Outcast

QMNM Update

2008-10-22T10:45:00.001-07:00

After speaking with the CEO Eugene Chiaramonte, Jr briefly today we were able to answer a few questions shareholders have been having.

Q. Where does the company stand in regards to the bankruptcy?

A. QMNM is submitting the disclosure statement to the judge this week. Once the judge reviews it he will approve it or disapprove it and the company will have to revise the plan. The CEO Eugene said that this should take about three months before it is finalized.

Q. Is the company still mining and what are their production levels?

A. Eugene says that he should have production numbers at the end of the month and that they have been mining everyday.

Check back periodically as we will continue to update our sites as information becomes available.

WLAN Semiconductors a Hotbed for Industry Growth.

2008-10-21T17:04:00.000-07:00

While diminishing memory chip price points continue to hinder growth of the overall semiconductor industry and research firms including iSuppli cut '08 chip forecasts as the sector finally starts feeling the pinch of a weakening global economy and decreased consumer spending, connectivity is emerging as its saving grace.

IDC reported today that the worldwide WLAN semiconductor market is pegged to surpass $4 billion in annual sales by 2012 with a CAGR of 22.8%.

Moreover, while PCs are expected to remain the numero uno WLAN application, mobile phone apps are anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 49.3%. With regard to major growth drivers, the latest edition of 802.11 alphabet soup technology - 802.11n technology - is expected to lead the way.

In other recent semiconductor industry news:

The SIA recently stated that the ongoing credit crisis is absolutely hurting demand for semiconductors. The association also insinuated that when it releases its annual industry outlook on 11/9, the report won't be pretty;

Fairchild and Alpha & Omega settled their legal patent dispute and entered into a cross license agreement;

Piper Jaffray upgraded its rating on Volterra Semiconductor (NASDAQ: VLTR) to "Buy" from "Neutral" largely due to a surge in 3rd quarter profits and high expectations for the company's new server platform product offering; and

Legacy Holding, Inc. (OTC BB:LGYH.OB - News) announced that it has successfully applied its green semiconductor wafer drying technology to high volume solar cell production and proven its ability to drastically cut manufacturing times for suppliers.

Solar Power International Conference in Review

2008-10-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

This year's Solar Power International conference attracted 22,500 attendees from over 70 countries beating last years tally by 10,000. The conference offered a platform for industry leaders and politicians to express their views and ideas on where the solar industry is headed and what needs to happen for the industry to thrive in this economic crisis.

Although the overall consensus seems to be optimistic, some major players in the industry like First Solar (Nasdaq: FSLR) CEO Michael Ahearn stated that they are concerned that the country's current financial crisis, which is spreading like the plague internationally, will have immense detrimental affects on the cost of producing solar power systems.

In contrast Ahearn also believes the recent tax credits that provide utility companies, businesses and homeowners for installing solar energy systems will benefit his company and other solar companies to branch out in the United States.

Even with our current economic condition possibly being the worst our country has seen since the great depression, a view shared by many economists, I believe we still need to focus on solar energy and other renewable energies that will ultimately preserve our environment a sentiment California’s governator Arnold Schwarzenegger shares as well. This being said, we need to look to our government officials to develop and execute with precision plans that will simultaneously harvest economic growth and provide renewable energy and green technology companies with affordable funding.

Let me wrap things up by filling you in on some note worthy developments in the Solar space

• GT Solar (NSDQ: SOLR) announced a $46.8 Million contract with Top Green Energy Technologies last Thursday to provide the Taiwan-based producer of solar cells with polysiliconLDK Solar (NYSE: LDK)

• Sun Power Corp (NASDQ: SPWRA, SPWRB) also reported on Thursday third quarter net income of $22.4 million up from $8.4 million from the same quarter last year and total revenues for the third quarter of $377.5 million up from $234.3 million the same quarter last year.

• However, not all of the solar-related news hitting the wire the news was so bright last week. Evergreen Solar Inc. (NSDQ: ESLR) a Marlboro, MA-based company announced Thursday a net loss of $23.9 million for the third quarter as opposed to a net loss of $3.7 million in the same quarter last year despite an increase in third quarter revenues of 21% to $22.1 million.
production equipment as well as a services agreement which will help fortify their ties with Chinese wafer manufacturer

Check Out Our Profile on AFTC.PK!

2008-10-15T21:15:00.000-07:00

It's finally here folks!!

Our introductory corporate profile on Alternative Fuels Technologies Inc. (AFTC.PK) is now available on our site. If you want to know why this deal is one of our favorites for 2009 and beyond, you'll have to read it. But for starters, I'll give you my brief conclusion on the the company and its future potential.

From the report:

`Due to the company's position as an emerging global leader in an infant marketplace poised to soon become one of the world's largest clean energy industries, we feel that AFTC represents a unique and compelling ground-level investment research opportunity.''

AFTC: Make That 7

2008-10-15T17:06:00.002-07:00

In case you missed it, AFTC.PK revised their initial press release yesterday morning and the corrected version was actually much stronger than the original.

Announcement #1 noted that AFTC.PK expected to ship 4 DME fuel pumps to a Korean entity in 2008. The second release went on to note that the company has actually already shipped 7 pumps to Korean Institute for Energy Research. So, essentially the subsequent release was stronger in three key ways:

#1 The pumps were in fact shipped rather than being scheduled to ship in '08;
#2 The number of pumps relevant to the contract was 7 rather than 4;
#3 The end-user was identified as the Korean Institute for Energy Research versus "a Korean entity".

In my experience, a revised release usually means that the first one was too aggressive or potentially misleading, so it's great to see that management actually felt the need to make 3 changes for the better.

On another note, AFTC.PK recent updated their site with a detailed Q&A on DME. This is definitely worth a read! Another thing that will certainly be worth a read is our profile on AFTC.PK. Check back tomorrow morning for that, folks.

AFTC: Quenching Korean Fuel Demand

2008-10-14T04:03:00.000-07:00

After last week announcing the completion of a contract worth more than $1 million with Volvo AB, Alternative Fuel Technologies Inc. (OTCPK: AFTC) is back with more big news today, a purchase order from a Korean customer for four of its DME fuel pump products.

Given the fact that Korea is completely and utterly reliant on Middle Eastern fossil fuels, this could be the beginning of a very lucrative relationship for AFTC, and potentially make them Korea's leading supplier of an effective replacement for traditional fuel systems.

Major Opportunity for DME & AFTC in Korea

With a robust propane distribution infrastructure capable of feeding the country's more than 1 million propane cars, Korea represents an a ideal launching ground for widespread DME fuel adoption. For those of you not in the know, DME can be distributed through pre-existing propane infrastructure. This should help the emerging fuel source overcome one of the main barriers to the widespread adoption of many competing alternative energy sources, including ethanol.

The national government is also taking steps to promote the replacement of conventional fossil fuels with DME and has publicly stated plans to provide 100 tons of the fuel per annum by 2010 and facilitate full-scale use of DME by 2012. Since the emerging fuel source can reportedly be produced at ½ the cost of petroleum fuels when oil is valued at $125 per barrel, both DME and AFTC’s technology are extremely compelling propositions in today’s rough and tumble economic environment.

What is DME?

Dimethyl either or DME is a colorless liquid that can be produced from natural gas, coal, or biomass and can be used as a clean-burning alternative to liquefied petroleum gas, liquefied natural gas, diesel, and gasoline.

Advantages of DME include but are not limited to:

- Non toxic to humans and non damaging to the environment;
- Low CO2 and 90% less NOx emissions than standard automotive fuels;
- Biodegradable and non-corrosive;
- 30% higher fuel economy than gasoline in passenger cars;
- Easily transported and distributed via pre-existing propane infrastructure;
- Can be up to 5X more efficient than traditional fuels.
- Comparable torque and power for DME and Diesel operation
- 75% particulate emissions vs. diesel
- Proven to allow compression engines to meet ’98 California LEV standard without addition of expensive systems; and
- Low engine noise

Going to Cash Could Cost You

Despite a major market rally on Monday, investors still have their collective finger on the sell button waiting anxiously to move their assets quickly to cash if things happen to go south in a hurry again. However, most of the research that I've come across lately indicates that heading for 'greener' pastures is not historically as profitable a decision as holding tight and weathering the storm.

According to a recent New York Times article that examines a 2005 study conducted by the University of Michigan, "From 1963 to 2004, the index of American stocks tested gained 10.84 percent annually in a geometric average, which avoided overstating the true performance. For people who missed the 90 biggest-gaining days in that period, however, the annual return fell to just 3.2 percent. Less than 1 percent of the trading days accounted for 96 percent of the market gains."

Timing is Everything

Timing is everything folks, and most investors like ourselves never seem to end up getting back in before the market bounces back. Unless the world disintegrates over the next 5-10 years, a major market rebound is inevitable. Since there indeed is not much upside potential in cash today other than short-term safety, if you have the money, I suggest looking long and hard for value in today's bargain basement environment.

Business looks to be progressing nicely for AFTC.PK even as the global economy screeched to a halt. An indication of what the future holds for the company? Despite atrocious market conditions these past few weeks, AFTC continues to impress with positive corporate developments.

With aspirations of becoming the global leader in DME fuel system development and a growing global customer base that includes automotive market leaders such as Volvo AB, AFTC.PK is showing a great deal of promise heading into '09. Check the OutcastTrader Blog periodically for updated coverage on this and other companies that stand to forever revolutionize our perception of fuel and energy.

AIG Executives Vacationing on Your Dollar!!!

2008-10-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

I was watching one of my favorite shows last night "Anderson Cooper 360" and one of the topics struck me as completely outrageous. It shocked me to hear that a company with financial problems to say the least could spend $440,000 on its executives for an extravagant week long stay at a high end resort in California. Yes I am talking about AIG. The trip which was paid by us Americans included spa treatments, banquets and golf outings according to lawmakers investigating AIG recent downfall. I have included a link to one of the many press releases and a video for your visual pleasure.

AIG Spends $400K on Lavish Executive Getaway.

Volvo and AFTC. Check out Today's News

2008-10-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

As we mentioned in today's newsletter coverage, AFTC.PK has recently fulfilled a $1 million-plus DME contract with Volvo. Here's a link to the press release as it was not available at the time of publishing.

AFTC and the Ultimate BioFuel

2008-10-08T07:16:00.000-07:00

Currently a multitude of factors are aligning to drive a paradigm shift in the troubled automotive and energy sectors towards increased utilization of clean energy sources. To give you an idea of just how much focus is now being placed on alternative energy, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is forecasting global spending on green energy projects to surge 300% from $150 billion in 2007 to more than $600 billion by 2020. Clearly, the search is on for the ultimate bio-fuel and the replacement for conventional fossil fuels.

In response to this trend, dimethyl ether (DME) is quickly gaining recognition as one of the most efficient alternative energy sources and is already being evaluated in 3rd generation field tests by auto-industry leaders including Volvo AB.

In the midst of a heated presidential debate, alternative fuel sources is a favorite topic in politics and the media. Our newest portfolio company, Alternative Fuel Technologies Inc. (OTCPK: AFTC) has positioned itself to meet a rising alternative energy demand while appealing to eco-enthusiasts. AFTC announced the fulfillment of a DME contract with Volvo today worth more than $1 million and is positioning itself to become a leader in an infant market poised to become the world's largest energy sector.

While the institutional financial marketplace flounders today, investors are being forced to diversify their portfolios based on their own research. Individual investors are necessarily putting their investment dollars into companies that hold the potential to revolutionize the industry of energy.

AFTC: Fueling the Future

Since the mid-1990's AFTC has been developing prototype fuel systems for diesel engines that allow them to burn DME, an ultra-clean alternative fuel. Their products have been in use by Volvo since 1995 and according to AFTC have no known competition from a technical standpoint

The CEO, Jim McCandless, is a DME industry guru with a very impressive resume. He's invented/developed advanced fuel systems for DME and promoted DME globally in 7 countries, conducting roughly 50 presentations to audiences worldwide. He holds at least 12 U.S. patents and has been responsible for numerous multi-million dollar projects, some of which encompassed the supervision of hundreds of engineers. If, like so many "savvy" investment researchers, you Google Jim McCandless and DME together and you'll quickly see that he is an expert in his field.

AFTC is providing Products for Today and Tomorrow

In regards to the company's product offering, AFTC.PK has developed (and is continuing to develop) DME fuel systems for the average vehicle in today's market but also anticipating and building systems for a future market. AFTC currently provides retrofit systems that can be used with virtually any diesel engine to help improve fuel economy and reduce emissions. With diesel flirting with $4 per gallon in many regions of the U.S., this product line is certainly becoming an increasingly attractive proposition for consumers as well as the transport business which predominantly subsists on deisel.

AFTC also develops and sells prototype fuel systems for research and testing purposes and aspires to ship commercial systems to automotive manufacturers by 2011. These systems will be implemented into vehicles prior to them hitting the lots.

What I truly find compelling about AFTC is that their technology can be applied to a vast array of markets, not just passenger cars. Some of these include construction equipment, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and buses, and diesel generators. In addition to the millions of diesel-powered vehicles on the road currently available for retrofitting, AFTC can also target virtually any piece of equipment running on diesel fuel for both retrofit and future implementation of its soon-to-be perfected advanced DME fuel systems. This vast market of potential clients attests to the range of demand that the DME fuel system can have.

In addition to its 13 year working relationship with Volvo, AFTC has also furnished Ford of Europe with prototype systems. From a geographic perspective, the company is also pursuing opportunities and/or providing prototype systems to customers in virtually ever corner of the globe including Japan, China, India, Korea, and Sweden. The potential for growth here is enormous and, from what I can tell from a bit of digging, management is highly aggressive and well-respected globally. With just one fuel system in place with a large manufacturer, AFTC can begin to target its deep pool of prospects - in the States and abroad.

What is DME and Why is it So Great?

Dimethyl ether is an ultra-clean fuel that can be produced from a multitude of readily available and abundant natural resources including biomass, methanol, coal, and natural gas.

In regards to its benefits over conventional fossil fuels, for starters, DME can reportedly be produced at ½ the cost of petroleum fuels when oil is valued at $125 per barrel. With experts, including Weeden & Co. energy analyst Charles Maxwell, forecasting $300 barrel oil by 2015 and the United States expected to shell out roughly $440 billion on foreign oil in '08, DME represents a very compelling alternative to conventional fossil fuels on price alone.

In addition to its advantages in regards to price, DME can be used in diesel engines with minimal engine modification. Also, the fuel is non-toxic to both humans and the environment, emits 75% less overall particles than diesel fuel and 90% less NOx emissions than standard auto fuels. In regards to engine performance, DME promotes roughly 30% higher fuel economy in passenger cars than gasoline and facilitates torque and power similar to diesel operation.

To top it all off, DME can be easily transported and distributed through existing propane/LNG infrastructure. As we've seen with Ethanol, ease of distribution has been a major hindrance to the widespread adoption of many alternative fuels.

From what I've read, DME is absolutely poised to be the fuel of the future with its main barrier to widespread global use being a lack of mass production facilities. No demand goes unnoticed in the energy sector though. Plans are popping up around the world for the construction of high volume DME plants. While China appears to be leading the way, it seems imminent that the rest of the world will follow suit as demand for the new fuel source ramps up and initial facilities are successfully brought online.

I've spent the greater part of the past two weeks researching the AFTC value proposition and business model as well as the topic of DME as a replacement to conventional fossil fuels. In a slew of alternative energy companies worth putting your portfolio behind, AFTC stands very well-positioned to become a major catalyst for the development of a robust global DME fuel market.

With a million dollar-plus contract in hand with Volvo and a dominant DME fuel system technology almost ready for commercial use, AFTC is certainly one to watch in 2008 and beyond. Check the OutcastTrader Blog periodically for updated coverage on this and other companies that stand to change the way we think about energy and natural resources.

Green Power Projects Around our Nation

2008-10-07T11:31:00.000-07:00

I just love technology and what better technology is there than green technology? Well, I do believe that over the past few years, as a nation, we have become more environmentally aware and because of that inventors and companies are finding ways to capitalize on this emerging market.

Today, I am going to take a look at two projects that I feel are noteworthy in hopes that our readers find them interesting yet important to our environment. Let's begin with the nation’s first offshore wind turbine farm that was announced back in mid- July with an estimated ticket price of $1.6 billion.

Delaware Utility and Bluewater Wind are collaborating on this project which will be situated about 12 miles off the coast of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware bringing power to approximately 50,000 homes a year. The remainder of the power will be sold to customers with in the area and the project is expected to begin generating power by 2012. Let's keep our fingers crossed that our government doesn't get in the way of this one.

In contrast to the clean power that we can generate from wind, let's take a look at what the city of San Antonio plans on doing with their sewage. Back on September 11, San Antonio Water System announced it would sell captured methane gas generated from the utility’s treatment center to Ameresco Inc. a Framingham, Massachusetts based energy Service Company.

The city of San Antonio expects to generate $250,000 a year by providing the company with 900,000 cubic feet of natural gas daily and will continue to convert the remainder of the bio-solids into compost that it sells to use in gardens and yards. Although projects such as these are far and few between, our government needs to do a better job of promoting and giving benefits to those companies and citizens who partake in them.

Global Semi Sales up 5.5% for August

2008-10-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

Despite the economy worsening by the day, one sector that has managed to maintain modest growth is the semiconductor industry.

According to a recent press release issued by the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA), worldwide sales of semiconductors grew by 5.5% in August on an annualized year-over-year basis to $22.7 billion.

The release goes on to state that the aforementioned growth was largely driven by solid demand for personal computers and cellular handsets.

As has been the case for some time now, downward price pressure on DRAMs and NAND flash memories remains the primary factor hindering overall industry revenue growth. Excluding the memory market, the semiconductor industry experienced a 11.4% year-over-year sales increase during August.

Moreover, in a sign that the industry is hanging tough regardless of turbulent economic conditions, year-to-date sales were up 4.5% at the end of the month. For the record, Semi sales grew by just 3.4% in '07.

Strength in the semiconductor space provides a compelling opportunity for Legacy Holdings Inc. (LGYH.OB), an emerging providing of wafer cleaning technologies.

LGYH.ob delivered 1211% sequential quarterly revenue growth during Q2 ($17K to $223K) and has investors anxiously awaiting the upcoming third quarter filing. The company announced repeat product installations with Tyco (NYSE: TYC) over the the summer and has forged deep relationships with other industry leaders including Micrel (Nasdaq: MCRL). In light of these achievements, LGYH.ob appears to be progressing towards its goal of becoming the leading U.S. wet process supplier by 2011.

We'll be on the lookout for the upcoming quarterly filing over the next few weeks. Hopefully for LGYH.ob, a combination of positive industry trends and inroads with leaders in the semiconductor space will continue to push the company in the right direction. From our perspective, LGYH.ob's technology presents a very attractive value proposition to its core markets and this is becoming increasingly evident with each new contract win and financial report. In closing, we expect more great things from the company in the future and look forward to updating you on corporate developments as they transpire.

Read Up on DME

2008-10-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Dimethyl ether is viewed by many, including Volvo AB as one of the most efficient renewable fuels on the face of the planet. From what I've read thus far about DME, some of its key benefits include:

1. Being Non toxic to humans, non damaging to the environment, and biodegradable;

2. 90% less NOx emissions than standard automotive fuels;

3. It promotes 30% higher fuel economy than gasoline in passenger cars and can be up to 5X more efficient than conventional fossil fuels; and

4. DME can be easily transported and distributed via pre-existing propane infrastructure.

Interested in learning more about DME? Check out the International DME Association's website.

You also might want to take a look at the plethora of DME-related research housed on the HighBeam website.

More Background on the DME for Fuel Movement

2008-10-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you as interested in our new portfolio company AFTC.PK and the DME for fuel movement as I am, Diesel.net provides some pretty good links to a number of relevant articles.

The GreenCarCongress website also houses some detailed information on the use of DME as an automotive fuel. Also, Volvo AB has been a major proponent of the use of DME for fuel and also has a good deal of pertinent info on their homepage.

Just a few good sources of info for those wanting to learn more. With some analysts predicting $300 per barrel oil by 2015 and fuel prices already getting too rich for my blood, emerging fuel sources such as DME tend to pique my interest. Check back soon for an in-depth corporate profile and intro newsletter coverage on AFTC.PK as well as more research on DME.

EMOT.PK Up 400% Quickly

2008-10-03T10:37:00.000-07:00

It looks like EMOT.PK just advanced $.04 or 400% on just one 20,000 trade. That represents nearly 20X yesterday's measly volume of 1,057.

This could be the start of a nice end-of-week run.

I've spoken to the new CEO recent on numerous occasions and he seems confident that the company's BladeXT
(pretty cool expo video) electric bike will soon be ready for mass production. I've also spoken with hoards of interested transportation industry executives eager to stock the product in their stores once it is.

Either way, we could be going higher here over the next two hours of trading so pay attention, folks.

PENC.ob on Target. Check Out SKNN.ob

2008-10-03T10:00:00.000-07:00

I was almost right on. PENC.ob nearly hit $1.20 Thursday. I'll settle for $1.19 and a retrace back to $1.18.

If trading picks up here today like it did late last week, I like our chances of going higher. The stock appears to be immune to the sickly nature of its broader industry (oil & gas), so who knows ?

While you're at it, check out SKNN.ob, the stock roared up nearly 160% Thursday on more than 1 million shares traded.

Pretty cool concept if nothing else. These guys could be on to something from a product standpoint and apparently just arranged a credit facility to help them take orders during the upcoming holiday season. They also moved their office out of Manhattan and into NJ. Heard a bit about the company from a friend and plan on learning more.

If the stock dips below $.05, I'll be very tempted here. In the meantime, I plan on taking a look at the filings this weekend. I'll let you know if anything jumps out at me. I'll also look into picking up a pair.

AFTC.PK Profile Coming Soon. A Hedge Against $7 Gas?

2008-10-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

Alternative Fuel Technologies Inc. (AFTC.PK) has me excited with regard to what the future holds for the company.

I've spent a great deal of time conducting some initial due diligence of my own here and my findings thus far are quite promising.

I'll be releasing an introductory corporate profile on AFTC.pk next week. But for now, I'll provide you with a sampling of some of the company's investment highlights as I see them.

1. AFTC.PK has developed a cutting edge fuel system technology for which the company claims is no known competition from a technical standpoint.

2. AFTC.PK is poised to capitalize on a paradigm shift in both the automotive and energy sectors towards the widespread use of ultra-clean fuel sources.

3. DME, the fuel which the company's systems are designed to run on, can be produced at ½ the cost of petroleum fuels when oil is valued at $125 per gallon, making AFTC’s technology an extremely compelling proposition in today’s rough & tumble economy.

4. AFTC is now chasing business and/or supplying prototype systems for testing in Japan, China, India, Korea, and Sweden.

8. The company’s technology can be applied to a vast array of markets in addition to passenger cars, including construction equipment, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks and busses, and diesel generators.

With some analysts predicting $7/gallon gas and $300/barrel oil in the not-so-distant future and the U.S. already spending more than $400 billion on foreign oil, we need an economically and environmentally friendly renewable energy solution, PRONTO. AFTC.PK might just be at the forefront of it all. Sound interesting? Keep your eyes peeled for my profile next week.

Volvo Loves DME, AFTC.PK

2008-10-02T18:24:00.000-07:00

AB Volvo is a firm believer that dimethyl ether (DME) is one of the most promising renewable energy sources on the face of the planet.

With more than $60 billion in annual sales and nearly 100,000 employees in 20 countries, Volvo has become a leading "driver" in the transition of DME from the lab to the road.

Interestingly enough, a bit of digging uncovers that one of Volvo's business segments - Volvo Truck Group - has been using prototype DME fuel systems from Outcast portfolio favorite AFTC.PK since 1995. I came across a company summary on the AFTC.PK homepage that brings this little known fact to light. Pretty impressive if you ask me!!

I'll delve deeper into the aforementioned relationship in future editions and will surely speak with management, potentially at both companies, to get the skinny here. In the meantime, I found a very interesting graphic on the Volvo website that compares DME quite favorably to a number of other renewable energy sources based on 7 unique and very relevant categories. CHECK IT OUT!!

QMNM.ob Bounces Back/PENC.ob Ready to Run

2008-10-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Quest Minerals & Mining Corp. (OTCBB: QMNM) has finally bounced back over the past two trading sessions, gaining nearly 153% or $.0026 on volume of more than 78,236,740 shares traded. QMNM.ob closed out Wednesday at $.0043 after hitting its 14 session high of $.0057.

With one-day volume surging 300%, 5-day volume increasing 180%, and 10-day volume up about 82%, trading in the stock is certainly picking up. Despite, average 5 and 10 day closing prices being down considerably (- approx 30% and 67% respectively), Wednesday's run coupled with a recent surge in volume has me optimistic with regard to what the next few trading sessions have in store for QMNM.ob.

A Burst Through the $.0046 Level Early Thursday Would be Bullish in My Opinion

QMNM.ob broke through the $.0046 level just after 11:00 on Wednesday, the stock ran up to its recent high of $.0057. If QMNM.ob can test and break that level in early trading today with even a fraction of the volume behind it than what we saw driving the mini-run up yesterday, we could see QMNM.ob consolidate in the $.0055 range and possibly move higher if investors are confident that we've formed a new base here and aren't selling off back to $.0045.

Surely, the continued ups and downs in QMNM.ob are due in part to the speculation birthed by a lack of company news. However, I had the chance to speak with the Chief, Eugene today and our conversation definitely left me optimistic with regard to what is going on both at Pond Creek and with the GWENCO BK hearing.
What's Going on with Quest?

It's getting late here, but here's some of the most important nuggets of information from my conversation with Gene today:

1. BK - I don't have my notes in front of me at the moment, but the gist of it is: GWENCO, has received verbal agreement from the previous contesting debtors and will send out another revised plan in the first week of October. Gene has stated time and time again that this situation is under control and should be completely wrapped up by the end of '08. I am working on him to issue a press release on this topic just to keep us all informed and equipped with solid time lines and dates to look out for.

2. Production: Gene continues to state that they are mining coal. He also stated that they have been having problems with their continuous miner (piece of equipment, not one miner) and that when it does go down, which is sporadically, it can take about 4 hrs to fix, ceases mining for the time that its down, and is not the easiest fix in the sense that it is in a hole (the mine) and I would say an overall pain in the ass to deal with.

Solution: Gene mentioned that they would soon be utilizing a second continuous miner which would greatly help the flow of coal because if one miner is down, there is still one running , hence no complete cease in production.

My Beef: Since I can understand Gene not wanting to issue press about equipment being down for hours or shifts here and there and also is not yet prepared to issue tonnage reports, I commented that it's not fair for either those at the mine or those calling the mine or mining company to have access to info not disclosed in publicly available documents, namely press releases.

Also, as Gene and I agreed, if you call the mine and get a hold of a pissed off employee that has been trying to fix equipment for 6 hrs, you may get told just how horrible things are this week. That may not be completely true in the grand scheme of things which the worker may not be aware of or be expected to be aware of.

Conversely, you could potentially speak to a miner that worked a great shift and is going home to a nice home cooked meal. He may tell you all is good at Pond Creek, but that may not hold true in regards to the big picture. No offense to the miners, they put their lives at risk everyday which is more than a desk jockey like myself can say, but they are most not likely the ones who should be fielding investor calls. Sure, some of them may be master traders, but I bet most of them are far from it.

Either way, I suggested that Gene tell the miners not to answer the phone or field investor calls and my associates ask investors to call the proper personnel for reliable info. I'd just hate to see the stock move in any direction based on what one miner coming out of his 2nd consecutive shift in a dark hole says about the operation in its entirety. Either way, I'm pushing for at least some periodic updates on the status of equipment. Let's see how that goes.

On another note, Gene did explain that to get closer and closer to the main seam at Pond Creek, their continuous miner has cut through something ridiculous like 20,000 tons of rock. I can understand how that could cause some damage. Either way, with a 2nd miner soon to be in action, things appear to be on the "up and up" at Pond Creek. Moreover, Gene said he'll likely hold off on a tonnage report until the end of October unless he hits a massive vein here in the very near future.

PENC.ob Breaks Through Resistance, Hits $1.15. Look out Tomorrow!

As I had hoped early on this morning, PENC.ob finally broke through resistance at 1.06 and blasted through the $1.08 - $1.10 range to a closing print of $1.15.

My estimate that it would have taken between 50K to 100K share volume to get there was just about right. PENC.ob traded more than 50K shares today and appreciated significantly from yesterday's closing price of $.97.

We saw some very bullish momentum in PENC.ob today, with the stock gaining 15% on fairly thin volume. The ask looked firm towards the end of the day at $1.15, so I'm looking for a move higher once trading commences on Thursday. It doesn't look like too many sellers are present at $1.15. So, I like the chance of PENC.ob reaching $1.20 or higher tomorrow

"PENC.ob Showing Promise For Wednesday Trading. A Move Past $1.05 Would Be A Very Bullish Sign"

While the broader market remains about as volatile as Britney Spears after a 5th of Vodka, QMNM.ob and PENC.ob both posted steady gains are show promise to break through their respective resistance levels on Thursday and provide some very nice gains for even those investors that were scared to turn their screens on in recent mornings in fear that the market had disintegrated. It hasn't yet folks, so keep checking back.

Alternative Fuel Technologies Inc. (AFTC.PK) Moves on News, Provides Compelling Value Prop for Alt-Energy Space

2008-09-30T21:14:00.000-07:00

Economists such as CIBC World Market’s Jeff Rubin envision a future in which astronomical fuel prices force automobiles off the road. Rubin forecasts that $7/gallon gasoline by 2012 will drive the largest overall reduction in America’s vehicle fleet (10 million vehicles or 4%).

In light of these predictions, AFTC’s technology suite holds the unique potential to help keep cars on our highways and byways in both an economically and environmentally efficient manner. The company provides prototype fuel systems for diesel injection engines that enable them to efficiently burn a new ultra-clean alternative fuel – dimethyl ether (DME).

In addition to its many other benefits, DME can reportedly be produced at less than 50% of the cost of petroleum fuels at $125 per barrel. This makes AFTC.pk’s fuel systems a very attractive proposition going forward as energy prices remain extremely volatile.

Shares gained 2.15% or $.02 Tuesday on brisk volume of 2,000. If the stock can start off Wednesday trading with a bang and head north of $.95 on volume more like what we experienced late last week versus the past two days, we could easily test the dollar mark.
Research Rationale

Due to the company’s position as an emerging global leader in an infant marketplace poised to soon become one of the world’s largest clean energy industries, we feel that AFTC.pk represents a unique and compelling ground-level investment research opportunity

MMIO.ob Unscathed By Hurricane Ike.

2008-09-30T07:30:00.000-07:00

Marmion Industries Corp. (MMIO.ob) is back in the news today with the announcement that its new corporate headquarters was not harmed by Hurricane Ike.

The press release is likely very warmly received by MMIO investors anxious to hear something out of the company. As evidenced by the three month chart to the right, shares have dipped considerably as of late on pretty thin volume.

The stock is down about 20% today on just 5,000 shares and has hit its recent low of $.004. Trading action has been heating up over the past few days however, so I'll be very curious to see what trend the stock decides to follow early on today.

If we see $.003 on relatively high volume (100K shares), that could be trouble. However, if the stock can fight its way back up to its recent high print range of $.005 - $.0055, we could pay witness to another bounce like we did back in mid-August. I'll check back with MMIO.ob in a few hours to see what is cooking here. Let's hope for the best!

BSLM.ob Gains Big While Broader Market Tanks

2008-09-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Bio Solutions Manufacturing Inc. (BSLM.ob) gained nearly 88% Monday on more than 479,000 shares traded despite the overall market getting absolutely annihilated.

Monday's high print of $.02 marked BSLM's best since 9/17. Moreover, the stock's two day volume has now increased close to 447%.

We haven't heard much from BSLM.ob as of late, but the stock appears to want to move higher. While the rest of my OTCBB portfolio tanks, I'll be watching BSLM.ob on Tuesday morning in hope that it continues its upward trend and breaks through resistance at $.002.

While economic experts predict that the imminent economic pullback and ongoing credit crisis will negatively impact bio-fuel development efforts, BSLM's concept of turning brown trap grease into B100 could emerge as a cheap and effective alternative to competing technologies if the company can in fact move forward with its business plan, which it has yet to do in my opinion.

Again, we have not hear much out of the company in quite some time, so I'm curious to see what's driving the recent surge in the stock with regard to both volume and share price. Either way, Monday's green close and the recent increase in daily volume have caught my attention.

QMNM.ob Down 30% in Early Trading

2008-09-29T08:16:00.000-07:00

Quest Minerals & Mining Corp (QMNM.ob) shares continue to drop in early trading and are now down nearly 30% today to $.0017 on volume of more than 15 million shares.

Share price has been depreciating rapidly here as of late and could still go lower with no production updates from the company.

The stock is undoubtedly being adversely impacted by the uncertainty of Quest's wholly-owned subsidiary, Gwenco Inc's ongoing bankruptcy proceeding and a lack of a corporate update regarding the company increasing coal production to meet previously outlined goals and/or hitting the main seam at its Pond Creek, KY mine.

In regards to the BK hearing, from what I've been told, the company has received a verbal agreement from creditors that previously objection the most recent reorganization plan. I will check with management again on this early this week, but I'm pretty sure that this is the case.

Also, I will inquire about progress at the mine and the possibility of a tonnage report. Check back later today or early tomorrow for an update.

AFTC Masters The Perfect Bio Fuel

2008-09-25T22:09:00.000-07:00

With fuel prices recently surging past $4 per gallon and toxic emissions crippling our environment by the second, can you afford not to invest in a Global leader set to capitalize on a paradigm shift in both the multi-billion dollar automotive and energy industries?

While auto-industry leaders including Nissan and Volvo perfect their offerings for commercial use in coming years, Alternative Fuel Technologies Inc. (OTCPK: AFTC) has already developed systems that run on Dimethyl Ether or DME, otherwise know as the "perfect bio-fuel".

The low cost, low emission fuel can be produced from a plethora of abundant natural resources, used in any diesel injection engine, and can be distributed through existing propane dispensing infrastructure.

AFTC is already capitalizing on both its position as an industry thought leader and early market entrant to deliver solutions today that provide an optimal replacement for diesel fuel and help consumers save money and improve their health simultaneously.