Shamrock Activist Value Fund wants JTX to remove its shareholder-rights plan, de-stagger its board and institute annual elections for all directors -- and to adopt a majority-voting standard for election of directors who run unopposed. Shamrock said these changes in governance would be "an important step towards improving board accountability and creating greater value" for shareholders. Shamrock holds 2,883,000 shares (10.14% of the total outstanding).

Funds managed by Mario Gabelli's Gamco Investors (ticker: GBL) will support a slate of directors nominated in March by dissident shareholder Harbinger Capital Partners at next week's annual meeting. The nominees include former broadcasting executive J. Daniel Sullivan, investment manager F. Jack Liebau Jr. and turnaround consultant Eugene I. Davis. MEG hosts its annual meeting April 24, It has proposed its own slate for the nine-member board and called Harbinger's nominees "not well-qualified." The Gabelli group holds 4,994,347 shares (22.39%).

Sun Capital Securities Group says it will support most of FBN's slate of director nominees, but not FBN nominees Katherine Button Bell, Richard B. Loynd and Albert E. Suter. Sun is soliciting shareholder proxies for its nominees: Alan Schwartz, Ira Kaplan and T. Scott King. FBN is urging shareholders to vote for its eight nominees and none of the dissident's picks. Sun Capital holds 4,581,881 shares (9.45%).

Nanes Delorme Partners I plans to nominate Julien Balkany, Leonard Toboroff and Clarence Cottman III for election to Vaalco's board at EGY's annual meeting. The investor reserves the right to nominate additional nominees if there are excess vacancies or if EGY increases the board's size; and it wants Vaalco to take several steps to increase shareholder value, including evaluating strategic alternatives. Nanes Delorme holds 4,700,000 shares (8%).

Carpe Diem Capital Management has begun discussions with MVCO about corporate governance and strategic alternatives. The investment firm said progress was made toward establishing a "meaningful and defined unpaid advisory role" for Carpe Diem President John Ziegelman in the strategic-alternatives process. Carpe Diem awaits MVCO's "full and complete disclosure" on its strategic-alternatives process; it has also hired Mackenzie Partners for assistance in case Carpe Diem solicits proxies supporting Ziegelman's nomination to the board and its shareholder proposal to amend bylaws. Carpe Diem has 424,415 shares (8.2%).

Riley Investment Management wrote to SSTI nominating four directors for election to the board at the "08 annual meeting; nominated were Bryant R. Riley, Eric Singer, Melvin Keating and Bob D'Agostino. If elected, Riley said the nominees would take "an active role." Riley holds (5.4%)

A group of funds including Gamco Investors reported ownership of 4,706,900 (7.15%), after buying 4,698,200 from March 3 to April 9 at $36.06 to $39.05 each.

A group of funds managed by Gamco Investors reported ownership of 741,000 shares (5.19%), after purchasing 242,500 from Feb. 11 to April 7 at $5.04 to $7.30 apiece.