One more thing I forgot to mention if anyone cares, I forwarded this email to Erich on Febuary 16th of this year, in the email was a very articulate post from Dolphinsmike, I was hoping that Erich would hear our pleas for more clarity, once again I was dead wrong. Within a few hours of sending it I got a call directly from Doug threatening to file a restraining order against me if I ever emailed Erich, Frank, or Jim again...Just ask yourself how weak and insecure someone has to be to threaten legal action for sending an email simply asking management for some direction and answers that we as shareholders need and deserve. Read the contents the decide for yourself
Doug,
Please take a minute or two to read this post, a response simply saying you read it is all I'm asking for. I don't send this out of spite or to rub your face in it, quite the opposite actually. I am very much looking forward to the day were I can sit back and say "Man, Doug was right, I was a fucking idiot for ever doubting him"....no joke, until that day comes however, I beg you to put your ego (we all have one) and personal feelings aside and heed the contents of this post. It very thoroughly and comprehensively sums up everything we shareholders feel is wrong with the current situation, what questions/concerns we would very much like to see answered/addressed, and what steps you can take to turn things back around in the right direction.
Monday, 02/13/17 01:09:11 PM. Another day, and the silence is so loud its like a ringing noise in my ears. This is where we are at. Nobody is talking, and so much needs to be said. Doug surrounded by yes men at all levels, telling him everything is fine and stay the course, or even worse the people around him to afraid to say what needs to be said because they are hostage to the payroll that they all should be ashamed they receive. Which is why forums like these are so important, because I am not a hostage and I will say what needs to be said because I know for a FACT they read this board.
Doug, it is time you step up and be the CEO to your shareholders. No way can you possibly believe that your actions or possible lack of actions do not owe shareholders an update to what is going on. Even if you are working on a 10000 trillion dollar deal, you are allowing everyone and or anyone to create his or own speculation/scenario. Why?.... because nobody knows what you are doing or going. I also highly doubt you are actually closing anything right now, because if that was the case the important people of the world would be buying stock now, and shareholders would be saying why we are seeing accumulation. This is not the case, meaning no rumor exists as of now for anyone to be buying, because we would have seen it. This sector especially has events where mass accumulation is being purchased on the open market for no reason at all hence the rumor.
So here are some things I would like to know, and they are not out of line either.
1. What are the patents we just added to our portfolio?
2. What are the different categories of these patents?
3. What are the strategies attached to these newly defined patent categories?
4. What are some of the long term plays of these patents?
5. What are some of the short term plays of these patents?
6. What are some of the low hanging fruit?
7. Which of these might seem to be a settlement type?
8. Which of these could possibly be short term licensing deals?
9. Which of these could possibly be long term licensing deals?
10. Which of these seem to be unlikely to be an event in 2017 but possibly 2018-2020? (this sets the foundation for future forward thinking)
11. Which of these 2018-2020 are long terms plays?
12. Which of these 2018-2020 are short term plays?
13. Which of these 2018-2020 are settlements, licensing possibilities?
14. Will we need to do another raise to enforce these patents?
You should know all of these answers, since you bought or took possession of them! The answer cannot be your hands are tied and you cannot discuss anything! It simply can’t. What was the game plan prior to buying them, or taking possession of them? That game plan had to be defined to make it an actionable event. So what was it? Why these patents? What stood out? Who were the brains that said buy these patents and we can then do A B C D with them... Where did they go?
Second you need to clarify and add some color to recent actionable events versus on the record verbal events…
1. Roughly 2 months ago Mara accounted a Pricing of 5.2 million Concurrent Registered Direct offering after being on record that Mara is not going to do a raise.
2. This was then followed up with an announcement that 750,000 shares would be sold from “time to time” when it took roughly 2 business days.
3. What happened to the Authorization of Stock Repurchase Program nearly 10 months ago, not a single share purchased from “time to time”?
4. Why hasn’t anyone from MARA purchased stock at these low levels, while the board is getting paid statistically higher than other patent plays who are mostly up year end for its shareholders, and Mara is down over 30%?
5. If legal is advising that stock cannot be purchased, please if you can site case law why nobody has been allowed to do that in the past 2 years, while other Patent plays are closing more deals, executing more licensing deals, more one time payments. Why can they, and MARA cant? Did you venture out to other firms, or did you get the answer you wanted?
6. Erich Spagenberg joined Marathon nearly 9 months ago, what has he done in those 9 months, what is he working on?
7. Why isn’t MARA selling more of Erich Spagenberg, who is highly regarded as the Patent Whisperer, why isn’t MARA touting this fantastic asset and his accomplishments thus far? (The man locked up his shares, I assure you he is getting thing done…)
There you go, these things should not be asked of by shareholders, they should be the norm. You told investors buying stock @ 6.50 cents would make us all look like “geniuses”, you forgot to tell us why.
All my opinion, but I am practically begging for clarity of my investment, and so is the rest of the market since the stock is down 80%. Get your head out of the sand, everything is not ok even though everyone on your payroll is telling you what you want to hear, wake up, take your hits, show respect and lets move forward and be a CEO.
-dolphinsmike
Thanks,
Andrew
