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Technology Stocks : Invision(INVN)going which way? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Sir Auric Goldfinger who wrote (499)	1/13/2002 6:26:13 PM
From: Wolff	Respond to of 558

Bomb-sniffing dogs in demand 4 police agencies to step up training By CHARLOTTE HALE Staff reporter 12/13/2001 delawareonline.com Police departments across Delaware are relying more on dogs to help investigate bomb threats and satisfy requests for security sweeps from corporations since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. At least four police agencies in the state are buying more canines, or plan to train dogs already on the force to sniff out explosives. Some departments said they are motivated by increased bomb threats since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington. Others said they just want to be better prepared to handle such threats. Delaware police agencies appear not to be alone in their desire to have more dogs capable of investigating reports of bombs. Since Sept. 11, the U.S. Police Canine Association in Springboro, Ohio, has fielded more calls for information about using dogs for bomb detection, executive director Russ Hess said. The inquiries are coming not only from police agencies, but also from corporations interested in improving security. Dog handlers' associations said they do not have statistics detailing the increased demand for bomb-sniffing dogs. The Federal Aviation Administration also plans to increase the number of dog teams in major airports in the next two years from 188 teams to 229, spokesman Jim Peters said. Companies in the Delaware area that import dogs and train them said demand for canines and bomb-detection classes has increased since the attacks. Some schools said the demand for dogs trained to sniff out bombs has started to match requests for drug-sniffing dogs and training. In some cases, that has contributed to longer waits for animals and training. Bill Castle, a dog importer and owner of the Castle K-9 training school in Mechanicsburg, Pa., said the terrorist attacks have made police departments more aware of the need for the dogs. "You can't wait until something happens," he said. "You've got to be proactive rather than reactive." Building sweeps on rise Delaware has about 50 dogs working for five police agencies, the Delaware River and Bay Authority and Dover Air Force Base. Of those, 21 are trained to find explosives ranging from dynamite to C-4, which is used by the military. That number will increase to at least 29 dogs next year. New Castle County police plan to spend nearly $55,000 to buy four Belgian Malinois and train the dogs and their handlers. Two of the county's six police dogs are trained for bomb detection. Capt. Phil Aufiero, who is in charge of the K-9 unit, said the additional dogs will help the county respond to a greater demand for bomb detection. Calls about suspicious packages and bomb threats increased from a couple a week to about 13 a day in the month after Sept. 11. Although Aufiero said that activity is starting to slow, more businesses are requesting building sweeps as a precaution. Having extra dogs will allow the county to use several at once. Aufiero said the dogs can need a break after 30-35 minutes. Delaware State Police and Wilmington Police had dogs in training before Sept. 11 and plan to use some for bomb detection. Training can take up to 12 weeks to complete. State police spokesman Cpl. Walter Newton said the state trains dogs regularly to replace aging dogs. The eight dogs and handlers scheduled to complete their training will allow the department to rotate them. Newton said some new dogs have been trained for bomb detection. Others will add that training next spring. Wilmington Police Lt. Carolyn Henry said two of the department's three new dogs in training now are learning to detect explosives. The department's two bomb-sniffing dogs were not enough, especially for large building searches, she said. "We were just going from one complaint to another," she said. Dover Police also plan in the spring to train two of the force's four dogs for explosives searches. Those dogs now are used for patrol duties, including tracking suspects, Capt. Ray Taraila said. A series of bomb threats led to the decision to train the dogs for additional duties. Taraila said the department wanted to become less dependent on K-9 teams from other police agencies and Dover Air Force Base to help with bomb detection. That has become less practical since the base moved to a heightened alert in September. The pressure's on The increased demand for dogs and training is putting pressure on companies such as Castle K-9. Castle said demand for Belgian Malinois, Labrador retrievers and other breeds skilled in finding explosives has more than doubled since Sept. 11. He plans two bomb-dog training schools instead of the usual one and is booked for the classes until September. That's twice the usual wait, he said. The training involves teaching the dogs to recognize the scent of explosives and alert the trainer. Michael Morgan, owner and trainer of Mid-Michigan Kennels near Lansing, said he was training six to 10 drug-detection dogs for every bomb-sniffing dog before September. Those numbers have evened out and are tipping toward bomb-dog training. Dogs can learn to detect the scents of explosive and illegal drugs, but they are not trained to do both types of work. If they were, the trainer could not distinguish which scent the dog had detected and would not know how to respond. Morgan said tighter airline security measures have delayed the importing of dogs, which often come from the Netherlands and other European countries. Reach Charlotte Hale at 324-2792 or chale@delawareonline.com. Special to The News Journal/MONIQUE BRUNSBERG Zeke uses his nose to seek out explosives that may be hidden under the bumper of a vehicle. Zeke does a half-sit to let New Castle County police Cpl. Phil Aufiero know that he has detected some kind of explosive, which turns out to be dynamite. Special to The News Journal/MONIQUE BRUNSBERG Police Cpl. Phil Aufiero walks Zeke to vehicles Monday during an explosives-detection demonstration.

To: Sir Auric Goldfinger who wrote (499)	1/14/2002 10:25:56 AM
From: Wolff	Respond to of 558

Bomb scanner firms still awaiting orders Newark's InVision is one of two firms cleared to sell airport detectors, but it can't ramp up until units are ordered contracostatimes.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By Ellen Lee CONTRA COSTA TIMES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NEWARK -- On the four-month anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee called on the federal government to purchase enough scanners to screen all checked baggage for explosives or face missing the Dec. 31, 2002 deadline. Standing in the idle manufacturing floor of InVision, one of two firms certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to produce explosive-detection systems, Inslee, D-Wash., said that the federal government has yet to order any machines since Congress passed an ambitious airport security bill in November. "We need to get off the dime and get these machines to the airports," said Inslee, one of the bill's co-authors. Inslee added an amendment requiring all checked baggage be scanned for bombs by the end of the year. For passengers traveling after Sept. 11, the security changes made thus far have been evident. Fatigue-wearing National Guard troops keep watch in major airport terminals. Security screeners have opened up and sifted through passenger bags in random searches. But the Jan. 18 deadline looms to implement interim measures, such as bomb-sniffing dogs, to screen all checked luggage for explosives. By Dec. 31, all checked bags must be screened through explosive-detection systems. That could prove challenging, to say the least. Newark-based InVision and L-3 Communications Holdings in New York are the only two firms certified by the FAA to produce the machines. InVision Chief Executive Sergio Magistri said Friday that the company is prepared to increase production once it receives the requests. It already has about 160 machines deployed in U.S. airports, including San Francisco International Airport and San Jose International Airport. Already, the company has doubled its available workspace by clearing a storage area in its Newark facilities. It has begun hiring for what is expected to be a three-shift, seven-days-a-week, 24-hours-a-day production schedule. And it has contacted manufacturers that could produce additional machines if necessary. InVision, which also develops systems for such countries as Chile and Sweden, currently produces about 10 machines a month, selling them for between $700,000 and $1.5 million apiece. But executives said Friday that it could manufacture about 50 a month with the proposed schedule, taking between two and three months from the initial order to roll out a finished product. "Once we move ahead with the plan, we will move like a Swiss clock," said Magistri. An airport typically spends between one and nine months to install a machine, depending on its size, once it is made, Magistri said. The scanners use CAT-scan technology to examine luggage at multiple angles for bombs. But before the process begins, the federal government, under the newly established Transportation Security Agency, must start the ball rolling, Inslee said. "We can't afford to let this ball drop," he said. More than 2,000 explosive-detection systems are needed for 419 airports to meet the deadline, according to the FAA. Besides InVision and L-3 Communications Holdings, several other companies, such as Santa Clara's Ancore, have been developing machines to detect explosives. President Bush signed a bill allocating $1.25 billion to improve airport security in mid-December. On Thursday, he signed a bill that provides another $108 million to purchase and install the explosive-detection systems and $200 million to help airports remodel and make room for additional machines. Ellen Lee covers technology and Tri-Valley businesses. She can be reached at 925-847-2125 or elee@cctimes.com.

To: Sir Auric Goldfinger who wrote (499)	1/14/2002 11:16:41 AM
From: blebovits	Respond to of 558

a Buy Rating and $50 Price Target biz.yahoo.com

To: Sir Auric Goldfinger who wrote (499)	1/18/2002 11:30:32 AM
From: blebovits	Respond to of 558

Stock Traders Daily Updates Research Report SAN FRANCISCO, CA, Jan 18, 2002 (INTERNET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Stock Traders Daily has updated its recent report on InVision Technologies (Nasdaq: INVN chart, msgs). Thomas Kee, Chief Investment Strategist with Stock Traders Daily, believes that the deadline for airport baggage checks has created a renewed interest in InVision and may escalate the expected passage of the budget for airport security. For copies of this report please contact Stock Traders Daily at www.stocktradersdaily.com Thomas Kee is registered with the National Association of Securities Dealers, CRD number 2369405. Stock Traders Daily is registered with the National Association of Securities Dealers, CRD number 111906. CONTACT: Thomas Kee Stock Traders Daily 415-561-9598

To: Sir Auric Goldfinger who wrote (499)	1/31/2002 3:08:49 PM
From: blebovits	Respond to of 558

Bjurman & Associates' Barry: U.S. Stocks, Advice, Picks Los Angeles, Jan. 31, 2002 (Bloomberg) -- O. Thomas Barry III, chief executive of George D. Bjurman & Associates and manager of the Bjurman Micro-Cap Growth Fund, talks with Bloomberg's Page Hopkins via satellite about the indications of a recovery in U.S. stocks and some of his current stock recommendations. 01:12 Indications of a recovery of U.S. stocks 00:29 Validity of accounting concerns 01:46 Stock picks: Panera Bread, InVision Technologies Running time 3:27 bloomberg.com