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I agree Pete. Merger is paramount. Maybe the next VM World is when they start to dance the Ruffle Shuffle!
States the way forward involves "...without ruffling any feathers." Not the feel from the update or from my take on what disruption means. Maybe we need to ruffle a few feathers. It is an interesting point though given the powerful companies involved. I guess I come down on the side of ruffling. The window of opportunity may require it. Seems ruffling one company's feathers will make another company happy. The way this is setting up you can't keep everyone happy and just timidly peck around for leftovers.
I think the author left out something important too - no mention of convergence. Few companies have end to end converged solutions.
EVER is right. I couldn't make it all the way through the update in one read because I had to stop, place an order and get it filled. Only then was I able to finish reading it.
I wonder if they might try to acquire Bromium. Virtualized security that seemingly would integrate well. Similar microvisor approach. From Simon Bramfitt's article:
"Glassware was not designed for security; instead, it was designed for performance, with its microvisor controlling access
to the underlying Windows Server OS."
Bromium would give them new generation security. There is a lot of V.C. money behind Bromium. The V.C.s might be in it for the sell and might like a piece of Sphere in exchange. Just a thought as long as we are speculating about possible acquisitions.
Struft, Thanks for the great info. I have been looking into the storage piece a bit and it seems flash is the latest and greatest. Nunantix has benefitted from their converged solution that relies on flash although they too use other media for data that is not hot.
Also, I have learned that flash has issues in that it is slow to write. It also has limited capability for rewrites. These limitations, plus the material you have referenced, make me feel the best solution is a blend of storage technologies, each type positioned to the data in a hierarchy based on frequency of use. In that regard it seems we are in good shape. I am especially reassured by your reference to PB's work with Flash so we are in some sense in on that game and likely can beef that up even more if there is any benefit to be gained from doing so.
I listened to the Cube discussion you referenced and like how we are set up for the deep storage needs of customers. Tape has its place.
Thanks again that was valuable information.
Thanks for the update Streaming. Will you be there for the final gun and another report?
Struft, Do you think Overland will offer a converged flash storage system at some point?
Perker I trust your travel prognostications. Right about Poland. Right about Spain. Probably right about North Carolina. Probably right about Colorado. Do you arrange travel for the company? Just kidding and keep posting.
Pharmacotherapy
Daptomycin versus Vancomycin for Complicated Skin and Skin Structure Infections: Clinical and Economic Outcomes
Susan L. Davis, Pharm.D., Peggy S. McKinnon, Pharm.D., Levi M. Hall, Pharm.D., George Delgado, Jr., Pharm.D., Warren Rose, Pharm.D., Robert F. Wilson, M.D., Michael J. Rybak, Pharm.D., M.P.H.
Disclosures
Pharmacotherapy. 2007;27(12):1611-1618.
Study Objective. To assess the effect of daptomycin compared with vancomycin on the clinical and economic outcomes in patients with complicated skin and skin structure infections.
Design. Prospective, open-label study.
Setting. Level 1 trauma center in Detroit, Michigan.
Patients. Fifty-three adult patients with complicated skin and skin structure infections at risk for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection who were treated with daptomycin and a matched cohort of 212 patients treated with vancomycin.
Intervention. Patients in the prospective arm received intravenous daptomycin 4 mg/kg every 24 hours for at least 3 days but not more than 14 days. Historical controls received at least 3 days of vancomycin dosed to achieve trough concentrations of 5–20 µg/ml.
Measurements and Main Results. Outcomes evaluated included blinded assessments of clinical resolution, duration of therapy, and costs. The most common diagnoses were cellulitis (31%), abscess (22%), and both cellulitis with abscess (37%). Microbiology differed significantly between groups, with S. aureus found in 27 patients (51%) in the daptomycin group and 167 patients (79%) in the vancomycin group and MRSA in 22 (42%) and 159 (75%), respectively (p<0.001). The proportions of patients with clinical improvement or resolution of their infections on days 3 and 5 were 90% versus 70% and 98% versus 81% in the daptomycin versus vancomycin groups, respectively (p<0.01 for both comparisons), and 100% at the end of therapy in both groups. Among patients with complete resolution of their infections (41 patients [77%] with daptomycin vs 89 patients [42%] with vancomycin, p<0.05), median duration of intravenous therapy was 4 and 7 days, respectively, (p<0.001), and hospital costs were $5027 and $7552 (p<0.001).
Conclusions. Patients receiving daptomycin achieved more rapid resolution of symptoms and clinical cure and had a decreased duration of inpatient therapy compared with those receiving vancomycin. This study suggests that daptomycin is a cost-effective alternative to vancomycin for complicated skin and skin structure infections.
Skin and skin structure infections are frequently encountered in medical practice. In 2004, these infections were the primary diagnosis in approximately 562,000 hospital discharges, with an average length of stay of 4.7 days, according to the most recent survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).[1] Bacterial skin diseases encompass a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from local superficial infections to life-threatening aggressive infections. Prompt treatment with an appropriate antibiotic is an important factor in limiting the subsequent complications associated with skin infections.[2]
Skin and skin structure infections are most commonly caused by gram-positive organisms, including Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus species. The increasing prevalence of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) in the hospital and community complicates the treatment of skin and skin structure infections. An important concern is that MRSA is associated with a significant increase in cost of care. In a case-control study of staphylococcal bloodstream infections, MRSA was associated with an additional 8 days of hospitalization and $17,400 when compared with methicillin-susceptible S. aureus.[3] Another group reported similar results in an observational cohort of patients with surgical site infections, in which MRSA was independently associated with an additional $13,900 in hospital costs/infection.[4] Further, in an analysis of clinical trial data in patients with complicated skin and soft-tissue infections, it was reported that treatment of MRSA with vancomycin resulted in total treatment costs of more than $6000.[5]
Daptomycin (Cubicin; Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Lexington, MA) is a novel lipopeptide antibiotic recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections caused by susceptible strains of gram-positive bacteria, such as Streptococcus species and S. aureus including MRSA. Daptomycin demonstrates bactericidal activity and is more rapidly bactericidal than vancomycin against staphylococci and enterococci.[6] In a randomized, investigator-blinded, clinical trial, clinical success rates at the end of therapy were similar between patients treated with daptomycin and those treated with standard therapy.[7] However, among patients who were successfully treated with daptomycin, a significantly greater (p<0.001) proportion of patients (63% vs 33%) required only 4–7 days of intravenous therapy compared with the control group (semisynthetic penicillins and/or vancomycin). This was supported by further analyses of the same trial, which revealed that patients with complicated skin and skin structure infections who were treated with daptomycin demonstrated a more rapid response than those treated with standard therapy.[7]
The conference starts Sunday and it seems that it might get lost in the shuffle if they waited until Monday. Maybe the thought was to isolate it from the market action on Friday as well. This way the attendees can read about it on their way to the conference. Who knows? But I am sure they thought long and hard as to how to optimize the impact of the announcement.
JB - Brian Madden Podcast 57(minutes 54-58). Think of the possibilities.
This is not tied to earnings. Every couple days the shorts paint the tape at the end of the day (usually last few seconds) like they did yesterday. It is done on low volume and there are a few reasons they like to do so. Viking pointed out one yesterday to do with % paid for margin. Anyway, Streaming, myself and maybe some others stack bids on the prospect of the shorts seeing all the orders filled before they get to their desired target. It did not materialize today. Maybe too many of us were in their way and they didn't want all our orders filled on the way down as it would take too many shares to get to where they wanted to go. And when we longs get the shares we hold on to them.
I think you are right. I looked for a mention of Glassware but saw mention of a hypervisor instead.
That is a nice update from Scott today. I have been buying almost every day for two weeks. I can't wait to see what happens at VM world.
On their site under "Key Information" is a link to a "2014 VMWARE Content Catalog" listed on the right side of the page. Click on that and you will bring up a page that has 3 tabs for Sessions, Speakers and Exhibitors. Click on the Exhibitors. Scroll to the bottom of the page where you will see "Get More Results" Click on that and repeat about 4 times I think. You will see Sphere listed. They are in alpha order.
It wasn't easy to find but I did find Sphere 3D. They are listed as an exhibitor in booth 2424 for VM World conference in San Francisco.
Agreed. I have been adding most days for past two weeks - sometimes ANY, sometimes OVRL. One day I arbitraged shares from OVRL to ANY and picked up free ANY shares. But you are dead on - it is hard to accumulate this one, especially now. But today is something else. Zero volume for an hour on Nasdaq? only 1600 shares on TSX. Unusually tight day.
Yeah but no one is selling at $6.36. Look at the ask and the big spread. I show 0 volume 45 minutes in on Nasdaq. Little volume on TSX too. I show 1000 shares there. What is going on?
It looks like they already have their own patents for Solaris tobacco in 38 countries including U.S. Their angle is very different in that the hybridization yields a tobacco plant high in seed (used for oil to make fuel) at the expense of leaf. So nobody will be smoking this stuff - it might be the real mulch Freddy likes to talk about LOL!
What is interesting to me is how versatile tobacco is - fuel and Ebola in the news this week. Who knows what is next?
http://www.sunchem.it/?page_id=77&lang=en
A few weeks from now Uncle Cy is found counseling a certain HF:
http://www.jantoo.com/cartoons/lowres/332/33233486_low.jpg
Really appreciate James K 101 points in the comments section after the SA article. Especially regarding naked shorts. Kuebiko tried to make it sound as if shorting is agnostic to an exchange but James straightened him out on the fact there are different types of shorting and naked is not agnostic.
Pride is the only reason I can think of that Sphere would not delist. Nationalistic pride of having a Canadian company listed on a Canadian exchange may have some appeal to the company. As I see it the company is Canadian regardless of the exchange but I may underestimate the way Canadians feel about it. But I ask: Aside from waving the Red Maple leaf what is it really doing? It surely is not maximizing shareholder value, which is a central tenant of effective management.
Case in point: Several American companies are loathe to repatriate their earnings due to the U.S. tax structure. Shareholders likely benefit from this as it would tend to keep the stock price higher when dollars remain in company coffers instead of being paid to the Government. Some may view these companies as unpatriotic; others as maximizing shareholder value with a possibility of reforming the tax structure.
Sphere is a promising company. In a roundabout way I believe they can send the Canadian regulatory authorities a message: Reform the corruption on our exchanges or risk losing these promising small companies who are at peril from rampant manipulation. As I see it that is a patriotic stance that, if heeded and implemented by regulatory authorities, will greatly benefit the typical shareholder in Canada.
So as I see it, Sphere should DELIST from the Canadian exchange which will further management's core responsibility to maximize shareholder value. To my knowledge there has been no response to any of our emails but I think we need to keep this front and center. Delisting is not a trivial matter but neither is a share price that is under attack by a HF that made a bad bet. Right now we are paying the price of the bad bet but management can change that.
Is that John Morelli in the center of that photo?
I sent Peter an email as well. I detest naked shorting. On another matter - that was some wild arbitrage this AM selling OVRL to buy ANY. Had to move fast but I did okay. At the end I had to buy back some OVRL too but it was still .17 cheaper than when I sold it earlier. Anybody else?
I see what you mean:
http://www.sedcom-me.com/promotion.html
If I understand this, it is not at all like GW. It seems that it is software to replace (not extend) XP and XPE. Note the comment... "NoTouch Desktop replaces Windows XP on PCs, and Windows XP Embedded on Thin Clients." Seems any software company could write up a new program to replace someone's software with their own but then you are trusting that company and its product instead of Microsoft. With GW you get to use what you have always used. That is my take.
On another note...I really like the latest update from Scott and Mike.
A new name to ponder....Sedcom. I am impressed with the almost instant worldwide reach of this small company.
Client ICT Groep, Learning Centre for V3 Systems in EMEA, provides training for partners of Sphere3D and V3 Systems. One of the new partners is Sedcom Solutions, a distributor of Server Based Computing, Thin Client and Virtualization solutions for Central Europe and Middle East. We have trained Sedcom specialists in building VDI solutions, based on V3’s virtual desktops. A virtual desktop from V3 is 2 to 8 times faster than the latest physical desktop.
http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140801131006-22216642-cli%C3%ABnt-ict-goep-learning-centre-for-v3-systems?trk=mp-details-rr-rmpost
http://www.sedcom-me.com/about-us.html
In about 5 posts you have gone from "my friend's dad" to "my brother's friend's dad." Strike one.
Very germane to our stock as naked shorting is legal in Canada so we are subject to both legal and possibly illegal naked shorting activity in the U.S. Add to that the covered shorts (which I have no problem with) and it can present quite a challenge to a young company that is in the sights of the shorts, which by all accounts we are. This war has a few more battles left in it. I have powder so may put it to work depending on how pitched things become.
Do not like seeing options express on the list of fined companies. May have to give them a call and tell them I'm moving my account as a protest for their nefarious ways. Doubt they will care that much, or that it will even go past the person I talk to, but I will feel better as I despise naked shorting. Now that I think about it I want to also know why I never received my proxy materials from Options Express for Sphere as I did from Fidelity or Vanguard. What is that all about?
Pete it is my understanding they cannot market a product anywhere in the world based on the research until BAT exercises the option for the commercial term of the agreement, which BAT has yet to do. They are still in the research term, which prohibits either company from commercializing the results of the research. BAT can exercise at any time or elect to wait until the expiration of the research term. I think they will exercise before the expiration of the research term. It would be a major announcement if and when BAT exercises the option to enter the commercial term and, to me,indicate some products are ready for commercialization. I would rather see that than the MSA and believe me I want to see the MSA.
This is from yesterday and is on the Sphere 3D website twitter feed:
Simon Bramfitt
?@SimonBramfitt @pbookman @Sphere3D baffles me that only two companies recognize the size of the market. Bigger than #VDI and #DaaS combined
?
?
It is a Fidelity thing. I have gone around and around with them but they won't budge. I also trade in a Schwab account without the charge. By the way, both my Schwab and Fidelity accounts still list SPIHF but that might change before Monday
That is why I hope uplist is accompanied by a new contract announcement or two. Welcome aboard TTJ. Very exciting stock here.
Just for fun: XXII is in the lower rungs of the R Global because it is the US portion of the global which is the R 3000 but it is in the lower 2/3 of the R 3000 which put it in the R 2000 but because it is in the lower half of the R 2000 it is also in the R microcap where it resides in the upper half because it is bigger than 1000 microcaps that are part of the R microcap but not in the R2000. I think that about covers it!
Russell has so many indexes that you can be on several at one time because they overlap. XXII is also listed on the Russell Global. This is an example of where those old Venn diagrams in math class would be so useful.
Being on the R 3000 all but ensures we are on the R 2000. The way it works is the largest 1000 stocks of the R 3000 become the R 1000 and the next 2000 become the R 2000. 98% of the investable universe is not a concern as that top 1000 companies are probably almost all of it. Doesn't take too many Exxon's , Google's etc. to tip the scale. But at least we are beyond the really little guys that don't merit the top 3000.
I decided to look into Bromium since Bookman paid them homage and their was some discussion of their approach during the podcast. It appears they were into the concept of isolating the operating system and applications (even isolating keystrokes) which would then run in native form much like I have read about with Sphere. Their primary emphasis was different though in that their focus was security.
Another interesting tidbit from the first attached article is the players who seemed to have had some direct impact on the technological leap made by Bromium including Intel and Mirosoft. Big funding support from Andreessen Horowitz - yep that is the same Marc Andreessen who wrote about "software eating the world." Which is exactly the Sphere approach as I see it, although there is some hardware involved too.
Makes you wonder if Bromium couldn't see the forest for the trees regarding security versus the larger focus that Sphere has. It is interesting to note what is considered the desktop holy grail in the first article - "a system that is trustworthy by design" which is completely different than listening to Bookman discussing whether there is really a need for a desktop at all. Seems the two companies went in different directions. It is the vision thing and our guys have that down pat.
I do wish I had more info on their IP versus Sphere, meaning patents versus the "secret sauce" that is actually up for grabs for anyone who can figure it out. I am hopeful that the security approach is so different from all that Sphere does that we are light years ahead of them. I think we are but I really do not understand much about what is involved (seems few do). One thing I do know is that we are now positioned from end to end, desktop to storage, which is a lot more than the Bromium focus on security.
I also attached a second article from Wikipedia, that has some good info as well.
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/virtualization/bromiums-microvisor-promises-to-end-pc-desktop-security-woes/5013
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromium
Thanks blue. It is good to know that no one has it figured out yet. Sounds like it is an issue that is problematic for using the cloud rather than one that is company specific. I too had the sense Sphere was working on it. If they can figure it out it will be another feather in their cap.
Anybody have an idea how easy/hard it might be to address off-line access that was discussed in the podcast? Bookman acknowledged its importance.
I take it Sphere is being pretty aggressive with their marketing, which is good. Brian's site is covered with Sphere 3D ads, and it appears Brian did not ask Sphere to do this podcast. In the intro, he says it is a special (sponsored) podcast, which I take to mean that Sphere is paying to do this. Not a bad thing but I wish Brian had asked Sphere for the right to do a podcast. Anyway that is my take.
Viking, I have a different take on the math problem, i.e., you are both right as long as Eagle changes his formula from 100 - #2 to 1.0 - #2.
I think this is a case of Eagle saying the conversion is 94 % of the other stock and you saying you end up with 106% of the other stock.
You have already laid out you numbers but Eagle's approach is equally valid given the one little change. Here are the numbers:
#1 = 4/8.33 = .480192
#2 =.480192/.51 = .9415529 ( about 6%)
1.0 -.9415529 = .0584471 (actual percent)
Your approach yields 1.06 but in reality it is a little more:
510/480.192 = 1.0620751
Now, to look at the % in reverse with your numbers = 1.0/1.0620751 = .941553, or the same exact % Eagle got.
My conclusion: You are both geniuses.
Have to add my kudos to Scott and Mike for this month's issue. Took me over two hours to read through all the links and content. The links provide a great context for the specifics detailed for the current picks. It is simply mind boggling to fathom where all this is going. There is no way I could identify and access all the source material and begin to piece this story together with the insight and compelling speculation(pondering)like you do. You provide a rational flow to events and are able to synthesize it into plausible scenarios as to what it all could mean going forward. My favorite issue so far.