Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

9 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2013

Risks and Uncertainties [Abstract]

Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

3. Concentration of Credit Risk and Other Risks and Uncertainties

Accounts Payable – Trade

As of July 31, 2013, the amount due to a former consultant to the Company, $112,000, represented 36% of the total amount due for accounts payable to non-affiliates. As of July 31, 2013, the Company owes its current independent accounting firm $31,500, which represents 10% of the total amount due for accounts payable. An additional 21% of accounts payable, or $64,517, is due legal counsel in the Alpine MIT Partners litigation in Texas.

Litigation and Claims

On May 16, 2012, Alpine MIT Partners, LLC (Plaintiffs) filed a civil action against the Company and its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey G. Nunez, (collectively, the Company), in the Texas District Court, Travis County. Plaintiffs alleged breach of contract and civil conspiracy, as well as tortious interference with contractual relations and prospective business relations. The lawsuit alleges that the Company breached certain provisions of a March 7, 2012 Securities Purchase Agreement the Company executed with the Plaintiff to sell up to $2.0 million of 7% Senior Secured five-year Convertible Debentures convertible into shares of common stock at a conversion rate of $.003 per share. The purchase and sale of the first $1.0 million Debenture was scheduled to close on or before April 6, 2012 and was subject to, among other things, Alpine closing the necessary equity funding to consummate the transactions. No money was ever received by the Company from Alpine.

The lawsuit also suggests that the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Jeffrey G. Nunez, has a history of regulatory and securities law violations. The Company’s Board of Directors has researched the matter and understands that in January 2004, Mr. Nunez was requested by the NASD to appear and provide testimony pursuant to NASD Rule 8210. Mr. Nunez did not appear, but agreed not to associate in any capacity, in the future, with NASD member firms. The Company’s Board of Directors believes this to be of no consequence with respect to Mr. Nunez’ qualifications to serve as a board member and chief executive officer of the Company.

The Company argued that the lawsuit was improperly filed in Texas and that the Texas court had no jurisdiction over the Company in this matter. At a hearing on March 7, 2013, the court upheld the Company’s position and dismissed the case against the Company. In August, 2013, Alpine filed an amended Complaint against Jeffrey Nunez in the Texas case alleging tortuous interference and conspiracy to terminate the March 7, 2012 Securities Purchase Agreement. Mr. Nunez believes that the allegations of the lawsuit against him have no merit and intends to vigorously defend the matter.

On January 10, 2013, the Company learned that Plaintiffs had filed a lien against the Company’s patents on May 8, 2012 with the California Secretary of State under the Uniform Commercial Code. On or about January 29, 2013, the Company filed suit against Alpine MIT Partners, LLC in the Orange County, California Superior Court alleging, among other claims, that the UCC filing is unauthorized. The lawsuit also names the managing director and managing member of Alpine as Defendants and alleges that they made false promises, intentional misrepresentations and breached the contract which is the subject of the Texas suit. The Company is seeking damages of $1.6 million.

In accordance with accounting standards regarding loss contingencies, the Company accrues an undiscounted liability for those contingencies where the incurrence of a loss is probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated, and the Company discloses the amount accrued and the amount of a reasonably possible loss in excess of the amount accrued, if such disclosure is necessary for its financial statements not to be misleading. The Company does not record liabilities when the likelihood that the liability has been incurred is probable but the amount cannot be reasonably estimated, or when the liability is believed to be only reasonably possible or remote.

Because litigation outcomes are inherently unpredictable, the Company’s evaluation of legal proceedings often involves a series of complex assessments by management about future events and can rely heavily on estimates and assumptions. If the assessments indicate that loss contingencies that could be material to any one of its financial statements are not probable, but are reasonably possible, or are probable, but cannot be estimated, then the Company discloses the nature of the loss contingencies, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss or a statement that such loss is not reasonably estimable. Since the lawsuit filed against the Company in Texas has been dismissed, no loss contingency has been accrued.

Antidilution Liability

The Company has recorded a $65,401 liability to allow for the possible dilutive impact of equity issuances that alter or effect conversion or exchange rates existing on the various dates of conversion or exercise of securities having adjustable conversion rates.

Accrued Payroll, Payroll Taxes and Benefits

From April 2010 through March 2012, payments made to two employees were recorded as reductions in accrued and unpaid payroll. In April 2012, the Company reclassified such payments as net payroll payments; calculated and recorded the employer and employee taxes that should have been withheld on such payment. Federal and state payroll tax returns have been filed for the last three quarters of 2010, all of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012. Estimated penalties and interest on the late filings and payments, in the sum of $27,446, have been accrued as of July 31, 2013. On September 20, 2012, the Internal Revenue Service filed a Notice of Federal Tax Lien against the Company assessing $58,858 for unpaid taxes, penalties and interest. A Notice of Tax Lien was also filed by the State of California on November 9, 2012 in the amount of $8,206, including penalty and interest. The Company has been in contact with the respective tax authorities in an effort to negotiate a payment arrangement period for the taxes due.

Accrued Payroll and Benefits consist of the above payroll taxes and salaries, wages, and vacation benefits earned by employees, but not disbursed as of July 31, 2013 and includes payroll earned, but unpaid to various employees between January 16, 2013 and July 31, 2013. Accrued Payroll also includes the above estimated penalties and interest due on such unpaid payroll taxes. Liability for vacation benefits is accrued when earned monthly and reduced when taken. At the end of each fiscal period, the balance in the accrued vacation benefits liability account is adjusted to reflect current pay rates. Annual leave earned but not taken is considered an unfunded liability since this leave will be funded from future appropriations when it is actually taken by employees.