To thyself be true
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Turnaround at Taser follows 2 tough years
Defending its reputation: Taser was hit by product-liability suits but is undefeated in court. Turning company around
Scott Cendrowski
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 10, 2007 12:00 AM
After scanning his eye for security clearance, Tom Smith walks through the glass door onto Taser's assembly floor.
There, rows of blue-coated workers are making the stun guns that in the past two years have brought Taser both lucrative sales and costly lawsuits.
Dressed in a crisp red Taser polo shirt, the company's 40-year-old co-founder and chairman points to Taser's latest offering: the C2, a consumer model of the stun gun that's used by 275,000 officers in more than half of the country's law enforcement agencies.
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"We wouldn't be coming out with these new products today if we had stopped working on these (in 2005)," Smith later says. "We stayed true to what we were doing, we stayed the course."
Two years ago, Wall Street appeared ready to give up on Taser International Inc.
The Scottsdale-based company's share price had plummeted 70 percent in just three months amid negative publicity and an increasing number of lawsuits alleging safety problems with its stun guns.
The company reported a $3 million net loss between the start of 2005 and the end of 2006.
But now, company executives and analysts are expecting a turnaround year.
So far, Taser is undefeated in court, shares are up more than 100 percent in the past year, analysts are predicting double-digit annual profits for the first time since 2004, and administration changes in France and Great Britain could be a boon for international sales.
On Monday, the company's shares closed up 18 percent, at $16.62, after Taser announced an extended-range military device that deploys cartridges across a wide arc, similar to a mine blast.
"Taser is where it is today due to good management, plain and simple," said Matthew McKay, an analyst at Jefferies & Co. who told investors in June that the stun-gun maker's stock could reach $20 a share. McKay doesn't own shares in the company.
Three analysts polled by Bloomberg LP are predicting $13 million in 2007 profits, up from $1 million in 2005 and a loss of $4 million in 2006.
From darling to 'sell'
Taser's stay-the-course strategy has combined new product development, maintaining its relationships with U.S. law enforcement agencies and international buyers, and strongly defending its name in court.
Brothers Tom and Rick Smith founded Taser in 1993 and sold its product to police departments as a non-lethal weapon of force. A Taser stun gun shoots two wires that deliver up to 50,000 volts of electricity, impairing suspects' muscular systems.
The company went public in 2001 and quickly became a Wall Street darling. Its stocks reached an all-time high of $31.65 three years later. But then, everything changed.
In January 2005, the Securities and Exchange Commission began investigating Taser's product safety claims; lawsuits soon followed. The SEC probe ended 18-months later with no action being taken against the company.
Still, Taser had become a risky investment. Its shares plummeted.
Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International Medical criticized the company for not warning police about the dangers of its stun guns.
Amnesty said in an interview last week that more than 250 deaths have been associated with Taser use.
On Monday, Taser spokesman Steve Tuttle said that the stun guns "are not risk-free," but he called them "a safer alternative-use-of-force compliance tool."
"If Amnesty International wants to go back to using batons and beanbag rounds, then they've clearly missed the boat," he said.
In an interview last month, Tom Smith also addressed product safety, saying that "was a big concern for investors."
"There was a lot of fear, quite frankly, with our investor base, with our shareholders. . . . Were we going to be a WorldCom or an Enron and just implode?"
Legal strategy
Taser defended its product by adding to its legal staff and working for court victories.
Doug Klint is the man responsible for leading what Taser management calls an "aggressive" legal strategy.
Klint, general counsel for Taser since 2002, has followed the Smiths' directives to work for court wins or dismissals, not settlements.
Taser still has at least 45 individual lawsuits pending against it.
But at least 52 liability suits have either been dismissed outright or won by the company since 2003.
The only case Taser settled out of court was an investor class-action suit for $20 million. In that case, the company admitted no fault.
Analysts say Taser's court record has made it attractive again.
Four of five Wall Street analysts covering the firm now rate it a "buy."
"Many of the factors that have negatively impacted sales during 2005 are now in the past - presenting an opportunity for continued penetration of the law enforcement and consumer market," Eric Wold, who tracks Taser for Merriman Curhan Ford in New York, wrote in a June report.
McKay said Taser's focus on product development, defending itself in court and "aggressively educating the media and state officials (was) positive for the long-term health of the business."
Lawsuit victories aside, Taser still has its detractors.
Dalia Hashad, director of Amnesty's USA Program in Washington, said Taser-financed studies aren't enough to alleviate concerns that the stun guns are directly tied to deaths or serious injury in certain people.
"We need to figure out, 'OK, how does this impact someone who might be mentally ill? Or people who appear to be under the influence of narcotics?' " Hashad said.
Despite the criticism, Taser is confident that it has a product that will sell - particularly in countries such as France, where orders are booming.
As long as foreign countries "start to make big orders, . . . the business should get better on the international side," McKay said.
Analysts and Tom Smith also said the consumer-oriented C2 could bring in lucrative sales when it's released July 23. The company would not release specific sales estimates, but Smith said that he believes the firm has regained the momentum it lost.
We "started coming back in '06, and now this year, the orders are coming in," he said. "It's a pretty exciting time."
Sweet-After Hours: 17.20 Up 0.58 (3.49%) as of Jul 9 on 07/09/07
Nice-Big Fools Ride Alone - July 9, 2007
July 09, 2007
Hey Fools,
Last week this was the 10-99, but because I'm convinced that less is always more,(unless it's hot mommas complimenting my Speedo-clad he-cheeks) I'm going to try pulling this off with three picks from Fools with a 99 rating. This time, I'll dig a little deeper into each pick and add a theme. Today's theme is about having the courage of your convictions regardless of which way the herd is mooing.
TMFBreakerDave (99.04 ) Stock Pick - TASER (TASR)
I have been playing CAPS long enough to remember when David's rating was an inch above goose egg. Back then I'm sure there were Fools snickering, especially at picks like Taser. Well, this crime fighting stock is up another 18% today and it's hotter than an episode of Prisoner Cell Block H.
David's Taser Pitch:
"Everyone questions the management, and I think those questions are justified. But few people who have really studied Taser stun-gun technology and its positive effects both for the police department and for citizen safety can see any ambiguitity at all, here. Virtually all the negative headlines (and there have been so many) about Taser supposedly "causing" deaths have been tossed out in court because the deaths are being caused by other things like toxic drug use that were killing someone anyway, absent the Taser. This product is really catching on. Stock is on a comeback path. Speculative. We shall see if we're right. I'm willing to take the risk."
Fool's Note: David's gentlemanly style while humbly spanking public opinion on a controversial company and stock.
David's Taser Pick CAPS Gain to Date: 51.12
Found on Yahoo message board-Tasr just received order in Beijing..News will be out tomorrow
25 minutes ago
Yes..they order for the olympic games
Goes right along with your pix..lol
This should be good: Product release date for the new TASER C2 of July 23. 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.''
Good NEWS!!! You mean Zoooooooooommmmm
WYOMING
http://soswy.state.wy.us/
-------------------------------------------
2004-000474853: Profit Corporation - Domestic
Name: Blackout Media Corp. Status: Active
Old Name: First Canadian American Holding Corporation Standing: Good
Fictitious Name: Sub Status: Current
Sub Type:
Formed in: Wyoming Initial Filing: 10/05/2004
Term of Duration: Perpetual Last Modified: 03/09/2007
Purpose Code: General Purpose Inactive Date:
Principal Office: 6021 Yonge St
Ste 212
Toronto ON M2M3W2
Mailing Address: 6021 Yonge St
Ste 212
Toronto ON M2M3W2
History
Public Notes Parties
Registered Agent: Corporation Service Company
Agent Address: 1821 Logan Ave
Cheyenne, WY 82001 USA
Latest AR/Year: 00731933 / 2006
AR Exempt: N License Tax Paid: $50.00
Preferred Shares: UNLIMITED Prefered Par Value: $10.000
Common Shares: UNLIMITED Common Par Value:
I totally agree, the tide is slowly but surely turning toward them....:o}
From Canada: Broadcasting Public Notice CRTC 2007-34.......I am not sure if it has been posted
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Notices/2007/pb2007-34.htm
3. The Fight Network Inc.
2006-1441-3
23 January 2007 Change to the ownership of The Fight Network Inc. (TFN Inc.) through the transfer of all the shares of TFN Inc. from Mr. Mike Garrow to Blackout Communications Inc., a corporation controlled by Mr. Garrow.
TFN Inc. is the licensee of the national category 2 specialty programming undertaking The Fight Network (TFN).
This stock has the possibility to really heat up especially when they start going global.
Yep and they have always had great earnings.
Seeking Alpha
Is Taser In the Midst of a Major Comeback?
Thursday June 28, 9:16 am ET
Hickey and Walters (Bespoke) submit: We all remember Taser's (NasdaqGS: TASR - News) 2003/2004 glory days/crash back to reality. It was an interesting ride for traders in the stock. While the stock had a huge fall, its earnings never went negative, and the stock has begun to show up on the radar screens for traders once again.
The stock is currently up just under 75% year to date.
he talk
Analysts at Jefferies & Co. reiterated a “buy” rating on Taser and raised their target price to $20 but are far from jumping on the bandwagon. In February when Taser was not a popular trade, the analysts went out and raised their price target from $7 to $12. The stock has since been on a run thanks to the recent election of Nicolas Sarkozy which some believe may pave the way for a large purchase order from France. Taser this month received a small order from a foreign law enforcement agency that represents the potential for the company to penetrate the global market. Merriman Curhan Ford analyst Eric Wold believes that Sarkozy plans on making a large purchase in the short-term.
The technicals
After a long period of sideways trading, Taser has been on a phenomenal run the past few months, hitting a new 52-week high Friday.
The takeaway
The run up might be a little too much for traders looking for an entry at this point, but the rally will be slow to die with support from some covering of the large short position of 14.46 million shares, about 25% of the company’s publicly traded float of 57.79 million shares. Any weakness will probably be bought. The move has stunned the bears but as Taser sees domestic and international growth, the stock should keep the momentum going on potential earnings upside.
On July 9, 2007, TASER International will .........
http://crunchgear.com/2007/07/06/taser-to-sell-tasing-shotgun-shell/
Prototype robot targets military, police needs
IRobot adds Taser stun gun to Pentium-based PackBot Explorer
Marc L. Songini
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&taxonomyName=government&...
XREP Taser Fires from Shotgun, Fries Your Foes Wirelessly......
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/brrrrzzzt!/xrep-taser-fires-from-shotgun-fries-your-foes-wirelessly-27546...
Look at the last paragraph-R2-D2's Packing Heat
By Rich Smith July 3, 2007
7 Recommendations
The latest high-tech corporate deal seems a bit like those old Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercials: "Two great tastes that taste great together."
On Thursday, two great Motley Fool Rule Breakers picks -- stun-gun maker TASER (Nasdaq: TASR) and robotic housemaid-cum-battlefield warrior manufacturer iRobot (Nasdaq: IRBT) -- announced a strategic alliance to build robots that incorporate TASER technologies. As an early proof of concept, the companies armed an iRobot PackBot with a TASER-brand X26 stun gun to demonstrate that stun-gun-wielding automatons can effectively perform nonlethal law-enforcement and military roles.
Initial reaction to the news was decidedly mixed. On the iRobot side of the equation, investors cheered the deal enthusiastically, bidding the robot-maker's shares up 5% for the day. In contrast, over at TASER, shares barely budged -- up just 1%, on a day in which the company also announced a 1,420-unit sale to California's Riverside County Sheriff's Department. Color TASER investors underwhelmed.
Why the alliance?
If you've been monitoring the development of robotic warfare as I have these last couple of years, you've undoubtedly picked up on the military's obsession with "collateral damage." The Army doesn't want robots in the field running off on maniacal killing sprees on their own. One recent Military Channel special, profiling robotic warriors fielded by companies as diverse as Britain'sQinetiQ (OTC BB: QNTQF.PK) and America's Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) and Boeing (NYSE: BA), described how one robot in particular required a series of five separate steps to be performed before it could fire a shot. In retrospect, it seems only logical that one of these robot-makers would endeavor to integrate non-lethal weaponry into its design.
Why the investor disconnect?
Rationale aside, both iRobot and TASER must have considered this alliance a good deal for their respective businesses. Why, then, did the market seem about 5% more excited for iRobot than for TASER? On the surface, at least, I suspect it's a matter of numbers. Reading between the lines, and doing a little light number-crunching of the most recent respective 10-K filings, it seems to me that iRobot sold roughly 500 PackBots to the U.S. military last year. For its part, TASER seems to have sold somewhere in the neighborhood of 15,000 units worth of stun guns in 2006 -- a 30-fold difference in magnitude.
Viewed from this perspective, the deal certainly does seem to favor iRobot. For every additional sale it gets out of expanding the PackBot's capabilities, the company pulls in between $50,000 and $100,000 in revenue. In contrast, every incremental TASER sale adds only a few hundred dollars to that company's top line. Take a best-case scenario: Say iRobot doubles its PackBot sales next year, that every one of those is packing (sorry) a TASER-brand stun gun, and that with accessories included, each stun gun sold fetches $1,000 for TASER. You're still talking just $1 million in incremental revenue for TASER, or less than 1.5% of its annual revenue. That seems hardly enough to move the needle on the stock -- no surprise, then, that it didn't last week.
A similarly pie-in-the-sky scenario for iRobot -- it's possible, but I don't think it's likely -- might include 500 additional PackBot sales inspired by the new nonlethal weaponry, yielding potentially $50 million in incremental revenue -- more than 25% of what it pulled in last year. Even the remote possibility of such a scenario explains why the news had significantly more effect on iRobot's price than on TASER's.
Why investors are wrong
If any of the above musings are even close to a correct assessment of why markets reacted to last week's news as they did, then I believe investors are missing an important piece of this puzzle. You see, in the firms' joint press release on the alliance, they specifically stated that arming a single PackBot with a single TASER-brand stun gun was merely intended to show that, yes, a robot can carry a stun gun and incapacitate a target without killing.
But what comes after that concept is proven? What's the second step, and the third, and fourth? The companies anticipate "development of products that may include a full line of TASER kits for iRobot platforms, to a family of fully integrated robots." TASER Chairman Tom Smith foreshadowed: "We have been working on expanding the delivery platforms."
As I read these statements, we can almost certainly not expect armies of PackBots, each toting a single off-the-shelf TASER X26 stun gun. (Honestly, if that were the extent of the collaboration, I'd be pretty underwhelmed myself, despite being an iRobot shareholder.) But it doesn't take a lot of imagination to come up with much more interesting scenarios. Just envision, say, R2-D2, armed to the hilt with TASER stun guns, incapacitating a roomful of crooks.
A picture to warm a sci-fi fan's heart? Sure. And one that suggests TASER investors may be missing the full import of this rebel alliance.
TASER Device Apprehends Man With Loaded Gun
Prime Newswire
July 02, 2007: 10:55 AM EST
WASHINGTON, July 2, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- TASER International, Inc. (Nasdaq:TASR), a market leader in advanced electronic control devices, released the following News Alert:
According to reports from the Maryland Gazette, a TASER electronic control device assisted police in apprehending a man resisting arrest and concealing a .38-caliber revolver on his person.
Early Tuesday morning, officers approached a group of men who were drinking alcoholic beverages in an apartment parking lot around 12:55 am. One of the men, Sylvester W. George Jr., ran from the police and refused orders to stop and put his hands in the air, instead reaching down to his pants. Fearing for their safety, officers deployed a TASER device, causing George to collapse. A loaded revolver was found underneath the man.
Cpl. Mark Shawkey, a county police spokesman, said the incident shows how a TASER device can resolve a situation without dangerous confrontation, preventing harm to officers and suspects.
"This is exactly how we want a situation like this to play out," Shawkey stated.
George was taken to the Baltimore Washington Medical Center for evaluation and later charged with consuming alcohol in a public place, resisting arrest, and possession of a deadly weapon.
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.
CONTACT: Dittus Communications, Inc.
Emily Flynn
Emily.Flynn@Dittus.com
NEWS!!!-Taser Receives Order From Asia
Associated Press 06.29.07, 3:48 PM ET
Stun-gun maker Taser International Inc. on Friday said it received an order from an Asian law enforcement agency for 650 of its devices plus related cartridges and accessories.
The company did not specify the customer or a contract value, and a representative did not immediately return a call for comment Friday afternoon.
Shares of Taser, which earlier this week partnered with iRobot Corp. (nasdaq: IRBT - news - people ) to build robots for police and military uses, added 49 cents, or 3.7 percent, to $13.89 in late-afternoon trading after earlier hitting a 52-week high of $14.25. The company's stock has traded between $6.86 and $14.03 in the past year.
Interesting post from RB by Ron19450
By: ron19450
16 Jun 2007, 09:41 PM EDT
1231610
By the looks of things,, our QBID REVERSE MERGER with CINIMAX Just might make us QBID shareholders MILLIONS$$ Read WHY!!!
IMO!!
Insights on reverse mergers and other alternatives to initial public offerings (IPOs) by David Feldman, author of
Reverse Mergers: Taking a Company Public Without an IPO.
http://www.reversemergerblog.com/2007/04/benefits-and-challenges-of-trading-in.html
What is Wall Street's best kept secret? ... Shell Stocks!
http://www.shellstockreview.com/ssr-Home.html
What is a Shell Stock? A Shell Stock is synonymous with an IPO. Most investors are familiar with the success of today's hot IPOs (Initial Public Offerings). But it is extremely rare for the average investor to purchase shares of an IPO at the offering price. ENTER SHELL STOCKS. Shell Stocks are an alternative way for a company to go public. With a technique called a "reverse merger," a Shell Stock becomes an instant IPO. The best news about Shell Stocks is that the average investor can purchase shares before the company goes public . . . sometimes at a fraction of what the post-merged company shares begin trading at! For more information, see What is a Shell Stock.
Like all stocks it seesaws no biggie.;O}eom
Does anyone know if it would be harder to sell stock on another exchange and that could be why the owners are selling, while it is on the Pinks?
I vaguely remember that once they are on NASQ it may have time/amount/need money/paperwork/ownership percent restrictions, plus selling might bring the stock down under a certain price or other complications.
Chinese Tech Stock Weekly Summary May 22nd, 2007 with stocks: CHCG.OB, CHINA, CHL, CHU, CTRP, LONG, SINA
China 3C Group (CHCG.OB), a Chinese electronics retailer, posted revenue of US$84.5 million for the first quarter of 2007, compared to the US$13.4 million it posted in the same quarter last year. The company ascribed the climb of 530 percent in revenues to a rise in sales and to acquisitions last year. On a sequential basis, the company said revenues increased 33 percent to US$84.5 million from US$63.6 million in the fourth quarter of 2006. China 3C registered net income for the quarter was US$6.5 million, up 607 percent from US$913,548 for the same quarter last year. The company said it generated US$2.6 million in cash from operating activities during the quarter and had US$9.1 million in cash at the end of the first quarter.
http://china.seekingalpha.com/article/36231
Sounds like a good plan...;o} Good for you!!!
I am just using my common sense. CHCG sells consumer tech items and that is not slowing down and they seem to have traction now with so many stores.
China has 2 BILLION people and they are all interested in tech......;o} and they are making more money. Just look at our society, they are a few years behind in consumerism, but they are on the same path as the rest of us.
China 3C Group Announces Q1 2007 Earnings and Conference Call
BusinessWire News Releases
Published: 05/09/07 09:30 AM EDT
Released By:
China 3C Group
China 3C Group (CHCG), a rapidly growing retailer and distributor of consumer and business products in China, will release its 2007 first quarter earnings on Monday, May 14 after the market closes.
China 3C will hold a conference call with key members of the management team on Tuesday, May 15 at 11 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will cover the company’s first quarter results and will include a question-and-answer session.
To participate, call toll free (877) 407-8033 any time after 10:50 a.m. Eastern Time on May 15. International and local callers should dial (201) 689-8033. While in conference, if callers should experience any difficulty or require operator assistance, they can press the (*) followed by the (0) button. This will call an operator to the line.
A live audio webcast and archived replay of the call will be available for 90 days at http://www.vcall.com/IC/CEPage.asp?ID=116972.
About China 3C
China 3C Group is a leading retail chain operating more than 800 retail outlets in Eastern China. The company specializes in selling 3C products (communication, information technology and digital) in China through its subsidiary Zhejiang Yong Xin Digital Technology Co., Ltd. Among China 3C’s primary attributes is its efficient distribution network and rapid logistics system. The company's goal is to become the number one retailer of 3C products in China. For more information, visit http://www.china3cgroup.com.
Sure looks like it, but that is their goal. I like this company, because they don't say too much, but when they say there is real biz behind their words.....;o}
I haven't been watching the board, but thought there was a negative reaction to the financials. I have been in business and the first year almost never shows any profit. I think it is great that they did. Correct me if I am wrong....;o}. Sofar the psychics have been right about me, I am happy to say. They are making a big deal of boxing here in vegas today, but get the feeling there is a lot of hoopla, because they are threaten by the UFC....;O}
Yes but this stock has some umph..;o}
04 May 2007, 10:28 AM EDT China 3C Group Signs with Galanz and HPC to Sell New Products
58 minutes ago - PR Newswire
China 3C Group (OTC Bulletin Board: CHCG), a major retailer and distributor of consumer and business products, announced today that its subsidiary Hangzhou Sanhe Electronic Technology has signed separate agreements with Galanz Group, one of the largest electronics manufacturer in the world, and Huipu Electronic Co., Ltd. (HPC), a leading manufacturer of LCD and plasma TV sets, as well as LCD and CRT computer monitors.
Under the terms of the agreements, Hangzhou Sanhe will be an authorized retailer and distributor of Galanz and HPC products in Eastern China. The agreements are expected to provide China 3C Group with annual revenues of approximately $4 million in 2007.
Zhenggang Wang, CEO of China 3C Group, said, "After our successful cooperation with TV manufacturers like TCL and Eflag, our agreement with HPC will further increase our share in the LCD TV market. Through our cooperation with Galanz, our microwaves and air conditioner sales will be significantly increased. These new agreements will further strengthen our leadership in the Eastern China market."
Repost Vegas Party (96 PEOPLE)
Still adding people. You can add yourself, repost, and update the number above.
Party Date to be voted on.
1. Pennypicks - NYC
2. AnalyzeThis - California
3. NRA Member - Pittsburgh
4. LP640 - Atlanta
5. Moosetuck - WVa.
6. Melvinthemopboy - Boston
7. ROW87 - Florida
8. chrtcrzy - indy (plus friends that hold shares)
9. Reddog65 - TEXAS Baby!
10. Osignal2001 - Michigan
11. dick765 - Calif
12. JCNelson - Wyoming
13. Rasica - Montana
14. Bax - Baltimore
15. TinaMarie - Chapel Hill, NC
16. Completetrader - Dayton, OH
17. The Tooth Fairy - OHIO
18. ItalianDDog - Phoenix, AZ
19. Liz - Chicago
20. Ravensterpsfan - Maryland
21. slap shot - atlanta
22. Mary777
23. Dakota Dad -- Redding, CA
24. COMBOS - UTAH
25. 12Reflect - Charlotte, NC
26. KilerB - CA (He'll drive with ANAL EYES!)
27. strongtower-Madison,TN
28. Lurky - Florida
29. TheFisherman - Tarheel Country - NC
30. Lookforward - San Francisco, CA
31. Crissy7 - Santa Barbara, CA
32. seabeewife - Asheville, nc
33. Jerrydreamer - utah
34. Lburr2 - Michigan
35. budfox - NYC
36. super_so 32..Vegas
37. blackpearlbenz
38. 5150- Vermont
39. Bampabruce - Seattle
40. Jester_1us - Chicago
41. ovation - Detroit MI
42. loudness - Atlanta (you all can help me pick out my Ferrari @ the Penske/Wynn Ferrari dealership :) )
43. Mr. Peeps - Detroit Metro Area
44. Astrocade - Southern California
45. pfrenz - the other (better) half of Calif
46. Tru Fla Native- South Florida
47. K3v1nMc - Orlando, Florida
48. jarhead003-Maine
49. nealgalt1 - Arizona
50. kermit42 - Jersey City, NJ
51. seabiscuit - Calgary
52. Wendel - Manitoba, CANADA (your first (well, almost) CRAZY CANUCK)
53. Cardvic, Missouri
54. enaduotria - Edgewater, NJ
55. buckets - Chicago area
56. russelln - Middletown, NJ
57. KITTYTEK - Chicago,IL
58. MMAFAN - Arizona
59. py - Atlanta
60. tignet - DFW Texas
61. atout - Pittsburgh, PA
62. ssti2008 - Toronto, Canada
63. atotalbum - dumpster
64. Ranzy Nukka - Toronto - HOME OF BKMP!
65. 07up...Santa Fe, New Mexico!
66. Harry - Warwick, RI(and 4 Fight Girls)
67. nubedo - Roseburg, Oregon
68. Realtor- Indiana/Fla
69. Souzagotcha
70. Yoloinvest" One of the host and help paying the bar bill"
71. Connie
72. Photog - South Florida
73. The Free Nebula - North East Corridor...
74. jrod - Seattle
75. artfink - Oregon
76. bepop12345 - Orlando Florida
77. saltmountain2000 - Washington, DC
78. KamrynsDream2005 - Dallas, TX
79. mennypenny262 - Johnstown, CO
80. tenac - East Tennessee
81. strongandsmart - Maine
82. anthraxshield - UTAH
83. PatD100 - So Cal
84. Brian3628- Mississippi
85. Ballyman- San Diego, CA
86. Bobaloo - Missouri
87. CharmedRU - Northern California
88. rickspend from litchfield, maine
89. Miss Piggy
90. Jkewl99 - So. Cal BKMP = Ferrari Enzo
91. jakethesnake- Chicago, Il
92. Adonis74 - Cornwall, Canada
93. Iluvbbs - Little Falls, NY
94. mngtplayer - MN - I vote for May 15 - 20 (because I will already be there)
95. barnesman---McGuire AFB, NJ
96. bepop12345 - Orlando, FL (I am in LV until Jun. 11th, so anytime before that)
OK I'll do that. I'll just listen and follow the roar....lol If I find out anything will post it Wedn.
analyzethis-I'll be at the NAB show tomorrow Tue. Should I go and look for anything or anyone...;o}?
How about this one-nice run
Why would anyone convert Sandy already said it was a bust...lol
Group turns UFC into worldwide phenomenon
By Joshua Buckley
The Daily News
Published April 7, 2007
The Ultimate Fighting Championship was on the verge of collapse. Called by some politicians “human cockfighting” the no-holds-barred mixed martial arts organization was banned from numerous states, banished from television and on the brink of bankruptcy.
Six years later, the UFC is one of the fastest growing sports in America. Its reality television show “The Ultimate Fighter” has become a cult favorite on Spike TV and the company has started to stretch into Europe and Japan.
It’s been a challenge for Dana White and his partners, Frank and Lorenzo Ferrite, turning around the UFC since they bought the company in January 2001 for $2 million. But the UFC president said it’s been worth every bit of the work they’ve done to turn the sport into a worldwide phenomenon.
“I can’t say I was a keen businessman and we bought this company because it would make millions and millions. We felt it had potential and we were passionate about the sport. That’s why we bought it.”
The Dark Ages Of UFC
The UFC began in 1993 as a way of pitting different types of fighters together to see who was the best fighter. Among the styles featured in the first UFC event were sumo, kick boxing, wrestling, boxing and different forms of karate.
It started raising plenty of interest among fans and on Capital Hill.
“When it started in 1993, no one knew what it was going to be like,” said Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor and publisher Dave Meltzer. He has covered the UFC since its inception. “It started doing phenomenally well in late ’94 and started hitting its stride on pay-per-view. But then all the major cable companies started dropping coverage because of the pressure being put on them by Sen. John McCain and some other politicians. Without pay-per-view, the UFC started to die and had to go underground.”
White, a boxing promoter in the late ’90s had the same attitude toward UFC as many of the politicians. The sport was brutal, with hardly any regulations or rules to lower the violence in the octagon.
But when White met a few of the UFC competitions in Vegas, he began to see the positives of the sport.
“I had the same perception as everyone else when I first heard of it,” White admitted. “I didn’t think it was a real sport. But I met some of the fighters and started working out with them because I wanted to learn Jujitsu, I became educated about what it really was. Once I became educated, I fell in love with it.”
The $2 Million Investment
White was an owner of some boxing gyms in Las Vegas in the 2000 and was managing a few fighters. White started negotiating with the UFC to enter them in events.
It was then that White realized what bad of shape the UFC was financially.
“I started to hear that they were in trouble and were looking to sell,” White said. “The company was so dead and had such a bad stigma around it, that it wasn’t even allowed on pay-per-view. How bad is it when a service that allows porn won’t broadcast your sport?
“That’s when me and Frank and Lorenzo Ferrite decided to negotiate with the owners to buy the UFC. A month later, we owned the company.”
The trio formed the company Zuffa to serve as the controlling entity of the UFC and immediately worked on getting the company approved by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
“Our fist goal was to get it sanctioned,” White said. “We knew if it wasn’t sanctioned we wouldn’t be able to bring it back on TV. Once we were sanctioned by the NSAC, we started working on some tweaks that we wanted to make as far as production.”
Part of those tweaks involved improving the experience of fans who were in attendance. White said unlike boxing, which focuses just on entertaining its PPV customers, the UFC wanted to give the paying fans in attendance more bang for their buck.
The results started to create a positive buzz around the UFC. But the sport was still going to go under if it couldn’t find a way back on television.
“They spent several years losing tremendous amounts of money,” Meltzer said. “Zuffa realized it wasn’t going to work without television, but no one wanted to touch them. So they decided to complete finance a reality show, which finally got it back on the air. Their fortunes started turning around after that.”
‘The Ultimate Fighter’
Zuffa came up with the idea for “The Ultimate Fighter” after seeing the success of reality television shows. The show took young up-and-coming fighters and gave them a chance to earn a $100,000 UFC contract.
“‘The Ultimate Fighter’ ended up being our Trojan horse,” White said. “We had tried a million ways to get on television and nothing was working. But with ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ we built a show where people were watching MMA without realizing it. It educated people on the sports and athletes and was a perfect vehicle to help it grow in popularity.”
“The Ultimate Fighter” is entering its fifth season on Spike TV, and receives some of the best ratings on cable with male demographics. The show also helped UFC receive PPV events and become a fixture on Spike.
Meltzer said the determination of Zuffa saved UFC from extinction.
“The UFC needed someone with deep pockets to get back on pay-per-view,” Meltzer explained. “It needed deep pockets for ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and to survive the big losses early on. Did Dana White and the Ferrite brothers save the sport? Absolutely.”
The Worldwide Push
The UFC has become such a moneymaker, that Zuffa has started to set up events overseas. They already have a four PPV events set up in the UK beginning this summer.
The Ferrites also purchased UFC competitor Pride Fighting Championships, a Japanese based MMA company, earlier this month for $70 million. With UFC in control of Pride, it will set up future MMA “dream matches” between the top fighters from around the world.
“People have been asking for years which fighters are better — Pride or UFC,” White said. “Now were are hopefully going to create the Super Bowl of fighting. It will be all of their champions versus all of our champions. I think this will make MMA a main sport.”
Meltzer said the next year would be a critical one for the UFC in determining if the company is here to stay, or simply set to fade out of the mainstream once again.
“Sports last, but television shows don’t,” Meltzer said. “Sooner or later ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ is going to be done. They need to have things in place to continue the sport when that happens.
“Every sport has its ups and downs, but there is no reason with the right exposure and the next gen media catching on, there is no reason UFC couldn’t be as big as boxing once was.”
Don’t believe the UFC is a real sport? White encourages people to come to a live event and see for themselves. Houston residents can have that chance tonight, when UFC 69 takes place at the Toyota Center beginning at 9 p.m.
“If you are a fight fan, there is no doubt you will fall in love with the UFC,” White said. “The fighting style is more exciting than boxing and the live event is filled with energy and excitement. It is the most exciting combat sport in the world.”
That chart shows 0.32 to $65 is that really possible?
HighGear-Looking awesome here it is
I like this part of the Form 10KSB report.
Form 10KSB for CHINA 3C GROUP
2-Apr-2007
Annual Report
Gross Profit Margin
Gross profit margin for 2006 was 15.39% compared to 13.08% for 2005. The increase was partially due to the inclusion of the newly acquired subsidiaries. The average profit margin for the newly acquired companies is approximately 18%. The increase was also due to the increase in consumer demand and improvement in product mix.
Operating Expense
General and administrative expense for 2006 totaled $5,544,924 or approximately 3.74% of net sales, compared to $1,706,869 or approximately 5.2% for 2005. The decrease of 1.46% was due to the inclusion of the newly acquired subsidiaries.
Income from Operations
Income from operations for 2006 was $17,262,166 or 11.65% of net sales as compared to income from operations of $2,556,433 for 2005 or 7.84% of net sales. The increase was due to our acquisitions during 2006, an increase in consumer demand and improvement in product mix.
Interest Expense
Interest expense for 2006 totaled $7,565 compared to $2,954 for 2005. The increase was due to the inclusion in our financial statements of our newly acquired subsidiary Shanghai Joy & Harmony Electronics Company Limited.
Net Income
Net income was $11,277,126 or 7.61% of net Sales for 2006 compared to $1,458,250 or 4.47% of net Sales for 2005. The increase in percentage was due to the factors stated above, including lower cost of goods, lower operating expenses and high profit margin from the newly acquired companies.
http://in.us.biz.yahoo.com/e/070402/chcg.ob10ksb.html
There was no date-Jens Pulver Joins the Fight Network Broadcast Team for UFC 68
Blackout Media Corp.'s (PINKSHEETS: BKMP) The Fight Network, North America's first and only all combatant sports and entertainment channel, is pleased to announce that former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens "Lil Evil" Pulver will be joining its broadcast team covering UFC 68 in Columbus, Ohio. Pulver will serve as an analyst on The Fight Network's Before and After the Bell programs. "Having Jens break down the fights for our viewers will be incredible," said Brian Sobie, Vice-President of Programming for The Fight Network. "He's got a great knowledge base, and, as many MMA fans already know, he's entertaining and definitely not afraid to speak his mind."
Pulver will have special insight into UFC 68 since many of his training partners are fighting on the card including UFC Heavyweight Champ Tim Sylvia and former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes.
Joining Jens on-camera will be hosts TJ McCarthey and Mauro Ranallo. "Our regular analyst, Randy 'The Natural' Couture, will be fighting in the main event at this card so Jens has kindly stepped up to fill in for 'The Natural,'" added Sobie.
Fight fans will soon be seeing much more of Pulver. He's one of the trainers for the latest edition of the hit show, "The Ultimate Fighter." "I can't say what happens," said Pulver. "But I can tell you it's insane!" The show is in its final weeks of taping and will soon be seen in Canada and the United States on Spike TV.
About The Fight Network
The Fight Network is a cross-platform media company with brand interest in television, pay-per view, radio, mobile and web. All five of these media are seamlessly integrated to offer fans of combatant sports and related entertainment a true convergence experience. The Fight Network Inc. corporate headquarters is located in Toronto, Canada. The Fight Network's Website is: www.thefightnetwork.com
About Blackout Media Corp.
Blackout Media Corp. is a holding company with an interest in Blackout Communications who is a diversified media and entertainment company conducting operations in digital television, VOD, PPV, radio, the Internet and print under the brand name "The Fight Network." The activities of Blackout Media Corp. are conducted principally in Canada and the United States.
Safe Harbor
Certain statements in this news release may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of Rule 175 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are subject to the safe harbor created by those rules. All statements, other than statements of fact, included in this release, including, without limitation, statements regarding potential future plans and objectives of the company, are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements.
Technical complications that may arise could prevent the prompt implementation of any strategically significant plan(s) outlined above. The company cautions that these forward-looking statements are further qualified by other factors. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any statements in this release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
NASDAQ Holiday Trading Schedule
2007 Dates - Unless noted, the following dates
are holidays that The NASDAQ Stock Market is closed.
January 1 - New Year's Day
January 15 - Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday
February 19 - Presidents' Day
April 6 - Good Friday
May 28 - Memorial Day
July 4 - Independence Day
September 3 - Labor Day
November 22 - Thanksgiving Day
December 25 - Christmas Day