Dow Jones 13912.94 +34.79 1:31 pm PDT, September 27, 2007 NASDAQ 2709.59 +10.56 For info, visit access.smallcapnetwork.com S & P 500 1531.38 +5.96 Change your subscription status here Russell 2000 814.01 +4.89 VOLUME 07 : ISSUE 91 A 'Pickle' Takes Root in Florida  Whoever coined the phrase 'onward and upward' could have easily been talking about Spicy Pickle's (OTCBB: SPKL) stock. Since last Friday's close, SPKL has gained about 25%, and is still climbing. As amazing as that is, I'm even more amazed by how consistent - or should I say persistent - the volume has been.  Monday was obviously an explosive, high-volume day...the first trading day after we (and a couple of other sites) started our coverage. Though it would be tough to rival the 2.4 million shares that changed hands that day, the market is still speaking pretty loudly with investment dollars. Each day's worth of good volume and strong performance for the stock just further solidifies SPKL's hold on these newly-achieved trading levels.  If you're wondering where all this demand is coming from , then I'm going to guess you haven't seen the brief web video. To see it, click on the nearby picture. I think it'll all make sense then. It's just a smart franchise concept, meeting modern consumer demands. The food's great too...I can personally vouch for that. Anyway, while I can say the food's great right now, some hungry Floridians will soon be able to agree with me. Why? Spicy Pickle just announced they've signed a new Florida franchisee. It's the first in the state, though I doubt it will be the last.  This first store is slated to open in the Gainesville/Ocala area. It's a great market for a Spicy Pickle...University of Florida college students, faculty and staff, plus the big medical community there are the Pickle's targeted demographic. In fact, I suspect we'll see a few more pop up in Gainesville once the first one catches on. Beyond that, I think this first Florida store could also be a seed for the entire state, which just so happens to be the fourth most-populous state in the union.  As far as the stock is concerned, I really do believe the initial volatility is over. We're starting to see higher highs and higher lows, with the gains coming at a controlled pace on stable volume. So, it seems safe to get back in the water.  The press release is below. In the meantime...    Merck's Leading the Pack  Remember our Merck (NYSE: MRK) trade from the beginning of the year? Yes, it's true - we suggested this large cap back in January (just click here to see the original newsletter) as part of our 'Dogs of the Dow' experiment. I think we may have touched on it once since then, as we've just been so busy with small cap stuff. However, I think it's time to check in again today.  Just a little background here...the Dogs of the Dow theory is simply the notion that of the thirty stocks comprising the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the ten with the highest dividend yield at the end of a calendar year are apt to outperform the other twenty in the following year. It's not a totally crazy idea; on a relative basis, the highest dividend yields suggest those ten are undervalued. To put the theory to the test - and to give our readers a potential money-making idea - we selected Merck as our pick among the ten dogs. A good scientific test would have picked all ten, but sometimes you have to leave the laboratory and get out in the real world...one high-quality blue chip at a time is enough for me.  Though we're only 3/4 of the way through the year, I have to say I'm fairly pleased with the results so far. It's been a roller coaster ride for sure, but Merck is currently up about 17% from when we picked it. For the sake of comparison, the Dow is up 11.4% since then. Chalk one up for the theory. More importantly, I'm starting to think MRK is getting within striking distance of our suggested target of $59.74.  Take a look at the nearby chart. There's one thing that's become clear in the last few months - MRK is a stop-and-go stock. That just means these shares move a little higher for a few weeks, then flatten out for a few weeks....then up again, then flat again. If you zoom out enough on a longer-term chart, you can see the ascending stair-step pattern taking shape (dashed, on our chart).  Since late 2005, when the rally really started, it seems like a brief dip under the 100 day moving average line (mostly a symptom of the moving average line catching up with consolidation levels) was viewed as a buying opportunity. Coinciding with those pullbacks was a retest of what has now become a long-term support line (red, on our chart).  Well guess what? Over the last three months, MRK really hasn't gone anywhere but sideways. However, we did see that support line as well as the 100 day line intercept this chart. And sure enough, it again sparked a short-term rally. It's not yet a break-out from the sideways range, but it's a good start. Based on the size of previous runs, a break-out from here could easily carry MRK to $59.74.  I know some of you may be worried about the big gap from April. They tend to act like a vacuum, and that big one between $46 and $50 could really weigh in. To be honest, I'm not all that worried about it. If you look closely, MRK left behind a few other gaps during this uptrend (12/19/05, 7/25/06, 04/02/07, and 9/19/07). It hasn't been an issue yet. Quite the contrary - the gaps actually seem to precede a rally.  By the way, yeah, I think it's too late to take on a Merck stock position. However, you might be able to leverage the remaining distance between here and our target price with a call option. Moreover, I definitely don't think it's too late to add some Spicy Pickle to your portfolio. Here's their press release for today, and I expect a whole lot more of them just like this one over the next couple of years.    Press Release Source: Spicy Pickle Franchising, Inc.  Spicy Pickle Announces New Franchise Signing New Store Marks Florida as the 15th State  Thursday, September 27, 4:05 PM ET DENVER, Sept. 27 -- Spicy Pickle(r) fast casual restaurants (OTC Bulletin Board: SPKL) today announced it has signed its first franchisee in the state of Florida.  A new franchisee with restaurant experience in another concept has entered into a franchise agreement to open the first Spicy Pickle Restaurant in the Ocala/Gainesville region of central Florida.  The Spicy Pickle real estate acquisition department is in the Ocala/Gainsville area now reviewing demographic studies and identifying potential locations.  Marc Geman, CEO of Spicy Pickle Franchising, Inc, commented: "We are excited to have our first franchisee in the state of Florida. The state of Florida can support a significant number of stores, and having our first location could act as a springboard to additional franchisees and help us penetrate other regions within the state."  Mr. Geman further commented "Much like our very successful Boulder, Colorado location, the Ocala/Gainsville area offers a similar demographic with a high concentration of University, Medical, and Research facilities. This also marks the 15th state in which there will be a Spicy Pickle Restaurant." By the end of 2007, Spicy Pickle anticipates opening approximately 14 more units, bringing its network to 40 restaurants in 13 states. Nearly 50 additional franchise development agreements have also been signed.  In addition to its franchise activity, Spicy Pickle currently has a breakfast menu in test, potentially opening a new daypart for the chain. The company is also in the process of building a major commissary in Denver to cost-effectively supply its local restaurants with panini, sandwich breads and sweet treats, baked daily according to Spicy Pickle's high standards. All other units nationwide will continue to bake their panini and sandwich breads in-house. The Denver commissary is expected to open by the end of the year.  About Spicy Pickle:  Founded in 1999, Spicy Pickle Franchising, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: SPKL) serves high quality meats and fine artisan breads, baked fresh daily, along with a wide choice of eight different cheeses, twenty-two different toppings, and fourteen proprietary spreads to create healthy and delicious panini and sub sandwiches with flavors from around the world. As a leading "fast-casual" concept, Spicy Pickle offers menu items that are far beyond traditional fast food -- but without the price point of casual dining. The hallmark of a Spicy Pickle restaurant is quality, service and an enjoyable atmosphere. The company is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with franchised locations now open across nine states and many more in development nationwide. For more about Spicy Pickle, including franchise information and inquiries, visit http://www.spicypickle.com.  Forward-Looking Statements:  Certain statements in this press release, including statements regarding the number of restaurants we intend to open, are forward-looking statements. We use words such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "should", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "predict", "project", "target", and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions, to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date any such statements are made and we assume no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: factors that could affect our ability to achieve and manage our planned expansion, such as the availability of a sufficient number of suitable new restaurant sites and the availability of qualified franchisees and employees; risks relating to our expansion into new markets; the risk of food-borne illnesses and other health concerns about our food products; changes in the availability and costs of food; changes in consumer preferences, general economic conditions or consumer discretionary spending; the impact of federal, state or local government regulations relating to our franchisees and employees, and the sale of food or alcoholic beverages; the impact of litigation; our ability to protect our name and logo and other proprietary information; the potential effects of inclement weather; the effect of competition in the restaurant industry; and other risk factors described from time to time in our SEC reports.  COMPANY CONTACT:  Marc Geman, CEO  Spicy Pickle Franchising, Inc.  303-297-1902 Ext. 7000  Marc@spicypickle.com Source: Spicy Pickle Franchising, Inc.    We Value Your Feedback   Got comments, questions or suggestions? Send 'em on over: Email the Editor If you wish to send a written request or inquiry, please send it to our physical address: TGR Group, LLC 4653 Carmel Mtn Rd Suite 308 #402 San Diego, CA 92130 MIV Therapeutics (MIVT) Surges on Orthopedic Collaboration News  It's about time. Just a few weeks after announcing the first human implant of their next-generation coated heart stent, small cap biotech company MIV Therapeutics (MIVT) seemed to fall of the face of the earth - partially bringing their stock with them. Then today out of nowhere, the stock has turned into a rocket thanks to some only mediocre news...the company is now collaborating with orthopedic device-maker Smith & Nephew. The two companies intend to co-develop drug-delivering orthopedic devices. The stock jumped more than 15% on the news, on the most volume we've seen since July.  Don't get me wrong - I think MIVT is an undervalued stock. I just don't know if the Smith & Nephew news is a real reason for the stock to finally perk up. It could be months or even years before the two organizations can start co-manufacturing a thing.  What I really think is that MIVT was ready and waiting to rebound; all the market needed was an excuse. That's fine - if that's what it takes, so be it.  Though I'm interested in owning an undervalued stock, based on the recent struggle for this stock, I'd personally rather see the 50 day line crossed again at 44 cent before taking the plunge. It's only a couple of pennies above where we are now, so it's not like you'd have to leave a lot on the table to get a little extra certainty under your belt (if there's even such a thing as 'certainty' anymore). If you wanted to add to the certainty, you could even wait to see MIVT cross the 46 cents mark. That's where the 38.2% Fibonacci retracement line is.  Click here to see the chart.   Stockgroup (SWEB) Supported at 200 Day Moving Average Line, But... I don't know what's up with this micro cap company in terms of news...we haven't heard a peep out of Stockgroup (SWEB) since the middle of August when they reported their Q2 earnings. However, a lack of news hasn't prevented the stock from trading into a rather interesting situation. Let's apply a little technical analysis and see if we can figure out where SWEB's chart is trying to go.  The first thing I see is support at the 200 day moving average line. In fact, it's almost bizarre how precise the support has been since the line was first remet on August 16th. Along with the 200 day average line, I also (now) see a short-term support line.  On the upper side of the chart we're seeing the opposite situation...resistance at the 50 day line. At the same time, we can also see a long-term straight resistance line taking shape. The net result of all this support and resistance is called a wedge - one that's coming to a point quite quickly in Stockgroup's case.  This has the potential to be a good for bad thing. Obviously SWEB will have to break through one side of the triangle or the other sooner or later. And as far as we're concerned, that'll be sooner...there's not much room left in the tip if this wedge. The question is, which direction?  While nothing is ever set in stone, I have to vote for a bullish break. The company has been doing well, and when comparing opposing technical (i.e. chart) forces, it's usually better to side with the longer-term trend lines.  Either way, this should be fun to watch unfold. If you're a speculator and/or fan of the company, the time to step in is before anything starts to happen; it may happen too fast to effectively chase it.  Click here to see the chart.  Subscribe Information is power and timely information is profitable. 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To the degrees enumerated herein, SCN should not be regarded as an independent publication.  Click Here or go to http://access.smallcapnetwork.com/compensation_disclosure.html to view our compensation on every company we have ever covered, or visit the following web address: http://access.smallcapnetwork.com/profile_disclosure.html for our full profiles and http://access.smallcapnetwork.com/short_term_alerts.html for Trading Alerts.  Larry Isen, the editor and publisher of the OTC Journal, through various entities he controls, has purchased 1,200,441 shares of Spicy Pickle at an average cost of $.2125 per share. These purchases were made in Spicy Pickle private offerings. The aforementioned purchases were made between August of 2005 and August of 2006. In addition, Larry Isen has received 785,000 shares of Spicy Pickle common stock for consulting services. In addition, MarketByte LLC, an entity controlled by Larry Isen, has received a fee of $30,000 cash, and 300,000 newly issued restricted shares for coverage of Spicy Pickle. TGR Group LLC, the publisher of the Small Cap Network, has received $30,000 and 300,000 newly issued restricted shares for coverage of Spicy Pickle. Mr. Isen is an affiliate of TGR Group. In addition, two other individuals affiliated with TGR Group have purchased a total of 300,000 shares at $.25 per share and received an additional 70,000 for consulting services. Current positions of the aforementioned can be found at www.otcjournal.com and access.smallcapnetwork.com in the Spicy Pickle information section.  On January 19th, 2007 TGR Group LLC entered into an agreement with Stock Group Media, Inc. 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