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Just shy of 4 hours - yup. Started on time.
Generally speaking the judge was very smart and had his own highly technical person present to take notes. I got the impression that he was understanding the technology and the definitions being reviewed. He had very good questions for both sides. Our primary lawyer was quite knowledgable as well and we were very well prepared. Tmobile was also well prepared and documented their position well.
I had a few opportunities to slip notes to our council regarding some of the more technical nuances which I think helped our arguments on two of the points. All in all we did an excellent job and it is up to the judge.
What is with the comment about me wearing a tie?
The receiver was not in the court room. Drago sent a representative from the law firm. Calypso had 5 lawyers and tmobile had 4. I got all their names. Deer slayer did show up in shorts and flip flops and was not allowed in the building until he changed into a suit. There was another guy there with deer slayer who also had to change because he was in jeans but he didn't divulge his handle. Longhorn was also there.
Trial just got out folks. I was able to have my iPad in the courtroom and I took detailed notes of the claim construction. On my way to the airport and will post more then. Generally speaking I think it went quite well for Calypso. The full transcript will be available in two to three weeks.
I am here at the courthouse. I am the only person here at the moment. The court house doesn't open for another 20 minutes or so. I will post another update around lunch time and periodically check the forums if able.
FYI I don't believe the court room will be open until 8
Sitting out front of the courthouse in Marshall TX checking out the parking situation for tomorrow morning. Going to check into my hotel if anyone would like to hang out tonight.
Just don't get yourself arrested.
I will be prepared either way - no worries. Thanks for the heads up. Boyscout over here :)
Yes it is at the discretion of the judge. I plan on keeping them in my car or a security locker otherwise. The courtroom does have wifi and I will get there early. If I can setup a webex from my phone to stream it in real time via the wifi I will and post the details here.
I'll have my ipad with me so I will do my best to make posts on breaks. If I don't it is because I am tied up collecting info. I will bring a digital recorder if the judge lets me and a video camera / iPhone to take interviews of the attendees on breaks. Happy travels to all.
Would you and deer slayer like to meet up in person in Marshall? I will be there at 8 am waiting on the courthouse steps. I will also be available all evening on Sunday as well.
I though you and some of the other longs would get a kick out of that.
And lastly, Cristian Turinni's resume as provided for his new job. Of particular note is all his experience working for Calypso.
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://www.5dias.com.py/18936-cristian-turrini-es-el-nuevo-director-de-la-televisin-pblica-paraguay&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522cristian%2Bturrini%2522%2Bparaguay%2Btv%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS259%26biw%3D2000%26bih%3D1270%26prmd%3Dimvnso&sa=X&ei=nhNKUMDGN4rXigLwmIC4DQ&sqi=2&ved=0CF8Q7gEwCA
Here is another article where Christian Turinni responds to the accusations regarding his new appointment:
http://www.laprensa.com.py/v1/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1171:director-de-la-tv-publica-responde-a-cuestionamientos-contra-su-designacion-&catid=37:nacional&Itemid=53
Director of Public TV responds to questions on his appointment
Saturday, August 25, 2012 9:31
After taking office and internalize the operation of the Public TV, Cristian Turrini, new director of Public TV, answered some questions about IP Paraguay emerged mainly in social networks against his appointment. He said his role will be to channel administrator and ruled out any conflict of interest.
Turrini, chosen after a competitive examination of merit in which received the most points based on the curriculum and experience in senior management positions, said his role within the Public TV will be the administrator and technical areas that are the managers responsible.
"My role here is as an administrator, not as a producer of some program or driver of any program," noting that the fact that he is a lawyer, economist and lawyer in international relations can not be reason for objection to his appointment in charge.
"I would ask those people who question the fact that I am lawyer if a president of a country is necessarily a career politician," he said noting that in the administration of any company, "an administrator may have had experience in a different category previously. "
On his first day in office at the head of the Public TV, Turrini noted the need to fill several positions left vacant in the channel and reorganize it so to ensure smooth operation.
Calypso Wireless
Asked about his relationship with the American company Calypso Wireless, the new director said that in this case "there is no conflict of interest" and that as head of the board of shareholders and independent director and not an employee of the company and therefore can engage another full-time occupation.
"You can buy shares of the stock companies as a shareholder and have your full-time job, whether it is a member of the board of shareholders (...) I could quit but so far the other directors asked me not to do it," said .
Turrini resigned last July in exchange for the post of president of the company, remaining as head of the board of shareholders, and ruled that unseated reported as a false statement.
"That press release (on their supposed removal) is fraudulent (...) The author of the false document was a director of the company, David Williams, who upon hearing the call for shareholders meeting to evaluate their removal took the false statement, "he said. That case ended with a 3-1 decision in the shareholder vote to remove Williams, said the then president of the company.
Cristian Turrini was confirmed yesterday in the office of Director of Public TV after a selection process involving representatives of the Ministry of Information and Communication for Development, the Ministry of Public Service, audiovisual producers and workers Public TV.
Didn't make it up. To be fair I used Google translate because I don't speak Spanish, but you can read it for yourself if you like:
http://www.ultimahora.com/notas/554311-Cristian-Turrini-es-el-nuevo-director-de-la-TV-Publica
http://ea.com.py/director-de-tv-publica-cristian-turrini-fue-despedido-de-empresa-estadounidense-por-falsear-informacion/
http://www.780am.com.py/noticias-detalle.php?id=9784
And a video:
Have you guys seen this GEM?!? I particularly love the last part.
Cristian Turrini is the new director of the Public TV
Minister of the Ministry of Information and Communication (SICOM), Martin Sannemann, confirmed the appointment of Cristian Turrini, as the new director of Public TV, chosen among the applicants for the post, following a call for tender.
Sannemann Minister stressed that the appointment of Turrini begins a new stage in the Public TV and "culminates a fairly complex process, but very pleasant in institutional terms."
For the bidding, the Sicom detailed a number of requirements, applicants must fill where a note application, submit a resume, affidavit have no grounds for disqualification and kinship.
They also indicated that they should be professional, preferably with a university education for media management, public administration and / or audiovisual. The required experience was 3 years in management, coordination and / or supervision.
The winner of the contest was Cristian Turrini, graduated with a degree in Economics and International Relations from Brigham Young University and Harvard Law received as specified curriculum.
The same is currently manager of a telecommunications company named Calypso Wireless with 20% share, according to the station 780 AM.
The company gained notoriety to bring an action against the company T-Mobile for $ 6,000 million in 2008. Through the lawsuit, the company sought to obtain judicially Calypso Wireless, recognition of past damages and future, of the abuse of a patent, the 923 in a product called T-Mobile Hotspot.
HOT, I hear what you are saying and for some folks who may not be adding value to the average shareholder I might agree with you.
But a lot of us spend a lot of money out of our own pockets on due diligence and freely share our findings on this board. Maybe you forgot that I've devoted hundreds of hours to this company for free. Or that I did the website for $10 bucks (which I never was paid btw). Or that I paid thousands out of pocket for the copying of the company documents last year. Or Lexis Nexis document fees for stuff that gets posted on this forum for everyone else to read for free.
How about all the money the company officers and board have wasted over the years? Considering the circumstances it hardly seems relevant to even mention the cost of a phone call - unless you are just trying to find something to complain about.
I appreciate the well wishes. Thank you. I will do my best to accurately report the events of the day and the general feel in the court room as well as who is physically present. If possible I will try to obtain post-hearing interviews as well with anyone else who was also present.
Since the receiver is the only legitimate source of information and considering that we haven't heard anything since the spring, I felt that it was a good time to contact him considering we are on the eve of one of the most important events in this company's history.
I spoke to him for about 5 minutes. So even at $400 a hour that is only $30 bucks - which I think, and probably most shareholders would agree, is very much worth it.
You should be scolding all of the folks who constantly call his office. Unlike those folks, I am very brief and direct when I call and I respect the receiver's time - which might be why he calls me back. Just sayin.
I spoke with the courtroom deputy yesterday and confirmed that there will be a courtroom reporter present on Monday so we don't have to hire someone else to do this. I also obtained the name and email address information for the courtroom reporter and contacted her to let her know that we'd like an expedited transcript of the hearing.
In the event that the scheduled courtroom reporter is unable to be there on Monday, I have contacted and secured the services of a woman who does hand written stenography to accompany me to the courtroom to take notes and have gotten permission from the courtroom deputy and judge to bring her.
When i spoke with the courtroom deputy, she indicated that the trial was scheduled for 9 am and as of yesterday evening at 6:00 pm was still a go. She said that the trial is scheduled for 3 hours but may go into the afternoon. She indicated that it would be most likely be done before the mid afternoon and that I'd have no problems attending the whole thing and making it back for my flight.
I also spoke with the receiver yesterday and he indicated that he has plans to update the shareholders collectively after the marksman hearing. I offered again to do this via the website and he seemed interested in using it as a venue.
I agree with you woops. At the last trial in Delaware, aside of lance, there was only one other shareholder present who wasn't involved in the hearing. It was quite a lot of work to dump 6 hours of courtroom testimony to notes and organize it for folks.
Having multiple shareholders there would be great.
At this point I will be flying in to Tyler Texas on Sunday morning and flying out at around 6 pm on Monday evening. I can't get any flights out later and I need to be back at work by Tuesday. How long do folks think this marksman hearing is going to take?
I will be available all day on Sunday to discuss and meet up with other shareholders in Marshall.
Good point - by "them" who exactly are you referring to? The BOD, the receiver, t-mobile or the court? :)
I guess I will probably need to wait until Saturday night to purchase flights in case we see movement towards a settlement this week.
Fair enough - thanks for apologizing. Just a bit of a misunderstanding.
Yeah those flights won't work then. I gotta fly in on Sunday. Anyone else planning on traveling to the hearing from the Philly area?
Yeah I found those same flights. I actually found one from Philly to Tyler Texas that would get me in there at 9:50 am and out on the same day for $250. What time is our trial?
Thanks Elis.
There were a lot of issues with that shareholder meeting, which have been lashed out time and time again on this board. The average shareholder has been getting the short end of the stick for years - myself included.
I worked closely with all of the board members to proctor the web-cast of that meeting. I saw first hand how the meeting was organized and conducted, as well as the information that was presented and the general lack of preparation. I re-designed the company website to provide feedback to management directly from shareholders in preparation for that meeting so that the concerns of shareholders could be addressed. I also positioned myself where I could relay the concerns of shareholders in real time to be addressed by the presenters, in a recorded session.
After seeing the conduct of all parties, Dave Williams included (who was present) - particularly after the meeting, I was discouraged.
I won't be drawn in by your anti-Dave-Williams rhetoric and I won't sit here and defend him either because he had a role to play as well.
I am checking out flights from Philadelphia now. Does anyone have the address of the courtroom handy? I'm not a Texan so if anyone would like to provide some travel recommendations / airline / airport / rental car, I'd appreciate it.
Ideally I'd like to fly in and take a shuttle / walk to the court room like I did for the shareholder's informational forum in LA.
Just to keep things informational. The Calypso website and domain registration expired this week and I paid to have the site renewed for another year. Cost was about $110 out of pocket.
Come hell or high water, I will be there.
So you mean to tell me I have to get flights for Monday? LOL Man this last minute cliff hanger stuff is ridiculous. The same thing happened with the fake shareholder meeting last fall. Sigh.
I would also be in support of this course of action as well. Mostly because I don't have a lot of faith in reform when a company is this far gone. And neither did the Judge, which is why we are here.
I think as shareholders, we are simply left to speculate about what could happen or where this could go because there is no information available aside of court postings.
I would also support the company coming out of receivership, but I agree that NONE of the previous players can be involved in the forward direction of the company.
Agreed.
Amen.
I agree HR... I'll take a payout any day over the previous roller coaster.
That would be mighty nice... :)
I am probably one of the few people on this message board that could keep his composure in the court room. You don't have to worry about me.