To thyself be true
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Motley Fool Take
Despite all the smoke generated by Mr. Smith's interview choices, here's an intelligent take on the company from Motley Fool:
Time for TASER
By Tim Beyers July 23, 2007
For as bullish as I've been about TASER's (Nasdaq: TASR) long-term prospects, I've long held a bearish view of the forthrightness of its management. (And for good reason.)
But as the business and its disclosure policies have improved, so too has my attitude toward the top brass. Today, I'm about as pleased with them as I have ever been.
Why? Part of my giddiness has to do with performance. The business booked $25.9 million in revenue during its second quarter, up 59% year over year. Gross margin declined somewhat because of higher personnel and materials costs but that didn't keep adjusted earnings from more than doubling over last year's Q2.
Cash flow, too, was excellent. After factoring out $8 million spent in Q1 for settling a shareholder lawsuit, TASER booked roughly $3.5 million in free cash flow through the first six months of the year.
Don't underestimate that total. Management is investing heavily in growth. Accounts receivable was up more than 90%. Research and development more than doubled. Yet TASER continues to produce excess cash, further strengthening a balance sheet that, as of today, sports $44.3 million in cash and investments and no debt.
But, great as all that is, it's not why I'm so pleased with today's report. What am I smiling for, then? Hype. Or, I should say, lack of hype.
For example, CEO Rick Smith refused to conjecture about the potential sell-through for the new C2, pointing out that retailers such as Cabela's (NYSE: CAB) would now have the tough job of selling the device. Exactly.
Smith then went on to describe the C2 and the forthcoming XREP -- which, when completed, will allow any standard shotgun to fire an incapacitating electric projectile -- as "high risk, high reward" projects. We knew all that, of course. It's just the first time I've heard Smith say it.
Call it the new, more conservative TASER. Will it last? I hope so; hype is white noise to be ignored rather than embraced.
By explaining the risks inherent in its business, and what it's doing to address them, management has turned away from its pugnacious past. Over the short term, that's very unlikely to make ticker-hugging traders happy. But for a Fool ... well, it doesn't get much better.
TASER Bottom line, says Matthew McKay, an analyst at Jefferies & Co.
"We're definitely moving past the concerns on the legal side, and questions about, 'Is this a real company, is their management good management, is there opportunity out there for the Taser?'" says Matthew McKay, an analyst at Jefferies & Co. "What we've hit over the past month or two is the realization that Taser has a very significant impact on how law enforcement does its job, and that there are very legitimate reasons why law enforcement agencies are buying the Taser."
An expanded product line should help Taser grow sales, McKay wrote. In a research report published Monday, he estimated that five million civilian C2 guns could be sold, bringing in $1 billion in revenue, over the next 10 years. The civilian model sells for $300 to $350. The flagship X26 weapon for law-enforcement use costs roughly $800. It could achieve a world-wide penetration rate of 20% and deliver $2 billion in revenue over a decade, according to McKay.
He says international demand is a key to Taser's potential. Recently elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy, a law-and-order conservative, has voiced his enthusiasm for the Taser as a tool for the national police force. In the United Kingdom, police officers who are not trained in firearms use are gearing up for Taser training.
The company has also secured a contract with the U.S. military that could be worth as much as $22.8 million, but Wold's note offers a bit of caution to dampen some of the current flowing through the stock.
"We continue to believe there are upside opportunities to earnings estimates (from a continued acceleration in law enforcement demand, potential France orders, initial shipments of the TASER C2, etc.), the valuation multiple, as well as the shares — especially as we move toward fiscal year 2008 and the expectations detailed above turn into reality," he wrote Monday.
Here the link.
http://www.smartmoney.com/onedaywonder/i...
Copied this fom Stockpicker-but it disappeared when I went back...
An opportunistic fund focusing on long-term demand trends and strong franchises.
Please note: I have removed ONSM and WisdomTree from my picks. Added TASR and Blue Nile.
Date updated: 07-23-2007
http://stockpickr.com/today/Analyst-Upgrades/
Found this explanation about (CNBC)from another investor....
A friend at NBC called me, re: TASR
Heres what "he" said,
When the TASR group were in the back waiting to come on a
"scuffle" started and words exchanged between MSNBC/NBC people and TASR
Two people were sent home and two people were fired on the spot from MSNBC... the TASR people left with apoligies from some producers and that was all he knew.
The news division were told to refrain from any further remarks,this is an in house situation...
I was watching myself when one spokesperson came on and made the comment that "TASR made some rude remarks and won't be with us today..
Now I don't know what it all means but there was no coverage buy any MSNBC/NBC affiliates including canceling
Mad Money and no mention in Jims Email to me at 8:10..
I can only guess that the naked shorting and certain persons had a serious agenda..
I'm sure things will unravel in the next few days.
Perhaps a SEC investigation or a public apology "OR" a lawsuit by TASR..
The days damage is done but this is the only product of its
kind and you will not be able to hold it down forever.
Good luck Trading
tgb
Found this explanation, plus add people taking profit. My own thinking is also there is a lot of pressure from the big guys who are short.
The only thing I know happened earlier before the bell, Mark Haines started talking about how TASR beat earnings, but then started making the TASR special sound affects of someone being Tasored.
Then I heard that the CEO was coming up for an interview, and the next thing I heard on this message board was that CNBC said that the CEO left mad and refused to do an interview.
I don't really know all that much except those guys must have pissed the CEO off, but regardless whether the CEO did the interview or not, the sellers of this stock are very childish.
I saw people posting on here that the sell-off was due to the CEO not doing an interview lol.
Well, who wants to be disrespected on national tv on a day where your company does historical earnings, especially by some clowns that never talk about TASR in the first place.
Tom Smith Video-Scroll all the way down middle column
Taser interview
http://www.marketwatch.com/
Added capacity they said it in the CC.eom
To make the manufacturing more automatic, machinery.
TASER International, Inc. Reports Record Revenue of $25.9 Million
Monday July 23, 7:00 am ET
$5.9 Million Operating Income, $3.7 Million Net Income and $0.06 Basic and Diluted EPS for Second Quarter 2007
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 23, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- TASER International, Inc. (NasdaqGS:TASR - News), a market leader in advanced electronic control devices, today reported financial results for the second quarter of 2007.
For the second quarter of 2007 revenues were $25.9 million, the highest quarterly revenue in the Company's history and a 59% increase over the same quarter of the prior year. Income from operations for the second quarter was $5.9 million. Net income and basic and diluted earnings per share for the second quarter of 2007 were $3.7 million and $0.06, respectively. Sequentially, revenue in the second quarter of 2007 increased by $10.6 million or 69% over the first quarter of 2007 and operating income improved to 22.9% of revenue as the Company continues to see improvement in its operating leverage. The Company generated $2.6 million of cash from operations in the second quarter which increased the total cash, cash equivalents and investments balance to $44.5 million.
Significant events in the second quarter of 2007 include:
1. A number of significant sales orders were received and shipped
to law enforcement agencies both in the United States and
internationally. The orders were from both new agencies
deploying TASER(r) technology following extensive test and
evaluation periods and from agencies continuing to expand
the use of TASER devices to their first responders. Some of
our significant orders announced during the quarter include
the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Police, Hawaii
County Police Department (HI), Riverside County Sheriff's
Department (CA), Washington State Patrol, Tallahassee Police
Department, Scottsdale Police Department (AZ), South Carolina
Department of Public Safety and Bridgeport Police
Department (CT).
2. We shipped a significant amount of foreign orders during the
quarter. International sales accounted for approximately $5.5
million or 21% of our total sales in the second quarter.
3. In addition to the above law enforcement orders, we received
a purchase order to provide the United States Military with
an initial 2,400 TASER X26 units and accessories. This was
the first order of a five-year indefinite delivery, indefinite
quantity contract, with the possibility of future orders up
to a maximum value of $22.8 million and results from the
initiatives we put in place in 2006 with the formation of our
Senior Executive Advisory Board. This Board advises the
Company on expanded use of its products in military and
federal market applications.
4. We announced the formation of a strategic alliance with
iRobot Corporation to collaborate in developing a new robotic
capability utilizing TASER technologies. This combination of
capabilities will focus on enabling law enforcement, federal
and military users to remotely employ TASER technology to
engage, incapacitate, and control dangerous suspects without
exposing personnel to unnecessary risks.
5. Eight more product liability suits were dismissed during the
quarter representing a total of fifty-two wrongful death or
injury suits that have been dismissed or judgment entered in
favor of the Company since 2004.
6. Seven human safety studies analyzing the cardiovascular
and physiological effects of the TASER X26 were released at
the Society of Academic Emergency Medicine 2007 Annual
Meeting. These studies using human volunteers affirm the
medical safety of TASER technology. Many of these abstracts
can be viewed at:
http://www2.taser.com/research/Science/Pages/GeneralStudies.aspx
``The second quarter results, with the highest quarterly revenues in our Company's history, have provided us with significant momentum as we move into the second half of 2007,'' commented Rick Smith, CEO of TASER International, Inc. ``In fact, revenues in the second quarter exceeded our previous quarterly revenue record of $19.3 million by over 34%. The continued growth in sales in our core law enforcement market with both new and expanded deployments during the quarter and the important milestone achieved in the progress of the U.S. Military evaluation and deployment of our products, demonstrates the continuing acceptance of TASER technology in multiple markets. We believe the official release of the TASER C2 Personal Protector announced today represents the opportunity for growth in the consumer market and more importantly will provide the public with access to next generation, life protecting technologies which are designed to increase public safety and reduce the potential for misuse with our innovative CheckLok(tm) system.''
The Company hosts its second quarter 2007 earnings conference call on Monday, July 23, 2007 at 7:45 a.m. ET. The conference call is available via web cast and can be accessed on the ``Investor Relations'' page at http://www.TASER.com. To access the teleconference, please dial: 1-866-383-8008 or 1-617-597-5341 for international callers. The pass code is 58057741 for both numbers.
About TASER International, Inc. (TASR):
TASER International's products protect life, providing advanced Electronic Control Devices for use in the law enforcement, medical, military, corrections, professional security, and personal protection markets. TASER(r) devices use proprietary technology to incapacitate dangerous, combative, or high-risk subjects who pose a risk to law enforcement officers, innocent citizens, or themselves in a manner that is generally recognized as a safer alternative to other uses of force. TASER technology protects life, and the use of TASER devices dramatically reduces injury rates for police officers and suspects. For more information about TASER technology, please call (800) 978-2737 or visit our website at http://www.TASER.com.
The TASER International logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2931
Short Squeezes
An interesting explanation of what short squeezes can do. I did not write this but found it so interesting.
Taser short interest is on its way to where it was in 2004 when all of the shares that could possibly be sold short, where sold short, which was over 50 percent of the entire float.The technical reality of this situation in the market place is interesting to consider. First, with no more shares left to short, the stock can not be held down by shorting, so the price tends to rise faster.Second, the short shares represent a promise to deliver shares that do not actually exist, and which are not actually owned. This sounds complicated, and is complicated, but the situation can be understood looking at 1 transaction.Long who owns 1000 shares, which are borrowed by short sellers, decides to take his profit when Taser is trading at $60 a share. He sells in the market, and his sell order is filled by some desperate short trying to cover their short position. The short interest finally goes down a little bit, because he covered, but at the same time those borrowed shares have to be delivered to the short who covered. That trigger another buy in the market place to cover the borrowed shares.The end result is simple. When the short interest reaches a maximum - in orther words a majority of the float, every sell order results in not 1, but 2 buy orders, and that drives the price up even further, creating a vicous circle for shorts.The whole thing just becomes a lose lose proposition for shorts, it doesn't matter what they do at that point, there is no getting around driving the stock price up to extremely high levels. "
Adding one more thing, the situation can be even worse for the shorts. If the longs sell order at $60 is filled by a new long, then the short interest does not go down, we still get 2 buys in the market. The first buy filling the longs sell order, and the second buy being from the short who has borrowed those shares and must cover them to deliver on the sale.The net result is that the new long is happy with the transaction since the price is actually driven up by the sale, and the short interest "equity" so to speak of Taser stock remains in place to provide further gains.We just call it a short squeeze. In fact, the situation is a complex set of affairs which drives the price up as surely as the promise of the sun rising tomorrow. "
The Salt Lake Tribune-Police relying on Taser as a fix-all on the force
Critics question if it's the 'safer alternative'
By Jeremiah Stettler
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Launched: 07/01/2007 01:08:13 AM MDT
A skateboarder refused to leave the St. Mark's Hospital parking lot. A Salt Lake County sheriff's deputy tried to arrest him, but the skateboarder resisted, wrestling with the deputy, who then shot him with a Taser.
Another time, deputies chased a drunken Kearns man into his home - the man yelling, "I'm going to kill you, get my gun and shoot you" - and shot him with a Taser when he swung at them.
With each pull of the trigger, Utah officers are growing more comfortable with law enforcement's latest innovation, the 50,000-volt stun gun. Like duct tape, the weapons have become a fix-all for potentially volatile situations.
A Tribune analysis of more than 180 Taser
deployments shows that police used the weapon four out of 10 times to subdue violent suspects, some already in handcuffs, others wielding knives.
But the analysis also revealed Utah police commonly pull the trigger on fleeing suspects, in one case a high school student in possession of alcohol.
Taser International estimates that more than 4,200 weapons have been added to the duty belts of police in more than 130 law enforcement agencies in Utah.
But Tasers remain a lighting rod, condemned by watchdog groups, most recently in May when police fatally zapped a handcuffed Oklahoma City woman.
Taser International insists the weapons are not lethal,
Advertisement
noting the company has prevailed in all 51 product liability lawsuits against it.
"Nothing is safe during a use-of-force incident," said Taser International spokesman Steve Tuttle. "There is always an inherent risk. But hands-down, the Taser is going to be a safer alternative than pepper spray, K-9 [dog units], punching, bean bag rounds or any other use of force."
Increasingly, police are echoing that message as they tout Taser technology as the future of force for law enforcement.
The Tribune's review found that stun guns indeed have caused few serious injuries in Utah over the past three years. People suffered head wounds, lacerations and lost teeth from falling, and once a seizure, but seldom a life-threatening injury.
Taser encounters proved deadly twice during that period. The state medical examiner ruled both deaths were linked to other factors.
In December 2004, police stunned an Orem man who nearly collided with four cars while driving erratically on U.S. Highway 189 near Heber City. After a protracted fight with police - involving two Taser shocks and pepper spray - the driver, Douglas Meldrum, died. An autopsy ascribed the man's death to heart failure caused by the scuffle and high concentrations of ephedrine in his blood.
Another death occurred in April 2006 when Salt Lake City police mistook Alvin Itula for a fugitive and attempted to arrest him. A fight ensued, police shot him at least four times with a Taser and hit him with pepper spray and clubs. Soon after, Itula stopped struggling. The medical examiner linked his death to a drug-induced delirium caused by high levels of cocaine and methamphetamine in his blood.
Yet critics insist Tasers cannot be written off as not complicit in the suspects' deaths.
Amnesty International levied the strongest rebuke, condemning Tasers as a scientifically questionable weapon - particularly with vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly - that may have contributed to as many as 250 deaths nationwide.
"We believe the jury is still out," said Amnesty spokeswoman Mona Cadena. "There hasn't truly been research to show what happens when you hit the body with 50,000 volts."
Absolutely stunning
Designed as an alternative to pepper spray, batons and bean bag guns, Tasers rely on a surge of electricity to shock unwieldy suspects into compliance.
Like a traditional stun gun, it works when applied directly to a suspect's body. But it also works at a distance, using compressed nitrogen to propel a pair of wire-toting barbs up to 21 feet to zap a target.
While these pistol-like weapons employ 50,000 volts, they emit few amps.
Tasers operate on about 0.0036 amps, compared to the 15 amps found in a typical electrical socket. With the low current, Taser International claims, the stun guns cause a considerable jolt but no long-lasting harm.
But that's a claim that remains debated in the scientific community with peer-reviewed literature on either side published in journals across the globe. So far, researchers have not determined a causal link between stun guns and death.
Yet with thousands of Tasers on Utah's streets, questions linger about whether police are turning too frequently to the weapon.
The Tribune acquired and analyzed more than 180 cases of Taser deployments in the state's most populous cities and counties - a examination that included St. George, Provo, Salt Lake City, Logan and their respective counties. The Ogden Police Department refused to release the documents.
Tasers were most frequently used - 32 percent - on suspects who were resisting handcuffs or struggling while already in police custody.
Of those victims, 61 percent had become physically violent with police. The other 39 percent had resisted handcuffs without violence. Some lay on their hands. Others refused to get out of vehicles or pulled their hands away from police.
Fleeing suspects ranked second on the list - a statistic that worries observers like Daniel Medwed, a former defense attorney and associate law professor at the University of Utah.
Police fired the weapon about 21 percent of the time on people running. The victims' offenses ranged from aggravated assault to car theft to a minor suspected of carrying alcohol.
Medwed called it a "bad use of Tasers."
"The harm to the suspect is far greater than the benefit of law enforcement," Medwed said. "If Tasers were safe, it might be a different story."
Other triggers for Taser use included suspects attacking officers (19.6 percent), assuming a fighting position (7.6 percent) and simply ignoring police (12 percent).
Ken Cooper, director of the New York-based Tactical Handgun Training facility, defended the weapon's use - even on fleeing suspects - as safe and effective for apprehending criminals.
"From my objective opinion, Tasers have saved more lives than Dr. Kildare," Cooper said, referring to the '60s era TV show about surgeons.
Tasers have prevented potential dangerous suspects from escaping, cut down on street wrestling and averted situations that could have turned deadly, Cooper said.
"The main goal of all law enforcement is to gain compliance. You are trying to make sure they aren't going to hurt themselves or others. To do that, sometimes you have to use force."
Boon to the belt?
Yet Tasers haven't always been used on the biggest, baddest criminals, the Tribune's analysis found.
The weapons were used in Logan to stop a fleeing 11th-grader suspected of possessing alcohol.
Police stunned a suspicious bicyclist in South Salt Lake who refused to dismount and fled when confronted by police. The bike was stolen and the rider was carrying drugs, officers later discovered.
Robert C. Wadman, a professor of criminal justice at Weber State University and former police chief, warned against casting judgment. He said the police reports don't always reflect the emotions, fears and perceptions on the streets.
Sure, police make mistakes, he said, but Tasers have proved invaluable for safely taking combative suspects into custody.
"Is it a perfect technology? No," he said. "But this is a technology that enhances police departments' ability to take people into custody in circumstances that may have resulted in a deadly force situation."
The Tribune found several incidents that could have prompted police to use deadly force, such as the Kearns man who in August 2005 swung his fist toward police as if holding a gun.
Salt Lake County sheriff's deputies also used a Taser in May 2006 to subdue a drunken father who unsheathed a hunting knife and lunged for a family member. Officers grabbed the man from behind, but had to use a Taser to get him to drop the knife.
In Millcreek, deputies zapped a man in October 2005 who attacked officers with a metal pole, swinging unsuccessfully at their heads as they tried to enter his bedroom.
Still, Medwed urged caution.
Although the Tribune found few serious injuries, he said the weapons are like Russian roulette when used on people whose health may be compromised by drug use, age or pregnancy.
"It is only a matter of time before something happens," he said.
The Utah American Civil Liberties Union and Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers have so far raised no objection to the state's Taser practices. But they hope law enforcement will use the weapons sparingly.
"We are not aware of a problem now," said Kent Hart, past president of the defense lawyers association. "But we would always be concerned - no matter what kind of force is used - that police not use unnecessary force."
The company
Taser International supplies stun guns to 11,000 law enforcement agencies in 44 countries.
Spokesman Steve Tuttle said the company's continued expansion - despite feverish opposition and litigation - reflects the weapon's success in disarming dangerous situations.
The weapon is reportedly 94 percent effective when deployed, the company states.
The Tribune calculated the success rate closer to 82 percent in Utah. Heavy coats, leather belts and baggy clothing have sometimes stunted Taser's effects.
While opposition remains steady - the largest foe being Amnesty International - Taser officials say the product has survived more scrutiny and research than any other police weapon, except firearms.
A company spokesman said the weapons undoubtedly are less injurious than their "Stone Age" predecessors such as batons, dogs and bean bags - a claim they defend with data showing a reduction in officer injuries and worker's compensation claims in police departments across the country.
"Nobody can sit there with a straight face," Tuttle said, "and say we are better off taking Tasers away."
But Medwed said Tasers shouldn't be used like duct tape just yet . . . not when safety questions remain.
"We are marching in a positive direction," he said. "But we aren't there yet."
jstettler@sltrib.com
On Tasers:
This is a technology that enhances police departments' ability to take people into custody in circumstances that may have resulted in a deadly force situation.
- Robert C. Wadman, a professor of criminal justice at
Weber State University and former police chief
On Taser safety:
We believe the jury is still out. . . . There hasn't truly been research to show what happens when you hit the body with 50,000 volts.
- Amnesty International spokeswoman Mona Cadena
Announced orders in Q2
21-Jul-07
6/29- 650 units Asia
6/29- 2400 units military
6/28- 1420 Riverside
6/19- 1375 Foreign
5/30- 490 South Carolina/Connecticut
5/24- 4 orders. 500 Washington, 271 Tallahassa, 125 Scottsdale and 1.425 Million Foreign order
4/24- Delayed from Q1 (reason for Q1 miss) 3450 Tasers from Pennsylvania and Hawaii.
This equals 10681 Tasers and accessories and a 1.425 Million Foreign order. Last Q, no major orders. The trend shows an explosion of large orders.
Anyone wonder if the big funds can sway the buying and selling? If they work together I would think they could.
I was in TASR before and it makes its own rules, maybe because it doesn't have so many companies competing. It was wild then and broke some rules, hope it tames down, but who knows. I look at stocks more like a composite of good and bad signs.
Once in awhile I have heard Kramer mention technicals in the daytime cnbc comments. It seems he quotes technical experts sometimes, though. He is a financial and future trend guy (just my impression). Can't listen to him very long, his voice is like nails on a chalkboard...lol
KauaiPI-I didn't hear it just saw the post, that was all it said. See previous post on Kramer.
Description and Sizes of Retailers for C2 13 minutes ago
Academy Sports + Outdoors is one of the nation’s largest sporting goods retailers, operating over 95 stores across the southeastern United States. Our stores offer the sports and outdoors enthusiast a broad selection of equipment, apparel, and footwear at everyday low prices. Our formula of low prices and a large selection has allowed the company to become a leader in the sporting goods industry.
Academy Sports + Outdoors ranks among the highest in sales per store and highest sales per square foot of any other sporting goods retailer in the country, and has experienced a compounded annual sales growth rate of 17% over the past ten years.
Our newly expanded distribution center boasts over a million square feet of processing and inventory space, and operates day and night to supply the store locations with merchandise for our customers. Expansion plans for the future include opening additional store locations throughout the Southeastern region of the United States.
Academy Sports + Outdoors is led by David Gochman, the Chairman, President, and CEO. We are now over 12,000 associates strong.
Cablela:The foundation of the company is its world-famous catalog business. The company produces more than 76 different catalogs per year, including specialty books focusing on such outdoor pursuits as archery, fly-fishing and boating, as well as massive 500+-page Spring and Fall Master catalogs. Internationally known as a source of affordable, high-quality outdoor equipment, Cabela's catalogs are shipped to all 50 states and 120 countries. More than 120 million catalogs are mailed each year with demand continuing to grow. In 2001, the Cabela's Catalog was ranked as the fifth most popular catalog, behind such direct-mail giants as J.C. Penney and Sears, in a Consumer Shopping Survey administered by Catalog Age magazine.
Gander Mountain Company operates retail network of stores specializing in hunting, fishing, camping, marine and outdoor lifestyle products and services. The Company has a store base of 105 Gander Mountain outdoor lifestyle stores, providing 5.5 million square feet of retail space in 22 states, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The Company’s stores feature a selection of national and regional brands, as well as the Company’s owned brands. The Company’s large-format stores range from approximately 50,000 to 100,000 square feet
...and it is going to fly come Mon..LOL
Kramer just said TASR is a technical BUY
More police armed with stun guns-Thursday, 19 July 2007, 12:10 GMT 13:10 UK
Tasers disable a suspect with an electric shock
More frontline police officers in England and Wales are to be armed with 50,000-volt Taser stun guns, the government has confirmed.
Under the new rules, use of Tasers - which temporarily disable a suspect - will no longer be limited to trained firearms officers.
A 12-month trial will also extend the circumstances in which officers can deploy the controversial weapons.
Amnesty International opposes the move, claiming the guns can be lethal.
At present, the weapon can only be used by firearms officers confronted by an armed person.
But from 20 July, firearms officers will be able to use them if they face severe violence or threats and need to use force to protect the public, themselves or the suspect.
Tasers will also be available to police in specialist units, including tactical support teams and drugs squads.
'Low risk'
Moves to extend the use of Tasers were first proposed by then Home Secretary John Reid in May.
The proposals were then sent to a special committee for medical assessment, which confirmed that "the risk of death or serious injury from Tasers remains low".
Home Office minister Tony McNulty added: "All Taser deployments will continue to be monitored and a detailed report of every deployment will be produced."
TASER FACTS
Deliver electric shocks to temporarily paralyse target
Do this by using compressed air to fire two darts that trail electric cable back to the handset
Five-second 50,000-volt charge is released down the cable
Laser helps with aim. Gun works at up to 21ft (6.5m)
When fired, up to 40 ID tags released identifying the officer
I've been Tasered 200 times'
Police stun gun diagram
The year-long trial will run in the following forces: Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, Gwent, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Metropolitan Police Service, Northamptonshire, Northumbria, North Wales and West Yorkshire.
'Responsible' use
During the last four years, Tasers have become standard police equipment in the UK and have been regarded as a less dangerous alternative to guns.
They deliver an electric shock by two barbed darts trailing wires.
More than 3,000 of the devices have been distributed to special firearms officers since their introduction in 2003. Armed response vehicles in London also carry the stun gun.
Alan Gordon, vice-chairman of the Police Federation, said his members welcomed an expansion of Taser use.
"If there is a need to use force then in some circumstances it would be better to use a Taser," he said.
"It's not fair to compare us with US-style policing. You won't see people tasered for traffic offences. Officers will use it responsibly. At the moment they have a baton and CS gas.
"There is no long-term effect with Taser. But if someone is batoned or [gassed] there are long-term effects."
Amnesty International has opposed the use of the US-manufactured weapons, arguing the stun guns have been linked to more than 70 deaths in the US and Canada.
Moore.....:o} Wow what a day
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/19/fashion/19taser.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref...
Police shift toward new generation of weaponry
By Jeff Gilbride/Daily News staff
Thu Jul 19, 2007, 12:50 AM EDT
When Waltham Police hit the streets, officers have at their disposal not only their traditional firepower, but a new generation of weapons that includes PepperBall launchers and shotguns that fire bean bag ammunition.
And, the department is hoping to add Tasers, or electroshock devices, in the future.
The new arsenal - so-called "less-lethal" weapons - give officers more options when facing high-risk situations, according to Officer Ronald Raneri, a weapons expert.
"(Less-lethal weapons) give us options at a crime scene so we can hopefully neutralize a situation," Raneri said. "They can only be used in a relatively small number of incidents, like someone that wants to commit suicide by means of a knife."
According to Raneri, officers go through quarterly firearms training, in which police familiarize themselves with the weapons.
Raneri said PepperBall launchers use pava powder, which is much like the pepper spray that officers carry. The launchers are similar in appearance to paintball guns.
Although safer than regular ammunition, these products can still kill under certain circumstances, Raneri said.
Victoria Snelgorve was killed during the World Series riots in Kenmore Square in October 2004 by a pepper spray pellet.
"That weapon was not used properly," said Waltham Sgt. James Vaglica, a less-lethal instructor. "You had unqualified handlers using the weapons in an incorrect way."
According to Vaglica, his department has about a dozen qualified shooters.
"The initial training you learn about the ammo, you learn about the weapon, a brief history of it and its limitations, when to use it and when not to use it," Vaglica said. "If it was somebody armed with a firearm, you don't want to bring a less-lethal gun into that situation. It's good for situations with edged weapons and striking weapons where a person can not harm us from a distance."
Raneri said such weaponry has been used for many years.
"Most of these weapon systems have been tested with the military for quite a long time," he said. "We're just trying to find the right combination that's practical for this city."
The first such weapons were introduced to the Waltham department in 2003.
Each sergeant's cruiser has a Remington model 870 shotgun and with a bright orange barrel and the words "less-lethal" on the butt. The shotguns can hold rounds of regular ammunition or the Super Sock rounds.
Don Brinton is the vice president of sales for Combined Tactical Systems, a Pennsylvania company that makes Model 2581 Super Sock rounds.
"We have four patents on this new design. The difference between the new and the old one is this is a different configuration that makes it safer and much more accurate. It's the same kind of energy as Major League fastball."
According to Brinton, bean bag ammunition products have been around for about 25 years.
"The problem with the old typical style bag was it was a flat bag shaped like a piece of ravioli and it needed time to inflate," Brinton said. "For over 15 years, they were terribly inaccurate. The new product ... eliminates the previous problems. It's safer and much more accurate."
So far, Waltham Police have not yet had to use the new-generation of weapons outside of training.
"We've come close many times," Vaglica said.
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005
The following release from UK government's Home Office means UK is moving toward full deployment, worth a $100 million or more to Taser, and this change in policy is a green light to many other nations, which will lead them to place major orders. (The big French order is still coming any day...)
Thursday 19 July 2007 12:19
Home Office (National)
Extending the police use of taser
Firearms officers will be able to use Taser in a greater set of circumstances, the Home Office and the Association of Police Officers (ACPO) announced today.
This extension to the circumstances where Taser - a conducted energy device which is less lethal than conventional firearms - can be used will apply to the 6,500-plus authorised firearms officers in England and Wales from tomorrow (Friday 20 July).
These officers will be able to deploy Taser in operations or incidents where the use of firearms is not authorised, but where officers are facing violence or threats of violence of such severity that they would need to use force to protect the public or themselves.
It has also been announced today that the deployment of Taser by specially trained police units who are not firearms officers, but who are facing a similar threat of violence, will be trialled in ten police forces. The twelve-month trials will commence on 1 September 2007 and take place in the following forces: Avon & Somerset, Devon & Cornwall, Gwent, Lincolnshire, Merseyside, Metropolitan Police, Northamptonshire, Northumbria, North Wales and West Yorkshire.
Tony McNulty, Minister of State for Security, Counter-Terrorism, Crime and Policing, said:
"Police officers put themselves in harm's way every day and I want them to have the equipment they need to protect themselves and the public. Taser gives police an additional tactical option that is less lethal than conventional firearms and its use can help resolve incidents and limit the incidence of serious injury."
Mike Tonge, Chief Constable of Gwent Police and ACPO Lead for Conflict Management, said:
"Taser provides police officers with an additional less lethal option to deal with conflict management situations and ACPO fully welcomes this extension to the use of Taser.''
Today's announcement follows extensive consultation between the Home Office and ACPO's Conflict Management Working Group and the receipt of independent medical advice on the extension and trial. Thorough examination of the police use of Tasers in England and Wales has shown that they provide an additional and less lethal option for police when dealing with violent or threatening situation, compared to conventional firearms.
NOTES TO EDITORS
1. A Written Ministerial Statement from Home Office Minister Tony McNulty on extending the police use of Taser has been laid to Parliament today and will be available on the Home Office website:
http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operatio...
Found this on yahoo messages.....
If the left had their way, the police could use soft pillows or persuasion to defend themselves and the public, or perhaps a group session to reveal the perpetrators real feelings.... NOT! Lessons you should learn in kindergarten when a cop says stop...STOP..when the police have a taser or weapon pointed at you, it's wise to do what they say...we don't need a study on whether weapons are dangerous, they're supposed to be dangerous to keep bad guys in check, if someone is stupid enough to charge an armed policeman...they get the consequences...What we need is a study on why some lack the basic brain power to understand that police need weapons to restrain bad guys.
Posted by ghoax at 7:18 AM on July 17
Perfect Tasering - NYC Media Coverage 25 second(s) ago
Gunman sends commuters fleeing at train station
Eyewitness News
(Stamford - WABC, July 18, 2007) - A dramatic chase sent pedestrians and commuters diving for cover at a Stamford train station Tuesday.
Police say a man fired a stolen handgun outside a condominium complex and then led officers on a foot chase that ended when an officer tasered the suspect inside the train station.
Authorities say the incident started at the Woodside Green condominium complex at Bridge Street and Washington Boulevard, where police responded to a call of shots fired at 5:43 p.m.
A witness reported seeing a green Oldsmobile leaving the scene, officials said, and an officer spotted the car headed south on Washington Boulevard. Police say a chase ensued, with the 26-year-old suspect abandoning the car just south of the downtown train station at Station Place and Washington Boulevard. He then reportedly ran through the train and bus terminals.
Police cornered the man at gunpoint outside the bus station entrance on North State Street, underneath Interstate 95, authorities said.
Police say the gunman then waved the weapon around before he pointed it to his head and shouted, "Go ahead and kill me." The man then put the gun in his mouth, authorities said.
Officials say Sergeant Chris Gioielli, who had taken cover behind a car, then crept up beside the man and tasered him, causing him to drop the gun and fall to the ground.
The suspect was reportedly taken to Stamford Hospital, where he was treated for the taser shock and was undergoing a psychiatric evaluation.
No one was injured in the incident, police said.
(Copyright 2007 WABC-TV)
Some history of Mr. Fan.He just might be richer now..;o}
UIS ABLER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
LLOYD K FAN
1F, NO.3, LANE 7, PAOKAO RD., TAIPEI HSIEN,
23114 HSINTIEN TAIWAN
Phone : 886-2-29176857
Fax :886-2-29131705
UIS ABLER ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Inverters & Ups Equipment manufacturer,Inverters & Ups ...
www.tradeindia.org/dyn/gdh/ip/Electronics_and_Electrical_Supplies/Inverters...
Last Visited: 7/20/2004
LLOYD K FAN 1F, NO.3, LANE 7, PAOKAO RD., TAIPEI HSIEN,
Inverters & Ups Equipment manufacturer,Inverters & Ups ...
www.kjelectronics.trade-india.com/dyn/gdh/ip/Electronics_and_Electrical_Sup...
Last Visited: 7/12/2004
Company Profile
UIS Abler Electronics Co., Ltd., established in 1998, is initially positioning itself as a professional manufacturer of Uninterruptible Power Supply ranged from 350VA up to 10Kva. The company keeps extending its product line covering some innovative power quality devices, such as Active Power Filter, Battery Management System, Fan Filter Unit from 2001.
As our ultimate goal is to be an energy solution provider, the company is continously introducing new products such as Parallel Redundancy UPS up to 20Kva, Wind power converter, solar power converter, fuel cell power converter…etc.
1998 June Found. Paid up capital: USD 5M
1999 ISO-9001 certified
2002 Established factory at SuZhou, China
2002 Merged with PEC technology and paid up capital increased to USD 7.5M
2003 Sales revenue reached to USD 25M
2004 April Established an OEM Factory at Suzhou, China
2004 July Increased capital to USD 10 M
2005 New Factory established at Suzhou, China: Land scale: 20,000 sqm,
Floor scale: 10, 000 sqm.
2005 Jan. Being ISO-14001 certified.
Found in 1981, United Information Systems Co., Ltd. (UIS) started her operation as an electrical engineering company.During the past 17 years, UIS has been participating many important projects in both public and private sectors. With the best engineers and professionals, UIS has gained her reputation in Taiwanese semi-conductor field, electrical and mechanical field, and system engineering field. On the strength of her professionalism, UIS broaden her business to several relevant nd-ustries such as Control System, Factory Automation, Power Supply and UPS. The diversification substantially enhanced our ability in system integration field and reinforces our leading position in Taiwan. In February 1998, UIS was officially listed,becoming a public company in the Taiwanese Stock Market. And it strongly proved UIS as a well established corporate and affirms her endeavor on accomplishing the utmost customer satisfaction.
UIS Abler Electronics Co., Ltd., former UPS department of UIS, spun out from UIS in June, 1998 as a subsidiary company of UIS Group. With over 10 years of UPS experiences and over 20 R&D engineers, UIS Abler will continue her dedication in developing, manufacturing, and marketing Uninterruptible Power System products. Our mission is to provide customers innovative UPS solutions with reliable quality and prompt services. From off-line to double conversion on-line technology, UIS Abler has developed full range of UPS that provides total solution for power protection and management.
ISO 9002 certified in 1999, UIS Abler has proved to customers her highest standard in quality assurances systems. The well-implemented quality system has won trusts from clients worldwide. No matter it is an OEM/ODM, private label or SKD partners,we deliver the UPS only with the finest quality and the best reliability because we believe it is the key to success.
Our continuous growth has created opportunities for becoming our global partners.We have successful experiences in ODM/OEM and private label practices as well as in building solid distributorships worldwide.UIS Abler will keep playing a significant role in Taiwan UPS industry and providing the best UPS solution to grow and to succeed together with our customers.
25 million revenue
Very positive that Taser is announcing earnings the morning before ringing the Nasdaq bell. If earnings were below, Taser would wait rather than announce it, when they are in front of the whole world. To me it seems it will be a quarter blowout.
Motley Buzz-Ginormous Investment Opportunities Abound
By Jack Uldrich July 16, 2007
The entire field of robotics is expected to become a $50 billion industry by 2015, and according to Bill Gates, we are just now at "the dawn of the robotics age." To this end, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) now has a sizeable robotic initiative, and hardly a day goes by without some new robotic advanced being announced.
Just last week, iRobot and TASER International (Nasdaq: TASR) announced they were teaming up to create a robot that could incorporate TASER's stun guns. Then further consider that the U.S. Army has indicated that by 2015, it expects one-third of our fighting force to consist of robots, and the opportunity in robotics speaks for itself.
TASR orders from Yahoo message board
All we need to beat is 16.2million for a record 2nd quarter and higher than 19.3m for an alltime blow out!
Here's what we know-est. 10,000+ tasers, that we know of(see below), ship this quarter and do the math yourself. Don't forget to factor in accessories, training, etc...
Apr 24, 2007 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 3,000 TASER(r) X26 Electronic Control Devices (ECDs)
The second order is from Hawaii County Police Department on the big island of Hawaii for 450 TASER(r) X26 ) and related accessories.
May 24 - TASER International, Inc. (NasdaqGS:TASR), announced the receipt of four substantial orders. Three orders -were received from domestic law enforcement agencies, including the Washington State Patrol for 500 TASER(r) X26 Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) Tallahassee Police Department for 271 TASER X26 ECDs and related accessories; and Scottsdale Police Department for 125 TASER X26 units and related accessories. TASER
International also received an export purchase order from an international law enforcement agency establishing a new TASER program with an order totaling over $1,425,000
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jun 19, 2007 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX) -- TASER International, Inc. (TASR), a foreign international law enforcement agency totalling 1,375 TASER(r) X26 Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) and related
accessories.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jun 28, 2007 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX) -- TASER International, Inc. (TASR), purchase order for 1,420 TASER(r) X26 Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) and related accessories from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jun 29, 2007 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX) -- TASER International, Inc. (TASR), receipt of a United States military purchase order for 2,400 TASER(r) X26 Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) and related accessories.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Jun 29, 2007 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX) -- TASER International, Inc. (TASR), receipt of an export purchase order from an Asian law enforcement agency totaling 650 TASER(r) X26 Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) and related cartridges and accessories.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., May 30, 2007 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX) -- TASER International, Inc. (TASR), receipt two orders. The first order from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety for 300 TASER(r) X26 Electronic Control Devices (ECDs) and related accessories. The second order came from the Bridgeport Police Department (Conn) for 190 TASER X26 ECDs including 190 TASER CAM(tm) units.
A few other things to factor in-
On going accessory orders and additions to the already existing contracts.
On July 9, 2007, TASER International will introduce the world’s first wireless TASER® device, the new eXtended Range Electronic Projectile, or XREP. Launched from a
standard 12-gauge shotgun.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., June 28, 2007 – TASER International, Inc. (NASDAQ: TASR), strategic alliance with iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT). Under the terms of this alliance the two companies will work collaboratively to develop a new robotic capability.
June 29 - TASER International, Inc. (NasdaqGS:TASR), relase date of July 23 for the new TASER(r) C2 consumer product. This will coincide with TASER International ringing the bell to open the NASDAQ market, providing an excellent opportunity to highlight the availability of our newest and most advanced personal protection system available to consumers.''
Not to mention the 14million+ shorts that will create a situation in which a lack of supply and an excess demand will force the price even higher!
Heavy Institutional buying right now, lawsuits being dropped, other huge contracts looming from Taser INTERNATIONAL (France,etc...)
Buy on the dips cause this stock is about to ROCK!
Nuff said for now...I'm out!
French Connection For Taser: Newly elected French President Sarkozy allegedly wants to put a Taser in the hands of 200,000-300,000 French police officers. This could hand Taser an easy $360 million windfall.
TASR is ringing Nazdq opening bell July 23rd....:o}
Watch out when it really goes global..;o}
Excellent..;o}
Saturday, July 14, Jim Cramer's Mad Mail
Cramer responded to a viewer's email about the short position in Taser International Inc. (TASR), stating that the people shorting Taser are facing "enfilading fire" and "the longs are winning." On a lighter note a Cramer fan in Amsterdam told Jim that a sign with the word "Buhjah" close to Cramer's "Booyah" hangs over a jewelry store, Cramer stated he was just happy to see he has fans in Europe. Jim agreed with a fan that was bullish on Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. (EXM), and Jim made the admission he was wrong and too bearish on this name previously.
WATCH THE MAD MAIL VIDEO HERE
http://maddmoney.blogspot.com/2007/07/jim-cramers-mad-mail_14.html
Businessweek
July 9, 2007, 10:34AM EST
Taser's Cute Shocker
Cell phones and PDAs were inspiration for Taser's new weapon. Don't get them confused
by Mark Lamster
Taser's C2 stun gun was designed to look less ominous than a gun. It's available in metallic pink, powder blue, silver, and black
null
The weapon looks more like a ladies' electric shaver than a weapon
Some things in life are supposed to be pretty. Flowers are supposed to be pretty. Eastern European swimsuit models are supposed to be pretty. Overpriced Italian sports coupes with bad gas mileage absolutely must be pretty. Weapons systems, however, need not be. Maybe they should even be a bit ugly, but don't tell that to the folks at Taser. This past January, the company introduced the C2, an elegantly streamlined stun gun that looks more like a ladies' electric shaver than a weapon capable of reducing the most fearsome attacker to a quivering mass of flesh. It even comes in metallic pink.
"We aim to make the products fit today's society," says Steve Tuttle, Taser's vice president of communications. Indeed, the latest cell phones and PDAs were design inspirations for the 6-inch, 7-ounce C2, which should rest comfortably next to either of those gadgets inside a handbag.
Though Taser was founded in 1993 to provide "citizen defense" products to the general public, law enforcement and the military now contribute the overwhelming majority of its overall revenues, which dipped 30 percent, from $67 million to $47 million, between 2005 and 2006. In the face of these losses, the C2 is a shrewd effort on the company's part to return to its roots and make nonprofessionals a more substantial portion of its market. And though its representatives won't come right out and say so, Taser is clearly hoping a significant segment of that market will be female. Promotional materials seem to play on women's fears: An online brochure features a pink C2 superimposed over a deserted parking garage, portentously shot from ground level at an oblique angle -- the point of view of a dropped keychain.
The C2's challenge was to capitalize on those fears with a design that wouldn't intimidate prospective buyers, be they male or female. As Tuttle states, the weapon was specifically designed by Taser's in-house team to look "less ominous than a black gun-shaped device" and "stylish and nonthreatening in terms of its form." In addition to pink, it comes in powder blue, silver, and black.
The C2 may be cute, but it packs a serious wallop: A pair of metal probes, connected to the unit by thin insulated wires and fired via compressed nitrogen, delivers a phased electric shock that incapacitates the body's neuromuscular system. Those probes have a range of 15 feet and need only contact their target (clothing will do) to be effective, though both probes must hit.
Taser claims its weapons are nonlethal--you can watch videos of the company's executives taking shots to the chest on its website, and video blogger Amanda Congdon famously volunteered for a zapping at this year's Consumer Electronics Show--but it has nevertheless drawn questions about their safety. In 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission opened an inquiry into the publicly traded company regarding the propriety of its financial statements and the veracity of its safety pronouncements. Investor lawsuits followed, and last March Amnesty International called for police departments to suspend purchase and use of Taser weapons until independent studies verified the company's claims. As it is, consumer models are illegal in several states, including New York. Taser does require that buyers pass a background check, and every time the weapon fires, it disperses a cloud of coded tags that allow police to trace the spent cartridge back to the purchaser.
Caleb Crye, principal of Crye Associates, a firm specializing in public safety design, says he finds the C2's new look impressive. "It sidesteps all the visual references to a gun. It's just what would work for this market."
There's a rub, though: A friendly design that appeals to buyers may be too sexy to intimidate potential attackers. Imagine the scenario suggested by the brochure: a lone female approached in a garage by a male assailant. "If she pulls out a pink razor-looking thing, he's not going to perceive it as a threat," says Crye. When it comes to deterrence, it's hard to beat that ugly pistol.
I thought it was very realistic and positive...;o} Thanks for the post!!!
TASER Prevents Suicide of Terminally Ill Man
Wednesday July 11, 9:00 am ET
WASHINGTON, July 11, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- TASER International, Inc. (NasdaqGS:TASR - News), a market leader in advanced electronic control devices released the following News Alert:
According to reports from the Republican Herald in Pennsylvania, a 69-year-old terminally ill man who was heavily medicated got into an argument with family members over bills Saturday night before pointing a pistol at himself and others. The man, also a former Marine, then barricaded himself in the attic of his home where he kept a stockpile of weapons.
Police arrived on the scene around 11:10 p.m. and attempted to talk the man into dropping the pistol. Officials speculate that the man wanted to commit suicide. The more police tried to reason with the man, the more angered he became. At one point the man started loading his weapons and pointed a shotgun at Sgt. Robert W. Phillips. When negotiations failed, officers deployed a TASER electronic control device that forced the man to drop his weapon. He was then taken by ambulance to Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic for mental health evaluation.
``In terms of lives saved, certainly that guy's life was saved because we didn't have to use lethal force,'' said Phillips.
This information was compiled through publicly available media reports and distributed by Dittus Communications, Inc. of Washington, D.C.
TASER International, Inc. and Dittus Communications, Inc. disclaim any responsibility for the accuracy of the media reports that are the sole responsibility of the attributed media source.
For more information on this life saving technology, please visit: http://www.TASER.com.
Pre-Market-bouncing between $17.30-$17.45