Knobias, Inc. 12% Subordinated Promissory Note Due October 7, 2005 (Aylor)

Summary

This agreement is a 12% Subordinated Promissory Note issued by Knobias, Inc. to Timothy J. Aylor for $50,000. Knobias promises to repay the principal plus monthly interest by October 7, 2005. The note includes terms for prepayment, late fees, and restrictions on certain company actions while the note is outstanding. It also defines events of default, such as missed payments or bankruptcy, which could accelerate repayment. The note is subject to securities law restrictions on transfer and resale.

EX-4.1 2 v017085_ex4-1.txt Exhibit 4.1 THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE "SECURITIES ACT"), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT TO AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL TO THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THIS SECURITY MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH A BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH SECURITIES. Original Issue Date: April 7, 2005 $50,000.00 12% SUBORDINATED PROMISSORY NOTE DUE OCTOBER 7, 2005 THIS NOTE is a duly authorized and issued 12% Subordinated Promissory Note of Knobias, Inc., a Delaware corporation, having a principal place of business at 875 Northpark Drive, Ridgeland, MS 39157 (the "Company"), designated as its 12% Subordinated Promissory Note, due October 7, 2005 (the "Note"). FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the Company promises to pay to TIMOTHY J. AYLOR or his registered assigns (the "Holder"), the principal sum of $50,000.00 on October 7, 2005, or such earlier date as the Note is required or permitted to be repaid as provided hereunder (the "Maturity Date"), and to pay interest to the Holder on the outstanding principal amount of this Note in accordance with the provisions hereof. This Note is subject to the following additional provisions: Section 1. Definitions. For the purposes hereof, in addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Note, the following terms shall have the following meanings: "Business Day" means any day except Saturday, Sunday and any day which shall be a federal legal holiday in the United States or a day on which banking institutions in the State of New York are authorized or required by law or other government action to close. "Change of Control Transaction" means the occurrence of any of (i) an acquisition after the date hereof by an individual or legal entity or "group" (as described in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) promulgated under the Exchange Act) of effective control (whether through legal or beneficial ownership of capital stock of the Company, by contract or otherwise) of in excess of 33% of the voting securities of the Company, or (ii) a replacement at one time or within a three year period of more than one-half of the members of the Company's board of directors which is not approved by a majority of those individuals who are members of the board of directors on the date hereof (or by those individuals who are serving as members of the board of directors on any date whose nomination to the board of directors was approved by a majority of the members of the board of directors who are members on the date hereof), or (iii) the execution by the Company of an agreement to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, providing for any of the events set forth above in (i) or (ii). "Common Stock" means the common stock, $.01 par value, of the Company and stock of any other class into which such shares may hereafter have been reclassified or changed. "Event of Default" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4. "Exchange Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. "Original Issue Date" shall mean the date of the first issuance of the Note regardless of the number of transfers of any Note and regardless of the number of instruments which may be issued to evidence such Note. "Person" means a corporation, an association, a partnership, organization, a business, an individual, a government or political subdivision thereof or a governmental agency. "Securities Act" means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder. "Trading Day" means a day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market. "Trading Market" means the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted for trading on the date in question: the Nasdaq SmallCap Market, the American Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or the OTC Bulletin Board. Section 2. Interest and Prepayments. a) Payment of Interest in Cash. The Company shall pay interest to the Holder on the aggregate and outstanding principal amount of this Note at the rate of 12% per annum, payable monthly in cash on the first day of each month, beginning on the first such date after the Original Issue Date and on the Maturity Date (except that, if any such date is not a Business Day, then such payment shall be due on the next succeeding Business Day). 2 b) Late Fee. All overdue accrued and unpaid interest to be paid hereunder shall entail a late fee at the rate of 20% per annum (or such lower maximum amount of interest permitted to be charged under applicable law) ("Late Fee") which will accrue daily, from the date such interest is due hereunder through and including the date of payment. c) Optional Prepayment. The Company shall have the right to prepay, in cash, from time to time, all or a portion of the principal amount of the Note, plus all accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date of repayment. Section 3. Negative Covenants. So long as any portion of this Note is outstanding, the Company will not directly or indirectly: a) amend its certificate of incorporation, bylaws or other charter documents so as to adversely affect any rights of the Holder; b) repay, repurchase or offer to repay, repurchase or otherwise acquire any of its Common Stock, Preferred Stock, or other equity securities; or c) enter into any agreement with respect to any of the foregoing. Section 4. Events of Default. a) "Event of Default", wherever used herein, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court, or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body): i. any default in the payment of (A) the principal of amount of the Note, or (B) interest (including Late Fees) on, or damages in respect of, any Note, in each case free of any claim of subordination, as and when the same shall become due and payable (whether on the Maturity Date or by acceleration or otherwise) which default, solely in the case of an interest payment or other default under clause (B) above, is not cured, within 2 Trading Days; ii. the Company shall fail to observe or perform any other covenant or agreement contained in this Note which failure is not cured, if possible to cure, within the earlier to occur of (A) 5 Trading Days after notice of such default sent by the Holder and (B) 10 Trading Days after the Company shall become or should have become aware of such failure; iii. a default or event of default (subject to any grace or cure period provided for in the applicable agreement, document or instrument) shall occur under any other material agreement, lease, document or instrument to which the Company is bound; 3 iv. (i) the Company shall commence, or there shall be commenced against the Company, a case under any applicable bankruptcy or insolvency laws as now or hereafter in effect or any successor thereto, or the Company commences any other proceeding under any reorganization, arrangement, adjustment of debt, relief of debtors, dissolution, insolvency or liquidation or similar law of any jurisdiction whether now or hereafter in effect relating to the Company thereof or (ii) there is commenced against the Company any such bankruptcy, insolvency or other proceeding which remains undismissed for a period of 60 days; or (iii) the Company is adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction insolvent or bankrupt; or any order of relief or other order approving any such case or proceeding is entered; or (iv) the Company suffers any appointment of any custodian or the like for it or any substantial part of its property which continues undischarged or unstayed for a period of 60 days; or (v) the Company makes a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or (vi) the Company shall fail to pay, or shall state that it is unable to pay, or shall be unable to pay, its debts generally as they become due; or (vii) the Company shall call a meeting of its creditors with a view to arranging a composition, adjustment or restructuring of its debts; or (viii) the Company shall by any act or failure to act expressly indicate its consent to, approval of or acquiescence in any of the foregoing; or (ix) any corporate or other action is taken by the Company for the purpose of effecting any of the foregoing; v. the Company shall default in any of its obligations under any mortgage, credit agreement or other facility, indenture agreement, factoring agreement or other instrument under which there may be issued, or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for borrowed money or money due under any long term leasing or factoring arrangement of the Company in an amount exceeding $150,000, whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created and such default shall result in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise become due and payable; vi. the Common Stock shall not be eligible for quotation on or quoted for trading on a Trading Market and shall not again be eligible for and quoted or listed for trading thereon within five Trading Days; vii. the Company shall be a party to any Change of Control Transaction, shall agree to sell or dispose of all or in excess of 33% of its assets in one or more transactions (whether or not such sale would constitute a Change of Control Transaction) or shall redeem or repurchase more than a de minimis number of its outstanding shares of Common Stock or other equity securities of the Company (other than repurchases of shares of Common Stock or other equity securities of departing officers and directors of the Company; provided such repurchases shall not exceed $100,000, in the aggregate, for all officers and directors during the term of this Note); 4 b) Remedies Upon Event of Default. If any Event of Default occurs, the full principal amount of this Note, together with interest and other amounts owing in respect thereof, to the date of acceleration shall become, at the Holder's election, immediately due and payable in cash. Commencing 5 days after the occurrence of any Event of Default that results in the eventual acceleration of this Note, the interest rate on this Note shall accrue at the rate of 20% per annum, or such lower maximum amount of interest permitted to be charged under applicable law. Upon payment of all amounts due hereunder the Note shall promptly be surrendered to or as directed by the Company. The Holder need not provide and the Company hereby waives any presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, and the Holder may immediately and without expiration of any grace period enforce any and all of its rights and remedies hereunder and all other remedies available to it under applicable law. Such declaration may be rescinded and annulled by Holder at any time prior to payment hereunder and the Holder shall have all rights as a Note holder until such time, if any, as the full payment under this Section shall have been received by it. No such rescission or annulment shall affect any subsequent Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Section 5. Miscellaneous. a) Notices. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Holder hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service, addressed to the Company, at the address set forth above, facsimile number ###-###-####, Attn: E. Key Ramsey, President, or such other address or facsimile number as the Company may specify for such purposes by notice to the Holder delivered in accordance with this Section. Any and all notices or other communications or deliveries to be provided by the Company hereunder shall be in writing and delivered personally, by facsimile, sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service addressed to the Holder at the facsimile telephone number or address of such Holder appearing on the books of the Company, or if no such facsimile telephone number or address appears, at the principal place of business of the Holder. Any notice or other communication or deliveries hereunder shall be deemed given and effective on the earliest of (i) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile telephone number specified in this Section prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time), (ii) the date after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile telephone number specified in this Section later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any date and earlier than 11:59 p.m. (New York City time) on such date, (iii) the second Business Day following the date of mailing, if sent by nationally recognized overnight courier service, or (iv) upon actual receipt by the party to whom such notice is required to be given. b) Absolute Obligation. Except as expressly provided herein, no provision of this Note shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, interest and liquidated damages (if any) on, this Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed. This Note is a direct debt obligation of the Company. 5 c) Lost or Mutilated Note. If this Note shall be mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed, the Company shall execute and deliver, in exchange and substitution for and upon cancellation of a mutilated Note, or in lieu of or in substitution for a lost, stolen or destroyed Note, a new Note for the principal amount of this Note so mutilated, lost, stolen or destroyed but only upon receipt of evidence of such loss, theft or destruction of such Note, and of the ownership hereof, and indemnity, if requested, all reasonably satisfactory to the Company. d) Subordination. The obligations of the Company to the Holder are subordinated in right of payment to the obligations of the Company owing to the holders of the Company's 8% Secured Convertible Notes due November 1, 2006. e) Governing Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Note shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Mississippi, without regard to the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the transactions contemplated by this Note (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors, officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced in the state and federal courts sitting in Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi (the "Mississippi Courts"). Each party hereto hereby irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Mississippi Courts for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein, and hereby irrevocably waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, or such Mississippi Courts are an improper or inconvenient venue for such proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices to it under this Note and agrees that such service shall constitute good and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner permitted by law. Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Note or the transactions contemplated hereby. If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of this Note, then the prevailing party in such action or proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys fees and other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and prosecution of such action or proceeding. f) Waiver. Any waiver by the Company or the Holder of a breach of any provision of this Note shall not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other breach of such provision or of any breach of any other provision of this Note. The failure of the Company or the Holder to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Note on one or more occasions shall not be considered a waiver or deprive that party of the right thereafter to insist upon strict adherence to that term or any other term of this Note. Any waiver must be in writing. 6 g) Severability. If any provision of this Note is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the balance of this Note shall remain in effect, and if any provision is inapplicable to any person or circumstance, it shall nevertheless remain applicable to all other persons and circumstances. If it shall be found that any interest or other amount deemed interest due hereunder violates applicable laws governing usury, the applicable rate of interest due hereunder shall automatically be lowered to equal the maximum permitted rate of interest. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law or other law which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or interest on this Note as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this indenture, and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefits or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impeded the execution of any power herein granted to the Holder, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such as though no such law has been enacted. h) Next Business Day. Whenever any payment or other obligation hereunder shall be due on a day other than a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day. i) Headings. The headings contained herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this Note and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions hereof. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be duly executed by a duly authorized officer as of the date first above indicated. KNOBIAS, INC. /s/ E. KEY RAMSEY ----------------------------------- E. Key Ramsey, President 7