Gordon Stein, CFO of CleanTech Lithium, explains why CTL acquired the 23 Laguna Verde licenses. Watch the video here.
Captain McGlone awoke to discover Sophie bandaging his other leg. “Sophie, what happened? Why do both my ankles hurt and what's all that racket?”
Sophie forced a smile, “Well, the noise is from the investors we dropped in the... sea. They've all clambered into life-rafts and they know you're in here. They want some information, you know, like when you're going to tell them what's actually happening.”
McGlone threw his hands in the air, “Awe, that lot! Always whening, whating, and howing! Who's company do they think this is?”
“W-e-l-l, Captain...” Sophie's expression suggested she might need a wee.
Just then, Max the German Shepard pulled his mobile from his satchel, swiped the screen and began dialling.
“Hello, emergency services. Which service do you require?”
Max barked twice at the phone.
“You require Coastguard. Please hold...”
As Max growled details of the crash site into his phone, Captain McGlone risked a sneaky peak at the rife-rafts full of grumpy investors.
“Right Sophie, here's my plan. I'll slip into the oggin on their blind-side and you tell them I've gone for help. That should get them off my tail.”
“But Captain,” now the tightening expression on Sophie's face suggested she might also need a poo, “these tropical waters are full of sharks, and the blood from your wounds...”
“Don't worry about me,” the captain snaked over the side of the raft and lowered himself into the water, “I'd rather wrestle a great white than face that lot!”
“But Captain,” Sophie clasped her hands to her face then pointed towards the horizon. In the distance twenty triangular dorsal fins had emerged through the waves and were cutting directly towards the leaking McGlone, “those sharks... I think they...” Suddenly a chorus of background noise erupted as the life-raft borne investors began chanting, “Why-aren't-we-there-yet?” causing Sophie to raise her voice to make herself heard, “...FIND YOU VERY ATTRACTIVE!”
The captain beamed, “Sophie! I'm a married man! But, hey, I still haven't lost it - OBVIOUSLY!” He flicked his hair to one side then winked. Sophie's pained expression now suggested she was suffering a sudden bout of sea-sickness.
At that instant, Max began barking. Sophie spun around, “What's that you say Max? Search and Rescue are on their way!” She spun back to the captain, “Captain...” but he had vanished. “CAPTAIN McGLONE!”
Like a giant pancake, the life-raft slowly began folding in half. Seconds later the captain's head re-emerged from the water. He was clutching a large Bowie knife and a tiny barnacle. “Hey, look what Hawkeye McGlone spotted!” The captain tossed the small shell into the raft. “You gotta watch those. That little blighter could've caused havoc in a couple of years!”
As the hissing life-raft began to sink, McGlone scowled up at Sophie, “Awe, what you gone and done THIS time?”
This morning I was musing over a few of the shares I used to play with. Luckily, I sold before they really took off.
Over various time-frames I'd been in and out of PHE (once), and RENE and CWR a couple of times (to balance this topic, I've also been in a number of complete duds, which I'll avoid mentioning... might sound like my winners were just small pieces of luck that somehow got stuck to a fool). Anyway, the three epics mentioned above now appear to be 'on-their-way' and I sit here wondering why I ever let impatience overrule my initial call.
When I first discovered each of the above companies their field of operation provoked one initial reaction: “Brilliant Idea!” All I had to do was buy-in and wait (normal caveats apply). But, of course, the next brilliant idea came along, so why not cash in that wee bit of profit and jump aboard (always promising to be back - in a while).
Of course, the subject of good ideas leads me straight to our very own Marmite share: Seeing Machines. Seeing Machines is also a company whose technology provoked the Brilliant Idea reaction from the get-go. So here I sit, determined not to commit the same crime as before, because now - all these years on, and oh so many Seeing Machine disappointments, frustrations, clumsy RNSs and free-shares-for-just-being-there later - the story here is stronger than it's ever been.
As you may have guessed, I'm not the biggest fan of our leadership (Cadillac! Extra models! We haven't been told!), but try as I might, I can't ignore the fact that this company has a core product with so many different applications; I can't ignore the fact that this tiny company is now playing happily with some of the world's biggest techies; I can't ignore the fact that this company has some of the most prestigious names in their sector buying its product; and I can't ignore the fact that in some cases even legislation is funnelling the potential of world markets directly passed Seeing Machines' shop window?
So, dear people, does all this describe a company with a Brilliant Idea, or is now the time to sell up and move on?
Thank you for the time and effort Paul.
Best,
Sandy.
AIM Rules for Companies (July 2016)
General disclosure of price sensitive information 11.
An AIM company must issue notification without delay of any new developments which are not public knowledge which, if made public, would be likely to lead to a significant movement in the price of its AIM securities. By way of example, this may include matters concerning a change in:
its financial condition;
its sphere of activity;
the performance of its business; or
its EXPECTATION of its PERFORMANCE.
------
Once upon a time, there was an itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny little company that lived very, very far away in a place called Australialand. Now, Australialand was so far away that The Boss of the teeny-weeny company was always flying off to countries not so far away to tell people how excellent his teeny-weeny company was. He did this a lot, and he also said he was very excited to be working with some of the biggest and most technologically advanced companies in the whole globeisphere, and that his “EXPECTATION of PERFORMANCE” was getting higher and higher with every passing day! This was all excellent, BUT...
Sadly, some people didn't believe The Boss - because he was always saying stuff like that.
However, one day a nice lady called Mary (who lived in the United States of America) thought she'd help The Boss out. She was going to say something that would prove he was right and everything he said was beginning to come true. So Mary told the whole-wide-world that, not only was her company already buying stuff from that teeny-weeny company because its stuff was really good, but she was now buying EVEN MORE of its stuff because the stuff they made now was even better than the stuff they made before! And, of course, this meant she'd be sending many more bags of money way down to Teeny-Weeny HQ.
Mary's plan was a good plan, because now The Boss of the teeny-weeny company would be able to prove to all the people who doubted him that they were wrong. All he had to do was let everyone know what Mary had said, and how much he looked forward to counting all her money.
Sadly, The Boss was so busy flying around the world telling people how advanced his company's technology was - and how big his company would one day become - and how valuable his company would one day be - that he forgot to tell anyone about Mary.
The End!
P.S. For anyone new to this page, if you'd like to know if this really is a 'Once Upon a Time' fairytale - Google the names: Mary T. Barra and Supercruise. You just can't make this stuff up!
Robbie, the situation we're in right now is what leads me to believe our management just don't get it! Here we are, loitering at 4.5p and the likes of Cadillac are telling the whole-wide-world they will very shortly be fitting our tech' to everything they produce - including the tea-trolley.
So what's our managements cunning plan to capitalise on this story?
Well, some things never change! Here we are, handed a golden opportunity not only to make some big news, but also update on prospective revenue; something our management should be shouting from the roof-tops. Instead - tumble-weed town.
I bloody-well despair!
Me thinks it's time for a Tunnock's Caramel Wafer (they're always way better than a half-baked RNS)
So Far...
Due to a severe case of Distracted Piloting, Captain McGlone shut down both engines of his aircraft at 33,000 feet; Max the dog bit the captain's leg; the captain fainted; Sophie took charge; and Max landed the crippled plane - on a far off, tropical ocean...
----
Captain McGlone awoke to discover Sophie bandaging his right ankle. “Sophie, what happened? Why does my ankle hurt? Why are the walls orange? Why am I bobbing up and down?”
“Steady, Captain. Lie still.””
“But... Sophie, what's...”
“We're in a life-raft. You fainted - but everything's okay. Max landed the plane on the sea and saved us all from certain death! Just lie still while I fix your leg.”
The Captain slumped backwards and lay gazing at the clouds, “Liferaft! Fainted! Max? CERTAIN DEATH!” He peered at Sophie, “Who's Max?”
Sophie glanced towards the German Shepherd sitting opposite. Max was holding a large plastic paddle. “Look, that's him over there.” She smiled at the heroic Alsatian, “Remember now?”
Max was staring at the captain - emitting a faint but very deep growl.
McGlone raised himself on one elbow, narrowed his eyes and peered at the dog. “Good dog, Max.” He then eased back and rested his head against the side of the raft. “Sophie,” he whispered, “how does a dog hold a paddle with just - just paws?”
“Shhh now,” Sophie laid a wad of damp share certificates on the captain's forehead, “Don't go ruining the story for the investors.”
Suddenly the captain became excited. He pushed himself up onto his elbows then pointed at the sky, “Look! A woodpecker!”
Sophie examined the sky where a flock of large white birds hung almost motionless against the headwind. “Captain, those aren't...” She sighed then poured more salty water on the captain's share certificates, “... oh, yes! A flock of beautiful - sea woodpeckers!”
The captain gasped then flopped backward, closing his eyes. “Sophie, I don't remember anything... what happened?”
“Well, at first you promised we'd be there just after breakfast time. Then just after breakfast time you promised we'd be there just after lunch time. Then, just after lunch time you promised we'd be there just after dinner time. Then, just after...”
“SOPHIE! I didn't mean - that! I meant what happened in the aircraft?
Sophie shuffled her knees closer to the captain, “Now Captain,“ she stroked his hand, “try to remember what you did achieve successfully was to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. And not many pilot's can do that.”
On hearing the word victory, McGlone smiled and raised his face to the sky, “Ah, victory!... Wait! What?” Then he sat bolt upright, “Now I remember what happened!” He pointed an accusing finger at Sophie, “IT WAS YOU WHO BIT MY BLOODY LEG!”
With a tiny squeak, Sophie toppled backwards onto the rubber decking. Max growled, dropped his paddle - and bit the captain's other leg.
Ah, since you're back, how about a spot of light Sunday evening reading...
Sorry guys, but something's really bugging me as to why Semicast has just begun speaking to us in Twitter riddles.
The clip of the movie Now You See Me is interesting, as the Netflix write-up states: 'A troupe of brainy illusionists specialize in stealing from banks and giving the cash to their audiences.'
Semicast's film clip ends with the phrase: The closer you look; the less you see.
Intrigued? I am.
There's also Semicast's earlier Twitter post regarding the Cadillac Escalade's launch, where he signs off with: today's episode has been brought to you by the numbers 9 and 40.
Did I hear our CEO state not too long ago that we already had nine (auto) programmes running? Could that nine be changing to another number 'imminently'?
Now, I know I'm wide open to being accused of adding my sums up all wrong (and, hands up, I understand I'm fully engaged in wishful thinking here) - but - what the hell and why the hell the sudden cryptic speak?
“Captain McGlone, are we nearly there yet?”
Ah, this is one of those really difficult jigsaw puzzles – you know; the ones that are either all sky or all sea. Of course, this isn't quite the same, but what makes this one just as tricky is that one of its four pieces – is blank!
Oh, but hang on! I've just read the instructions... it says here, 'Each jigsaw piece is a clue to which company will supply the tech at the heart of Volvo's DMS system. All you have to do is work out which company's logo should be on the blank piece of jigsaw?'
Okay, I'm rubbish at jigsaws, but I'll give it a go...
So the first bit of jigsaw's got the a fleet of Veoneer liveried Volvo cars all over it; second bit's got a fleet of Veoneer liveried Volvo cars all over it; and the third bit's got a fleet of Veoneer liveried Volvo cars all over it with a Nick DiFiore fitted inside (Nick's the bloke wearing a jacket with that funny little logo on it – bet he got that jacket as a freebie cause he works for... for - hang on - it'll come to me in a minute - phah! Anyway, free jackets! S'alright for some! Eh?).
Okay, so now all I've got to do is work out which company's won the Volvo contract.
Hmm... Nope. Oh, but hang on – is it John Lewis? No! Well is it Argos? Hotpoint? B&Q? Ah, wish I wasn't so dim – or so rubbish at jigsaws... and quizzes... and remembering where I left my... Jeez, I've even forgot what I... erm...
Silentnight? Parker Knoll? Zanussi?
“Captain McGlone,” Sophie's head appeared around the door. She nodded back towards the cabin, “the investors want to know what's happening.”
The captain closed his newspaper and stared blankly at the ****pit ceiling, “Sophie!” He pulled his feet from the control console and rested the heels of his Cosy-Toes slippers on the number one engine fire extinguisher switch. The fuel to the jet engine was automatically cut off as the fire extinguisher discharged its contents into the port engine bay. The engine sounded a mournful wail then fell silent.
Easing forward in his seat, McGlone glanced from the left ****pit window at the dead engine, then turned and stared at Sophie. “Now look what you've done!” He took a deep breath, narrowed his eyes and asked, “How many engines do we have?”
“We used to have two! But, the investors, Captain, they want to know what's happening!”
“Christ, can't you see I've got my hands full right now?”
Sophie eyed the captain's newspaper and sighed, “They just want to know what's going on.”
Tell them...” the Captain puffed, “... tell them we're on our way to - where is it we're on our way to again?”
“The Lomah island, Captain. Remember your promise? We're all off to the Land of Milk and Honey. So they want to know if we're there yet.”
Captain McGlone unfolded his newspaper and began reading the Wanted ads. “How the hell should I know?” He stretched his legs and placed his heels on a large, grey lever. The airframe shuddered and the sound of high pressure hydraulics could be heard. “SOPHIE! What the hell have you done this time?”
Sophie disappeared from the ****pit then returned a few seconds later accompanied by a large dog. The dog jumped up onto the co-pilot's seat, stared at Captain McGlone, and growled.
“What's with the German Shepard? Does he bite?”
Sophie smiled, “Not unless you touch the controls again.” She then selected the grey lever back to its original position. Once again, the airframe shuddered as the undercarriage legs retracted back into their housings inside the aircraft.
“So, Captain, has any news arrived? Any OEMs. Any Tier Ones. Any major tie-ups. Collaborations. Developments. Anything that could possibly shift the share price?”
The captain reached into his jacket pocket and removed his phone. He switched the device on and the series of pings indicating incoming messages lasted several minutes. Eventually he swiped to his inbox then pointed the screen towards Sophie, “Ah, look!There's just too many to go through right now. I'll do it when things are less hectic.”
“Well...” Sophie puffed. “Ah, forget it.” She turned to the dog, “Max, check the navigation screen!”
Cont...
The dog pawed the large screen on the console in front of him and it immediately illuminated. He then tapped the icon marked Navigation and a GPS map of the surrounding five hundred miles appeared. The dog examined the map for a few seconds then raised his head above the console and began barking at the windscreen.
“Hey,” the captain appeared confused, “what's the deal with the barking? Has he seen a cat?
Sophie ran a hand across her forehead, “A cat! A cat - at 33,000 feet? A five-hundred mile-per-hour cat! A BLOODY CAT!”
The captain shrugged, “Hey, what's with the attitude?”
As Max continued barking at the windscreen, Sophie moved forward and examined the navigation map. There, at the very top edge of the screen, was the island of Lomah. “Good God! It's the Land of Milk and Honey - and we're heading straight towards it! It's actually there! It actually is REAL!”
Captain McGlone checked the screen, raised his eyebrows, then slumped back into his seat. “See! How many times did I tell you it was imminent!” He uncrumpled his newspaper and began reading the Horoscope page. Then, placing his feet back onto the control panel, his Cosy-Toes clipped the fire extinguisher switch for the starboard engine.
As the last engine died, Max bit Captain McGlone's leg.
Many thanks Terry, but... how come every time I now think of the name Terry - I hear the Mission Impossible theme bouncing around inside my head... I think it's only inside my head... then again...
"Da, da, da-ra, da, da, da-ra, da, da..." is it?
Don't know if this has been discussed before - but with regard to JC's patent searches (thank you John C), something's been niggling for a while...
John has thrown up a very large amount of patents from companies which may or may not be incorporating our technology into their own. The thing is (and this is the important bit), in light of what we've seen so far from CES2020 this week, if any of our patented tech is being used by other companies – they would obviously require a licence to use it.
So, while we're sitting waiting patiently for an aviation licence deal to appear – aviation might not be the only licence in the pipeline?
A while back I held a tiny stock called Seeing Machines. Well, as a company, for most of the years I held it - it was a real pain in the arse. The management were naff and regularly had me in tears... some of those RNSs; it was as if they didn't want anyone to know the company even existed.
Anyway, after a few false starts, it finally happened. Long story short: I sold half my holding when the share price hit £3:00, and so became a multi-millionaire overnight. The only problem now... every time I'm counting my million pound notes – my fancy car won't stop nagging until I pay attention to where I'm going – which is to a garage - trying to find a car that's not fitted with one of those really annoying Driver Monitoring Systems! I ask you – whose crazy idea was that?
Many thanks to all who attended yesterday's CMD and reported back. Good to see a cheerier board.
All we need now...
Pdub,
When cancer comes a-knocking, the only positive thing it does is shine a light on what's actually important in life.
So, in our house we now have a saying regarding how we live our lives: If It's Not Fun – You're Not Doing It Right.
Best wishes.
Seeing2020
Jeez! They'll take everything I've got in one go!
P.S Was very, very careful to make sure I pressed the 'cancel' button
Schlemiel,
Sound like these guys want to reinvent the wheel - a two year evaluation programme to see if 'the reality lives up to the hype!' Guardian, you bunch of tulips! All the 'evaluation' you're about to do has been done! Seeing Machines have already captured and trained the living, breathing creature you still believe might not exist.
But what about this for a cracking idea, FMCSA... a rubber cover for a cart-wheel that can be inflated with air? Yes, I know, how cool would that be?
Seeing Machines are the leaders in DMS tech by a country mile. The reason: because we've been working in this area for so many years and have a huge wealth of REAL WORLD DATA. So we are the go-to company in this field. How come?
Ask yourself this: why were we 'engaging' with the EU as they drew up their guidelines for DMS? The answer could just be that the EU regulators needed solid foundations to work from, and where else – who else – not only has the depth of knowledge that we do, but also the enormous amount of REAL WORLD DATA (from thousands of live systems) that we do?
So who else were the EU going to ask? We build the kit they know works – all the time, every time. So if you were about to draw up new standards for life saving tech, where would you go; to a silicon valley start-up, Tesla! or the Super Cruise guys?
So, when Mr BB asks what our future holds for Fleet at 5% of the market (and I understand you're only 'putting-it-out-there' BB), I'm tempted to quote #Team300 - and beyond. How can I make such a statement? Well, to paraphrase our broker's recent note: Seeing Machines Has More Strategic Value Than Mobileye.
Now, sometime today, sit down and have a really hard think about that statement.
Now, what were you saying about our share of the Flight Simulator Market, our rapidly improving Fleet Market, our Aviation Market, our Rail Market, our Public Transport Market – or a world where every human who operates a machine could be monitored to keep them and others safe Market? Who'll start the bidding?
P.S. Albert Ross - aka Paul McGlone (you had to be there).
Baxter, if you're still with us and at some time read the story below, you'll understand I borrowed 'a wee bit of you' to form one of the characters. So now I must tell you that the Baxter in the story was not created with any malice, as I find your conflicted views at times not too distant from my own. Our previous management's actions have often provoked me into trying to bite the wheels of passing traffic. The main difference between us is that I'm an eternal optimist (#Team300), and you... you have a different take on things. So I like to think of the story as that of ribbing a friend down the pub (or even the golf club), as well as perhaps a metaphor for the perils of AIM. There may even be a couple of other characters in the story who were inspired by regular contributors to this board.
No matter what your take on what I've written (should this one somehow avoid being taken down), I wish you good fortune with your investments both now and in the future.
Good luck to the re-rigged ship Seeing Machines and all who sail in her.