email: editor@taipanonline.com “ No more Mr. Nice Guy,” wrote Taipan  junior editorial board member and Value Edge Editor Brad
Colburn on the morning of December 11, a day
before this issue went to print: “I’m about to do some big-time crowing. In November 2002,  I told Taipan readers to buy Cepheid (CPHD:NASDAQ) at US$4.50. CPHD is the developer of GeneXpert,  a
system used to detect rogue chemicals that find their
way into the mail. If a letter has traces of anthrax,
for example,  GeneXpert detects it before the mail
goes through.                                                          “Now,  I know what you’re going to say:  CPHD
has been one of my quietest Taipan  picks. Until now. Today,  they were
issued a patent covering the design of the reaction chambers used in their
disposable test cartridges and tubes. This is the sixth patent issued for
Cepheid’s disposable cartridge technology. News of the patent sent CPHD
rocketing to US$8.35. It took a while,  butthat85%gain is looking very
nice.  It’s up from here.” But its not just the Young Turks bringing home the bacon for our sub- scribers. Some of our tried-and-true standbys are producing handsome
gains for those Taipan members who not only recognize an opportunity
when they see one…    but act on it. Taipan and e-Dispatch reader Peter C.
from Australia wrote me that same day:        “Stumbled upon Taipan  a couple of years ago and eventually sub-
scribed. I set up a trading account in the USA four months ago (small
amount—only trade options at present).        “I just enjoyed a good result with your ‘cash cow’ Impac Mortgage
Holdings (IMH:NYSE):  Bought 22 IMH US$17.50 Jan 04 call options on
10/30/03 at US$0.10. Shares were US$15.28 at the time. Total cost US$253
(including commission). Exercised the options on 12/4/03 and sold the
shares at US$18.91. Net receipts (including commission):  US$3,052.10.        “Roughly 1,100% profit in a tick over a month. What an absolute rip-
per! I consider myself very fortunate to have found Taipan. I love your
trading and investment philosophy. A HUGE vote of thanks to you for mak-
ing IMH (and other stocks,  too) known to me.” Thank you for letting us know, Peter…    and for pointing out to your fel- next, page… JANUARY 2004 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 3 This issue went to print 12-12-03. Prices and margins quoted reflect levels at this date.   For your  FREE  daily
market updates, sign up for our  FREE e-Dispatch at www.247profits.com Profits at the speed of news:
Leveraging the information
differential to generate
Dynamic Gains J. Christoph Amberger