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Wednesday's Options Report: Intel, YHOO, NSTR, XLE, OII, Amazon, BJ
(NSTR)– Northstar Neuroscience – Our market scanners picked up an increase in option volume of 71 times the normal level, with calls moving at their most agitated level in at least a year, owing to what may be call spread activity in the March contract between the $7.50 and $15 strikes. Shares in Northstar, which develops cortical stimulation therapies for sufferers of neurological injury and disease, are trading 4.4% lower at $8.89 this morning. The current 162% implied volatility reading represents the apex of an upward trek that began in mid-to-late November as Northstar’s share price eroded into single-digit territory, but early inklings of call spread activity may be putting a March timeline on possible recovery for its share price.
http://seekingalpha.com/article/58835-wednesday-s-options-report-intel-sharply-lower-yahoo-amazon-climb
News St. Jude Starting Trial On Brain Stimulation For Depression
Last update: 2/7/2008 8:00:00 AM
By Jon Kamp
Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
St. Jude Medical Inc. (STJ) has garnered Food and Drug Administration approval to launch a trial the company plans to use to pursue U.S. approval for a pacemaker-like device that uses electricity to treat severe depression.
The invasive treatment involves implanting wires in a part of the brain that can be overactive in patients with severe depression, and using electric stimulation from a connected device to calm that activity. There are limited data backing this approach, but St. Jude aims to collect enough evidence in the new randomized study to pave the way to regulatory support.
"Our intent is to receive a PMA as a result of this trial," said Rohan Hoare, vice president of research and development at St. Jude's ANS Division, referencing a type of FDA device approval.
The patients who could potentially benefit from this technology have long-term depression and have failed numerous treatment attempts with drugs or electroconvulsive therapy. About four million Americans are estimated to fit into this category, creating a broad potential market for medical device companies with effective systems.
A handful of device makers are exploring or have actively pursued the market, including device heavyweight Medtronic Inc. (MDT), which like St. Jude has deep brain stimulation technology. Northstar Neuroscience Inc. (NSTR) and Cyberonics Inc. (CYBX) are smaller device companies with an interest in depression treatment - the latter company has an FDA-approved nerve stimulation tool, but has been stymied by lack of insurance reimbursement coverage.
St. Jude, a St. Paul, Minn., company known for heart-rhythm devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators, has a growing business for devices used to treat certain neurological issues. The neuromodulation business produced $210 million in revenue in 2007, a 17% climb from the prior year, but still represented a small portion of St. Jude's overall $3.78 billion sales tally on the year.
The company got into the neuromodulation business by purchasing Advanced Neuromodulation Systems, or ANS, in 2005.
The FDA has granted what is known as an investigational device exemption that clears St. Jude to begin enrollment for the "Broaden" trial, which will start at three centers and then add centers later on, Hoare said.
Due to competition in the chase for a depression-treatment device, Hoare declined in an interview to say how many patients will be included in the St. Jude-funded trial, and didn't forecast timing for potential device approval. The need to enroll patients, track them for a year and then pursue regulatory approval suggests it could take a couple of years or so to bring a depression-treatment device to the market.
All patients in the randomized study will receive a device, but it won't be turned on for one-third of patients until after six months. According to researcher Andres Lozano, a neurosurgeon from the University of Toronto, patients won't be able to tell whether it's on or not. The trial will run for a year, with an option for longer-term study.
The specific approach St. Jude is taking is based on work by Lozano and neurologist Helen Mayberg, now with Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, that led them to try deep brain stimulation in a part of the brain called "Brodmann Area 25" that is thought to be linked to severe depression.
They tested the technology on six patients in a study earlier this decade - they used Medtronic deep brain stimulation technology in that study - and saw positive results.
"The idea is that this area of the brain is abnormal in patients with depression," Lozano said in an interview. "What we're essentially doing is applying a dimmer switch."
St. Jude said it holds intellectual property rights and has patents pending for the use of stimulation in this part of the brain, and has another depression study under way overseas that studies use of stimulation there for depression. Results from that trial, which has about 20 patients, will be unveiled at medical conferences this spring.
In comparison with other potential device treatments for depression, Lozano said stimulating the Brodmann Area 25 may differ because "it is a very direct approach." Further research will determine the effectiveness of this or other methods, he said.
St. Jude's nearby rival Medtronic, Minneapolis, has also talked about its interest in using deep brain stimulation to treat severely depressed people. The company issued a press release in April 2006 saying it planned to pursue a "major clinical trial" on the matter, and that it holds several patents related to treatment of psychiatric disorders including depression.
In that release, a Medtronic official said the company would be working with the FDA "in the coming months to complete a study design." A study has not launched yet, but Medtronic continues to support research on the matter and plans to initiate a clinical study this year, spokeswoman Cindy Resman said.
Cyberonics has approval to treat severe depression with its pacemaker-like device that hooks up to a major nerve. However, the company's efforts to open up a real market for the expensive technology were more or less blocked last year when the government denied Medicare reimbursement. That decision pushed Cyberonics into cost-cutting mode and redirected the company's focus to its main market for epilepsy treatment.
Northstar Neuroscience has yet another style of neuromodulation technology that stimulates the outer surface of the brain, or cortex. The company had been pursuing the market for stroke rehabilitation, but announced last month that its key stroke trial failed, sending shares into a tailspin and raising questions about what the small company will do next.
Northstar is now considering using its cash and technology to explore treatment of severe depression or tinnitus - the perception of ringing in the ears - and has said it plans to say more later this month about what market it will pursue.
-By Jon Kamp, Dow Jones Newswires; 312-750-4129; jon.kamp@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 07, 2008 08:00 ET (13:00 GMT)
Thanks eagle for posting your buy yesterday. Got some yesterday at .55 and sold at .68 this morning.
SYNM Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Northwest Edition
Posted on Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Email this story | Printer-friendly version
Tyson, Syntroleum land rail-spur money Springdale-based Tyson Foods Inc. and Tulsa-based Syntroleum Corp. have secured $ 1 million in Louisiana state and local public funds to build a rail spur to their new fuel plant in Geismar, La.
Tyson and Syntroleum last year formed Dynamic Fuels LLC, a joint-venture that will build a $ 126 million plant to convert animal fats into diesel or jet fuel.
The Louisiana Economic Development Corp. approved a $ 400, 000 grant to build the rail spur, Tommy Kurtz, president of the Ascension Economic Development Corp., confirmed Tuesday.
In December, the Ascension Parish Council approved a sales tax rebate of $ 600, 000 for Dynamic Fuels. Geismar is in Ascension Parish.
Kurtz said the rail spur would cost between $ 1. 1 million and $ 1. 9 million, and the balance would be paid by the companies. Deny coal-plant bid, judge urges Texas An administrative law judge has recommended that the Texas Public Utilities Commission deny Southwestern Electric Power Co. ’s request to build a 600-watt coal plant in Hempstead County, Ark.
SWEPCO had to seek approval for the $ 1. 4 billion plant from regulators in Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana because it planned to sell electricity to customers in each state. The Arkansas Public Service Commission approved SWEPCO’s bid to build the plant last year. Louisiana’s regulators have not ruled on the plant although they are expected to approve it.
It had been expected that Texas regulators would not approve the plant. SWEPCO’s president, Venita McCellon-Allen, said during hearings before the Arkansas regulator that if Texas denied the company’s application, SWEPCO would not sell electricity from the plant to its Texas customers so Texas ratepayers wouldn’t be affected.
SWEPCO still has not received an air-quality permit from the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and has not started construction on the plant. Arkansas 20 up 2. 0, beats broad market The Arkansas 20, a priceweighted index that tracks public companies based in the state, rose 2. 0 to 158. 81 on Tuesday.
You may also want to look at this link it is interesting information.
http://www.pe.com/business/local/stories/PE_Biz_D_gottschalks08.3a41252.html
Hi Tina.. I was reading the post and saw your question on
Gottschalks. Just a plain department store. Nothing special. The store offers a variety of items to choose from such as Macy's. Here at my location it is located in the local mall
along with Penney's, Dillard's, and Mervin's as their main competitors which all have similar type of items and discount sales. Are they popular? Here it is a common well know store.
If you say the name Gottschalks most everyone in my area has
been there. But it is not as popular as say the three super wallmarts and does not have the feel of a Target or Wallmart but more of a department store, Perhaps because
it is located in the local indoor mall.
HI wing I did read that Jazzy hmmmmm lol
Well hi everone> Looks like the old holders are still here.
I for one have been accumulating and holding spooz for over two
years now. Some good dd here by many. Looks better this time
around for the launch and a move to profibilty. I would like to
see a move similar to Neom which we bought near the same pps a
few years back. Once the profits came the pps reached a high of
75 cents. Spooz has the same feel to me. Let us hope so.
Good luck to you all.
God bless
Whys that did you look in the mirror?
Tested a buy at .013 filled at .0125 appx 60k shares
Equititrend still saying that news next week will be positive.
He put it this way "it will put a smile on your face."
Also said that Paul is very upbeat and positive on his company and
direction. And yes he is getting married in a few weeks.
Sounds to me like the last chance to add or grab some cheap shares.
GLTA
That MACD crossing up looks golden eom
Thanks... that spread will close soon eom
First in months lol eom
Break out chart setting up here eom
americano at 14:40 80000 at .14 was the first one
I noticed the chart and added here at the double bottom eom
juggernutt if it helps my buy orders the last few days
at .012 did not execute. I have been adding a 100k at
a time for a month or so. It has been hard to get shares
at .01 only got 50k at that price several weeks back.
I agree this will test .05 again I still say that .10
high in the next few months depending on the news that we
get on revenues etc.
SPZI ceo update yesterday evening
Posted by: alliecorp
In reply to: None
Date:8/31/2006 12:08:57 AM
Post #of 6299
Valuable and important information to read from Paul Strickland.
Thank you, allie
I do read the boards from time-to-time, if only to help me gauge general investor concerns and the temperature of the water, so to speak. I like to pay attention to our shareholders, after all, I work for them.
I read some of the posts today and I became concerned that there are some general misconceptions regarding our industry, SpoozToolz and our marketing plan. I am write this to you because I have read some of the stuff you have posted on the boards. I find you insightful and in possession of significant business acumen. I respect the way in which you handle yourself in the face of adversity and the manner in which you have defused certain situations with tact and kindness. So this is a communication for you to share with others. I will try to explain why there is significant interest in SpoozToolz by large, online Brokers knowing that you already understand.
Firstly, SpoozToolz supports multiple asset classes. In other words, you can trade stocks, options, cash bonds, mutual funds, futures, Forex, ETFs, etc., all with ease. This means that any Brokerage firm executing any of the aforementioned asset classes fall into our target market because Brokers are the Spooz customers. (We can talk about the exchanges, who are at the top of the food chain, later.) Knowing the industry as I do, I can suggest there is another aspect of large Brokers that tends to be true; most Brokers develop technology with the same relative efficiency as governments manage real estate. Brokers tend to acquire technology, not develop technology.
Online Brokers have a singular goal in life … transaction revenues. Of course large Brokers have multiple revenue streams, they are like banks, but technology to them is simply a means to an end. They will employ any technology that will help them; 1) open new customer accounts, 2) increase the average transactions of their existing accounts.
Someone made the point in a post today that a certain large Broker would not change out, or modify their execution infrastructure due to SpoozToolz. This is absolutely correct, but is hardly required and, therefore, irrelevant. SpoozToolz sits on top of their existing execution platform, be it web based or no … it matters not. We simply write to the Broker’s execution Application Program Interface (API) and trade directly through their existing infrastructure including connectivity to any exchange upon which they offer execution. In addition, we also write to the price feed API and receive quotes and news for display in a spreadsheet. This means that Spooz is not responsible for exchange fees for acquisition of real-time data. That would be the responsibility of the Brokers.
The real question is: How does one launch a global marketing effort without spending $50 million for marketing to ensure its success? The answer is by using a technique termed “channel marketing”, or, forming relationships with Broker partners who will serve Spooz as distribution channels directly to their customers. What’s more, if the trading technology has market appeal, they will fund a large part of the marketing budget.
Why would SpoozToolz appeal to a large online, electronic customer base? There are many reasons, here are ten good ones:
1. SpoozToolz Functionality – How can I build a simple screen that will allow me to sell 30 Dow stocks in their correct, price weighted proportions, and simultaneously buy the futures contract. How can I build a screen that will allow me to execute simple treasury swaps? How can I automatically adjust the quantity of stock to be executed downward due to an increase in volatility? How can I simply and easily program a Trade Execution Button (TEB) to place a limit order to buy an asset on the bid without ever entering a price? There is no platform out there that can accomplish this.
2. Extenability – SpoozToolz is not an execution platform built in Excel, rather, it extends the functionality of Excel. How far can this be extended? Competitors that have come before us, prior to the electronic trading age, built their core products upon trade decision support platforms offering quotes, charts, technical indicators, etc. These platforms now have third party developers writing plug-in execution platforms for use with their core products. In today’s world this is backward thinking, after-all, most execution platforms look, work and feel much the same. So how many execution platforms does one need? I know of one first tear data vendor that supports 11 of these third party plug-in platforms. Why??? Spooz has approached the problem from a different perspective. Spooz has designed the most flexible and customizable execution platform in the world. Version 2 will incorporate an open API so that any third party developer can easily write trading applications to SpoozToolz. Imagine, instead of supporting 11 execution platforms, Spooz will support dozens of new trading applications, such as a market depth module, an extended options module, a Level II module, or a price distribution charting module all developed by third parties. Spooz will maintail rigorous QC standards and market these applications as plug-ins. We already have an area on our website to facilitate third party developers and we currently have relationships with several. It is our intent to launch 2 or 3 unique trading applications about the same time we roll out SpoozToolz Version
There is no competitor out there that is pursuing this.
3. Flexibility – with SpoozToolz one could solve almost any business problem in very short order, and without a programmer. One example might be for an airline to hedge jet fuel ten years in advance, or for an import/exporter to eliminate cross rate currency risk, or for a family man with a mutual fund portfolio to track and manage his investments. There is no single platform out there that can accomplish this.
4. Customizability – There is a reason we have not published lots of templates as of this time. Our competition does not yet see what we see, so why tip our hand? It will be possible in the future, however, for a SpoozToolz customer, no matter where his Brokerage account resides, to go online and retrieve a template that seems to sill his needs. These templates are .xls files, and I believe that most traders will modify templates (by altering formulae or inserting their proprietary algorithms) to customize them. There is no platform out there that can accomplish this.
5. Compatibility – You can download anything into Excel, form inventory systems to foreign bank account information, automatically and with ease. There is no platform out there that can accomplish this.
6. Versatility – Execute multiple asset classes, for multiple accounts, at multiple Brokers from the same screen at the same time. There is nothing out there that can accomplish this.
7. Unparalleled Analysis Capabilities – I found one comment I read on the boards mildly amusing today. I believe the writer was amused by the words “market data analysis.” I interpret this to mean that the writer trades without analyzing data. This means he/she can not be using technical indicators, looking at any measure of volatility, probability, or for that matter, risk management. But what if he/she could? What if he/she had a tool that would allow them to instantly download into a spreadsheet ten years of price and volume history on any stock, bond, futures contract (our database for the grains goes back to 1963), etc.
8. Wireless Trading – How many hand-held devices currently support Excel? How many will support Excel in 5, no 2 years. This means that a Brokers customer can trade, with the click of a button they defined on a screen they developed, at anytime from anywhere in the world. Who can do this?
9. Regional Portability – Do you want to expand marketing efforts to India, Mr. Broker? Develop 10-20 regionally oriented Excel templates for use in a particular market, any market, and you are already there. Anyone have any idea where I might find this technology?
10. Support – Since SpoozToolz extends the functionality of Excel to facilitate trading and related analysis, reporting, and management. And since Microsoft does a good job of supporting Excel, can we not claim that to a certain degree, isn’t Microsoft supporting SpoozToolz. Weak argument you say? I wasn’t necessarily referring to technical support, I was talking about growth. More importantly, we will provide technical support to our partner Brokers customers so that the Broker doesn’t have to. Okay, there is competition that does well supporting their own solutions.
For these reasons and more, SpoozToolz is a disruptive technology. Further, it will be offered at disruptive price points. I defy anyone to touch the capabilities of SpoozToolz for less than $400 per month, or $1,000 per month for that matter. It simply does not exist anywhere on the planet. So why am I writing this letter knowing, no asking, that it be posted for our shareholders to consider? Because an interesting conversation ensued while I was in San Diego last week due to a remark made in a stock report on SPZI. It was the contention of the writer that if some large Broker was developing a similar product, that is a spreadsheet-based product, that they would launch it and burry Spooz. I believe this to be such an errant assumption that I would encourage a large Broker to do just that. If this occurred, do you believe this incredibly insightful Broker, already having deep pockets as a result of transaction revenue, would supply this technology to his competitor Brokers? If not, where ever could they find it?
I know someone who knows someone!
Best Regards,
Paul D. Strickland, Jr., CEO
Spooz, Inc.
Bob's emails to investors are great and well written. I would of
dumped this stock if it was not for the fact that he does seem
to come accross as a very honest ceo. The only thing I see is
no exposer with a few emails save a few on this board. As an
investor I would like to see a pr put out by cotton in the form
of an investors update on the order of the emails this would more
likly help to stop some of the sell off of the stock and increase
the value while we wait for the minning to be completed and revenues to begin etc.
Added Kings and more spzi at .0105 eom
Dr Zorka that would be the pr rep at Equitrend said most likly
the big prs will begin in a few weeks according to the weekly
confrence calls with the ceo. here is the number, call and check it out for you self 1800 5856988 toll free ask for Larry. He will
be gald to fill you in on spooz
I know bobs busy with the new mines does he plan an update soon to share holders?
L2 anyone?
End of Message EOM for short
Strickland moved the weekly confrence call with Equiti Trend
from yesterday to today according to Larry/ Told him to tell
paul to toss us a bone or two. An investors update letter would be
nice. He gives the impression that news is in the pipeline now
that were going into the fall months.
Anyone with Level 2 current bid /ask? eom
thanks wrongjoe for the timely answer eom
What is the minimum price Per share requrired to list to the
AMEX.
CWRN more current update info.......
Posted by: ironore
In reply to: Jazzy who wrote msg# 173
Date:8/5/2006 11:45:30 AM
Post #of 176
This is what I got from Mr, Cotton on 08/02/2006.This company has over 3 billion dollars in mineral assets, we are here for the long term. We are not selling our shares and have not yet... the price will come back up in time on its own because now there are not a lot of shares in the float.. maybe two million only.. the activity now is solely the market. We will begin a new promotion soon .. but just now I'm busy with organizing the new mines.. There are only 15 shareholders with more than 100k shares.
Unless you need to move your investment, you should keep the CWRN stock, it is extremely under valued at this time... I will be buying back more shares as soon as I have time.. I have not sold any of my shares and will not until the price is a least $5.00 a share.
We will move up to AMX after we open Mindoro Island mines, most likely end of the year..
Thanks for being a valued shareholder of our company
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/060502/0126514.html
talked to IR few days ago spzi expeciting good news this
comming week.
ironore thanks for the reply will be holding
and accumulating
thanks
Anyone have any updats from company or expecting prs?
Anyone with a realtime level two up??
Just had a nice conversation with Larry at Epuity trend
added to my position yesterday and will and more today and
tomorrow for next week.
Posted by: Dr Zorka a few days ago
In reply to: None
Date:7/31/2006 9:29:28 PM
Post #of 5452
SPZI looks like it's ready to make another run- I'm in.
I think the onlyone flushing shares is the doctor
I bought some on the flush today lol;
Not much posted here. Would like to see some updates with
the company. The emails are interesting to say the least, but
a firm pr would be nice.
Cotton & Western Mining (CWRN) picked some up last week anyone been looking at this company
http://cottonwestern.com/
http://biz.yahoo.com/iw/060502/0126514.html
http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=140071
In recent emails with ceo info to stockholder---
1)5 billion$ (BILLION) in underground reserves!!!
2)geological report with target price 2,30$!!!!
3)O/S 68 mil (all in CEO hands, free from march 2007)
4)float 12,5 million ( 6,5 in Ceo hands and
5) mill free (all shares were dumped last month from a group of Investors relations, driving price from 1,50 to 0,05...now 0,12)...Ceo expecting 1 $ within few weeks!!!!!
6)6 million free share dumped into market are OVER!!!!
7)Ceo have not sold any share ( no one)
8)Ceo saying not selling one share almost before 2 $
9) no diluition or R/S program
10) expecting great news in the next week!
Wing walker
If you look back at my profile you will see I have been
buying spooz and trading some since last year. I called
Jason at Equitrend thursday. Had a long conversation
with him. Nothing new was said that we haven't seen
posted. The only thing that he mentiond was news comming
that involved national exposer that was all he said. I hesitate
to post this and I dont know the content but perhaps it
somehow involves this Barons articlel I dont know. All I know is
what my converstation with him was and he did hint at some type
of larger exposer but did not say what that was or when. In time Im sure
we shall see it come to pass. After all he is the IR rep for spzi.
I also asked if they were paid in shares or dollars he would not
comment on it said that was
not his department. I knew that before I asked him lol. He mentioned
how impressed he was with Stricklen in the conference calls with him.
good luck to you.