markets by transforming existing business documents and reports into live, actionable data—gives customers exactly what they need to solve their business challenges now.
“For years, businesses have recognized the need for quick and easy to use data analytic tools, as well as the ability to analyze archived business documents such as reports, but have been unable to find a solution that effectively does both without countless hours of end-user training and IT support,” said Ken Bero, Datawatch president and CEO. “Recent BI market consolidation has caused greater confusion about how best to solve the problem, and, as a result, has created an even more significant opportunity for Datawatch. We’ve been closely watching the market, and we know that current business challenges demand much greater flexibility in BI and ECM solutions than most leading vendors can offer. We’re investing in our sales and services team in order to help the Company more effectively take advantage of the significant opportunity in the EIM space.”
The Executive Team:
As part of Datawatch’s go to market strategy, the sales and services management team includes the following new promotions and appointments:
* Robert Clemens: In January of 2008, Bob assumed the role of vice president of worldwide sales for Datawatch. Bob joined Datawatch in April 2007, and since that time, he has restructured the Company’s North American sales organization and has taken on an increasingly broad role in the executive management of the Company. In his new position, Bob is responsible for leading the Company's worldwide sales strategy, including managing the direct and indirect sales and pre-sales organizations, improving customer relationships and identifying new market segments and customer solution requirements leading to opportunities for future sales growth. He has more than 25 years of experience in the technology industry, in both hardware and software companies, selling departmental and enterprise solutions to the Fortune 1000, SMB market and Government. He also has expertise in developing and managing Distribution and VAR/System Integrator relationships.
* Robert Sarno: In November of 2007, Bob assumed the role of vice president of worldwide services and support. Formerly serving as the director of North American enterprise sales and services, Bob is now responsible for developing and strengthening the Company's worldwide consulting services and product support organization, enhancing partner relationships to drive the adoption of Datawatch technology and managing post-sale support, including maintenance renewals, professional services and technical support.
* Darrin Christensen: In January of 2008, Darrin Christensen joined Datawatch as the vice president of North American sales. Darrin is responsible for the North American sales and pre-sales organizations, as well as all sales and pre-sales activity in North America. In his former role at Iron Mountain, Darrin was responsible for managing the Company’s digital service line performance business in the mid-Atlantic region, growing revenues from $500K to $16M over five years. Darrin has over 16 years of experience selling and managing sales teams in the software and technology environment, and his expertise will be key to building a robust sales team capable of driving Datawatch’s continued growth as the EIM market expands.
ABOUT DATAWATCH CORPORATION
Datawatch Corporation (NASDAQ-CM: DWCH), a leader in Enterprise Information Management, helps companies make better decisions and solve business problems by simplifying access to information. Unique among EIM vendors, Datawatch transforms the massive amounts of data and documents generated inside or outside a company into actionable insight, without any changes needed to existing systems. Datawatch customers benefit from the right information, in the right context, at the right time. More than 20,000 organizations worldwide rely on Datawatch products including its market-leading Monarch report and data mining solutions. Founded in 1985, Datawatch is based in Chelmsford, Mass., with offices in London, Sydney and Manila. For more information, visit www.datawatch.com.
Datawatch, the Datawatch logo and Monarch are trademarks or registered trademarks of Datawatch Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080205005273&newsLang=en
High Five, Tina!!!..or should we say..."High Ten"!
Getting ready to break back above $10. em
If ARAY's $25M stock buyback isn't already completed, I'd imagine they'd be kickin' it in right about now.
http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2007/08/27/daily54.html
Accuray's Cancer Blaster vs. Intuitive's Surgical Robot
this article may have already been posted here, but didn't see it doing a quick check
January 09, 2008
The stock market is presenting all kinds of buying opportunities that are catching my interest this week, but the one dynamic that stood out most for me on Tuesday was the dramatic difference between the performance of two companies in my portfolio that sell high tech products that both do essentially the same thing, but in very different ways.
Accuray (ARAY) is the maker of the Cyberknife, a targeted radiation machine for cancer treatments that has been called the "Cancer Blaster" by newsletter touts who enthusiastically recommend the stock. Though useful for all kinds of radiation treatments, the argument for this more advanced machine is that it can track moving tumors and spare nearby tissue, making it particularly popular for prostate and lung cancers (since the lungs, you know, move, and the prostate is in, shall we say, a very delicate area of the body).
Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) is the maker of the da Vinci surgical robot, whose core market is prostate surgery (though other surgeries, including mitral valve heart surgery and gynecological applications, are growing fast). The strongest rationale for fast growth in the use of this robot a couple years ago was that prostate surgery with the da Vinci spared those same "delicate areas" near the prostate in a way that open surgery often did not ... though it certainly also has other advantages over open surgery, and, depending on the surgeon (and who you ask) over traditional laparoscopic surgery.
Accuray was up close to 10% on Tuesday, and Intuitive Surgical was down about 8% as of my last check that day. Why is that?
Well, it's certainly true that ISRG is much more steeply-valued, being one of the top performers on the Nasdaq for all of last year, and there are huge numbers of shareholders, myself included, who have a cost basis several hundred percent below the current price, which makes these shares a target for profit taking when shareholders start to panic that we're entering a recession and/or a prolonged bear market. Even the most enthusiastic shareholder would have a hard time arguing that ISRG is a bargain, even down $70 from its high, with a forward P/E of about 60.
And Accuray is, on the face of it, much cheaper - this much newer public company (IPOd over the summer last year), has much lighter penetration in the marketplace, and has some competitors who offer somewhat similar products (as opposed to the da Vinci, which has the multipurpose surgical robot space more or less to itself). It trades at a forward P/E of about 20, though there's no track record to encourage investors to believe that those analyst estimates are anywhere near accurate (earnings have fluctuated widely, as has the stock for its brief history).
On Tuesday ISRG was downgraded by Wachovia, which noted that hospital capital spending might be at some risk this year, and that expectations for this highflier are quite optimistic. That's probably the most immediate reason for Tuesday's price cut, though general analyst concern and valuation jitters are probably the reason for the overall price cut from the high of $350 back in December to Tuesday's price of around $280. ISRG still depends on sales of new systems for much of its revenue, though its recurring revenues from parts and services are growing faster and will be the future engine of the company, so if the company has a bad quarter and sell fewer systems than predicted, it would not be at all surprising if the shares fell dramatically, as it has happened several times before.
I'm not sure about any specific impetus for the ARAY move, although I do know that at least one newsletter is still actively pushing it, and the CEO did speak at the big JP Morgan conference in L.A. on Tuesday morning (that conference has been moving stocks right and left, as usual, so that's probably the main move. I haven't been watching, but perhaps the company was mentioned on CNBC). Add to that the general urge of investors to move to healthcare as a defensive move, and I guess ARAY is riding the trend.
I'm holding shares in both of these companies because companies that fight cancer will be facing a huge secular tailwind with the aging population over the next thirty years, and devices that are more advanced are popular with hospitals even when they cost millions of dollars. I've seen the da Vinci advertised by hospitals for years by proud owner hospitals, which has clearly pressured its competitors to also pick up the robot, and more recently I'm also seeing some ads for the Cyberknife from hospitals around the country. At this stage in its growth, with a more expensive machine that is in many fewer hospitals, I presume that Accuray is likely to get more of a boost from the fact that the Cyberknife still truly gives hospitals a dramatic competitive advantage in drawing oncologists and cancer patients.
So I still like both firms. To me, ISRG seems to be the company with a more dominant presence, though it doesn't compete directly, and it has a much steadier potential earnings stream due to the importance of "disposable" attachments and accessories for the da Vinci that must be replaced frequently, and it's priced accordingly. ARAY appears to have a higher growth potential because, if the value of the Cyberknife continues to be borne out through more studies, it has a huge green field of hospitals who will need to buy it, but it's cheaper because the company has more direct competition, it's newer, and relies almost entirely on device revenue, and has much less hope of a strong recurring income stream from accessories and attachments (though there is some).
Indeed, the newsletter touts talk about ARAY as the "next ISRG," and in some ways that argument is compelling. By some measures, ARAY is where ISRG was a few years ago. Whether it will ever get to where ISRG is today is another matter, but I've got a bet in place that both will do very well over the coming decade.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/59527-accuray-s-cancer-blaster-vs-intuitive-s-surgical-robot?source=yahoo
Bellwetherreport.com: Accuray Incorporated Corporate News: Second Quarter of Fiscal 2008 Financial Results
[February 01, 2008]
Today Bellwether Report has identified Accuray Incorporated
(NASDAQ:ARAY), a company that our analysts will be tracking over the ensuing weeks. They recently came out with a significant corporate development on Wednesday January 30, 2008, causing a short term market correction. For a full report......
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2008/02/01/3243466.htm
Hi Tina,
We should do well from here!
GL
Bill
CyberKnife works.
I know the hope it can offer and the mordern day miracle that it is.
It's good to be in this stock.
There I go breaking the 'don't get attached' lol, but win or lose this one, I'll still be here to trade. The exception.
Yeah, it sure is.
Looks like the whole thing might be coming back to life.
Looks like they might the whole thing might be coming back to life.
Sprint Nextel in joint venture talks with Clearwire: report
Forward this email
By Wallace Witkowski MarketWatch
1/29/2008 01:31:10 PM
SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- Sprint Nextel Corp. revived talks to form a joint venture with Clearwire Corp. to build a WiMax technology-based high-speed wireless network, The Wall Street Journal reported on its Web site Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The joint venture is expected to bring in outside funding from such companies as Intel Corp. , Google Inc. , and Best Buy Co. Shares of Sprint Nextel rose 6.8% to $10.65 and Clearwire shares climbed 19.3% to $14.85 in afternoon trading.
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid={4909AA1B-A13D-4EC5-A99D-EFD24F1F2BCB}&siteid=nbs
I'm completely with ya on DISK.
gl
Bill
DISK holding up into close so far. em
Hey Sonar,
I haven't looked closely at ERS for about half a year.
There are two points I would check out in more detail:
1.) According to SEC filings ERS has had a very close relationship with Hulett Aluminium Pty (of South Africa) over e years and has regularly been importing over half of there aluminium from them.
Last time I took a glance there was some announcement that Hulett was reviewing its relationship with ERS. If I remember correctly, no decision were to be made within a 12 month period.....but it came across as an indication that there relationship may very well be coming to an end imho.
That is already probably reflected in the current pps.
2.) Assuming ERS hasn't drastically changed it's business operations in the last 7 or 8 months, with some minor exception it is basically an aluminum 'import' and sales company.
The weakening of the USD has probably been a disadvantage to it. That combined with US economic slowdown would probably offer poor guidance for them (actually they have historically been very poor communicators with shareholders - there may be no kind of guidance other than what the have to disclose in the 10K.)
Finally, as you have probably already seen, they have poor liquidity in volume..........but a very tiny float that sometimes really moves that pps nicely up and down (hard to get shares to short on the downside though).
In a fast market downturn, ERS pps offers the possibility of dropping much more than it reasonably should. That may offer nice opportunities for short term trades. all imho of course.
ERS is still on my radar, but I need to catch up on the most recent Filing/pr's/articles.
If you find anything interesting, would appreciate if you can post it here.
GL bro!
br,
Bill
ot: Yayaa, Why is a seasoned trader that signed onto IHub in 2000 not 'grandfathered'. Is it some sort of non-compliance nonsense?
Recently some new IHub admin was posting his personal views on the CLWR board. Then he deleted the posts of another poster, who although was confrontational, draws the question of should IHub admins be posting their personal views on boards at all and then deleting posts although there is already an active moderator.
Then on the other hand who really gives a crap!
br, happiness & profits,
Bill
Chase ends with officers using Taser on drug suspect who ran
Graham Cawthon
January 24, 2008 - 12:34AM
KINGSTOWN — A weekend police chase resulted in a 20-year-old Kingstown man being tasered and arrested for possession of more than 40 grams of marijuana.
According to Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office documents, Deputy B.J. Jones began following a silver Honda Accord on Kingstown Road around 10:30 p.m. Saturday after he noticed the car being driven “erratically and (the driver) failing to maintain lane.”
The driver failed to stop at a stop sign and, when he did pull over, ran from Jones.
“I yelled several times, ‘stop running,’ and the driver continued to flee,” Jones wrote in his report.
Jones wrote that the chase went on for about 50 feet before he used his Taser to stop the suspect, later identified as Avery Cornelius Stroud.
....
http://www.shelbystar.com/news/jones_28235___article.html/stroud_stop.html
City OK's purchase of tasers for police (MI)
January 24, 2008
Resolution adopted with one nay vote
By Elaine Burnett, Special Writer
January 24, 2008
Ypsilanti City Council members last Thursday night continued discussion over the purchase of Tasers for the city's police force.
The resolution to purchase a number of Tasers for the city's police force was adopted with Councilman Brian Robb, D-3rd Ward, casting the lone dissenting vote.
During City Council's last meeting, Police Chief Matt Harshberger was asked to do some more research on the effects and cost of providing Tasers to officers.
"I had a little homework assignment from the last time that we meet concerning the Tasers. I pretty much have concluded that homework assignment," Harshberger said.
Harshberger passed out packets to the members of Council and to the audience to look over, while he made his presentation to them.
"The packet that I handed out has the letter that I received from the Michigan Municipal league of loss Control Services," he said.
Some of the city council member had questions and comments about the Taser information Harshberger presented.
Lois Richardson, D-1st Ward, asked Harshberger what actions would be taken if an officer used the Taser inappropriately.
Harshberger said that if an officer used a Taser inappropriately then they would face disciplinary action.
"The Taser policy actually spells that out for inappropriate use and they also will lose their right and privilege, I should say, to use the Taser."
Harshberger said that officers should only use Tasers in physical situations.
In contrast, Richardson asked about Taser training for officers.
"It's a six-hour block where they will be recommended. They learn basically the entire policy from page to page to page," he said. "They learn the use of the weapon and they go through scenario-based training, and then we do hands on where they actually have to discharge two to four cartridges and then it is recommended that they experience a Taser on themselves, which I will be taken," he said.
Harshberger pointed out the restrictions for using the Taser to the City Council members from the packet.
"The Taser should not be used on subjects that an officer believes to be less 15 years of age unless is the only the reasonable force option available to the officer," he said.
"The Taser should not be used on a known, or obviously, pregnant woman unless the circumstances of situation are so grave that intervention with the Taser is the only way to safely assist the woman or take her into custody."
The policy also states that the Taser should not be used on a person who appears to be elderly.
Robb made some comments saying, "I guess the comment I would make is we're in the middle of a meeting and we're finally getting this information.
I do not want to have the approval of the policy; that's not what I'm asking for, but I would at least like to have been given the chance to look at our policy contrasting against say the International Association of Chiefs of police or other colleagues that I have in industry."
Robb added that making a policy decision without the information would not be effective.
"I'm not going to ask that this be tabled again because I know how that vote is going to end up.
"The message to the city manager would be if the information is not available by the beginning of the meeting it should be pulled from the agenda," Robb said.
http://www.ypsilanticourier.com/stories/012408/loc_20080124003.shtml
Taser Targets Gov't for Stun-Gun Sale
Wednesday January 23, 1:26 pm
Taser Paid Wexler & Walker $240,000 in 2007 to Lobby for Federal Purchase of Stun Guns
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Stun-gun maker Taser International Inc. paid Wexler & Walker Public Policy Associates $120,000 in the second half of 2007 to lobby the federal government, according to a disclosure form.
The firm lobbied for the purchase and use of the company's weapons by the federal law enforcement and military agencies, according to the form posted online Friday by the Senate's public records office. Taser paid the firm $120,000 in the first six months of 2007 to lobby on the same issues.
Beside Congress, the firm lobbied the Homeland Security, Justice and Defense departments.
Tom Blank, former acting deputy administrator for the Transportation Security Administration, was among those lobbying for the Scottsdale, Ariz.-based company.
Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995. They must register with Congress within 45 days of being hired or engaging in lobbying.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/fn/5478744.html
http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080123/taser_lobbying.html?.v=1
PSNI Wants Tasers (IRELAND)
January 23, 2008
By Barry McCaffrey
HUMAN rights groups across the North have called on the PSNI to suspend the introduction of a controversial stun gun following the weekend death of a man in England in disputed circumstances.
The PSNI was heavily criticized earlier this month when it announced that it was going ahead with the introduction of controversial taser stun guns, despite opposition from the North’s Policing Board.
However, Chief Constable Hugh Orde said he was going ahead with the introduction of tasers as it was an “operational matter.”
Human rights groups pointed to the fact that more than 250 people have died as a result of tasers in North America.
Last weekend 31-year-old Justin Petty became the first man in Britain to die as a result of an incident involving tasers. He was shot with a taser after he allegedly threatened police officers before running back into his home where he was discovered with “self-inflicted injuries.”
Relatives for Justice spokeswoman Clara Reilly, whose group campaigns against the use of plastic bullets in Northern Ireland, called for an immediate halt to the introduction of tasers.
“In recent months we have been forced by Chief Constable Hugh Orde and others to listen to arguments about the alleged non-lethal status of tasers and undermining international human rights arguments, stating that our concerns are ‘exaggerated’ and, most sickeningly, how these weapons will enhance’ policing here.
“This is repugnant. We know that a weapon that has caused more than 70 deaths in the U.S. and which delivers 50,000 volts of electricity is not a step forward for our society,” Reilly said.
Amnesty International has also called for more research to be undertaken before tasers are introduced in Northern Ireland.
“At the minute we are not sure the taser can be a lethal weapon,” said spokeswoman Fiona Smyth.
However, the PSNI said it intends to go ahead with the introduction of the stun gun.
“Taser remains a preferable alternative to shooting someone with live ammunition, where the risk to life or serious injury remains much greater,” a spokesperson for the force said.
http://www.irishabroad.com/news/irish-voice/news/Articles/PSNI-Wants-Tasers260108.aspx
Gonzales Police issued Taser stun guns
By Wade McIntyre, The Weekly Citizen
Wednesday, January 23, 2008 9:30 AM CST
Half of the Gonzales Police Department has been issued Taser stun guns after taking a ten-hour training course in the use of electroshock weapons that can stun a targeted subject by firing electrodes at the end of long thin wires.
Police Chief Bill Landry said the remainder of the city police force will begin taking the course conducted by Steve Nethken and then be issued weapons as well.
"Tasers are a new tool in law enforcement that hopefully will eliminate officer and public injury," Landry said. "Too many times in the past officers have suffered injuries when doing arrests."
The Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office and Sorrento Police Department already use Tasers, according to Landry.
In the training course, each officer was instructed in proper use of the stun guns, and required to receive a 5-second shot with a Taser emitting 50,000 volts. The voltage is the amount used to incapacitate a suspect long enough to secure them, Landry said.
Taser guns work by emitting electronic signals that interrupt the bodies superficial muscle functions when a suspect is struck by the wire.
http://www.ascensioncitizen.com/articles/2008/01/23/news/news05.txt
Mississippi PD Taser Training / Results and Reasons for Using Taser
January 23, 2008
Police department gets zapped during training; local voluntarily stung
By Leslie N. Dees
“It’s a little bit worse than sticking your tongue to a bug zapper,” Randolph Cheek, a Kosciusko resident, said Thursday afternoon, Jan. 17, after he voluntarily subjected himself to the Kosciusko Police Department’s black-silver X26 TASER.
Cheek, who was zapped in the shoulder, said he just wanted to see what it felt like.
He said he could feel the electronic pulses popping but he was totally immobile.
Cheek was not the only one to feel the taser’s sting last week.
As part of being trained to operate and carry the tasers, members of the KPD were also subjected to a zapping of the taser. Police officers went through a course that included a safety briefing, taser exposure, eight-hour course, including the operation of the taser and proper use and orientation and finally, hands on taser training.
The KPD has 16 tasers, one for each of its patrolmen, and additional tasers will be added to the department by October.
According to information found on taser.com, the TASER X26 uses a replaceable cartridge containing compressed nitrogen to deploy two small probes that are attached to the TASER X26 by insulated conductive wires.
The site also stated that the TASER X26 transmits electrical pulses along the wires and into the body affecting the sensory and motor functions of the peripheral nervous system. The energy can penetrate up to two cumulative inches of clothing, or one inch per probe.
“One of the reasons Chief (R.J. Adams) decided to have them, the injury rate to citizens has dropped by 50 percent or better,” Sgt. Pete Belk, who is a certified taser trainer, said.
Belk added the rate of worker’s compensation claims as well as duty related shootings have gone down greatly in number and a significant number of lives have been saved due to taser usage.
“Instead of having to wrestle or fight a subject or possibly shoot a subject, now you can taser them and it could save their life,” Belk said.
Belk said if officers are in a situation where a subject has lethal weapons, such as a knife or gun, the officer would probably not use the taser.
He added that the officers don’t want to have to use their weapons but every situation is different.
“The taser is a less lethal device but doesn’t replace lethal force,” Belk said. “In some communities that is a big misconception – ‘They have their tasers now. They won’t have to shoot anybody.’ ”
Belk said right now there is a lot of controversy over the taser and the power it produces.
He said just about every claim against tasers, where a person has died that there has always been something such as a pre-existing medical condition or drugs involved.
This week, Belk said they have tased 22 people, two who have been treated for heart conditions and they have had no ill effects.
When the probes are deployed there are 1,200 volts produced and through clothing a person being shocked would actually get 1/4 of a volt and 0.0021 amps, Belk said.
To put it in perspective, Belk said the average light socket produces 110 volts and 16 amps.
Belk added it’s the amps that do the damage not the volts.
“It’s immediate incapacitation and immediate recovery,” Adams said.
The tasers are also equipped with a video camera.
Adams said it keeps officers aware of what they are doing and helps to make good officers better.
The tasers were purchased for $19,805 and officers must get re-certified each year.
http://www.starherald.net/local/local_story_023094944.html
Tasers work well here, say authorities
Alexandria Echo Press - 01/23/2008
It’s been about four years since tasers were implemented in both the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and the Alexandria Police Department.
And so far, they are most often used as a deterrent or tool to de-escalate a situation, not as a weapon.
“The presence of a taser is what gets compliance, not the deployment of a taser,” said Douglas County Sheriff Troy Wolbersen.
Police Chief Rick Wyffels says the tasers are great tools and provides officers with a less hands-on approach to handling potentially dangerous situations.
With the recent taser-related death in the Twin Cities area, the newspaper wanted to find out what local law enforcement officers thought about the guns, which produce 50,000 volts of electricity at a low ampage.
Wolbersen said when a taser is used, the situation has to warrant it; like if there is an imminent threat to a deputy or the situation becomes confrontational.
For example, if a subject is not compliant with orders or verbal commands and acts belligerent toward the deputy, the taser may be taken out of its holster as a means of force. However, Wolbersen said it is not used as a means of punishment, but as a means of getting the subject to comply with the law enforcement officer.
.......
http://www.echopress.com/articles/index.cfm?id=53136§ion=news
Police call Tasers a useful deterrent
Attack on officer cited as case in which stun gun would have helped
By DENNIS YUSKO, Staff writer
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
SARATOGA SPRINGS -- The alleged assault of city patrolman John Kehoe outside a bar on Caroline Street over the weekend is the type of incident in which police could use Taser guns, officials said.
The department recently equipped some supervisors -- sergeants and lieutenants -- with four of the controversial electrical shock weapons and eventually wants to train all staff to use them, Public Safety Commissioner Ronald Kim said.
The bright-yellow TASER X26 models were tested by city police last year and will be used to deter aggressive behavior such as the incident just after 4 a.m. Sunday in the city's bar district, Police Assistant Chief Christopher Cole said.
That's when Kehoe responded alone to a fight on Caroline Street and allegedly was punched in the face by John Baumgardner of Ballston Spa. The officer was treated at Saratoga Hospital for a deep jaw bruise, Cole said.
Baumgardner, 21, was charged with felony second-degree assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, police said. Subduing him with one of the department's Tasers would have been a viable option, Cole said, but Kehoe wasn't armed with one and the shift supervisor who had a Taser was busy on another call.
"We would use them for the sole purpose of trying to minimize injuries to officers, suspects and innocent bystanders," he said.
But Tasers can injure, critics of the devices say.
The weapon immobilizes its victims through powerful, five-second electrical jolts. They can be applied directly to a person's skin or released through barbed electrical wires.
A report by Amnesty International USA in October linked 275 deaths in the United States to Tasers used by law enforcement officers. There have been no deaths locally. The U.S. Justice Department is investigating Taser deaths, and a report is due next year.
A growing number of local police departments have recently acquired Tasers. Departments in Watervliet, Scotia, Glenville and Schenectady have purchased or decided to purchase Tasers since 2006.
Saratoga Springs bought four guns, holsters and cartridges from the TASER company for more than $850 each. Presently, nine sergeants and three lieutenants are trained and certified to use them.
Police brass researched past accounts of people hurt by Tasers but decided that the benefits of them outweighed the risks if they were used properly, Cole said.
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=657502&category=REGION&newsdate=1/23/2008
Well said. Exactly how it is imo also. em
Thanks, KauaiPI.
I don't know how many or how often law suits are filed, but with the products TASR sells and the "I'll sue you" mentality, one would imagine it's a fairly common occurrence.
Will try to run a check on it later.
br,
Bill
Agreed.
They also have great potential, like a military contract or some other positive impact event
With the markets the way they are though I'm not in a hurry to jump back in.
Bill
USU: Most active options contracts on Tuesday
USU - Shares in Usec:
12:53pm 01/22/2008
USU, the producer of so-called "Low-enriched uranium" (LEU) for nuclear power plants, slid another 2% to $7.34 this morning. Usec shares were trading as high as $25.65 in May of this year but have steadily declined amid downside earnings surprises from the company. Today we observed option traders move en masse to freshly short February at-the-money calls at the $7.50 strike, taking the 40-cent premium in apparent confidence that its shares will not make a new pass above current levels before February's expiration. Heading into today, option traders held more than twice as many call positions as puts, which is often a sign of prevailing bullish sentiment, but the cataclysmic erosion of its share price - and the fact that option traders are pricing in 25% more price risk to Usec shares than its already apparent in that price erosion - tells a different story.
http://www.marketwatch.com/News/Story/Story.aspx?guid={D2A15E82-B59D-4D47-9749-DD367DF26610}&siteid=nbs
Smith & Wesson suspends financial outlook
Tuesday, January 22, 2008 - 10:06 AM EST
Boston Business Journal
Gun-maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. has suspended providing financial guidance for the remainder of its 2008 fiscal cycle, which ends in April, the company said Tuesday.
Michael F. Golden, president and CEO of the Springfield, Mass.-based company, blamed an "unsettled" business climate for the move.
"We, like many other companies doing business today, find ourselves in an uncertain business environment. We remain firmly convinced that our established strategy to grow our core firearms business and to continue to look for opportunities to diversify the company into new areas of safety, security, protection and sport is the correct strategy. What has changed, and it has changed profoundly, is the fact that the current business and economic environments are extremely unsettled," Golden said in a statement.
Smith & Wesson had previously projected a net sales increase of 28 percent over fiscal year 2007 at approximately $300 million in Dec. 6 report. The company also expected a net sales increase in the third quarter of fiscal year 2008 of approximately 5 to 10 percent.
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2008/01/21/daily20.html?ana=from_rss
SWHC: Merriman Cuts to Neutral from Buy; Analyst Notes
Tuesday , January 22, 2008 11:49ET
Issuer: Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NasdaqNM: SWHC)
Analyst Firm: Merriman Curhan Ford & Co.
Ratings Action: DOWNGRADE
Current Rating: Neutral (from Buy)
http://www.knobias.com/story.htm?eid=3.1.c12930f8e092cf8ea8e1a778334204fa1b9bb90b9727630dc87f6ad907e0a24a
Olive Twp. lawmaker wants to allow public to carry Tasers
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Forget pepper spray or concealed weapons.
State Rep. Arlan Meekhof, R-Olive Township, said Monday he thinks Tasers should be a new option for state residents who want to protect themselves from strangers and intruders.
The devices, non-lethal weapons that use cords to shock, are starting to become common across the country, he said.
However, with the exception of police departments, that's not the case here.
"Michigan is one of five states that doesn't allow personal protection with Tasers," Meekhof said.
As a result, he plans to introduce a package of bills soon that will allow the public to use them.
The legislation would include what training would be required and what the licensing process would entail, Meekhof said. It would resemble Michigan's current concealed weapon law.
He gave a brief preview of his proposal Monday during the Governmental Affairs Breakfast sponsored in part by the Holland Area Chamber of Commerce.
Meekhof, who just completed his first year as a representative, said some local people approached him about the issue.
Their concerns, he said, stem from the holiday shopping season, a time when early morning sales brought many people out to the stores in the dark.
Meekhof said shoppers told him that they didn't feel safe in the parking lots, especially when they had merchandise with them.
They don't feel comfortable carrying concealed guns, but want some sort of protection, Meekhof said.
Cortney Beard, the media ambassador for Circuit City in West Michigan, said his chain currently has no position on Taser-carrying shoppers.
He said the store in Holland does all it can to keep the area around it safe during the holidays. The store lights are on earlier in the morning and later in the evening, more employees are working and the store communicates with local police.
Lt. Steve Kempker of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office said he is unsure about the concept of citizens using Tasers.
"There's concern for officer safety," he said, noting a policeman could be immobilized by a Taser and then assaulted.
Kempker said he also thinks the Taser could be used by people to commit crimes against regular citizens.
Also, if the Taser didn't work properly, the person doing the attacking might become even more enraged, he said.
Officials at Arizona-based Taser International could not be reached for comment Monday.
According to the company's Web site, Tasers have been available to the public since 1994 and the latest generation of the personal protection device was introduced last year.
Western RCMP adding more Tasers (CANADA)
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Zapping devices enhance officer safety, police say
OTTAWA - After pledging to restrict its use of Tasers, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is stocking up on the electronic stun guns for distribution to its members in Western Canada
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=6950d69c-0367-4bf3-af46-625713dd3522
RCMP stocking up on Tasers
Published: Tuesday, January 22, 2008
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=7092c11f-2503-4600-b5df-268cfd364870
Police Say Project Could Lead to all Patrol Officers Having Tasers
Jan 21, 2008
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) _ Lawrence police are eyeing a pilot project that they say could lead to all their patrol officers carrying Tasers.
http://www.wibw.com/news/headlines/13959322.html
The XREP:
Wireless Taser: Whole New Kind of Weapon
By David Hambling July 06, 2007 | 8:58:50 AMCategories: Ammo and Munitions, Less-lethal
Stun guns have been limited, since their birth, by the length of their wires and barbs. But that may be about to change. Taser International is about to roll out its new, wireless weapon....
Taser's XREP will be the first out of the box, with the weapon being released for field testing starting this fall for 6-12 months followed by full production in 2008.
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/07/taser-goes-wire.html
XREP Info. (Taser web site)
http://www2.taser.com/products/law/Pages/XREP.aspx
XREP Promo Video
http://www2.taser.com/pages/videodetails.aspx?videoid=61
Amazing piece of technology. It would seem to be something every LE agency in the country would want in their arsenal especially when you can't get close enough to the target or want to maintain some distance while taking it out.
TASER C2
The TASER C2 is our newest product designed for personal protection. Utilizing the same technology as our proven law enforcement models, the C2 has incredible take down power.
http://www.taser.com/products/consumers/Pages/C2.aspx
Taser C2s are in hot demand at home-shopping parties in Arizona, where instead of trading recipes, suburban housewives take aim at cardboard cutouts.
Hosts of Shieldher Taser parties, rolling out nationwide in 2008, get a free Taser for every 10 they sell in their homes.
http://www.coolbusinessideas.com/archives/taser_party.html
Taser home-shopping parties a stunning success
http://www.iconoculture.com/Approach/WhatWeIdentify/Observations/GenXers/index.aspx?DocName=oa_TaserParties_91893
Hosts of Shieldher Taser parties, rolling out nationwide in 2008, get a free Taser for every 10 they sell in their homes.
http://www.shieldher.net/
TASER Announces Second Wrongful Death Lawsuit Dismissal Within a Week
Mon., Jan. 21, 2008
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jan. 21, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR), a market leader in advanced electronic control devices, announced the dismissal with prejudice of the wrongful death product liability lawsuit filed against TASER International in the case of Tolosko-Parker v. TASER International, Inc., et al. filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California.
"We are very pleased that the plaintiffs agreed to voluntarily dismiss TASER International with prejudice from this litigation," said Doug Klint, Vice President and General Counsel of TASER International. "The driving force behind this recent trend of voluntary dismissals is the extensive and overwhelming medical and scientific evidence confirming the general safety of TASER technology. Our policy is not to settle suspect injury or death cases and no moneys were paid for this dismissal. We will continue to aggressively defend any litigation filed against TASER International and pursue sanctions and costs against plaintiffs for frivolous litigation," concluded Klint.
This lawsuit dismissal represents the sixty third (63rd) wrongful death or injury lawsuits that have been dismissed or judgment entered in favor of TASER International. This number includes a small number of police officer training injury lawsuits that were settled and dismissed in cases where the settlement economics to TASER International were significantly less than the cost of litigation. TASER International has not lost any product liability lawsuit.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22766184/
Police asking to test Tasers
City Commission to weigh pilot project at Tuesday’s meeting
By Chad Lawhorn
January 21, 2008
Illustration by Karl Gehring
Related document
The Lawrence Police Department wants to start a pilot project that could lead to all patrol officers carrying Tasers, a gun-like device that delivers an electric charge.
Project supporters said using Tasers could make it less likely that police officers will have to brandish their firearms.
“In some cases, I think it will allow officers to avoid the use of deadly force,” said Scott Miller, a City Hall attorney who has been researching the issue. “That won’t be the case in all circumstances because you can’t ask a police officer to confront someone who is shooting at them with a firearm to confront that person with a Taser.
“But the research I’ve seen shows there can be some real positive effects from the deployment of Tasers.”
Lawrence police officers want to find out. Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Fellers said the test project would equip three officers per shift with Tasers. In total, the department wants to buy 10 Tasers at a price of about $900 apiece.
Fellers declined to provide many details about whether there were specific incidents that had led to the request, or what scenarios would prompt the use of a Taser. Instead, Fellers said the department was waiting to answer those types of questions until after they had given a presentation to city commissioners.
City commissioners are scheduled to discuss the issue at their weekly meeting Tuesday evening.
A lack of information, though, is the chief concern from Laura Routh, a Lawrence resident who has warned commissioners to proceed cautiously with the department’s request.
“The Police Department has a very shoddy record of providing open access to information, in my opinion,” said Routh, who has for several years lobbied for the creation of a police oversight board.
Routh said she was wary of whether the Police Department would readily make available records showing how often the weapons were used.
Miller said he wasn’t sure what the city’s policy would be on compiling and posting reports related to the usage of Tasers. A proposed Taser policy that has been drafted doesn’t specifically address the public reporting issue, although it does say officers must immediately report the use of the Taser to their supervisors.
Other provisions in the policy include:
l The weapon will be carried in a holster on the side of the body opposite the officer’s handgun.
l Use of the weapon is forbidden unless it is necessary to prevent harm to an officer or another person or to make “a lawful arrest.”
l Use on a handcuffed prisoner is forbidden unless the prisoner is actively resisting detention or trying to escape and poses an immediate threat to harm an officer or another person.
Miller said he believes the city’s proposed policy takes a conservative approach to the use of Tasers. He said courts in some states have ruled that it is permissible for law enforcement to use the Tasers on people who aren’t fighting with police but rather are refusing to obey a police command. Kansas courts, however, have not yet taken up that issue.
Out of an “abundance of caution,” Miller said he’s suggesting the city restrict the use of Tasers on people who are actively resisting arrest, or to situations where the use of deadly force already is authorized.
Miller is recommending approval of the pilot project, but is warning commissioners that there are risks.
“The use of Tasers isn’t without controversy,” Miller said.
Amnesty International has called for a moratorium on the use of Tasers, unless it is clear that it is a situation requiring the use of deadly force.
Some chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union also have called for a moratorium. But Phil Minkin, president of the Douglas County Chapter, said the local organization hasn’t been able to reach a consensus.
“There are good arguments made on both sides,” Minkin said.
In its call for a moratorium, Amnesty International cited statistics showing that 150 people since 2001 have died after being struck by Tasers.
“In some cases, Amnesty International believes the use of Tasers has amounted to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and torture,” the organization wrote.
Supporters of Tasers, though, have said many of those deaths can be attributed to factors other than the Taser. Miller said courts generally have upheld the ability of police forces to use the devices, but said the city may very well face litigation if the city has a Taser incident with a negative outcome.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2008/jan/21/police_asking_test_tasers/
Armed Robber firing shot at a police helicopter subdued by Taser
5 Albertson's Workers Held-Up At Gunpoint
January 19th, 2008 @ 6:00pm
by KPHO.com
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- An armed robber confronted five employees of a Scottsdale Albertson's shortly after midnight, fled with some cash and fired shots at a police helicopter chasing him before being Tasered, Scottsdale police said.
Ricardo Ramirez, 19, was arrested and booked on charges of armed robbery and related offenses.
The incident began Friday night when Mesa police detectives advised a Scottsdale police dispatcher that they were conducting a surveillance operation on a suspect in Scottsdale. They believed the suspect might commit an armed robbery, according to Sgt. Mark Clark with the Scottsdale Police Department.
At 12:45 a.m. Saturday, Mesa officers advised Scottsdale police of a robbery in progress at an Albertson's store at 11475 E. Via Linda.
Officers said Ramirez entered the grocery store with a cloth over his face and pulled out a handgun. He held five employees at gunpoint and took cash from two registers, Clark said. He fled the store, climbed into a silver Nissan sedan and sped away, Clark said.
Mesa detectives in unmarked cars and the Mesa Police Department helicopter followed the man, Clark said. Ramirez drove west on Shea and got onto Loop 101. Clark said there was no indication that Ramirez knew police were following him.
Scottsdale patrol officers said they kept their patrol cars far enough behind him so Ramirez wouldn't know he was being chased, Clark said.
Ramirez drove into the McDonald East apartments and exited his vehicle, Clark said. At that point, he saw the police helicopter overhead and fired his handgun multiple times at the chopper, Clark said. The aircraft was not hit.
Mesa detectives confronted Ramirez at gunpoint, Clark said. Ramirez dropped the handgun, but then resisted attempts to take him into custody. Mesa detectives deployed a Taser and Ramirez was taken into custody without further incident.
Scottsdale officers took custody of the suspect and he was transported to Scottsdale Police Department jail.
None of the store employees was hurt.
http://news.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=707249
Taser is considered invaluable tool by law enforcement
The-Daily-Record.com
Sun Jan 20 2008
By CHRISTINE L. PRATT
and CHRIS KICK
Staff Writer
WOOSTER -- With a low expectation of injury and a high level of compliance, many local law enforcement agencies
consider Tasers invaluable tools.
The overwhelming response from Wayne County agencies came on the heels of recent comments made by Apple Creek Police Chief John Lowe, who questioned the safety of Tasers and suggested they could cause death.
While initial media reports may link a death to use of a Taser, Wayne County Sheriff's Capt. Doug Hunter said he is unaware of any cases in which it was to blame.
"The public reads the headlines before there is a complete and thorough investigation," he said.
Hunter said in many cases, excited delirium actually is responsible, noting the same condition, which itself
leads to death, can cause disruptive and very violent behavior that prompts the use of a Taser.
He also notes "people who die of traditional electrocution die at the time of the shock," not hours after they've been taken into custody, as the case in many publicized instances involving Tasers.
Wooster Fire Chief Rob Eyler concurs. "I think it's a good device for them to use. We've never been called to provide medical attention to anyone injured by a Taser."
The Sheriff's Office incorporated the Taser into its arsenal in 2001, and since has acquired enough to issue one to all road patrol deputies, Hunter said.
Tasers, which immediately interrupt the normal function of a body's central, sensory and motor nervous systems, do not rely on pain compliance, as do many other less-than-lethal weapons, including mace and batons, said Hunter, adding, they're especially valuable when dealing with people who, under the influence of drugs or alcohol or emotionally disturbed, may not respond to pain.
During the five-second cycle, 95 percent of offenders are immobilized the entire time, he said, adding handcuffs can be applied while the electricity is flowing.
The Taser, he said, also has virtually no long-term effects, whereas other methods have the potential of causing harm not only to the offender, but the officer.
But, they're not cheap. Tasers cost between $370 and $800. Lowe said his budget of $55,000 is stretched just to cover the pay of four part-time officers, cruisers and other expenses, and is not enough to cover the expense of Tasers.
"There's a lot of plusses and a lot of negatives, but for our department I just don't see the need for it," said Lowe. "We just can't afford it, that's the bottom line."
His other concern is the alleged health hazard in which he's heard reports of people killed by Tasers.
"People do die from them," he said, citing a non-trade blogging Web site on which he said he obtained his information. He adds some officers have been known to abuse them and engage them more than necessary. "I'm just not ready for the aggravation."
Lowe said the village has one of the smaller police departments in the area. If something major ever happened in the village, he said backups are close by -- the State Highway Patrol, Wooster and the Ohio State University Police Department.
Not all small department chiefs share his hesitation. Tasers are an important part of the police force in Marshallville, where they've been in use about three years.
In December, a $2,500 gift from the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Columbia Station -- through the Ohio Charities program -- enabled the purchase of three X26 Tasers, which means each officer has his own.
Chief Thomas Rocker said Tasers are a far better option than being sprayed with mace or being clubbed, which both can cause injury to the suspect and officer.
Rocker said if someone is hit with a club, it's likely the person will be going to the hospital, where as the Taser only inflicts pain for a few seconds.
He said more people are becoming familiar with them, so much so many suspects will yield without it even being fired. That's especially true when they see the Taser.
Tasers rarely cause problems to the suspect and are a good investment for any police office, he said.
Sgt. Howard Funk of the Orrville Police Department described Tasers as "a useful tool." He said there have been some instances where the Taser has not affected the suspect, but said it usually is an effective intermediate weapon.
"When it works properly it very much is a tool that allows us to bring someone under control and secure them in handcuffs," Funk said.
Funk said the department has used Tasers about six times in the four years they've been in use, with no "lingering effects" to the suspects.
The Dalton Police Department has two Tasers, which are shared by patrol officers, much like the department's limited number of radios, Chief Ryan Pearson said.
"It comes down to (the) financial (aspect), and I don't have the money for 10 Tasers," he said, adding only once has the office used a Taser shock to subdue someone.
"It's effective," he said, adding even small departments would be naive to turn their heads away from developing technology.
And in a small town, while backup from another agency may be available, "two minutes can seem like an eternity when you're fighting for your life," Pearson said.
Wooster Police began incorporating Tasers into its toolbox in 2003, and now have 24, some of which are issued to individual officers, others which circulated among officers on duty, said Capt. Don Edwards.
Department officers have used Tasers in a variety of situations, 13 times in both 2006 and 2007, Edwards said.
In one instance, officers unable to reason with a man threatening to jump from the roof of a building were able to use a Taser to gain control of him, bringing to an end of what may have been a lengthy standoff, Edwards said.
Each Taser is equipped with a data chip that records the date, time and duration of each use. This provides law enforcement administrators with the ability to download the data to ensure the Taser is used properly, said Hunter.
The probes, attached to 20 feet of wire, are fired at a speed of 180 feet per second by compressed nitrogen. The X26 Taser has an amperage of 0.0021, he said, adding, "A bulb on a string of Christmas tree lights uses about 1 amp and the normal plug in your wall is 15 amps."
It's amperage that kills people, he said.
Pacemakers should not be affected by the Taser device, Hunter added, citing federal standards that require them to withstand extremely high energy shocks of 200-360 joules.
That's how much energy a portable defibrillator exerts, said Mike Berry, a Wooster firefighter and paramedic, who notes the presence of a pacemaker "would not stop us from using the defibrillator," which has an amperage of 40.
The more common X26 Taser delivers 0.07 joules per pulse to the load. The M26 Taser, an older and bigger model, delivers 0.50 joules per pulse to the load, said Hunter.
In the past two years, the Sheriff's Office has used Tasers eight times, he said. However, the department is so confident in the value, it makes available its two instructors to provide free training for any area department.
"In the majority of cases suspects do not resist arrest, but that fact is of little comfort to an officer who is faced with a violent offender who needs to be taken into custody," Hunter said. "The officers have no control over the size, age or physical condition of the suspect, yet we (officers) are expected to take them into custody using the minimal amount of force."
http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/3170102
Police Use Taser On Man After Stabbing
January 18, 2008
DUNDALK, Md. -- Baltimore County police said that they had to use a Taser on a man suspected of stabbing a woman who lived on his block.
According to police, officials were called to the 8100 block of Dundalk Avenue in Dundalk shortly before 2:30 p.m. to find a woman suffering from stab wounds.
Officials said they found a man believed to be the woman's neighbor down the street holding a knife.
sponsor
Police said the man didn't respond to officers' demands for him to put down the weapon, so officers used a Taser on him twice. Officials said one gunshot was fired, but it is unknown if the shot was from police or the suspect, and no one was injured.
Both the man and the woman were transported to local hospitals. There is no word on their conditions.
http://www.wbaltv.com/news/15086680/detail.html
How a Taser Works
The stun gun shocks without killing—but how safe is it?
Two experts take a look
http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/dec07/5731