Investment firm D.E. Shaw & Co. intends to deliver "a requisition" to Orient-Express Hotels, and is calling for a special meeting to let shareholders decide if the company's current governance structure needs to be revised. D.E. Shaw is "unaware of any other company whose supervoting shares are held by the company itself and not by a third party with an economic interest in the issuer of such supervoting shares." It also said it has "never seen a more unresponsive corporate-governance structure," and that the board should welcome the opportunity to ascertain the views of shareholders on such a fundamental issue. D.E. Shaw currently holds 3,218,678 shares (7.6% of the total outstanding).

Small Ventures USA plans to discuss the possibility of a buyout of the coal-mining company, contingent on the participation of management. Small Ventures said it believed that National Coal's stock was undervalued, due to an increase in the market value of coal and related futures contracts. Small Ventures has not yet had substantive conversations regarding a buyout with the company, nor has it made substantial steps toward arranging such a buyout with other parties. Small Ventures currently holds 2,011,843 shares (6.2%).

Cypress Semiconductor (CY) has begun a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Simtek for $46 million, or $2.60 a share. In April, Simtek rejected a takeover offer from Cypress to acquire the company for $2.20 a share, saying the deal significantly undervalued the company and wouldn't be in shareholders' best interests. The transaction is expected to close in or prior to the fourth calendar quarter of 2008. Cypress currently holds 3,179,644 shares (16.1%), including warrants to purchase about 2.5 million shares.

Amalgamated Gadget requested to inspect certain records regarding the company's new issuance of preferred stock to affiliates of majority shareholder and Chairman Carl C. Icahn. Amalgamated Gadget said that the latest announced preferred-stock issuance may be yet "another attempt by Icahn to personally take XO Holdings' assets for himself, to the detriment of the minority shareholders." Amalgamated Gadget previously has called for the resignation of Icahn from XO's board, saying that Icahn is "in clear violation of his fiduciary duties to minority shareholders." Amalgamated presently holds 12,152,195 shares (6.6%).

William Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management reported ownership of 3,137,650 shares (8.8%). Pershing Square may meet with Longs' management, shareholders or other relevant parties to discuss the company's strategy, assets, operations, capital structure, governance, management or strategic plans.

A group of funds managed by Mario Gabelli's Gamco Investors (GBL) reported increasing its stake to 14.42 million shares (6.11%), from the 12.7 million (5.11%) reported in January.

Edward Lampert raised his stake to 77.68 million shares (44%), after buying 6.4 million shares from June 2 to July 30 for more than $70 million.

A group of funds managed by Mario Gabelli's Gamco Investors reported ownership of 4,336,760 shares (5.57%), after buying 1,474,600 from June 4 to August 1 at $2.92 to $8.43 a share.