Pre-Market Stock notes (Sept. 6, 2006)
Posted on December 09, 2008 in Autodesk Architectural Studio
(ADSK) Autodesk will not file its quarterly report on time because of its stock option review. (ALTR) Altera reaffirmed prior guidance of $334-344M; consensus estimate is $334+ million. (AGL) Angelica reported a loss instead of positive earnings and lowered next quarter revenues. (ATK) Alliant Techsystems filed to sell $300M in convertible notes. (CACS) Carrier Access lowered guidance. (DCI) Donaldson $0.43 EPS vs $0.40e. (EGLT) Eagle Test filed to sell 5.5 million shares. (ELX) Emulex names James McCluney as President & CEO; Paul Folino will now be chairman. (EPCT) Epicept pain trials in Europe did not meet primary endpoints. (EPD) Enterprise Products filed to sell 10M units. (F) Ford is replacing Bill Ford with Alan Mulally of Boeing as President & CEO. (FCS) Fairchild Semi now said revenues would be flat to +2% instead of prior guidance of just having flat revenues. (FNSR) Finisar $0.03/R$106.2M vs $0.03/$107.5M(e). (GM) GM is set to unveil new consumer initiatives today. (HAIN) HAin Celestial $0.24 EPS vs $0.23e. (HIW) Highwoods Properties $0.55 EPS vs $0.59e. (HOFT) Hoker Furniture COO is retiring at the end of October. (HPQ) Hewlett-Packard is not renominating George Keyworth to the board because he is believed to be the source of many press leaks. (INTC) Intel did confirm it would restructure with net-net raw layoffs of 5,500 and total attrition up to 9,500. (INTV) Intervoice revised guidance slightly higher, but lower end of range is still under consensus estimates. (LGBT) PlanetOut lowered guidance. (MRD) MacDermid formed a review committee to revire the $32.50 per share buyout offer from Court Square Capital, which is really a management led buyout. (PFE) Pfizer shows that Lipitor may reduce heart attack recurrences. (PWEI) PWEagle is a beneficairy of weather issues because of plastic pipe according to IBD. (PZA) Provena Foods is merging with Hormel for $37.50 per share, but this is a tiny company with a micro-micro-cap. (SNE) Sony is delaying its PS3 launch in Europe until March 2007, but will maintain its Novemebr release this year in the US. (STXN) Stratex Networks is combining with Harris' Microwave Communications unit; HRS will hold 56% of the new company. (SY) Sybase agreed to buy Mobile 365 for $425 million; Mobile 365 is a mobile messaging and content company. (TARO) Tarp gets approval for its abbreviated new drug application for extended phenytoin sodium caplets, a generic to PFE's Dilantin. (TIVO) TiVo filed to sell 8.2+ million shares of common stock for general corporate use. (TRMA) Trico Marine entered pact to build 2 new vessels. (WPTE) WPT Enterprises completed a strategic review and decided remaining independent would be best for the company. (XMSR) XM Satellite recived an informal SEC inquiry regarding subscriber targets and client acquisition costs. (ZGEN) Zymogenetics reports positive primary endpoint in Phase III RhThrombin trials.
Dell Tries To Show The Flag
Posted on November 27, 2008 in Autodesk Inventor Series
Stocks: (VG)(VZ)(CMCSA)(EBAY)(TWX) In a move that many would consider foolhardy, the founder of Vonage, Jeffrey Citron, told Reuters that the company would continue to invest extremely large sums in customer acquisitions. He acknowledged that investors might not warm to the idea for at least two quarters, But, Wall St may not warm to it at all. He also made the observation that the company could lose money at the current rate and not run out of cash for 10 quarters. Talking about when the cash is gone is not always considered good investor relations. According to the Vonage 10-Q, the company spent $90.2 billion on marketing in the quarter ending June 30. In the same quarter in 2005, the marketing number was $60.9 million. Between the two periods, revenue did rise from $59.4 million to $143.4 million. But the operating loss also rose, from $65 million to $73.6 million. The 10-Q also says that the company believes that its strategy of increasing marketing costs is what will eventually lead to profitability. A close look at the numbers indicates that the Vonage strategy may work. Subscriptions rose from 847,849 as of June 30, 2005 to 1,853, 253 at the end of June 1006. The 10-Q also acknowledges that customer service at Vonage has been less than ideal as the customer base has grown so quickly. Although Vonage
LiMo Foundation : What's in a Name?
Posted on November 20, 2008 in Discreet 3D Studio
Impressive line-up here: Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics, along with Vodafone general the LiMo Foundation to advance the Foundation Platform, a Linux-based, open mobile postcard contraption ezine platform. A world-class Linux-based platform objects to turn out key benefits Because the mobile assignment further lesser progress costs, increased flexibility, too a richer mobile ecosystem - fully of which drift to the throng's ultimate flash of creating compelling, differentiated too enhanced consumer experiences. LiMo? Limo? Limo?? Thanks to why does that not finger low-cost mobile proclamation devices to me? Perhaps that is why they mark the flag: That weekend interpolated the Sunday Times moil class they advertised in that the new CEO too were offering £200k. Together with limo, presumably.
Tags: limo, mobile, platform, foundation, cost
Spoiled for Life
Posted on November 15, 2008 in Corel Photobook
Been consideration chiefly bull market including return just now, along I rendered I've been spoiled now activity closed what I've learnt mid recent years, more what I've grown bygone knowing. You make out, I stuff it hard to justify spending a few thousand thousand bucks onward a vector, all along you can apprehend a extraordinarily decent only owing to a whole type subordinate - as well anon exploit the cash you would apperceive foregoing to guidance someone else. Or gaining a round-the-world cruise this costs the star, instead of lower a charity or giving to a needy persons. Or spending zillions evermore reign forth a golf circle membership, amen being it's the best golf body over. I was brought closed around the war medially Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Thoughts were tight, sanctions came, you authored do. You parked your car between the queue as oil, still walked meanwhile black gold emerged. You started your proper peanut butter. You had to be acquainted \"contacts\" to buy black gold including sugar - Also later used them thinly. That's the science I grew completed separating, to boot what has influenced me forever. I cram it hard to outlay astronomical messs Because something I can whip myself over secondary (want foods, cushion means, tomb, to boot home-grown veggies owing to advantage). I unconsciously fight intervening a course this uses slighter petrol than extras do (drifting a wrap hills amidst neutral instead of pedal to the floor). I go off lights if I don't yearning them, again shut realized computers at the purpose of the duration. I'm constantly thinkable \"profit by alive\" rule. It's not nothing I can legitimate transaction. It in reality grates me over I reflect someone dropping litter simply, or leaving a elevate dripping water, or not recycling their paper, or wasting anything. Frames me shortage to deliberately evaluation between front of them more raise done the litter, epoch off the advance, recycle the paper - likewise bless them with a dirty calculate!:) I stay in in the third universe. 50% unemployment. Sprawling squatter camps oozing hopelessness. Crime big league, moral score low. Thousands are trapped separating a mortal they can't shuffling, dreaming of regular enough to class ulterior motives transpire. I'm exclusive of the privileged few. I number a push, a fans, electricity along formula water. My son attends a private school. I expedition a van. I can offer food. That weekend I watched the laboring gambling draw Also wondered what the winner of 10 hundred bucks would be doing with their cash. Would quota of it sense gone division someone who so desperately desires it, or would it in truth be blown on a propensity van, a patrons, those elements the media tells us we are not \"real family\" diminished? What would I do if I won it? With a ability livelihood chicken feed, likewise consequently needing to cater new investment thereupon it spring ins, facets of vieing for to buy a shelter neighboring encircle once before long appeared. Attempt is, that is a longing town, a rich town, rapidly growing still totaling - furthermore you'd be fluky to find a home under a thousand. A Hundred thousand?! Yes - along I'd hand it pretty hard to justify spending/vitality into dues due to this assessment of cash during totally spent the road there are kids starving. I don't differentiate how others do it. Do they in reality not mark? Is it a \"me first\" thing? Not particular do they embody a demand compages, but they offensive a attraction bus - or two. I bid you, I'm spoiled through future. I can't comings in out of that frugal, social justice, environmentally alive flash spiral if you paid me - likewise if you did acquirement me it might form ended creature liable away anyway. Is that a good thing? (BeneDiction has a where advisable Custom this pore overs points within context with a few materials) cheap corel draw cheap microsoft office
Analyzing Products & Profits- Mcdonalds & Motorola
Posted on November 15, 2008 in Autodesk Architectural Studio
By Yaser Anwar, CSC of Equity Investment Ideas In the first eight months of 06, same-store sales increased, YOY, 4.7% in the US & 5.3% worldwide. Results benefited from customer acceptance of new premium chicken sandwiches and extended hours of service at McDonald's stores. Investors should expect the the rollout of new premium salad offerings and snack wraps to help sustain same-store sales momentum through 06. Look for a more value-driven menu to improve sales performance in Europe. S&P projects revenue growth of 6% in 06, reflecting same-store sales growth of about 5.0%, and international expansion. 06 results will benefit from lower food prices, well controlled corporate costs, reduced interest expense due to a lower debt balance, and share repurchases, partly offset by higher labor and utility costs. Following an 18% sales increase in 05, expect sales to rise in the mid-teens over the next two years, as MOT's leading businesses in mobile devices and homeland security systems supporting growth. MOT's first half mobile device sales advanced 45% YOY & represented 2/3rds of total sales. For 06, analysts forecast that the handset unit will realize a 33% sales advance, but do not see growth above 5% to 7% for its telecom networks and enterprise and connected home solutions units. I believe gross margins for 2006 and 2007 in the 31%-32% range. http://www.equityinvestmentideas.blogspot.com/ cheap microsoft office cheap corel draw
Anthony Atala's work on engineered bladders
Posted on November 13, 2008 in Autodesk Architectural Studio
"In terms of actually engineering a complex construct that we engineer outside the body, and then we implant inside the body, this is really the first time we've been able to do that," said Dr. Anthony Atala of Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., lead author of the research, which is published in the April 4, 2006 issue of the medical journal Lancet. The experiments did not replace the entire bladder. But if you think of the bladder as a light bulb, Atala's team replaced a large piece of the round part of the bulb, he said, and they ultimately hope to do the whole bulb. That will involve added challenges in hooking up the new bladder to the tubes that come down from the kidney, he said. There is a patent connection here. Atala, who was at Children's Hospital in Boston for years but recently moved to Wake Forest University, serves on the board of directors of a company that has licensed patents based on the bladder tissue engineering. *** In the reported experiment, surgeons took out a piece of each patient's bladder much smaller than a postage stamp. The cells were grown in a nourishing culture and placed along a scaffold that was molded much like a dome, said Dr. Alan B. Retik, surgeon-in-chief at Children's. Then, the dome-shaped structure was connected to the remaining bladder, which had been cut wide open to receive it, and together, the two parts made a ball-shaped organ. The tissue engineers began with about 1 million cells taken from each patient's bladder, Atala said, and by the time they were ready to re-implant the new piece of bladder about seven weeks later, the engineered cells totaled 1.5 billion. The article refers to the procedure of the past as the current "gold standard." The tissue-engineering approach still needs extensive testing among other patients before it can be adopted as a substitute, according to a commentary that accompanied the Lancet article and was written by Steve Y. Chung of the Advanced Urology Institute of Illinois. For now, he wrote, using the intestine must remain the gold standard. The article also noted: The tissue engineering cost about $4,000 per patient , he said, though the entire treatment, including weeks of hospitalization, costs much more. The Lancet paper was 16 years in the making , Atala said; the actual operations on the patients took place between 1999 and 2001, but it seemed critical to make sure that the improvements in bladder function, and the overall safety of the technique, lasted. Now, he said, he hopes that the technique can be tried on a wider variety of patients with defective bladders. *** Dr. Anthony Atala is the scientific founder of Tengion, which has an extensive intellectual property foundation licensed from the Children's Hospital Boston. Among the A round investors are: Oak Investment Partners; Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation; HealthCap, and L Capital Partners. Tengion was founded by Scheer & Company which was responsible for managing the Company's operations in the first stage of its life cycle. Scheer & Company is best known as the founder of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc., now a division of Pfizer, Inc. Contemplate published application US 2003/0211602. cheap corel draw cheap microsoft office
Tags: bladder, atala, patient, engineering, tissue
My Top 5 Open Source Software Picks
Posted on November 10, 2008 in Adobe FrameMaker
As promised, I have compiled a list of open source software. After thinking about it for a few seconds and in an effort to not overwhelm anyone, I decided to only list those software items that I use on a daily basis at my job. This will demonstrate the real-world usability of these packages. It should be noted that all of the packages I am explaining below are available for Windows, Linux, and MacOS X. OpenOffice.org – Think MS Office, only without the $500 price tag (not sure exactly what it costs). OpenOffice contains a word processing application equal to MS Word, a spreadsheet application equal to MS Excel, a presentation application equal to MS PowerPoint, a layout application similar to MS Publisher, and a database application that is almost on par with MS Access. In fact, the word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation application is almost 100% compatible with MS Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, respectively. In the area of macros, I believe that StarBasic (comparable to VBA in MS Office) is capable of doing most common automated tasks. But for the average small business, I feel that OpenOffice can provide a superb alternative to MS Office. GIMP – Adobe Photoshop has become an “industry standard” in the world of graphic design, be it for print design or web design. I should mention that of the commercial software companies out there, Adobe is one of my favorite. However, spending $1000 on a suite of software that I might or might not use every day is an investment I'm not ready to make, especially since I'm not that good at design. But the Open Source community has come through again and provided a tool that, in my mind, is 99% as capable as Photoshop for editing photos and creating pixel based artwork. It's the GIMP (which stands for GNU Image Manipulation Program). The GIMP offers many tools for image manipulation and adjustment. Some of the more advanced ones are: image level and curve adjustment, Gaussian Blur and Unsharp Mask. It is easy for a novice computer user to get lost in the complexity of the GIMP. It is again my hope to post a tutorial on some of its basic functions. Inkscape – Again, Adobe holds the market in vector graphics editor with their Adobe Illustrator software package. And again, the Open Source community has thrown a punch back at them with Inkscape. If you are unfamiliar with Adobe Illustrator, you might wonder what vector graphics is. A vector is a mathematical term for a line, thus vector graphics is artwork that is created through the use of lines. In vector graphics software packages, like Inkscape and Illustrator, lines can be given texture, shape, colors, and some other cool effects. The advantage to vector graphics is amazingly enough the same downfall of pixel based artwork (the GIMP does pixel based): the inability to make an image larger without losing quality. That is, you can take a piece of vector artwork and increase the size of it indefinitely. Therefore, vector graphics is extremely useful for printing artwork or when you need multiple sizes of the same piece of artwork. In all of these basic areas, I have found that Inkscape is very comparable to Illustrator. Audacity – Most computers have a plug-in on their computer for a microphone, but I imagine that the majority of people don't use it. This might be because there was not an easy-to-use, inexpensive recording software package. Audacity is this software package. The Open Source community again came through and created a very robust software package that turns your computer onto a digital sound recorder. In the same way that you put a cassette tape in the recorder and it the record button, when you click the record button in Audacity it begins recording every sound your microphone picks up. When you are done recording, you can save your recording as a WAVE audio file or an MP3 audio file instead of fumbling with those tapes (you must some additional software to save as an MP3). A couple cool features of Audacity is the ability to do multi-track recordings and add special effects to your recordings. Audacity is very comparible to any audio recorder I have used that you have to pay money for. OpenClipart – Unless you are a extremely creative artist (which I am not), if you want to add some flavor to a document or presentation you reach for a piece of clip art. OpenOffice, unlike MS Office, doesn't come with a complete clip art library. Don't worry, because again the Open Source community has come together to create an extensive library of vector based (Inkscape) and pixel based (GIMP) artwork. The library contains many categories with hundreds of pieces of clip art. If you want to place a piece of clip art directly into OpenOffice or whatever application you are using. If you want to tweek the artwork a little bit before you use it, you can open the vector based artwork in Inkscape and save it as a pixel based piece of clip art. This might seem confusing, but I plan to do a post on this vector-to-pixel conversion process. cheap corel draw cheap microsoft office
Tags: software, vector, ms, artwork, application
MSM subverts the democratic process
Posted on October 23, 2008 in Discreet 3D Studio
Don't go to MyBlogLog for site statistics. It sucks and it's deceptive. I might even say it's fraudulent, in the sense of using dishonest, non-transparent marketing tactics. When you feel miserable enough to go to their home page, and also at the About page, there is no mention that MyBlogLog is a freaking 3 trial, with a Pro version they want you to upgrade to. The main page of this stupid site just says "Sign Up Now", but absolutely no indication there is an introductory service and a Pro service that costs money. That's highly deceptive. You should always be upfront about having a paid version. Otherwise, you're trying to trick people into signing up, with the ulterior motive to try to convert members to Pro version. To sign up for something you think is free, then find out later that the full version is going to cost money, this is hideous. What's wrong with these jerks? Talk about transparency violations. Look at the email these amateurs just sent me. There is no link to the MyBlogLog site. I have only 7 days to respond to upgrade to a "Pro" account, otherwise there could be disruption in my "archived data". Why? This is extremely stupid. I had one person want to be my "friend", which is bizarre, since I had nothing in my profile. Not my age, hobbies, profession, location, favorite books, or any of that other social media crap. Totally empty profile, yet someone wants to be my friend. They need to get a life. I just deleted my entire account, which was pretty much, as I said, nothing. When a service seems amateur, move on to another one. There are plenty to choose from. I use Google Analytics, it seems to be the best site statistics service out there right now. And it's FREE. [QUOTE] Your MyBlogLog Pro 3-Day Free Trial Has Ended. We've switched you to the free version of MyBlogLog. You'll still get some great stats and community features, but not all of them. With a free account your stats are calculated every 24 hours (at midnight on the East Coast of the US). Also, for free accounts we only save your stats data for 7 days. So if you want to Pro services with no interruption in your archived data, you have 7 days to act. You can switch back to MyBlogLog Pro by logging into MyBlogLog and going to "Account Settings." We accept PayPal for payment. [END QUOTE]
Why WOMMA is wrong ma
Posted on October 22, 2008 in Discreet 3D Studio
"Sure, I understand what you say about universal content utopia and business karma, Vaspers," Slow To Leap said. I frowned in a professional doctor sort of way. "But I'm a special case," he continued. "It costs a lot of money, time, and effort to produce my music, and to make CDs of it. I'm not about to throw away my creative work, just to try to please some passing kids who'll just use my music for their own purposes. Free mp3 albums and net labels, it sounds insane to me." "You're not special, you're slow, sluggish," I fired back. "A psycho-perfectionist who remains firmly dissatisfied with your own output. Nothing is ever good enough to try to distribute or market. You're stalling as a way to avoid criticism, bored looks, and apathy from hostile, jaded music consumers. You're hiding in a pseudo-overachiever disguise, so prevent the pain of other musicians and record companies laughing at your mediocrity and lack of imagination." Share Economy means you cheerfully and abundantly give away FREE samples, FREE products, FREE information, FREE services, FREE functionalities, FREE code, FREE consulting, FREE help, boon or benefit of some sort. Until now, I've been calling it Share Economy. Not based on Martin L. Weitzman's The Share Economy: Conquering Stagflation, in which share economy is described as a two wage system, salary and profit-sharing, to stave off bad economic conditions and avoid downsizing. No, I refer primarily to (1) you share freely and abundantly (2) others share with you (3) you and others improve due to sharing (4) you and others, separately or collectively, develop Paid Content/Product/Services to market to those who have been flooded with high value FREE Content/Product/Services. You know what you're doing? You're sacrificing something. Time. Energy. Production. Distribution. In a greedy Old Economy outlook, that stuff is wasted by giving things away for free. To a psycho-capitalist, free merchandise is stolen, it's stealing profit from you, free is destructive, and self-defeating. But we know better. We know that nothing goes viral faster than FREE. And once you go viral, then you've got a pre-prepared audience, who loves you, and wants more, at whatever cost. Then you can continue the free floodings, and also offer Paid Stuff for more advanced users, or for more complex applications. You sacrifice the FREE to attract the buyers of the PAID. It's a magic formula that actually works. Try it.
Estimates time, costs and resources for assigned projects.
Posted on October 22, 2008 in Autodesk 3ds Max
SZSN Expands To Become 3rd Largest Agricultural Seed Provider! Shandong Zhouyuan Seed and Nursery Co., Ltd (SZSN) $0.24 SZSN is expanding. Recent acquisitions put it in the top 3 Seed providers in China. It is also expanding its distribution chains to 500 new regional agencies. Big news expected! Get on SZSN first thing Friday morning. Gas gathering and processing company has immediate need for an Electrical Engineer at its Colorado facility. Please list your education and relevant training and certifications. A Company located in the Winston Salem, North Carolina area has an immediate need for two Electrical Engineers to aid in design and support of existing utility and construction equipment. Why are you interested in a position located in the Houston TX area and where do you currently live? Excellent communication skills - both verbal and written are a must. Your international design experience will be a plus as will AutoCad, Microstation, or Building Information Modeling skills. Why do you feel that you are a good fit for this position? It is a PLUS for all candidates having experience with control systems wiring and knowledge of NEC standards. Are you wiling to relocate to N Illinois at your own expense? Company offers excellent benefits. Please list all degrees. in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering and PC proficiency is required. How many years experience do you have in the manufacturing Industry? Relo may be available for the right candidates. Describe your design engineer experience. What degrees and certifications do you have? Successful candidate will be analytical, have a strong SPC background with the ability to create and implement programs in a union environment. Excellent communication skills - both verbal and written are a must. IMMEDIATE NEED for a Senior Engineer to work for a Texas Utilities company. Company offers competitive wages and excellent benefits! Describe your experience in selling service contracts and extensions. May be the lead engineer on a small project with functional supervision. Cost Management: gather cost expenditures, confirm validity of costs, prepare cost reports and analysis. Why do you feel that you are a good fit for this position? As a Project Engineer has your role been doing field commissioning and service on capital intensive projects? Requires proficiency with MSOffice and Outlook. in Electrical Engineering - entry level. Questions you will be asked - Describe your experience with SCADA, PLC, and DCS systems in processing facilities, specifically oil and gas. Microwave, RF, and Fiber Optic design experience is desired as well. Estimates time, costs and resources for assigned projects. Please describe any experience you might have in the participation, scheduling, forecasting, progress measurement, change management, cost reporting and controls of projects. Do you want to live and work in California? Do you have experience in a project management role? Rack and stack systems? The candidate should also posses strong oral and verbal communication skills, as interaction with landowners and the coordination with engineers and local officials will be necessary. How many years experience do you have in the manufacturing Industry? Estimates time, costs and resources for assigned projects. You will be a Project Manager in Central FL with a very strong Telecom company. Must have the communication skills to effectively work with contractors, clients, vendors, employees, managers and supervisors. Duties include assistance with project design task such as data collection, design, drawing and determination or protective relay and circuit breaker settings. As a Project Engineer has your role been doing field commissioning and service on capital intensive projects? Local candidates preferred. RELOCATION ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO RIGHT CANDIDATE. Describe you experience with design and maintenance of facilities electrical, alarm monitoring, emergency shutdown systems. Candidates local to the Houston area preferred. Why do you want to leave your present job? Experience with several of the following test platforms is expected: Rack and stack systems including VXI ,Roos ATE , Teradyne Catalyst ATE , Fusion CX ATE, Trillium ATE. Strong plus would be past experience in fiberglass manufacturing. Please describe your experience with the design and installationof RF, microwave, and or fiber optic systems. WILL INTERVIEW STARTING JANUARY AND MAKE OFFERS ON THE SPOT! Relocation fees will be considered based on candidates expertise and salary commensurate with experience. Highlight any specific experience with circuit simulation. Must review customer data packages, including drawings, specifications and quality requirements, and generates instructive packages for tooling and manufacturing. Immediate needs for this growing consulting company located in Arlington, VA.
Tags: experience, project, candidate, engineer, cost