Pubco

[Stock_Barber]

Expert to Pink Current today!

[grab]

Adding to your "food for thought"
Generally the internet is only good for those who model it on themselves and their success. people like Gates, Bezos, Zukerberg, etc. but they were just lucky and had a huge amount of followers.
How many real managers and leaders do you know of. Very few if any , I'll bet.
Let's take a few principles of a true leader to be reckoned with.
NOT a salesman or what is generally known as a marketer, but nothing more than a polished used car salesman, fill of tricks.

Let's have a look at a few REAL leadership qualities:
Intelligent.
LOGICAL.
Empathetic.
Truthful.
Patient.
Knowledgeable.
Experienced in a particular field or fields.
Well rounded in education and ETHICS.
and more.
Now let's take any that you are familiar and deal with.
I bet very few cover many if ANY of the above.
Particularly the following; truthful, empathy,intelligent (not smarts), Knowledgeable, Well rounded in education and ETHICS.
You see so many get by with promises seldom kept,innuendo, inference and downright lies and scamming plans. These things are the things that suck most in and are the most damaging.
Have a close look and look at timelines, consistency and events. Then you will see that what is on the internet is what the posters want everyone to believe.

As you say"PEACE"

[SJOGRINGO]

Food for thought from the Internet....

This Will Make You Think About "Leadership"...



"" My entire life I've been around people, coaches, bosses, mentors, business owners, etc... who believe some people are leaders and some are followers. Interestingly, when polled or surveyed most will classify themselves as leaders. This is kind of like when entering college freshmen are surveyed and polled, over +90% believe or think they will end up in the top +1% in regards to wealth in America. Same thing here, many people believe they are "leaders" but are doing nothing to lead. I think it's important that we define and teach our kids and grandkids the skills needed to lead. We also have to challenge ourselves and ask if we are "leading" in our current role or position and if we own a company do we have the real leaders in the right position? Below are some leadership principles that I have seen floating around the past few months. Some say they are from Amazon executives and others say they are from Apple executives, regardless they help better define leadership qualities and why so many get this wrong.

Trust Obsession: Leaders start with the end in mind and work backward. They work vigorously to earn and keep the trust of their team. They do what they say they are going to do and obsess over it!

Ownership: Leaders are owners. They think long-term and don’t sacrifice long-term value for short-term results. They act on behalf of the entire company or entire team going way beyond what's best for themselves. This is where many people get it all wrong, leaders actually lead other people and people follow because they are good leaders. Most people identify themselves as a leader but at best barely lead themselves. They don't lead at home, they don't lead for the betterment of the entire company or business they work for, and they are extremely self-centered. Too often companies will have this person in a leadership role when in fact they are not "leaders" but good self-starters or self-motivators.

Invent and Simplify: Leaders expect and require innovation and invention from their teams, meaning they are eager to hear and change, and always want to find ways to simplify in order to gain more speed. Many great leaders may be misunderstood for long periods of time because of the constant change and rate of speed at which they move, very quickly shifting gears.

Are Right a Lot and Quick to Admit when Wrong: Leaders are right a lot. They have strong judgment and great instincts. They seek diverse perspectives and work to disconfirm their beliefs. They also are quick to swing and miss then readjust. They don't mind being told they are wrong and want to hear criticism so they can readjust quicker.

Insist on the Highest Standards: Leaders have relentlessly high standards–many people may think these standards are unreasonably high. Leaders are continually raising the bar and drive their teams to deliver faster and better results. Leaders also work to ensure that problems don't get covered up or passed down the line to someone else. Leaders like to tackle a difficult task.

Think Big: Thinking small is a self-fulfilling prophecy and how many create false self-confidence. Leaders create and communicate a bold direction that inspires results. They are not scared of big ideas because they are not that scared to fail. They think differently and look around corners for ways to better improve their entire company and or entire team. Small ideas are generally about self, whereas big ideas generally come from leaders who are looking out for the entirety of the group.

Bias for Action: Speed matters in business and in life and great leaders understand this. Many decisions and actions are reversible and do not need extensive study. Leaders are willing to take calculated risks and do not need the self-confidence of being right on every move.

Frugality: Leaders know how to accomplish more with less.

Earn Trust: Leaders listen attentively, speak candidly, and treat others respectfully. They are vocally self-critical, even when doing so is awkward or embarrassing. Leaders benchmark themselves and their teams against the best.

Dive Deep: Leaders operate at all levels, stay connected to the details, audit frequently, and are skeptical when metrics and anecdotes differ. No task is beneath them and they constantly are keeping score.

Have a Backbone: Disagree and Commit: Leaders are obligated to respectfully challenge decisions when they disagree, even when doing so is uncomfortable or exhausting. Leaders have conviction and are tenacious. They do not compromise for the sake of social cohesion. But once a decision is determined, they commit wholly. ""



SJO

[SJOGRINGO]

Back in the Fray

[SJOGRINGO]

Me Thinks something NEW brewing....

smell the coffee....

Peace

SJO

[SJOGRINGO]

Form 8-K for ANTHERA PHARMACEUTICALS INC

28-Jan-2015

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement, Financial Statements and


Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On January 27, 2015, Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the "Company") entered into Subscription Agreements (the "Subscription Agreements") with each of Zenyaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. ("Zenyaku") and Amgen Inc. ("Amgen"), with respect to a registered direct offering conducted without an underwriter or placement agent (the "Registered Direct Offering") of an aggregate of 3,216,646 shares of the Company's common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the "Common Stock"), at an aggregate purchase price of $8,000,000. Pursuant to the Subscription Agreements, Zenyaku will purchase 2,795,895 shares of Common Stock at a price per share equal to $2.50367, and Amgen will purchase 420,751 shares of Common Stock at a price per share equal to $2.3767, with the consideration to be paid by Amgen in the form of a waiver of a fee otherwise payable to Amgen pursuant to that certain License Agreement dated December 18, 2007 between Anthera and Amgen (as amended).

Net proceeds from the offering, after deducting estimated offering expenses, are expected to be approximately $6,965,000. The Company intends to use the net proceeds for general corporate purposes. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or around January 28, 2015.

The sale of the Common Stock is to be made pursuant to the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-187780) (the "Registration Statement"), including a prospectus supplement dated January 28, 2015 to the prospectus contained therein, filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on April 5, 2013 and declared effective by the SEC on April 18, 2013.

A copy of the legal opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP, relating to the validity of the shares issued in the Registered Direct Offering, is filed as Exhibit 5.1 to this report and is filed with reference to, and is hereby incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement.



Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.

5.1 Opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP

[SJOGRINGO]

Another Inconvenient Truth?
The Time IS Nigh...
SJO

Scientist find new factor melting sea ice

By the U.S. Department of Energy/Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory news staff

Scientists have identified a mechanism that could turn out to be a big contributor to warming in the Arctic region and melting sea ice.

The research was led by scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. They studied a long-wavelength region of the electromagnetic spectrum called far infrared. It’s invisible to human eyes but accounts for about half the energy emitted by the Earth’s surface. This process balances out incoming solar energy.

Despite its importance in the planet’s energy budget, it’s difficult to measure a surface’s effectiveness in emitting far-infrared energy. In addition, its influence on the planet’s climate is not well represented in climate models. The models assume that all surfaces are 100 percent efficient in emitting far-infrared energy.

That’s not the case. The scientists found that open oceans are much less efficient than sea ice when it comes to emitting in the far-infrared region of the spectrum. This means that the Arctic Ocean traps much of the energy in far-infrared radiation, a previously unknown phenomenon that is likely contributing to the warming of the polar climate.

Their research appears this week in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

“Far-infrared surface emissivity is an unexplored topic, but it deserves more attention. Our research found that non-frozen surfaces are poor emitters compared to frozen surfaces. And this discrepancy has a much bigger impact on the polar climate than today’s models indicate,” says Daniel Feldman, a scientist in Berkeley Lab’s Earth Sciences Division and lead author of the paper.

“Based on our findings, we recommend that more efforts be made to measure far-infrared surface emissivity. These measurements will help climate models better simulate the effects of this phenomenon on the Earth’s climate,” Feldman says.

He conducted the research with Bill Collins, who is head of the Earth Sciences Division’s Climate Sciences Department. Scientists from the University of Colorado, Boulder and the University of Michigan also contributed to the research.

The far-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum spans wavelengths that are between 15 and 100 microns (a micron is one millionth of a meter). It’s a subset of infrared radiation, which spans wavelengths between 5 and 100 microns. In comparison, visible light, which is another form of electromagnetic radiation, has a much shorter wavelength of between 390 and 700 nanometers (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter).

Many of today’s spectrometers cannot detect far-infrared wavelengths, which explains the dearth of field measurements. Because of this, scientists have extrapolated the effects of far-infrared surface emissions based on what’s known at the wavelengths measured by today’s spectrometers.

Feldman and colleagues suspected this approach is overly simplistic, so they refined the numbers by reviewing published studies of far-infrared surface properties. They used this information to develop calculations that were run on a global atmosphere climate model called the Community Earth System Model, which is closely tied to the Department of Energy’s Accelerated Climate Model for Energy.

The simulations revealed that far-infrared surface emissions have the biggest impact on the climates of arid high-latitude and high-altitude regions.

In the Arctic, the simulations found that open oceans hold more far-infrared energy than sea ice, resulting in warmer oceans, melting sea ice, and a 2-degree C increase in the polar climate after only a 25-year run.

This could help explain why polar warming is most pronounced during the three-month winter when there is no sun. It also complements a process in which darker oceans absorb more solar energy than sea ice.

“The Earth continues to emit energy in the far infrared during the polar winter,” Feldman says. “And because ocean surfaces trap this energy, the system is warmer throughout the year as opposed to only when the sun is out.”

The simulations revealed a similar warming effect on the Tibetan plateau, where there was 5 percent less snowpack after a 25-year run. This means more non-frozen surface area to trap far-infrared energy, which further contributes to warming in the region.

“We found that in very arid areas, the extent to which the surface emits far-infrared energy really matters. It controls the thermal energy budget for the entire region, so we need to measure and model it better,” says Feldman

[SJOGRINGO]

Tick..Tick..Tick.. Welcome November..


Peace & Good Luck to ALL Believers..
SJO

[SJOGRINGO]

Cool... The Time is Nigh...

The wait has been long and the road to today has had more than a few curves.
.BUT
the next 60 days should make it all worth it for those who have stayed the course.

More will be reviled shortly....

The answer is truly in the Stars..

Peace
SJO

[Hobbler]

Yeah. Or MAYbe he should. He responded to a message from May or June, just to give me some stupid criptic message. K tnx bi.

[SunScents]

You seem upset and angry. There is a board here on IHUB that might help you out. It is Moderated by our buddy Mick. Here is the link.

http://investorshub.advfn.com/All-for-One-and-One-for-All-Anger-Management-28933/

Anger management might help you from suggesting that a member of IHUB kill themselves.

[SunScents]

It seems as if Hobbler has a serious problem with you Gringo. Suggesting that someone kill themselves is a dangerous and perverse statement. I've suggested that this IHUB member be banned for life from IHUB for making such an attack.

[SJOGRINGO]

MAYbe years of reading Glowing reports from wild-eyed penny stock players.???

Hope it's not fatal...

Sooooon..

SJO

[Hobbler]

Definitely some form of retardation.

[SJOGRINGO]

Hmmm..Darned if I know..

Help Me...?

Piece
SJO

[Hobbler]

Who are you talking to? You are not responding to anybody and are talking to basically nobody. What the fuck is your problem? I don’t really get it. You troll boards and give your “2” cents in bold and underline caps as if it means something, but you ramble on as a mad man. So what is your deal? Are you an old senile man, or a young retarded child?

[Hobbler]

Are you retarded? It seems that you have some kind of malfunction. What is with your posts?

[SJOGRINGO]

HAPPY to Publicly answer the question for ALL QASP Shareholders to read:

YES, She deserves to get paid..Cash..US Dollars

But so do Bill & Joe

They will be allowed to convert PFD.A shares in common to sell for Cash...

Donnell's and BOD problem is:

1)QASP A/S is currently 2.5 Billion

2)Current O/S is unknown because of company gagging TA.

3)IMHO not enough A/S available to convert $98,000(1960 PFD.A
shares) into common.

4. Options available to Donnell and BOD to convert:

4A REVERSE SPLIT ( Joe did this)

4B) Increase A/S to 4 or 5 Billion (Dean did this)

4C) Company Share buy back (Dean PR'd this but never happened)

There in is the PROBLEM for QASP SHAREHOLDERS...

How to Convert the PFD.A's to pay Joe, Bill & Donnell..

Another inconvenient issue about for QASP

IN My Opinion..of Course... wink

SJO
Quote:

JOGRINGO Sunday, 05/11/14 10:41:02 PM
Re: Militia Man post# 310851
Post # of 311266
Don'T Forget SOME made $$$ in QASP (NHSH subsidiary ) when they got off the train @.15 BEFORE it left the station..

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT POST...
Much on this CEO (PFD.A) Compensation later..

This is a very IMPORTANT feature of the PFD.A's that many stockholders
don't currently understand and some don't want shareholders to know...

On June 6, 2012 the company issued 1,960 (one thousand nine hundred sixty) shares
of Class A preferred stock in settlement of $98,000 due to officers for past services.
These amounts included:
$45,000 to Joseph Canouse, (900)
$27,000 to William Cirmo, (540)
$26,000 to Donnell Vigil. (520)

Anyone believe these shares will not be converted?

Peace
SJO
Quote:
Militia Man Member Level Friday, 05/09/14 07:27:34 PM
Re: SJOGRINGO post# 310829
Post # of 311205
Why in the world would any rational CEO say that would never happen? Businesses grow all the time..? When this has a ROI in the next 12 + months and she has done her job, doesn't a CEO deserve to get some compensation? Or is it that the past is so painful and loosing money and or making poor decisions clouds the mind?

Quote:
Did she promise to NEVER EVER Convert in the Future..??


Never buy/sell based on my posts.My posts are opinions
only.My positions are subject to change W/O
notice NOTICE: NSA reportedly monitors,copies,and
captures IP address of electronic communications to and from the USA.

[SJOGRINGO]

EXCELLENT EXCELLENT POST...
Much on this CEO (PFD.A) Compensation later..

This is a very IMPORTANT feature of the PFD.A's that many stockholders
don't currently understand and some don't want shareholders to know...

On June 6, 2012 the company issued 1,960 (one thousand nine hundred sixty) shares
of Class A preferred stock in settlement of $98,000 due to officers for past services.
These amounts included:
$45,000 to Joseph Canouse, (900)
$27,000 to William Cirmo, (540)
$26,000 to Donnell Vigil. (520)

Anyone believe these shares will not be converted?

Peace
SJO

Militia Man Member Level Friday, 05/09/14 07:27:34 PM
Re: SJOGRINGO post# 310829
Post # of 311205
Why in the world would any rational CEO say that would never happen? Businesses grow all the time..? When this has a ROI in the next 12 + months and she has done her job, doesn't a CEO deserve to get some compensation? Or is it that the past is so painful and loosing money and or making poor decisions clouds the mind?

Quote:
Did she promise to NEVER EVER Convert in the Future..??

[SJOGRINGO]

Update:
======================


SJOGRINGO Thursday, 05/08/14 10:11:22 AM
Re: fink post# 309868
Post # of 310053
GREEN ARROWS!! IMHO, Always a GOOD sign that the message
is getting out and being heard!! GREAT.

Actually those hats are only 2 of those available; may choose
to wear others later, depending on future direction of Management here at QASP.

I too am a Happy Camper that Donnell & Co. took my suggestion and will use the Friday Conference Call to tell everyone:
Quote:
" What is TRUE Here "


I'm also overjoyed knowing that my posts are being read in detail and the subject matter is seriously being thought about by Investors.
The Joy of knowing that, NOW, we are on the same page and agree that " NHSH is a asset for QASP"
and that " REVERSE SPLIT is a good thing for QASP" makes my efforts worthwhile and time well spent.
Hopefully more Investors will " see the light" and come on board to our way of thinking about the future of QASP !! wink

Keep reading and the confusion will clear as the expected events at QASP unfold into the future.

For me very telling sign will be the DIFFERENCE BETWEEN the Closing price of QASP at Close Friday 05/09,
just 30 min BEFORE the Conf call..AND..
The trading Price of QASP at say 1PM EDT Monday 05/12, the first trading day AFTER the Conf. Call. wink

Well..Good Luck ALL hopefully we all will have 3 good trading days during next three sessions and everyone
make money in QASP.. remember..timing is EVERYTHING here!!

Again..My Thanks to Donnell & Co.

Peace
SJOgringo
A Happy Camper
Quote:
thetruth3333 Member Level Wednesday, 05/07/14 03:47:56 PM
Re: fink post# 309868
Post # of 310042
Great stuff....
Quote:
'A concerned investor'?

I thought it was;
'Activist shareholder'?

Are they the same? I'm so confused.

I got no questions for her. Im a happy camper.

Ido expect some great hints thrown out. It will be a must for anyone in these MJ plays.

Donnell consulting other MJ plays! Wow.
And look at her hired gun, Ms Francisco.
What a back up.

QASP is the best MJ play out there. Timing is everything
.

I too have questions, already sent some to her today. just hope this time there are more than 5 people that come. lol. last time soo many said they had concerns yet no one showed up to express them. make one wonder. oh well I am sure Donnell will have great stuff to tell us all!

GO QASP


Never buy/sell based on my posts.My posts are opinions
only.My positions are subject to change W/O
notice NOTICE: NSA reportedly monitors,copies,and
captures IP address of electronic communications to and from the USA.

[SJOGRINGO]

COST of Education...QASP Style..

SJOGRINGO Friday, 04/25/14 10:21:34 AM
Re: thetruth3333 post# 303636
Post # of 303694
COST of Education...QASP Style..

Thank you board to the many comments I received both publicly and privately concerning my last nights post... I am happy to see it had the desired effect and open some eyes as to what is happening here and the "Crowd Mentality" of stinky Pink stock world..

If I am allow to speak I will continue posting FACTUAL articles, events and many posts from this board showing what is the culture of QASP.. Hopefully this will allow everyone here to sit back...take a look... and make educated informed decisions..!!

WHY am I doing this.. because I am a nice guy or I am "angry" I lost money in QASP.. First I am not a "NICE GUY".. I am here to make money.. and am doing so..by currently flipping QASP plus I am still sitting on 325,000 QASP from Before that are not part of my Flip pool(let's see...325,000 X .05 as some here say will happen " next week, Next Month, or IMMINENT = $16,5000 USD..) so I am covered either way..

Second.. With my almost 4 year involvement with QASP I have been rewarded VERY WELL both, by my LUCKLY .15 Sale of NSHS shares, and also introduction to other investment opportunities made available by association with QASP and this iHub board.

And lastly, I enjoy making money in penny stocks but have paid a price to become educated on HOW to make money here... While the monies lost upfront paid for the education, the rewards of that knowledge are being realized TODAY and am confident into the future... Frankly.. I DO NOT MIND TAKING YOUR MONEY in the "constant Run UP & DOWN of stocks like QASP... True ATM's

BUT

I would prefer that YOU GIVE ME YOUR MONEY wilh the FULL KNOWLEDGE of what has been going on here over last 4 years.. WITH THE SAME PLAYERS.. AND you are making INFORMED DECISSION when placing your Money ( Hard earned Retirement Funds... Kind of liked that Line..jeje) as RISK for those like me.. (Trust me there are others here WHO are NO SO TRANSPARENT).. to TAKE YOUR MONEY on a regular basis..

That being said... ENJOY the GAME here as this is strictly a MONEY GAME and can be very exciting and financially rewarding PROVIDED you play by the HOUSE RULES..as in Las Vegas.. it is the same HERE... THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS..

I will continue to post as long as I am allowed to speak here.. If not there are other venues..just follow me if you care..

GOOD LUCK...ENJOY.. and make SURE you know WHAT YOU ARE BUYING..
( hint.. Understand the PFD.A Structure here and YOUR voting rights as a common shareholder)

Now with a very clear conscious On to the Play field..

" PLAY BALL..Let the Games begin !!!""

Today I'm Long so... GO QASP !!!

Peace & Good Luck..
SJOgringo


The making of a QASP "Flipper"
Quote:
SJOGRINGO Thursday, 05/27/10 12:58:44 AM
Re: vd8828 post# 131475
Post # of 303658
QASP & LSCG Onsite Visits 5/25 & 5/26

Gather around boys and girls and you’ll hear the lingo
Of the last 2 days adventures of SJOGRINGO.

Flew into Orlando Monday evening to attend the LSCG AnnualMeeting on 5/26. Plans I originally had for Tuesday 5/25 fell throughSo decided to drive to Jacksonville and make an unannounced visit to
The world headquarters of QASP.

Arrived at Herlong Airport in early afternoon and a welcomed sight was the Names ATLANTIC AVIATION and Quasar Aerospace displayed on the entrance sign.!!

Spent a few minutes in the Atlantic training facility then escorted into Quasar Office. Found the front Office staff extremely busy, copying papers, Many Faxes on desks, & general activity level HIGH.. 4 or 5 people in office and “lady-in-charge” sorry, don’t remember name, introduced herself And asked to help. I informed her I was a stockholder and would like to speak with Dean if available. She had me sign in and made photo copy of my ID. Advised Dean was in meeting but would get someone to assist me.

I a few minutes Joshua Henderson (Pres Atlantic Aviation) introduced himself and advised Dean was in a meeting and might be quite a while.

During next 30-40 minutes, Joshua gave me a tour of the entire facility including a Golf cart tour of the air field and repair shops. I was quite
Impressed with the full motion flight simulator in the Atlantic Aviation classroom.

During the tour, I notice 4 gentlemen, one of which I recognized as Dean, In the area adjacent the main office. Upon our return, Joshua was called into the meeting for a few minutes. Apparently the meeting then broke up and Noticed one of the participants was wearing a black suit of a material which looked extremely heavy for the heat and humidity of Florida?

Shortly after these gentlemen left, Joshua told me Dean had a few minutes before his next meeting and would like to say Hello. Dean advised that his schedule was very full that afternoon and was sorry he couldn’t talk very long. Had the opportunity to talk for a few minutes. We talked about the Conference call of prior Wednesday of which he confirmed that everything said was still on line. He further advise he should have some further information for the next conference call. He then left to attend to other business.

My overall impressions were quite favorable. The front office staff, while very busy at time I arrived, treated me very professionally and with respect. Joshua Henderson is a class act. The Flight school staff looked very professional and answered my questions directly. Again impressed with FM Flight simulator. Dean Bradley impressed me as being straight forward and a tell it as it is guy.. OK..I know some disagree, but that’s my face to face impression!!

While some questions could not be answered, one thing I noticed make me very confident of my investment in QASP.

The Excitement in everyone’s eyes… From the Office staff, to Flight school instructors, Joshua Henderson and Dean Bradley… was very noticeable.

Make of that what you wish, I know what my impressions were and am comfortable with my positions in QASP.

Next day, today, Wednesday, was on to Satellite Beach and the LSCG annual meeting. Arrived just in time t hear the double sonic booms of the reurning space shuttle !!

Sadly only 2 shareholders and a reprehensive of PegasusWere in attendance in addition to Management. We were provided about A 45 minute tour of the facility and talked with the heads of most Departments and observed the entire manufacturing process. After the tour We were afforded a 15-20 minute Q&A with the Senior management and Board of Directors.. ( Sadly minus our 4 new directors, I didn’t get to talk with Joe Montana !!)

My opinions… LSCG is the REAL DEAL… we have great people and they Have a plan… again very high levels of energy and excitement throughout the facility… from the front office staff, production workers, to the Senior management and Board. I’m in and I’m staying in..!!!

As always… Just my humble opinion and DIRECT Observation…

If you have ant questions on what I saw at QASP or LSCG give me a PM and I’ll attempt to answer your question…

Peace Brothers & Sisters
SGOGRINGO


Never buy or sell based on my posts.Always consult with a licensed securities professional before you buy or sell any security.My posts are opinions only.Never use them as due diligence.My positions are subject to change without notice.

[SJOGRINGO]

SJOGRINGO Tuesday, 04/22/14 10:49:08 AM
Re: fink post# 301795
Post # of 301816
MAYbe QASP & Dominos Pizza Partnership...

Order by Internet.. 30 min delivery by Drone..!!!

What a concept.. one call order BOTH!!!

Definitely Going..... HIGHER !!!! wink

Careful...be Warned..

SJO
(Hmmm must be on long side of this flip smile )


Never buy or sell based on my posts.Always consult with a licensed securities professional before you buy or sell any security.My posts are opinions only.Never use them as due diligence.My positions are subject to change without notice.

[SJOGRINGO]

SJOGRINGO Wednesday, 04/16/14 12:38:29 PM
Re: iwondertoo post# 299607
Post # of 299647
Mi Amiga.. Don't forget the past...

Remember...

B*A*N*K*E*R 06/30/2011 01:20:41 PM 4029

Thanksforthememories 09/20/2010 12:36:15 AM 3037


... Remember the past... and the FUTURE will be BRIGHT..

wink
SJO


Never buy or sell based on my posts.Always consult with a licensed securities professional before you buy or sell any security.My posts are opinions only.Never use them as due diligence.My positions are subject to change without notice.

[SJOGRINGO]

Hmmm...So what happened to .0035 and Da Moon..??

SJOGRINGO Monday, 04/07/14 10:19:59 PM
Re: silkyballer post# 290552
Post #293008 of 293008
Hmmm...So what happened to .0035 and Da Moon..??

Thought so and said so in the post..

but someone couldn't handle the truth..

Peace

SJO
Quote:

silkyballer Member Level Friday, 04/04/14 10:01:00 AM
Re: A deleted message
Post #290552 of 293006
Huh???... Looks great to me


Never buy or sell based on my posts.Always consult with a licensed securities professional before you buy or sell any security.My posts are opinions only.Never use them as due diligence.My positions are subject to change without notice.

[SJOGRINGO]

DUMP...

JOGRINGO Tuesday, 04/01/14 12:15:33 PM
Re: None
Post # of 287587
Gather around, Boys & Girls.. A RUMOR...

or should I say ""Food for Thought"" and you can start your own rumors...

For last 20+ days CNN, MSNBC, Fox, ect has spent hours upon hours taking about Airline Safety (Flt 370) and Pilot training and inspections.. Every so called "Expert" has weighed in on what may or may not have happened in the cockpit... OK... see the Political Landscape that is developing not only in Washington DC, but worldwide...

Many questions are being asked and extreme political pressure is being directed toward the Federal Aviation Administration as to how could this happen and what are YOU doing to prevent this from EVER happening again... (why do Americans still think the political "gods" in Washington can actually prevent fate.. oh well another subject for another time...)

NOW..the Federal Aviation Administration is or MAYbe faced with with a gut wrenching DILEMMA ....

DILEMMA you say...what could possibily put the all powerful FAA
in such a position..especiall while every reporter in the world is lookig to break the next Blockbuster Story...???

Let's see....

FAA regulates the Airline Industry...

FAA licenses Pilots

FAA licenses Pilot training schools and Facilities...

Now let me see... If I was hungry aggressive young reporter wanting to become the next Woodward/Bernstein...
and say I found.....

A FAA approved Pilot Training center which specialized in Training Foreign Pilots, was getting Federal monies for training US pilots..

AND..

..was about to become A NATIONAL LEADER in the marketing of Legal Marijuana in Colorado...

How could I spin THAT story into a FRONT page ATTACK against the oversight of the FAA and current Administration...

How do you say ""Pulitzer Prize nomination"" and 15 seconds of fame on CNN, MSNBC, & Fox..

NOW... what if I was the CEO of a NorthEast Florida company that found itself the potential subject of a CNN blitz that wasn't so "favorable"..

DO I sit at my desk and wring my hands and hope it goes away...??

DO I Fly to Colorado and take a "puff" ??

Do I call Big Daddy Dean and ask ..."" Now what Papa?""

OR...

DO I open my bottom desk drawer and realize I can perform a move Mike K. taught us....

What you ask...

Simple...

Place the Marijuana operation in a separate but 100% wholly owned company.. out of sight or at least arms length away to keep the critics at bay...

And guess who just happens to have an empty Wholly owned company sitting in the bottom desk drawer..

YEP..You Got it... The power of 442.5 returns to be triumphant..Again...!!!

NHSH to the rescue ...

Can marijuana now do for NHSH what coconuts did once before..(.15) ?????? wink



WELL Boys & Girls...place your bets...

will NHSH be the next 10/20 bagger in this saga???

Will we see the infamous .15 again..??

Crazy you say... Well I've been called crazy all my life..

Get the Popcorn ready....this will be fun... smile

Peace
$JORINGO

[SJOGRINGO]

PUMP
=====================
SJOGRINGO Tuesday, 04/01/14 09:51:12 AM
Re: None
Post #287322 of 287322
I BET Dean B. Jeff D. & Mike K. today feel like rank
amateurs watching what a world class pump looks like...

Like the Reverend said... The Chickens are coming home to roost..!!

Enjoy while it lasts... Exciting Y profitable....for some..

Peace

SJO


Never buy or sell based on my posts.Always consult with a licensed securities professional before you buy or sell any security.My posts are opinions only.Never use them as due diligence.My positions are subject to change without notice.UMP

============

[SJOGRINGO]

Our time will come...

SJO

[SJOGRINGO]

Did Discouraged Workers Spook the Fed?
September 18, 2013 Bloomberg.com
by Mark Gimein


The Federal Reserve today, shocking most observers, announced it would continue its stimulus policies without reducing bond purchases. The news sent U.S. markets to record highs. The big surprise here is that almost everyone expected the Fed to start tapering now that unemployment is drawing close to 7 percent.

Except that it's not.

As folks have been pointing out for a while (see, for instance, The Atlantic's Jordan Weissmann), the unemployment rate - now 7.3 percent - has been driven significantly not by workers gaining jobs, but by people giving up on looking work and so no longer getting counted as unemployed.

You can see the pattern in the chart of labor force participation below; the end of the recession and nominally improving economy has hardly slowed the outflow of workers from the labor force.

TMN-Labor-Force-Participation

Bloomberg's Rich Miller may have called this a week ago, explaining that the Fed is faced with the dilemma of figuring out whether, considering the increase in discouraged workers, the rate really reflects the state of the market.

That feels like the best explanation of the Fed's decision. Another factor here could be that the Fed was worried by a dramatic drop in housing starts and mortgages. Jeff Kearns highlighted that in a Bloomberg story today, noting it could be a strong argument against cutting the stimulus.

Uncomfortable Facts

[SJOGRINGO]

So much to do.... so little time...



Peace

[SJOGRINGO]

Patience.....!!!!

SJO

[SJOGRINGO]

Yes Virgina... There IS a Santa Claus...!!!

peace & patience

SJO

[SJOGRINGO]

Mr Fink.... Hmmmm

First STAR I see...Tonight

Do you enjoy a cigar now & then....??


SJOGRINGO

Home > Boards > US OTC > Miscellaneous > Quasar Aerospace (QASP)
Maybe they will write a check Payable to
Public Reply | Private Reply | Keep | Last Read Post New Msg Replies (1) | Next 20 | Previous | Next
fink
Thursday, March 28, 2013 4:57:08 PM
Re: highonstock post# 269848

Post #269854 of 269858

Maybe they will write a check Payable to JC for his entire Control block of QASP, and we have a new Master. JC walks away with his stack of restricted QASP shares and a big fat check from HAVC.

Why are yall thinking like QASP is buying this Company? Your looking at this R/M in the opposite way. QASP, the Company, is not buying anything. HAVC is buying the shell to become a Publicly traded Company. Q cant buy it's way out of all the wet bags from the past. Look at the PPS.

The O/S will probably never be used once JC gives up all the Preferred shares Controlling block. Much like you just witnessed with Jeff and NHSH. QASP didn't buy NHSH, Jeff signed over the Control block to Joe. One signiture and Joe owns NHSH and Jeff walks with his life. No money ever changed hands. Well $1.7mm $500K to Dean, the many Millions Jeff stripped from Q.
QASP buying a $20mm dollar Company! LOL
What? Cirmo will then play fast mover plane fix it guy? Please people!
The deal is what dollar amount Joe is willing to allow HAVC to take over control. I will be amazed if they even keep the flight schools. I'd be amazed if Cirmo and the chick even have a job after this. Joe wont!, not in Q, jmho.
SEVIS would have given Joe more of a check. Without SEVIS I bet hes given a hair cut. There could be future checks to Joe if SEVIS appears in a set amount of time. Thats between Joe and HAVC
We are being bought.

The only shares in HAVC is what we will see the day of the 8K
.
That's why R/M plays are so explosive and can reap 10-30+thousand %.
There are threads here just for R/M plays.
They stand out from all other penny/Pink plays.
There is a killer 'All Star' list of R/M play that all ran over 10,000%.
They usually don't stay in penny land that long.
They up list very fast.

Now why Go public if NOT to sell shares to raise Capital
to expand or do what ever?
You have been in Pinks way too long.

Capital can come from other sources when you are the real deal and revenue flow positive. The stock just continues to grow, we all get rich from down here. Guys like this would wipe their nose on a TF funding deal.

Its why Atlanta Capital IR firm was brought on board.
The symbol change is probably a postage stamp away on the news of the 8K.

I cant wait for the day to never type Q*A*S*P again! I hate that F'king symbol.

[SJOGRINGO]

Twinkle Twinkle Little STAR

Twinkle Twinkle Little STAR

From Diamonds to THE STAR

Welcome to the Restaurant.. MAYbe Open Soon
Peace
SJOGRINGO

[SJOGRINGO]

Well, Well, December 21,2012 passed and We all woke up on December 22...

yes... it was not the end of the world but another New Year....

MAYbe a Phoenix will rise again...

need to get the trusty telescope and see if any new new stars on the horizon...

Peace

SJO

[SJOGRINGO]

February 9, 2012 an interesting evening

SJO

[SJOGRINGO]

""..sounds familiar to an old mod quasar had..""

joecanouse Share Thursday, December 29, 2011 9:52:46 PM
Re: qasp4ever post# 245831 Post # of 245849

Well sounds familiar to an old mod quasar had here once, BUT
if those claims dont fly Quasar now has a legitimante claim on the control block of nhs the pubco of mineseeker

doesnt anyone get excited about the possibility of owning a piece of mineseeker since dean spent 1.7mm of this company's money investing in them...not even accounting for the dd and legal fees

[SJOGRINGO]

House subpoenas White House for Solyndra documents
GOP sees stonewalling across administration

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/nov/3/house-subpoenas-white-house-solyndra-documents/

[SJOGRINGO]

Gov't cameras in your car? E-toll patent hints at Big Brotherish future

http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/10/13/8308841-govt-cameras-in-your-car-e-toll-patent-hints-at-big-brotherish-future

Gov't cameras in your car? E-toll patent hints at Big Brotherish future

By Bob Sullivan

Imagine that you couldn't drive on major highways without agreeing to put a camera in your car -- one that could film either the occupants or the vehicle’s surroundings and transmit the images back to a central office for inspection.

You don't have to read George Orwell to conjure up such an ominous surveillance state. You just have to skim through filings at the U.S. Patent Office.

It's hard to imagine Americans would tolerate such a direct, Big-Brotherish intrusion. But they might not notice if the all-seeing cameras were tucked inside another kind of government tracking technology that millions of Americans have already invited into their cars.

Kapsch TrafficCom AG, an Austrian company that just signed a 10-year contract to provide in-car transponders such as the E-Z Pass to 22 electronic highway toll collection systems around the U.S., recently filed a patent on technology to add multi-function mini-cameras to their toll gadgets. Today, transponders are in about 22 million cars around the U.S. Adding inward and outward facing cameras to the gadgets would create surveillance capabilities far beyond anything government agencies have tried until now.

The stated reason for an inward-pointing camera is to verify the number of occupants in the car for enforcement of HOV and HOT lanes. The outward-pointing camera could be used for the same purpose, helping authorities enforce minimum occupant rules against drivers who aren't carrying transponders.

But it's easy to imagine other uses. The patent says the transponders would have the ability to store and transmit pictures, either at random intervals or on command from a central office. It would be tempting to use them as part of a search for a lost child, for example, and law enforcement officials might find the data treasure trove irresistible. The gadget could also be instructed to take pictures when the acceleration of a car "exceeds a threshold," or when accidents occur, so it could be used like an airplane cockpit flight recorder.

It's important to note that a patent filing is a far cry from the invention and manufacturing of a new product. Many patent filings are nothing more than a defensive measure taken to protect the farthest reaches of intellectual property. Officials at Kapsch declined to be interviewed for this story, but in a statement said that citizens shouldn't read too much into the filing.

“This patent filing is part of the standard intellectual property protection process followed by every company that invests in research and development," said Erwin Toplak, chief operating officer of Kapsch, in an e-mail. "Kapsch, for example, files approximately 20 patent applications a year. This process protects our unique ideas; it does not signify that a commercial product is in development or even contemplated .”


And P.J. Wilkins, executive director of the E-Z Pass Group consortium that manages the massive toll collection cooperative, said he hadn't even heard of camera technology when told about the patent by msnbc.com.



"It's not an upgrade we are working on here," said. "We just signed a long-term contract with them and this wasn't a requirement."

Enforcement of HOV and HOT lanes is a labor-intensive and expensive issue for many state agencies, he said, and he understood why a company like Kapsch would try to invent a technology to deal with the problem, But he said he couldn't imagine it being used in the E-Z Pass system.

"Before anyone goes down that road there's a whole host of questions that would have to be answered,” he said. “What's the impact on privacy? What's the impact on the data stream? I just don't think it's something that would gain a lot of traction."

Kapsch sells its technology in 41 countries around the globe, and 64 million cars worldwide have been outfitted with its transponders, according to the firm's website. Occupant cameras could be attractive, and more acceptable, outside the U.S.

And while it's possible cameras-in-cars technology would be a non-starter in America, that doesn't mean Americans shouldn't be worried, said Lee Tien, a privacy expert with the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

"I think (drivers) should be pretty concerned," he said. "You want to make sure any use of that technology is very carefully regulated. People should let the E-Z Pass folks know now what they think about any possible plans to introduce cameras in their cars, now, while it's being developed, rather than before it's already a fait accompli, and some agency says it's already spent millions on it and can't turn back now."

Tien said there's nothing inherently bad about using new technology to enforce tolls, but he cautioned against what is sometimes called "surveillance spillover." Technology designed for one function is inevitably used by law enforcement officials and other government agencies in unintended ways.

"You could imagine that they could limit the capacity of devices -- say the images would be destroyed after a very short period of time -- so it would not be as powerful a surveillance device. But that's not the general dynamic," he said. "Once you have the device out there, someone says, 'Why not use it for this, or that.' That's usually where the battle between privacy and other social goals is lost."

The dynamic is playing out right now in a European scandal surrounding use of a secret government program used by German law enforcement officials to monitor citizens' Internet behavior through the use of Trojan horse software called R2D2. German courts had permitted use of the software only when officials were fulfilling a legal wiretap order, and only to listen in on Skype conversations. But the R2D2 Trojan has allegedly been used by German authorities to send thousands of screen shots detailing suspects' Internet explorations, to keylog their typing, and in a host of other potentially illegal evidence-gathering methods.


The solution, says Tien, is to design privacy right into the gadget in the first place, to minimize the inevitable temptations for law enforcement and security officials.

"It doesn't bother me that (Kapsch) filed this patent. Surveillance technology is constantly being developed. There is money in surveillance," he said. "The question is less about lamenting the invention of these things and more about questioning our demand for surveillance, and thinking about the kind of society we are building and encouraging when we legitimize the continual, gradual architecting of the social world into a surveillance society."

News of the camera patents comes as electronic toll collection continues to expand around the U.S. -- and while options for using the systems anonymously have finally become commonplace. After years of complaints from skeptics that E-Z Pass toll paying created an undesirable public record that could be used to track individuals, systems in Texas and Washington state now allow users to register for the devices without disclosing their identities. And a new "E-Z Pass On the Go" gadget is being sold in the Eastern U.S. that functions much like a disposable prepaid phone card, allowing anonymous use of the E-Z Pass tolls.

E-Z Pass has had to beat back a lot of conspiracy theories through the years, Wilkins noted -- such as the idea that the gadgets would be used to catch speeders and issue tickets. E-Z Pass users now register very few complaints, he said, and are overwhelmingly happy with a system that helps them avoid delays at long toll booth lines.

"The whole tracking thing is a bogus argument," said Wilkins. "If you have a cell phone you are being tracked anyway. Law enforcement can get to cell phone records just as easily (as E-Z Pass records). And the phone company keeps that data a very long time."

[SJOGRINGO]

Is Social Security a Ponzi Scheme?

Robert Murphy
Ever since Rick Perry derided Social Security as a Ponzi scheme, economists and other pundits have jumped into the fray. Progressive blogger Matt Yglesias says it’s “nuts” for anyone to talk like this, because Social Security merely relies on future economic growth — just like a private pension plan. Free-market economist Alex Tabarrok responded to Yglesias with links to arch-Keynesians (and Nobel laureates) Paul Samuelson and Paul Krugman, both comparing Social Security to a “Ponzi game.”

In the present article I have three aims: First, I will point out that the critics are right; to the extent that Social Security “worked,” it was because of its resemblance to a classic Ponzi scheme. Second, I will show how private-sector retirement planning operates nothing like this. Third, I will defend the good name of Charles Ponzi from the scurrilous comparisons — what he did was nothing like the racket known as Social Security.

Social Security’s “Ponzi Game Aspects”

Paul Krugman is a famous guy with a long record of strong opinions. It’s to be expected that periodically these will come back to bite him. His usual tack is to deny that his old columns meant what their plain-word reading would indicate. For example, Krugman can’t believe anybody thought this column (from 2002) should be construed as his endorsement of Greenspan trying to create a housing bubble.

When it comes to Social Security, here’s what Krugman wrote in late 1996:


Social Security is structured from the point of view of the recipients as if it were an ordinary retirement plan: what you get out depends on what you put in. So it does not look like a redistributionist scheme. In practice it has turned out to be strongly redistributionist, but only because of its Ponzi game aspect, in which each generation takes more out than it put in. Well, the Ponzi game will soon be over, thanks to changing demographics, so that the typical recipient henceforth will get only about as much as he or she put in (and today’s young may well get less than they put in).
As with his unfortunate housing-bubble article, here too Krugman has had to do damage control. After the above column floated around the Internet, Krugman tried to quell the giggling, claiming that anyone who tried to use him in support of Republican claims was playing “word games.” Krugman then gave a link to this fascinating history of the original Ponzi scheme, courtesy of — the Social Security Administration! (It seems they must get this a lot.)

I was curious to see how the Social Security Administration would defend itself from the charge that it was a Ponzi scheme. Here’s what they say:


In contrast to a Ponzi scheme, dependent upon an unsustainable progression, a common financial arrangement is the so-called “pay- as-you-go” system. Some private pension systems, as well as Social Security, have used this design. A pay-as-you-go system can be visualized as a pipeline, with money from current contributors coming in the front end and money to current beneficiaries paid out the back end...

There is a superficial analogy between pyramid or Ponzi schemes and pay-as-you-go programs in that in both money from later participants goes to pay the benefits of earlier participants. But that is where the similarity ends...

As long as the amount of money coming in the front end of the pipe maintains a rough balance with the money paid out, the system can continue forever. There is no unsustainable progression driving the mechanism of a pay-as-you-go pension system and so it is not a pyramid or Ponzi scheme.
Contrary to the claims of Yglesias, Krugman, and the Social Security Administration, I don’t think the “Ponzi scheme” charge is unfair in the slightest. When critics say Social Security is “unsustainable,” they quite obviously mean that it can’t keep up the current taxing and benefit schedules. Either taxes on workers will go up, promised benefits will be reduced, or some combination of the two. Krugman’s 1996 column confirms that analysis, and the Social Security Administration’s pipeline does too.

Up until now, retirees have been taking out more than they put in, and that can’t continue — this pattern relied on finding ever more workers to join the system. In other words, it was a classic Ponzi scheme. I am not here to endorse candidate Rick Perry, but the point of his charge is obviously true: each generation can’t keep taking more out of the system than it put in, once the demographics change.

The SSA’s pipeline graphic is interesting. If that is ultimately what Social Security turns into, and if each generation of workers merely takes out “what it originally put in,” then it means workers will earn a zero-percent (real) return on their “contributions” into the system.

Yes, that would certainly be “sustainable” in an accounting sense (at least with a stable age distribution in the population), but would it work politically? If politicians frankly told voters, “When we take $1,000 from you at age 25, don’t worry, that $1,000 will be waiting for you when you’re 65,” would they be happy with this arrangement? Charles Ponzi too could have made his scheme more sustainable if he promised his investors a 0 percent rate of return, but then nobody would have been interested.

In fairness, Matt Yglesias points out that the pipeline method can yield a positive rate of return. If the workers at the left end of the pipe always pump in, say, 15 percent of their paycheck, then (if productivity grows over time as it normally does) 50 years later, when they are on the other end of the pipe, there will be more dollars shooting out. However, in this scenario we’re back to an arrangement where each generation gets out more than it put in — what Krugman himself thought was a “Ponzi game aspect.” In any event, Yglesias’s framework is still vulnerable to demographic shifts.

Why Private-Sector Retirement Planning Works

The confusion in popular discussions of Social Security partly rests on the general ignorance of how an entire community can actually become richer through saving and investment. In other words, a lot of people believe (whether or not they’ve really thought it through carefully) that for every Sally out there who’s saving $10,000 per year, there must be some Jim who’s racking up $10,000 in debt. Therefore, whenever Sally starts living off her savings, people imagine that Jim must be cutting back on his own standard of living. At the communal level — so the thinking goes — everything is a wash, and we’re just changing the distribution of “total output” based on which people were frugal and which were spendthrifts.

This mindset is totally wrong. I explain things methodically in chapter 10 of my introductory textbook, but here’s the gist: It’s possible for everyone in the entire community to “live below his means,” that is, to consume less than his income and to save. The economy is then physically capable of reducing the output of consumption goods (TVs, sports cars, steak dinners, etc.) and increasing the output of investment or capital goods (drill presses, fertilizer, MRI machines, etc.). In the future, the larger quantities of various tools and equipment make the workers more productive than they otherwise would have been. That’s why the standard of living can rise; the community is physically capable of cranking out more goods and services because of the past investments.

Think of it like this: During his working career, a farmer takes some of his crop every year and uses it to buy a component for a tractor. One year he buys a tire, another year he buys a steering wheel, and so on. After working for 45 years, the farmer is ready to retire. By this point, he has assembled a brand-new tractor. Now he no longer needs to use his labor to earn an income. Instead, he rents out use of the tractor to the younger workers (who otherwise would have to use their bare hands to till the soil, etc.).

From a certain viewpoint, the retired farmer would be “skimming off the top” every time he ate an ear of corn harvested after he no longer worked the fields himself. After all, that corn would be part of that year’s harvest, so if the retired farmer ate it, there would be less corn available to the people who actually picked it. Yet the retired man’s consumption wouldn’t be financed through a “contribution” or “redistribution” from the young workers that year.

On the contrary, those young workers would be earning their full market wage (and if they were smart, they’d be saving some of it for their own retirement). The retired farmer would buy the corn on the open market, with the income he earned from renting out his tractor. There would be more corn to go around because he had spent decades assembling the tractor, and others in his cohort had built up stockpiles of fertilizer, hoes, irrigation equipment, etc.

Obviously my tale isn’t realistic, but it serves to get across the essence of voluntary retirement planning. People can get out more than they put in (measured in physical terms) because of what Böhm- Bawerk called the superior physical productivity of roundabout processes. As I complained during the debates over George W. Bush’s “privatization” proposals, many supposedly pro-market reformers want to get the magic of compound interest without the discipline of saving for decades.

A (Very Qualified) Defense of Charles Ponzi

Above I’ve explained why the “Ponzi scheme” accusation is accurate, in the context of modern political debates. However, there is a very important sense in which it is unfair — unfair to Charles Ponzi.

It’s true that Ponzi engaged in fraud; his victims never would have “invested” with him, had he accurately explained the business model. Libertarians therefore agree with everybody else that Charles Ponzi was a criminal and would have to face legal consequences in any just legal order.

However, so far as we know Ponzi never threatened anybody. He didn’t tell struggling young workers, “Give me 15 percent of your paycheck every week, so that I can make you a fantastic return — or else I’ll send goons to kidnap you.”

In this respect, Social Security isn’t a Ponzi scheme after all. It’s more analogous to mobsters shaking down people for protection money, because otherwise “bad things could happen.”

Conclusion

The complaints about Social Security are accurate: The only reason it has enjoyed such “success” thus far is that it relied on increasing contributions from each new generation of workers. Now that the demographics have turned against the system, it is literally unsustainable. We will see increased taxes on workers, reduced payments to beneficiaries, or some combination of the two.

In the voluntary private sector, people can plan for their own retirement through genuine saving and investment. They don’t need to extract concessions from the next generation of workers, because the retirees’ prior savings allow the creation of capital goods that will provide income when their bodies no longer can do so.

Finally, in one important respect a classic Ponzi scheme is less dangerous than Social Security: It relies on fooling people into voluntarily handing over their money. Once the fraud is detected, the danger is eliminated. In contrast, American workers have no choice but to “contribute” to Social Security, whether they like the deal or not.

Regards,

Robert Murphy,
for The Daily Reckoning

Ed. Note: Robert Murphy is an adjunct scholar of the Mises Institute, where he will be teaching “Anatomy of the Fed” at the Mises Academy this winter. He is the author of The Politically Incorrect Guide to Capitalism, the Study Guide to Man, Economy, and State with Power and Market, the Human Action Study Guide, and The Politically Incorrect Guide to the Great Depression and the New Deal.

Bill Bonner
When Economic Growth is a Thing of the Past

Bill Bonner
Reckoning from Buenos Aires, Argentina...

We think we’re onto a big story. A BIG story.

This correction is aiming high...it’s going to take down the entire capital structure of the world’s developed economies.

Stocks...bonds...real estate — watch out...they’re all going down.

The dollar...the pound...the euro — look out below!

But that’s not all. No, if we’re right, this is bigger, much bigger than just a market correction.

It’s an economic correction...a monetary correction...and a political correction.

But we’ll come back to that in a moment. First, let’s look at what happened yesterday. The Dow lost 108 points. Not much information content there...

..but look at what happened to gold. It was down $35. Could gold be finally testing its admirers? Though still in a major bull market, could it be correcting...possibly falling back to the $1,000-$1,500 range?

Yes it could. Gold’s time will come. But we don’t think it is here yet. Gold has risen in anticipation of trouble. But the trouble gold buyers foresaw hasn’t come...not yet. There’s been massive money- printing. Still, in terms of the goods and services it will buy, gold has held up pretty well.

Gold will take off — when the anticipated trouble becomes real here- and-now trouble. And that probably won’t happen for a while. And part of the reason it won’t happen is this Big Story we’re following.

You see, our whole economy...and our society...and our government...and much of what we think...all were built on truths that are no longer true.


In a word or two, our modern economy — and our government — depends on growth. And growth may be a thing of the past.
You want to make money, you invest in profit-making businesses, right? Not necessarily. On the whole, investments in stocks only go up if the economy grows. Otherwise, companies are just fighting for market share. One goes up, but another goes down. Taken all together, investors go nowhere.

Well, at least you can always put your money in bonds. You won’t earn a lot of money, but over time you’ll receive safe, sure gains. Right?

Wrong again. Practically all the world’s major debts — private, corporate and government — depend on growth. Without growth, the debtors can’t pay. And if they can’t pay the debt is worthless.

Do you hold Japanese Government Bonds, dear reader? Good luck with that!

But those points are obvious, aren’t they? How about this: if you want healthier people, you just grow your health-care institutions, right?

Wrong again. In terms of a percentage of GDP, Chile spends only a third as much on health care as the US — much less in absolute dollars. Life expectancy in the US is 77.6 years. How long do you think they live in Chile? Well, we’ll tell you — 78.6 years.

Maybe there’s something in the water in Chile. But suppose you could take a group of Americans and give them all the free health care they want. Would they live longer?

Well, guess what, the Rand Corporation tried it. And guess what it found? Except for people who were extremely poor and had no access to health care previously, giving normal people more health care did not make them healthier. The group with free health care consumed a lot more resources from the health industry — about 25-30% more. But it was no healthier.

And guess what else? When it comes to surgery, who do you think comes out ahead — people on Medicaid...or people with no health insurance? The people with no health insurance, of course.

These facts and figures come from a delightfully moronic book called The Great Stagnation, by Tyler Cowen.

He points out that the results from educational spending are similar. In 1971, the US spent a little more than $5,000 per student per year. Now, it spends more than $12,000. So guess how much reading scores have increased? Have they more than doubled too? Nope. They haven’t budged.

This is especially interesting because of something known as the “Flynn Effect.” Flynn noticed that kids were getting smarter every year. So, if IQs are going up, you’d naturally expect test scores to go up to. But they’re not. Which suggests that the quality of educational inputs is going down...so that the results end up in the same place.

In other words, the great Truth of the Modern Age — that further inputs produced further outputs — is no longer true.

And more thoughts...

What’s the connection between education and government debt? Why are we trying to compare stock market gains with gains in health care?

Here’s where The Great Stagnation falls apart. Its author completely misses the point. He thinks the “low hanging fruit” has already been picked. In a way, he’s right. The big gains in output — in education, health care, heavy industry, farming, banking, debt and many other areas — have already been made. Now, it’s hard to make any successful investment in any area...

..if you invest in more health care...it will probably be a waste of money.

..if you spend more on education (not individually, but collectively), that too will probably be money down a rathole...

..if you increase the level of credit (as the government is trying to do)...you might as well save your money.

..no point in investing in the stock market either. The glory days are over...

..and stay away from the bond market. The debtors won’t be able to pay...

Yes, we’ve entered an era of ‘Great Stagnation.’ And yes, it looks as though the low hanging fruit has been picked.

Tyler Cowen thinks this is a problem that we can fix. He thinks we just have to put our thinking caps on.

The silly goose. He doesn’t realize that the era of low-hanging fruit changed the way we look at things too. It made our arms shorter and our brains smaller. We are all dumb optimists now. That’s what 300 years of finding low-hanging fruit does to a people. We think that every downturn — even a Great Stagnation — can be reversed by, among other things, raising “the social status of scientists.”

No kidding. That’s what he recommends. As if the social status of people was determined by an act of intellectual will.

What a disappointment. We began reading The Great Stagnation thinking its author was a closet Dear Reader. Instead, he turns out to be a disciple of Thomas Friedman.

More on the real causes of the Great Stagnation...tomorrow...

Regards,

Bill Bonner
for The Daily Reckoning

[SJOGRINGO]

Traffic light camera scam steals your identity

This new scam will have you slamming on the brakes, not to mention seeing red
By Jessica Citizen | Tecca – 21 hours ago
....tweet182EmailPrint......


Traffic light cameras are annoying at the best of times, but while some people manage to escape the fines, most of us simply pay up without thinking about it or questioning whether the charge is valid. Tricky scammers are taking advantage of that lazy human tendency, making a handful of money and stealing identities in the process.

Scare tactics
The scam is simple. A no-good type picks your phone number at random and, once you answer, tells you that you have an overdue red light camera fine. The only way to avoid a significant late fee, a court case, or even jail time is to pay the bill right then and there over the phone. If you don't pay up, you're threatened with a warrant for your arrest.

Of course, there was no camera, no photograph, and no overdue bill. The scammer really has no ability to arrest you, fine you, or take you to court.

Taken off guard
The voice at the end of the phone line identifies itself as that of a police officer, possibly even giving you a (phony) identification number. As well as trusting you to be lazy and not do your fact checking, the scammer is working on the element of surprise. It's scary to be told you may be facing a jail sentence over something you have no recollection of doing, and you'll be more inclined to overlook a few simple signs that should tell you that the phone call is anything but legitimate.

After convincing you to pay the fraudulent fine, the "traffic cop" will ask for your credit card information, including the security code. That's required information for paying any bill from a remote location. Alarm bells should start ringing as the questions continue, though, as the caller asks for your billing address, date of birth and Social Security number. Surely, the police would have some — if not all — of this information on file. They have your license plate in the photo from the red light camera, after all.



That's not our style
No American police agency currently conducts business like this; in fact, no agencies anywhere conduct business like this. The police do not use the telephone to chase down or collect overdue fines or tickets. They use the postal service or, in more dire cases, a process server or law enforcement officer.

Even if things did get to the third-party debt collector stage, all correspondence would be carried out in writing, creating an official paper trail that can be traced back and audited if necessary.


The police (and most other authorities) will not ask you for personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call. Dialing the cable company to pay your bill by credit card is one thing — you dialed the numbers, and you can be relatively certain you are connected to the right party. But even with Caller ID, there is no real way to verify incoming calls; if questioned, scammers can come up with a quick excuse. Perhaps they are "calling from a different office" or "a new number that hasn't been set up yet."

Other variations
While this red light camera scam is relatively new (originating in Texas, by the way), it's very similar to another popular identity theft attempt. In that instance, you'll receive a call informing you that you have missed jury duty and — you guessed it — must pay a fine or be slapped with a late fee, along with possible jail time or a court case of your own.

Just like the traffic camera scam, there is no missed jury duty, and the "court official" on the other end of the phone is after your money and your personal information.

Throwing you off the scent
In a particularly nasty twist, you might receive a second call a few days later. The operator made a mistake — it wasn't your car in the photograph, or it wasn't really your name on the jury duty list. Gushing apologies, the caller will fall over himself to reassure you that your credit card will not be billed and that he is very sorry for wasting your time and causing you undue stress.

This second call, of course, is a distraction. You are so happy that you aren't really in trouble that you don't think back over the phone calls too closely and don't think to check your bank account to double-check the transaction. By the time you do check, it's often too late.

Common sense prevails
Fortunately, this simple scam has an equally simple method of prevention. Never, ever provide personal or financial information over the phone, email, text, or mail when solicited by a stranger. At the same time, find out as much as you can about the caller. Get a contact number, name, account number, job title, and any other relevant information that will help you identify them later. Tell them a story about wanting the information in case you need to call back later, if you must. (Hint: They're not going to want to give their details freely.)

If you believe you may have been sucked in by this scam, call your credit card company immediately and cancel your card(s). Look carefully at your statements to see if there are any fraudulent transactions, and report those as soon as you can. Consider getting fraud alerts placed on your credit report by contacting your credit bureau, too; these can be free and well worth your time, if you're concerned.

If you've handed over your Social Security number, slap yourself on the wrist and report that to the authorities, too. You will, unfortunately, need to take further steps to protect yourself from more serious fraud and identity theft....