manuellynch

Just wanted to let everyone know that we will be hosting a very large suite at the Mandalay Bay hotel on Friday night for those that need some free drinks, food, etc. We wanted an opportunity for all the people on this board to meet face to face. We already have a lot of people signed up. Sign up here: http://www.axiomled.com/isa2009/

My father was head of aerodynamics for McDonnell Douglas/Boeing for 41 years. He was also heavily involved in a lot of NASA programs. He was also brought in often on airplane accident related issues. He use to tell me the following...and he went to that school in Indiana...yeah...that popular one...he said "you have a better chance of dying driving your car or walking down the street than you do in a plane" Now I am not sure it was helpful...but everything will be fine.

On Friday night the 17th we are hosting a high end luxury suite at Mandalay Bay or at The Hotel at Mandalay - will be catered with drinks, appetizers, and "selective" entertainment. Will be open from probably 7pm til midnight...or maybe later. So Erik - this may be the place for a big group to meet - room can accomdate about 40 people - and will be walking distance from the show. Can I get a quick count and sign up of who would come - call this the Sign Syndicate Meet Up Register here: http://www.axiomled.com/isa2009/

For the small group of us I was going to take you guys out to dinner somewhere...will come up with the place. Are your kids coming?

We will select a great place. What is more important: 1. Type of food 2. Caliper of food 3. Ambiance 4. The low side of Vegas or the high side 5. In the tourist areas or off the beaten track

Absolutely- Sounds like a plan. What is the date? Will arrange to meet you guys some place entertaining and interesting. Eric/KGirl - you coming for this? Fishing Nut - you coming solo?

The only things do not get posted is if you are over the top and completely wild. We went to an underground show the other day for a San Diego heavy metal band - thought of you guys.

On dirty martinis a bartender asked me the other night - "do want that dirty like a Rock Star or dirty like a Porn Star?" - very interesting.

Gary - call me as soon as you can - 702-430-8917 - I have several opportunities for you. The new guy at Icon called me - the guy that came from GELCORE - he doesnt know that much.

I think that a lot of companies are going to start breaking conventional thinking and are going to really start thinking outside the box. For example we require 100% prepay even on orders for 100K LED modules. The savings we offer customers are as much as 50-75% over competing products. When companies think through this they realize that while they would prefer 60 day terms they realize the money they would save by using our products is more than they could ever make off putting money in any type of 60 day term investment. So breaking conventional paradigms usually makes people win more. Also - must say that we are probably one of the only companies that did not get hurt by ImagePoint collapse - in fact we benefitted greatly from it - both in new opportunities and customers as well as securing a fantastic relationship with key players that we helped position into other companies. Ask for more than 50% prepay - or get 50% upfront and balance before installation starts.

Interesting that a lot of companies that use to be partnered at the hip with GE and Sloan are now reverting to sites like this to cut cost and really dont care what is being used anymore. Times are changing.

Absolutely do...are you coming solo, with others?

This sucks! Big companies are going to just squeeze out the small ones and cross business lines.

So this is an interesting place to install a channel letter set - must say it was rather interesting. On top of crane that is for 20 story building construction in downtown Auckland New Zealand.

and I am sure Sara if you kept offsite backup storage of company records for the computer systems you would be a coveted employee. how many other people were in the IT department? were you the one who fixed the password hole in ImagePoint's computer system? Was told about this by several companies.

I have received over 75 people sending me info on http://www.axiomled.com/imagepoint/ and several already placed in new jobs. If anyone is looking - that currently buys our products - let me know - will send you some good people.

Being from SC - have you heard from anyone on how Davis Neon will be affected by this? This could cost a lot of sign companies like AGI and others to fall apart if their main fabricator/supplier cant stay open.

I have received a ton of people from ImagePoint contacting us and we are getting several new jobs right away...several are taking their accounts/business with them. Sometimes when the economy is imploding is the right time to spend. Let ImagePoint people that you talk to/contact to go to: http://www.axiomled.com/imagepoint/ lets turn this around for people and screw the banks!!!

BEing very close to this at all levels of the company - this time they will not be coming back. Looks like Coast Sign, NW Sign, and a few others are telling employees they will open offices in Knoxville and still others are saying they are going to work for some other sign companies. There is going to be a lot of vendors hurt by this - we arent affected by this at all - for example Permlight owed them several hundred thousand dollars in failed Chase bank products and ImagePoint continued to order from them - so they got doubly screwed...digest that for a moment. They tried to help out ImagePoint to fix a problem they created with the end customer - the bank - and banks turn around and screw ImagePoint...so Permlight did the right thing to help the customer but ultimately winds up with a bunch of unpaid bills...now that sucks. It really also is sad to see a lot of good talented people and friends lose their livelihood. Several who just recently had new children added to their families. And this group didnt "lie" - they were duped by a bank - the same bank who was giving them contracts for rebranding. So lets see - get a bailout from the government, dont use it to help people, and then turn around and screw over businesses. Awesome. And for the economist that predict we will have riots in 2009 - they arent too far off from reality.

The least we can do as a community is help these people find new jobs. Axiom has put up a site to help these people find new jobs - tell people you know about it: http://www.axiomled.com/imagepoint/

Let the employees of Imagepoint that you speak to know that we have put together a resource to help them. We have already placed 3-4 people. Tell them to visit this link - we want to help them: http://www.axiomled.com/imagepoint/

I agree. We were their largest LED supplier. We always demanded payment in advance - they dont owe us anything and quit ordering months and months ago. I just heard that it is estimated that several other wholesalers and suppliers are going to be hit hard - estimated that the 450 people laid off will end up affecting 3500 jobs in other companies. And so we move on... and reconfirm our payment terms - prepay.

That area closed and was reopened to something new and louder/dance clubesque....thats why I recommended the THE HOTEL lobby bar...but then again...I do live here and do know these things.

Tropicana back tower has had problems with water system in the recent past and was shut down - some bacteria was found in the water system...oops. If you just want inexpensive and close to Mandalay there are several $50/night places just down the street. The Platinum is "high end" at a budget price - it really is a nice hotel. I think that Palms Place (not the Palms hotel) also has good room rates and this is "ultra high end" and is short walk to main Palms hotel - this is party place. I would also check out Bellagio rates - I know a lot of people have stayed there recently because of low low rates. The Planet Hollywood is also very popular destination these days due to low rates. Hooters is right next to Tropicana and while it is a bit lower end is still very close to everything. And for those ok with driving or that are driving into Las Vegas - would consider any of the neighborhood casinos - Red Rock, Green Valley, Silverton, Aliente (new on North side of town). But I still say that Platinum is the best for location/proximity to everything, huge rooms (full kitchen, laundry, etc) - this was going to be a Condo tower....best value over all - and very high end for the price. If you want to be stupidly decadent I would recommend one of the suites at Palms Place...these are just ridiculous.... And for entertainment - just ask - this is something we help a lot with...and most of the venues associated with our lovely town these days are very very low end now...actually pretty bad....it is almost more entertaining to go to the Hard Rock and watch the crowd there...we call it "Wildlife Watching"

there are a lot of hotels on the strip that have rates under $75 these days - book early - the rates will not be any lower than they are now.