Awesome Stocks

[bar1080]

"Costco is selling gold bars and they are selling out within a few hours"

* "Costco is selling one-ounce gold PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan bars, handsomely detailed and ready for purchase.

* CFO Richard Galanti said the bars are in hot demand and don’t last long when in stock."

"They’re available for the bargain price of ... well, you have to be a member to know that, but apparently they were selling for a little shy of $1,900 recently, according to chatter on Reddit. Spot gold most recently was going for $1,876.56 an ounce as of Wednesday afternoon."

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/27/costco-is-selling-gold-bars-and-they-are-selling-out-within-a-few-hours.html

---------------------
NEW: Costco 1 oz Gold Bar PAMP Suisse Lady Fortuna Veriscan (New In Assay)

"Shipping & Handling Included
Features:
24kt Gold
Item is Non-Refundable
Limit 2 Per Membership"

https://www.costco.com/1-oz-gold-bar-pamp-suisse-lady-fortuna-veriscan-new-in-assay.product.4000186760.html

[ProfitScout]

$SHOT News: The Honorable Jack Brewer, M.Ed. Joins Safety Shot's Advisory Board

Brewer is a frequent news contributor and guest on Fox News, Yahoo Finance,and NewsMax

He is a White House Presidential Appointee for the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys and 3-timeNFL Team Captain for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

JUPITER, FL, Sept. 26, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Safety Shot Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHOT) today announced that The Honorable Jack Brewer, M.Ed. has joined the Company's Advisory Board. Mr. Brewer is an ordained minister who possesses a unique combination of expertise in the fields of global economic development, sports and finance through his roles as a successful entrepreneur, executive producer, news contributor and humanitarian. Currently he is serving as CEO & Portfolio Manager of The Brewer Group, Inc., White House Appointee on the U.S. Commission for the Social Status of Black Men & Boys, Chair at the America First Policy Institute's Center for Opportunity Now, as well as well as the Founder and Executive Director of The Jack Brewer Foundation (JBF Worldwide).

A regular contributor to several global media outlets including Fox News, Yahoo Finance, CNBC and NewsMax, in 2014, Mr. Brewer began appearing on Fox Business' Mornings with Maria Bartiromo covering politics, sports and the global capital markets. Since 2016, Mr. Brewer has regularly appeared on Fox & Friends, Fox News @Night, Your World with Cavuto, Making Money with Charles Payne, Sean Hannity, Laura Ingram, Outnumbered and Varney and Co. Mr. Brewer's op-Eds and research has been nationally published over 75 times in publications including The National Business Journals, UN Chronicle, Fox News, Fox Business, NewsMax, Yahoo Finance and Town Hall.

Mr. Brewer is a Former Ambassador and National Spokesperson for the National Police Athletic/Activities Leagues, Former Peace and Sport Ambassador for the International Federation for Peace and Sustainable Development at the United Nations, Former Senior Advisor to former H.E. President Joyce Banda of the Republic of Malawi, and three-time National Football League (NFL) Team Captain for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants.

"We are honored to welcome Jack Brewer to Safety Shot's Advisory Board. His leadership in charitable causes, in business, and in sports have made a significant impact on the lives of people in the U.S. and abroad," stated Safety Shot's CEO, Brian John. "Jack is one of the most philanthropic human beings I have ever had the honor of kn owing, we look forward to working with Jack to make peoples lives better"

"I'm impressed by what the Safety Shot drink can do to improve wellness amongst people who either enjoy an alcoholic drink once in a while or the guy like me who enjoys a product that enhances focus and clarity. The company has assembled a great team and I'm happy to provide my advice and help raise awareness around a product that supports wellbeing and is poised to have an impact on consumers around the world."

About Safety Shot

Safety Shot, a wellness and functional beverage company, is set to launch Safety Shot, the first patented beverage on Earth that helps people feel better faster by reducing blood alcohol content and boosting clarity. The Company plans to spin off legacy assets from its Jupiter Wellness business to unlock value for shareholders.

Interested investors and shareholders are encouraged to sign up for press releases and industry updates by registering for Email Alerts at https://jupiterwellness.com/email-alerts/ and by following Jupiter Wellness on X (formerly known as Twitter) and LinkedIn.

Forward Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements regarding Safety Shot, including, the anticipated timing of studies and the results and benefits thereof. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "explore," "evaluate," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "seek," "should," or "will," or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are based on each of the Company's current plans, objectives, estimates, expectations, and intentions and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Safety Shot's control. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties and other risks and uncertainties affecting Safety Shot and, including those described from time to time under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Safety Shot's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and reports, including Safety Shot's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and future filings and reports by Safety Shot. Moreover, other risks and uncertainties of which the combined company is not currently aware may also affect each of the companies' forward-looking statements and may cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from those anticipated. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements made in this communication are made only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the forward-looking statements and reflect the views stated therein with respect to future events at such dates, even if they are subsequently made available by Safety Shot on its website or otherwise. Safety Shot undertakes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made.

Safety Shot Media Contact:

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

[gfp927z]

Full article on JOBY -


>>> Joby Delivers First eVTOL Aircraft to Edwards Air Force Base Ahead of Schedule


Business Wire

September 25, 2023


https://finance.yahoo.com/news/joby-delivers-first-evtol-aircraft-120000560.html


Joby Aircraft Becomes First Electric Air Taxi Delivered to the U.S. Air Force

Believed to be the First Electric Air Taxi Delivered in the U.S.

Aircraft will be Used to Demonstrate Logistics Missions on Base, Flown by U.S. Air Force Pilots

Delivery is Part of Joby’s $131 Million Contract with the DOD


SANTA CRUZ, Calif. & EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., September 25, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY), a company developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for commercial passenger service, today announced it has delivered its first aircraft to Edwards Air Force Base approximately six months ahead of the expected 2024 delivery date. On-base operations with Joby aircraft will be used to demonstrate a range of logistics missions, including cargo and passenger transportation, and will be operated by both Joby and U.S. Air Force personnel. In partnership with the U.S. Air Force, NASA will also use the aircraft for research focused on how these aircraft could fit into the national airspace, benefiting the entire air taxi industry.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230925596439/en/


Joby’s aircraft, which has already begun flying at Edwards AFB, is the first electric air taxi to be stationed on a U.S. military base and is believed to be the first delivery of an electric air taxi in the U.S., as part of Joby’s $131 million AFWERX Agility Prime contract with the U.S. Air Force. Joby’s current and previously completed work with the Department of Defense represents a total potential contract value of $163 million, the largest in the industry.

The Agility Prime contract includes the provisioning of up to nine aircraft to the U.S. Air Force and other federal agencies, reinforcing the U.S. government’s continued leadership in developing and adopting eVTOL technology, and ushering in a new era of electric aviation. A second aircraft is planned to be delivered to Edwards in early 2024.

The aircraft, which was the first built on Joby’s Pilot Production Line in Marina, CA, will be stationed at Edwards Air Force Base for at least the next year, with charging and ground support equipment provided on-base by Joby in a facility purpose-built by the Air Force for joint flight test operations. The U.S. Air Force and Joby will conduct joint flight testing and operations to demonstrate the aircraft’s capabilities in realistic mission settings. On-base operations will also include the training of Air Force pilots and aircraft maintenance crews, which will provide the DOD with valuable insight into the performance of eVTOL aircraft and will give Joby on-the-ground operational and training experience as the company prepares for the launch of commercial passenger service in 2025.

"We’re proud to join the ranks of revolutionary aircraft that first demonstrated their capabilities at Edwards Air Force Base, including the first American jet fighter, the first supersonic aircraft, and many others that have pushed the boundaries of aviation technology," said JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby.

"The longstanding support of the DOD and NASA has been critical to the rapid development of electric aviation and eVTOL aircraft, and demonstrates how successful public-private partnerships can bring new technology to life at speed. Their work will have profound implications for continued American leadership in both commercial and defense aerospace technology," he added.

Joby’s partnership with the DOD dates back to its 2016 engagement with the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), which granted the company early funding as well as access to test ranges and expertise that have aided its aircraft development program.

"Agility Prime’s stated objective in 2020 was to work towards an operational capability for transformative vertical lift in the DoD by 2023. The arrival of Joby’s aircraft at Edwards AFB is an important step towards achieving this objective," said Col Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and Chief Commercialization Officer for the Department of the Air Force.

"The delivery of this first eVTOL aircraft is the start of a new chapter in Edwards’ rich aerospace history," notes Maj Phillip Woodhull, director, Emerging Technologies Integrated Test Force. "This partners private industry with the 412th Test Wing’s world-renowned test management execution. We are excited to agilely test, experiment with, and evaluate this new technology for potential future national defense applications."

In partnership with the U.S. Air Force’s AFWERX program, NASA will also be supporting this testing at Edwards Air Force Base with NASA’s pilots, researchers, and equipment as part of their commitment to advancing the Advanced Air Mobility industry as a whole, for the benefit of all. NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center is located on Edwards Air Force Base, and has a long history of supporting important technological milestones in aviation and space – supersonic and hypersonic flight, digital fly-by-wire control systems, and the space shuttles.

"NASA’s participation in the Joby and AFWERX project will provide our researchers with hands-on experience with a representative eVTOL vehicle, concentrated on how these types of aircraft could fit into the national airspace for everyday use, that will inform NASA’s effort in supporting the entire eVTOL industry," said NASA research pilot Wayne Ringelberg. "The research will include a focus on handling qualities evaluation tools, autonomy, and airspace integration, which is all needed research to push the industry forward."

Over the past year, the U.S. Air Force and Marines have made multiple visits to Joby’s manufacturing and flight test facilities in Marina, CA. Four U.S. Air Force pilots completed full remotely-piloted transition flights of the Joby aircraft in April, and two groups of Marines visited in May to conduct mission analysis regarding potential logistics and medical applications of the aircraft.

With a range of up to 100 miles plus energy reserves and a top speed of 200 mph, the Joby aircraft is capable of transporting a pilot and four passengers quickly and quietly with zero operating emissions.

The delivery will be celebrated at an event held this morning at 10:00am PT at Edwards Air Force Base. The event can be watched live via this link:

.

Media assets, including photos and videos of the Joby aircraft in flight, are available here.

About Joby

Joby Aviation, Inc. (NYSE:JOBY) is a California-based transportation company developing an all-electric, vertical take-off and landing air taxi which it intends to operate as part of a fast, quiet, and convenient service in cities around the world. To learn more, visit www.jobyaviation.com.

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 11,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit www.afresearchlab.com.

About AFWERX

The innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory brings cutting edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. Employs approximately 325 military, civilian and contractor personnel at six hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4B budget. Since 2019, has executed 4,671 contracts worth more than $2B to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability.

<<<



---

[ProfitScout]

$SHOT: Safety Shot to Develop Detox Product for Alcohol Poising, Plans to File IND with U.S. FDA

Concentrated form of Safety Shot may be effective as a rapid treatment for alcohol poising which causes 2,200 deaths each year from an estimated 20,000 cases annually in the U.S.

Acute alcohol consumption leads to 52 million hospital emergency department visits annually

JUPITER, FL, Sept. 18, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Safety Shot, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHOT) today announced it intends to develop its Safety Shot functional beverage platform in a unique concentrated form to treat alcohol poisoning in hospital and emergency settings. The Safety Shot beverage, set to launch Q4 2023, is the first patented beverage on Earth that helps people feel better faster by reducing blood alcohol content and boosting clarity.

The Safety Shot platform works through four different Mechanisms of Action including improving central nervous system (CNS) activity, cognition, and motor cortex function. It is designed to rapidly break down blood alcohol levels and prevent residual alcohol in the body from being absorbed through the gut by creating a protective shield around the gut wall.

Over 52 million people in the U.S. were admitted to hospital emergency departments due to acute alcohol consumption in 2020. There are an estimated 20,000 cases of alcohol poisoning each year in the U.S. Severe complications from alcohol poisoning can include choking, asphyxiation, dehydration, seizures, hypothermia, cardiac arrest, brain damage, and death. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, 2,200 people die of alcohol poisoning each year in the U.S., or about 6 people each day.

Through its Jupiter Wellness business segment which develops over-the-counter and prescription-grade health and wellness products, Safety Shot has a well-established clinical development infrastructure and expertise.

"We believe a concentrated form of Safety Shot could offer an easy-to-administer, immediately supportive aid or treatment for acute alcohol consumption to help prevent alcohol poisoning and related deaths. With 52 million people rushed to the ER each year due to acute alcohol consumption, we believe that prescription-grade Safety Shot could be used in a variety of settings including ambulances, hospitals, clinics, and entertainment venue-based medical emergency centers," stated Dr. Glynn Wilson, Safety Shot's Chief Scientific Officer. "We anticipate filing an investigational new drug (IND) application with the U.S. Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for this alcohol poisoning related indication."

About Safety Shot

Safety Shot, a wellness and functional beverage company, is set to launch Safety Shot, the first patented beverage on Earth that helps people feel better faster by reducing blood alcohol content and boosting clarity. The Company plans to spin off legacy assets from its Jupiter Wellness business to unlock value for shareholders.

Interested investors and shareholders are encouraged to sign up for press releases and industry updates by registering for Email Alerts at https://jupiterwellness.com/email-alerts/ and by following Jupiter Wellness on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Forward Looking Statements

This communication contains forward-looking statements regarding Jupiter Wellness, including, the anticipated timing of studies and the results and benefits thereof. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "explore," "evaluate," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "seek," "should," or "will," or the negative thereof or other variations thereon or comparable terminology. These forward-looking statements are based on each of the Company's current plans, objectives, estimates, expectations, and intentions and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Jupiter Wellness' control. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties and other risks and uncertainties affecting Jupiter Wellness and, including those described from time to time under the caption "Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Jupiter Wellness' Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and reports, including Jupiter Wellness' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 and future filings and reports by Jupiter Wellness. Moreover, other risks and uncertainties of which the combined company is not currently aware may also affect each of the companies' forward-looking statements and may cause actual results and the timing of events to differ materially from those anticipated. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance. The forward-looking statements made in this communication are made only as of the date hereof or as of the dates indicated in the forward-looking statements and reflect the views stated therein with respect to future events at such dates, even if they are subsequently made available by Jupiter Wellness on its website or otherwise. Jupiter Wellness undertakes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information, future events, changes in its expectations or other circumstances that exist after the date as of which the forward-looking statements were made.

Safety Shot Media Contact:

Phone: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

[ombowstring]

JOBY

https://ir.jobyaviation.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/73/joby-delivers-first-evtol-aircraft-to-edwards-air-force

[bar1080]

That dubious Rice Bran stock (RIBT) someone here was shilling is doing terriblly. Had all the signs of a scam when I glanced at it.

[bigworld]

gfp: A lot depends on current valuations. Past results are no guarantee of future results. Right now I would characterize general equities and residential real estate as overvalued. Hard assets have not had the run up seen with the other sectors. And if Mortgage rates stay above 7% or go higher then real estate is going to take a big hit. Right now there has been a bit of a standoff. Home owners thinking of selling are not, because why trade in a very low mortgage rate for a higher rate. But eventually there will be enough owners that NEED to sell due to financial or other circumstances. Once that happens there will be a re-pricing. My nephew is a regional head of a big mortgage firm. He's never seen this bad of a slowing of new contracts to purchase. In 30 years in the industry. He's had to lay off 3/4 of his staff of many multistate offices. So real estate of any kind over the next 2-3 years is going to be a losing proposition. It will vary by region. By neighborhood. But it's all going to be under pressure. And the PE ratio of the S&P 500 will have to drop under the historic mean before that is an area to buy into. For people like Bar who bought years ago at more attractive valuations it makes no sense to sell. But I would not be a buyer at this point in time. There will some individual exceptions, or sub sectors that might be able to outperform. But as a general proposition just going out and buying an S&P 500 index fund or ETF is not going to work out for you in the next 2-3 years.

Inflation is not under control. It can never be put under control if the Federal government keeps spending so far above it's ability to fund it. We just added ANOTHER TRILLION DOLLARS to the national debt in the last 3 months and 4 days. No Covid crisis (currently), no declared war. Just waste, fraud and theft in unfathomable numbers. And with the people we have sent to Washington DC do you think they will ever see the light, that THEY are responsible for the inflations that is driving up interest rates? Of course not. To them all government spending is necessary and fruitful. Even if it is put on the credit card of future (unfortunate) generations. So hard assets, stuff you can't print in the Eccles Building, is going to have it's day in the sun. You are already seeing this with energy.. Oil is up 40% in the last 4 months. Uranium will follow. Natural gas. Even coal. Pipeline operators. LNG terminals, exploration companies, extraction tool makers, etc. will all benefit. Thanks to our incredibly stupid geopolitical policies I think oil prices will continue to rise, with the occasional dip now and then. Rinear recommended VLO not that long ago. It's already had a nice run in a short time. And it will pay over a 4% Dividend yield while I wait for further capital gains. Hard assets and cash or cash equivalents. That's where to be positioned right now.

[gfp927z]

Looks like a govt shutdown is the next worry for the stock market -


>>> A federal government shutdown looks more and more likely: What to know


Washington Post

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/09/20/federal-government-shutdown-2023/

<<<




---

[ProfitScout]

$SMME is nearing the commercial launch of its completed biometric security payment card which has been designed to work with all types of readers in all parts of the world. This is a huge advantage over competitive designs that are limited in the types of readers they can use. Time to be paying close attention to SMME now.

SmartMetric the Maker of Fingerprint Biometric Secured and Activated Credit Cards Is Nearing Shipping of Its Latest Premium Card for the Credit Card Industry
August 10, 2023 (BusinessWire)

SmartMetric, Inc. (OTC: SMME), having completed the upgrading of the internal hybrid solid state internal battery inside the SmartMetric card the company is pleased to announce it has achieved a 1/3 battery size reduction while retaining the power capacity features against its previous battery.

"Having a smaller rechargeable battery gives us a lower profile of the battery that flows through to a less overall thickness of our electronics that sit inside of our biometric credit cards," said SmartMetric's President and CEO, Chaya Hendrick.

"Over the past decade we have been constantly refining the size and all importantly the thickness of the components in our card so as to provide the lowest profile for the card's internal electronics. Each improvement we make resulting in smaller dimensions of our components directly results in greater thickness of the lamination layers of the card which in turn provides for a better overall look and finish of the end card product," said Chaya Hendrick.

When SmartMetric first started on building its prototype biometric credit card over a decade ago, the overall thickness of the electronics was four times the thickness of a standard credit card. The company says that its overall thickness and profile of its electronics including the board and its internal battery is now less than one third the thickness of a standard credit card.

"It has always been a battle of constant innovation around achieving lower and lower profile for our electronics to achieve the smallest and slimmest size of our components that sit inside our biometric credit card. Something we are proud in achieving what is undoubtedly the smallest size dimension of its internal electronics of any biometric card created," said Chaya Hendrick.

The SmartMetric rechargeable battery inside the biometric credit card allows the card to be used across all standard credit card readers at stores, gas pumps and even ATMs. Unlike non powered biometric cards that rely on drawing power from card readers in order to perform a biometric identification function thereby limiting the cards used and making it unworkable in most restaurants, gas pumps and ATMs.

Situations where the card is taken from the table in a restaurant or swallowed whole by the card reading device such as at a gas pump or ATM makes a card that does not have an internal rechargeable battery unworkable. That is why we have spent so much time and effort in including a rechargeable power source inside our biometric card that also includes a rapid rechargeability each time the card is inserted inside a credit card reader after it has already been turned on by the card holder's fingerprint, according to SmartMetric.

The latest battery for the SmartMetric biometric card is going through final licensing and approvals for shipment via air from the SmartMetric assembly plant.

The SmartMetric biometric fingerprint recognition technology built inside of the credit and debit card uses embedded biometric technology to positively recognize the card holder and then only after a positive fingerprint recognition, turn on the card's EMV contact and contactless payments chip.

Market research has shown that 70% of current credit card users are willing to pay $70.00 for a biometric secured credit card. The single largest motivation is wanting to feel more secure. The same research showed that nearly 70% of existing 100's of millions of credit card users would prefer to use a biometric credit card.

According to an article published by Finder.com(1),the number of credit card accounts open in the United States is 564,500,000. This is an all-time high for the United States.

The average American owns three credit cards. 83% of Americans own at least one credit card. 14% of Americans own at least 10 credit cards.

To view the SmartMetric Biometric Card please follow this link - Video of the SmartMetric Biometric Card. To view the company website: http://www.smartmetric.com

(1)2023 Credit card debt and spending statistics in the US | finder.com

Safe Harbor Statement: Forward-Looking Statements in this press release, which are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Also such forward-looking statements are within the meaning of that term in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Our actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "could," "expect," "intend," "plan," "seek," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "likely," "will," "would" and variations of these terms and similar expressions, or the negative of these terms or similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us and our management, are inherently uncertain. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, if we are unable to access the capital necessary to fund current operations or implement our plans for growth; changes in the competitive environment in our industry and the markets where we operate; our ability to access the capital markets; and other risks discussed in the Company's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC. We caution you not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any of these forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, new information or future events, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable laws. If we update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that we will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. Investors and security holders are urged to carefully review and consider each of SmartMetric Inc. public filings with the SEC, including but not limited to, if applicable, Annual Reports on Form 10-K, proxy statements, Current Reports on Form 8-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230810018537/en/

SOURCE: SmartMetric, Inc.">

SmartMetric, Inc.
Chaya Hendrick
Tel: [phone] Mobile: [phone] Pacific Time
[e-mail]
http://www.smartmetric.com

[gfp927z]

Bigworld, >> world is drowning in debt <<

Yes, so overweighting hard assets seem like a good idea. The S+P 500 has also been an effective inflation hedge over time (3rd chart below), as has residential real estate -


Debt / GDP -




Debt and gold -




Debt and S+P 500 -







---

[baerga]

$CPHI went green today for the third time on low less than 1 mil volume, 1.6 mil market cap, can run with any real volume, daily rsi 34 weekly rsi 22

[bigworld]

GFP: Considering Powell's semi hawkish statement gold is holding up pretty well today. It's been hitting all time highs in many other currencies...the Yen, Yuan, Ruble, etc. With the DXY at @ 105 I would have expected gold to take a beat down to the high $1800s again. You look at the economic fundamentals, the geopolitical risks out there, and the prospect that the House Impeachment Inquiry gathers some traction and we have a potential perfect storm. The world is drowning in debt. Over $345 Trillion. The Central bankers and corrupt politicians of the world need a debt jubilee, and that usually come about after a World War.

[gfp927z]

Rickards - >>> Even the Fed’s Losing Money!


BY JAMES RICKARDS

SEPTEMBER 18, 2023


https://dailyreckoning.com/even-the-feds-losing-money/


Even the Fed’s Losing Money!

The financial system is in a slow-motion meltdown. There are many indications that the economy’s in trouble, despite what you’ll hear from the cheerleaders in the mainstream media.

Commercial real estate values are crashing, and the associated loans are going into default. Credit cards are maxed out and borrowers are being punished with 20% or even 30% interest rates (that will double the outstanding balance in three years if you don’t pay it off).

There’s a global dollar shortage, which explains why China is dumping U.S. Treasury securities (to get cash) and why the euro, yen, yuan and sterling are all going down against the dollar.

Meanwhile, investors are bracing for Stage Two of the banking crisis (Stage One consisted of the failures of Silvergate, Silicon Valley, Signature, Credit Suisse and First Republic from March 9 to May 1, 2023).

In fact, I believe the situation is so urgent that I held an emergency event last week to alert my readers about it.

There are plenty of other indicators out there that show expectations of a sharp recession and global financial crisis. Some are very technical in nature, so I won’t get into them here.

So can things get any worse? Actually, yes, they can.

Even the Fed’s Losing Money!

Not only are banks and consumers losing money, but the Federal Reserve System itself is losing money. The Fed has recently lost over $100 billion to be exact. How does this happen?

The Fed may be a central bank, but it’s still a bank with assets and liabilities like any other. The Fed makes money from interest payments on the U.S. Treasury securities it holds. It pays money in the form of interest on excess reserves (IOER) that are deposited with the Fed by the big banks.

The Treasury yield curve is inverted right now. This means that interest rates on short-term instruments (such as IOER) are actually higher than interest rates on longer-term instruments (such as Treasury notes). This negative interest rate spread is even more extreme when the U.S. Treasury notes held were issued in 2021 or 2022 when rates were much lower than they are today.

When you pay about 5% on your liabilities (IOER) and you only earn about 3% on your assets (Treasury notes) and you multiply that by a $5 trillion balance sheet, you can see the problem.

In fact, analysts estimate that the Fed may lose $200 billion next year as the problem persists because the Fed has offered to lend money against any U.S. Treasury notes held by member banks at par value even when the notes are only worth 70% of par.

This is not happening in isolation. The Fed is required to remit its profits to the U.S. Treasury. When the profits turn into losses (as they have), this means the Treasury is losing its distributions from the Fed, which makes the U.S. budget deficit even worse.

It looks like hard times all around, but it’s especially hard when you realize the Fed and Treasury are among the big losers in this meltdown.

But the Fed has gotten inflation under control, right? Well, not so fast…

The Fed’s Premature Victory

Inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) hit a high of 9.1% (annualized) in June 2022.

Since then, the Fed made steady progress in reducing inflation until it was down to 3.0% by this June. Economists and Fed fans were ready to pop the Champagne corks to celebrate the Fed’s victory against inflation.

The Fed’s target rate is 2.0%, so the 3.0% reading seemed just an inch away. Then a funny thing happened.

Inflation rose to 3.2% in July. Then it soared to 3.7% in August. We won’t have the September numbers until Oct. 12, but they’re very likely to be higher again because the recent inflation has been driven by energy prices and oil keeps going up.

Oil prices have topped $91.00 per barrel, up from $67.00 per barrel as recently as June 27. That’s a 36% spike in less than three months, which is dramatic. Those wholesale price spikes have not worked their way through the supply chain yet, so it’s reasonable to expect further CPI increases based on gasoline prices in September and October.

In short, the Fed’s victory is in shambles, and they must now double down on rate hikes to get inflation back under control in time for the elections in 2024.

But it may be more difficult to do that than the Fed imagines. The reason has to do with consumer expectations. So far, inflation has come from supply side disruption due to trade wars, the pandemic, and financial sanctions due to the war in Ukraine.

That kind of inflation tends to control itself as consumers spend less on discretionary items to deal with higher prices on necessities. The danger is that the inflation impetus jumps from the supply side to the demand side.

At that point, consumers expect inflation across the board and accelerate purchases of all kinds to beat the anticipated price hikes. This happened in the late 1970s when supply side inflation (the Arab oil embargo) morphed into demand side inflation (runaway price increases in 1979–1981).

We’re not quite there yet, but the danger is real. Jay Powell knows this and will raise rates sometime this year (probably at the November meeting, but not the meeting coming up this week) to keep things under control.

Markets have not priced in another rate hike. So markets not only have to confront the very real possibility of a sharp recession and severe financial crisis. They also have to confront the prospect of at least one additional rate hike this year.

The Silver Lining

If you’re looking for some good news, here it is:

In case of a severe recession, the Fed will begin cutting rates again. As a rule, the Fed needs interest rates to be between 4% and 5% to fight recession. That’s how much “dry powder” the Fed needs going into a recession.

The Fed’s target rate is presently between 5.25–5.50%. If they raise rates again, which I expect, their target rate will be even higher. That means the Fed will have plenty of room to cut interest rates in order to fight a recession, without having to resort to negative interest rates.

So that’s the good news. The bad news is that the Fed’s probably going to need most of that dry powder.

Investors beware.

<<<



---

[bigworld]

Wow: I don't see how housing prices remain elevated indefinitely. Sooner or later the dam is going to burst. If the Fed prints more money to buy Treasuries and artificially lowers interest rates it will put inflation into overdrive. The cost of home ownership are rising much faster than wage growth. Inflation is going to uptick again as oil prices rise. The drop we saw was only temporary, largely due to Biden selling off a large percentage of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. If I were a builder/developer I know that I would not be building any "spec" homes. I wouldn't put a shovel in the ground without a signed contract backed up by a solid financing commitment.

[wow_happens28]

Housing Starts Plunged In August As Renter-Nation Collapses

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/housing-starts-plunged-august-renter-nation-collapses

Snippet:
If yesterday's plunge in the NAHB sentiment survey is anything to go by, this morning's starts and permits data should be a shitshow (expectations were for a modest MoM decline in both for August).

[bar1080]

Buffett not only is big on investing in insurance stocks, but he wholly owned some of the best insurance firms for decades via GEICO. If Buffett has a question about the insurance industry, he has his own savvy GEICO execs on "speed dial." Especially Ajit Jain who was once seen as heir apparent to Buffett at BRK.

Until their recent move into energy, Insurance was usually considered BRK's core activity.

[gfp927z]

Bar, Yes, the big caps are where most of a stock allocation should be, and also the mid cap realm can provide some higher growth companies.

Buffett is big on the insurance sector, and looking at some of his holdings led me into the insurance brokers. The steady upward trajectory of these company's charts is amazing, and indicate a stable growing business over time. Being insurance brokers, they don't face the risks of the insurance companies, and insurance brokers also do well during market turmoil. I have these 3 -

Aon PLC (AON) - Fincl svcs, insurance broker (60 Bil) (Ireland) - 0.8%

Arthur J. Gallagher & Co (AJG) Insurance broker (41 Bil) - 1%

Marsh & McLennan (MMC) - Insurance broker (86 Bil) - 1.4%


Berkshire has AON, but I see that they recently sold their MMC. Not sure of the reason, but I decided to keep mine. Check out the phenomenal 10-15 years charts of these companies. Those are the best long term charts anywhere - a steady upward trajectory that (hopefully) will make it easier to own these for the long haul. 'Low angst' is one of my main selection criteria, since that makes it easier to hold through the up + downs of the stock market and economy.



---

[bigworld]

GFP: ARKK held up yesterday better than I would have expected since the Nasdaq coughed up quite hairball yesterday. Kathie Wood is momentum fund manager who takes big bets on high flying/high PE mostly tech and biotech stocks. ARKK moves up fast when conditions are favorable. But that is not the case at this time. The high level of volatility is characteristic of a market shifting. In this case tis the season for seeing downward pressure. on markets. I take risk. Probably a little too much. But I avoid ARKK like the plague.

[bar1080]

I created a list I've shared with my kids of about 17 rules for investing. Several years ago that list advised shunning stocks with a market cap of less than about $5 billion. Now, my minimum cap size is $10 billion. That's a rule Prof Ben Graham would probably approve. Actually, almost all of my stocks are far bigger than $10 billion. When the SHTF, you want to own megacaps which have performed beautifully in recent years even in good markets.

[gfp927z]

Bar, The movements of BABYF's stock price seemed unusual over the last bunch of years when I would check it. Not sure what was going on, but it seemed like a lot of 'painting the tape' type stuff, and weird daily candle sticks. But such is life in the OTC world I guess. Perhaps Red Cloud was hired to reduce / prevent the manipulation, but just a guess.

I followed a number of Israeli companies over the years, and they can be very interesting, and a good number have been acquired by larger companies (see link below). Organic food for kids / infants seems like a logical niche area, and one where a large food company may want to enter via acquisition. But how it plays out for BABYF remains to be seen.

Personally I wouldn't own an OTC microcap stock, but some can be fun to follow. I consider a mkt cap of under 1 bil to be a microcap, but when you get under 100 mil then the risks really go up, and I had enough of that back in my biotech days lol..


https://investorshub.advfn.com/Israel-Stock-Ideas-25508


https://investorshub.advfn.com/Micro-Cap-Ideas-28748



---

[bar1080]

BABYF sounds desperate. Can't see Buffett/Munger pulling something like this:

"Else Nutrition Announces Engagement of Red Cloud Securities
5:16 PM ET 9/14/23 | GlobeNewswire

Else Nutrition Announces Engagement of Red Cloud Securities

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ELSE NUTRITION HOLDINGS INC. (BABY) (BABYF) (0YL.F) ("Else" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce it has retained Red Cloud Securities ("Red Cloud") to provide liquidity services to the Company in compliance with the policies and guidelines of the TSX and other applicable legislation. Red Cloud is a Toronto-based financial services company that helps issuers access capital markets and enhance their corporate profile. Red Cloud will trade shares of Else on the TSX for the purposes of maintaining a reasonable market and improving the liquidity of Else's common shares.

Under the agreement, the Company will pay Red Cloud $5,000 per month during the term. The term of engagement is ongoing and may be terminated by either party on 30 days' prior written notice. The Company and Red Cloud have an arm's length relationship, but Red Cloud and/or its clients may have an interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of Else. The agreement is principally for the purposes of maintaining market stability and liquidity for the Company's common shares and is not a formal market-making agreement. There are no performance factors contained in the agreement between Red Cloud and the Company and Red Cloud will not receive any shares or options from the Company as compensation for services it will render.

"We look forward to working with Red Cloud and their expertise in helping run an efficient and orderly market," said Hamutal Yitzhak, CEO and Co-Founder of Else Nutrition.

For further information on Else Nutrition's offerings and its revolutionary approach to kids' nutrition, visit www.elsenutrition.com

About Red Cloud Securities Inc."

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=172828273

[gfp927z]

Rickards on China - >>> Paper Tiger


BY JAMES RICKARDS

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023


https://dailyreckoning.com/paper-tiger/


Paper Tiger

The story of China’s explosive growth from 1978 to 2008 is well-known.

China’s GDP surged from less than $150 billion in 1978 to over $3 trillion by 2008. China’s average annual growth rate exceeded 10% from 1978 to 2005. During this period, over 600 million people escaped poverty to obtain at least a stable if low-income standard of living.

Between 2000 and 2008, China became the factory to the world providing everything from simple assembly to textiles to world-class automobiles and laptop computers.

In the 1960s and 1970s, development economists believed that moving an economy from low-income to middle income was a huge challenge, but once middle-income status was reached the path to high-income was just a matter of time.

This was called the “takeoff ” theory based on the view that it was hard to get a plane off the ground, but once airborne it could soar to almost any feasible altitude in time.

It turns out that theory was completely wrong.

In fact, it’s relatively easy to move an economy from low-income to middle-income. All that is required is cheap and plentiful labor, urban infrastructure, basic education, and foreign capital. With those ingredients, an economy can turn itself into a manufacturing powerhouse.

The catch is that this manufacturing is mostly assembly-based. Investors may know that China is the source for about 90% of all iPhones. They may not know that Chinese value-added to the iPhone is only 6% of the sale price.

The other 94% of value added comes from the U.S. (invention and patents), Japan (gorilla glass), South Korea (semiconductors), and 26 other countries that supply critical parts.

China assembles the phones, but they did not invent them, and they did not create the high-tech inputs.

A low-income country is considered to have about $5,000 annual income per capita. The middle-income countries begin at about $10,000. The high-income countries begin around $20,000 annual per capita income but have no ceiling.

China is often touted as the “second largest economy in the world,” which it is on an aggregate basis. But when calculated on a per capita basis, it drops from number 2 to number 77 in global rankings, between Equatorial Guinea and Botswana. On a per capita basis, U.S. income is six times greater than China.

So much for China taking over the world.

Therefore, the challenge for China is how to break out of the middle-income trap and reach high-income status. This is extremely difficult to do. The only countries that have made the leap are Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.

The list of countries stuck in the middle-income trap along with China is a long one — Malaysia, India, Turkey, Thailand, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Russia, Chile and others.

China Is Trapped

By Jim Rickards

The way out of the middle-income trap is to develop your own high-technology intellectual property that you can then apply yourself and license to others. The middle-income countries basically pay others licensing fees for the technology they need to grow.

It’s only when you develop your own technology that you can move to higher value-added in your manufacturing and earn fees from others. The key to forecasting Chinese growth in the years ahead is therefore technology.

Can China develop its own technology ahead of advanced economy competitors and create the high-value-added industries that come with it? The outlook here is not good for China. They have shown little or no capacity to invent or produce in areas such as advanced semiconductors, high-capacity aircraft, medical diagnostics, nuclear reactors, 3D printing, AI, water purification, and virtual reality.

The projects that China does have on display that are advanced (such as their bullet trains that run quietly at 310 kph) are done with technology licensed from Germany or France or with stolen technology. China has produced major technological advances, but it has done so in non-sustainable ways including excessive debt and theft of intellectual property.

China has done little innovation on its own. The stolen technology channel is being shut down by bans on advanced semiconductor exports to China, and sanctions on the use of 5G systems from Huawei. Even China’s ability to import high-tech semiconductor manufacturing equipment as a path to developing their own semiconductors has been cut off through export bans from the U.S. and Netherlands.

The second hurdle to growth in China is its overreliance on investment to drive GDP. A country’s GDP account consists of consumption + investment + government spending + (exports–imports).

Investment can be a good way to drive an economy forward assuming the investment is carefully chosen and the returns on investment exceed any financing costs. That has not been the case in China.

Most developed economies (Germany is an exception) have consumption at about 50% to 70% of total growth with investment around 25%. In China, consumption is only 25% of GDP while investment is 45%. (Net exports are a large percentage).

China’s problem is that much of its investment is wasted. It consists of large white elephant infrastructure projects (such as the Nanjing South train station which I have visited; it has high marble walls and 128 escalators mostly empty). I’ve also visited the construction sites of the “ghost cities” one after the other almost to the horizon, also mostly empty.

This infrastructure binge is financed with debt that is now both unpayable and acts as a drag on real growth in other sectors of the economy. China has consistently failed to pivot its economy from investment to consumption with the result that the waste continues and the debt pile grows larger. China is trapped in an infrastructure and debt dead-end with no way out.

There are many other headwinds to Chinese growth in addition to the middle-income trap and the debt trap. These include declining demographics, geopolitics, corruption, extreme income inequality, and the rise of Xi Jinping as the new Mao Zedong.

But I want to widen the aperture and look at new challenges to China beyond those I’ve covered in the past. These new challenges include the risk of financial panic and new corporate failures that make the notorious Evergrande collapse look like small beer.

China is not only slowing but it may be on the brink of a financial and economic collapse that will reverberate around the world. That’s because what happens in China doesn’t stay in China. It’s critical to understand that what’s happening in China today is more than a slowdown and more than a credit crunch. It’s much closer to a full scale financial collapse.

It is possible that the Chinese government can intervene with massive fiscal stimulus. Of course, that simply increases the already colossal debt burden and kicks the problem into the tall grass for the time being.

That said, it’s not clear that the Chinese government wants to intervene in this manner. Chairman Xi may just let the chips fall where they will, knowing that most of the losses will actually fall on U.S. investors and Japanese banks.

If Xi takes that approach, the damage will not be confined to China. In fact, the financial contagion could resemble the virus contagion that began in China. It starts in China, but spreads quickly to Europe, Japan, and the United States. The damage here may be greater than the damage there; a strange kind of net benefit to China.

This comes at a time when the U.S., Europe, and Japan are facing their own headwinds (in terms of reduced commercial lending, declining manufacturing, and contracting world trade despite consumers remaining somewhat strong for the moment).

So, a Chinese collapse would be a force multiplier that might throw the world into a global financial panic.

In fact, China is facing a new financial crisis that may leave the rest in the shade. This involves the collapse of a shadow bank called Zhongrong International Trust. Zhongrong is not a pure play property developer like Evergrande nor is it a bank. Instead, it is a shadow bank (offering notes and investing the proceeds) with some property development activities, but many other investment schemes as well.

For years, Zhongrong relied on its reputation as one of the top financial groups in China. Yet, it’s now been revealed that assets taken in as wealth management products were transferred to corporate headquarters and used for various speculations not connected to any specific wealth management goal.

In this respect, Zhongrong resembles the notorious FTX crypto fraud in which billions of dollars of customer funds were diverted to proprietary speculation and spending sprees by the principals. Above all, Zhongrong is non-transparent and lightly regulated, which has resulted in a complete lack of accountability. As the firm fails it has become impossible for regulators to respond appropriately since they really have no idea what is going on inside the company.

Chinese authorities have established a task force to study possible contagion. Of course, the contagion has already started, which shows how behind the curve regulators are. I can’t say with certainty how large the losses from the Zhongrong will be although a total loss of $500 billion taking into account shareholder equity, wealth management products, and direct accounts seems likely.

Of course, that will just be the tip of the iceberg as contagion takes hold and the panic spreads.

My expectation is that Chairman Xi and the CCP will not resort to fiscal stimulus this time, but will let the rotten edifice of bad debt and fraud collapse of its own weight. Chinese stock markets will fall 50% or more as a result. This will give China a chance to clean out the deadwood (with lots of fraud trials and jail terms) and reset the system.

Of course, a collapse of that size will not be confined to China. In fact, the CCP may be betting that much of the economic fallout will land in the United States. Investors in the U.S. should expect a U.S. stock market collapse along with bank failures and a wave of bad debts beginning late this year.

It’s not too late to prepare accordingly. Yet, this may be the last warning.

<<<



---

[bar1080]

That is interesting. If you're the mod of this board, you have an obligation to keep it clean. That shouldn't use up your allocation of posts.

[gfp927z]

Bar, >> board is being spammed <<

Yes, I can only post 1 post/day, so the board has become semi abandoned. Btw, here's an interesting article on Li Lu, the 'Chinese Warren Buffett' -


>>> Charlie Munger Handed Over His Family Fortune To The 'Chinese Warren Buffett' Who Flipped It into Half A Billion Dollars — 'We Made Unholy Good Returns For A Long, Long Time'


Benzinga

by Jeannine Mancini

September 11, 2023


https://finance.yahoo.com/news/charlie-munger-handed-over-family-172951450.html


In the early 2000s, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Vice Chairman Charlie Munger made a daring yet calculated financial move. He entrusted a significant portion of his family’s fortune — $88 million — to Li Lu, often referred to as the Chinese Warren Buffett.

This bold investment, though carrying its share of risk, not only remained secure but also experienced substantial growth. It is now estimated at approximately $400 million.

“We made unholy good returns for a long, long time,” Munger said. “That $88 million has become four or five times that.”

Their first encounter took place at a mutual friend’s residence in Los Angeles shortly after Li’s college graduation. Munger initially came across as somewhat reserved, absorbed in his thoughts rather than fully immersed in conversation. Despite this initial impression, their discourse was imbued with Munger’s concise yet profoundly insightful words of wisdom.

It wasn’t until seven years later, during a Thanksgiving lunch in 2003, that Munger and Li engaged in what Li described as a “long heart-to-heart conversation.” Impressed by Li’s prowess in the realm of investments, Munger backed him with personal funds when Li embarked on a new fund venture in 2004.

Li’s investment track record boasts notable achievements, including Kweichow Moutai, a liquor brand that has surged in value over the past two decades and ranks among China’s largest listed companies. It’s even been named China’s national liquor.

Despite being amid the pandemic, Kweichow Moutai had a fantastic year. In 2020, its stock on the Shanghai Stock Exchange rose by about 70%. The company, which is partly owned by the government and partly publicly traded, is China’s most valuable business outside of the tech sector. It’s worth more than the country’s four largest banks.

Munger commended Li’s astute decision-making, noting, “It was real cheap, four to five times earnings, and Li Lu just backed up the truck, bought all he could and made a killing.”

The investment strategy Li employed hinges on his knack for identifying undervalued prospects. This approach underscores that sometimes, it is the less conventional investments that harbor the greatest potential for substantial growth. Li’s ability to recognize opportunities when companies are undervalued has allowed him to unlock exceptional value over time.

Li’s most renowned investment is in BYD Co. Ltd., a manufacturer of batteries and electric vehicles. Li initially invested in BYD in 2002, a move that laid the groundwork for both Buffett and Munger to follow suit six years later.

Munger, acknowledging the extraordinary success, described the early investment in BYD as a “miracle.” In a CNBC interview, he said that BYD has outpaced Tesla Inc. in China, a statement that contrasts with Buffett’s views on the electric vehicle industry. Buffett has expressed concerns about excessive competition.

While Munger placed immense trust in Li, considering him the sole outsider he has ever entrusted with his finances, he also predicted that Li would eventually assume a significant role at Berkshire Hathaway.

<<<



---

[bar1080]

Looks like your board is being spammed by some OTC rubbish.

[Solarman]

$VNUE AND $MMMW news with great upside potential.

[ProfitScout]

$VNUE Feature Article: Accelerating Revenue Growth and Strong Fundamental Improvements for Multi-Faceted Music Technology Company
Click here:
https://www.usdailyledger.com/article/651666916-accelerating-revenue-growth-and-strong-fundamental-improvements-for-multi-faceted-music-technology-company-vnue

From the article:

Entertainment Technology and Distribution Company Dedicated to Optimal Monetizing and Fan Enjoyment of the Live Music Experience.

Wholly Owned Subsidiary StageIt Provides a Ticketed Live Streaming Platform for Artists & Creators to Perform Live, Interact with Fans and Monetize Shows.

Patent-Pending Soundstr Platform Leverages Automation Technology in the Instant Live Space, Identifying Issues with Performance Rights Organizations.

Produced Products for Peter Frampton, Bad Company, Devo, Blondie, Wind Up Records, EMI, Capitol Records, and Many More.

For the First Half of 2023, Delivered an Impressive 43% Improvement in Sales vs. the Same Period in Previous Year.

$10 Million Equity Line to Fund Ongoing Business Operations and Plans.

Completely Eliminated Any Reliance on Toxic Debt Funding.

Pursuing Opportunities with Global DiscLive Music Network.

Actively Engaged with Partners in New Metaverse Project.

VNUE Radio Benefitting Sophia's Mission Hosted on TuneIn and Audacy's Digital Platforms, Reaching Over 70 Million Monthly Active Users.

Completed Successful 2023 Tour with Multi-Platinum Pop Rock Band Matchbook Twenty with Live Concerts and Recording of Every Performance.

Matchbox Twenty Limited Edition DiscLive CD Sets and Digital Downloads Being Offered with More Package Offerings Coming Soon.

Partnered with Ticketmaster for Sales of "Instant Live" CD Sets When Fans Buy Tickets or at DiscLive.net Website.

Forming Strategic Partnership with Global Digital Rights Technology Leader Pex in Regard to Music Licensing Opportunities.

[wow_happens28]

In the last quarterly institutional holdings, 5 times more institutions sold than bought . Not a great sign.

https://fintel.io/so/us/arkk

[gfp927z]

The ARKK chart does look like it could be entering a new uptrend (higher highs / higher lows) after hitting bottom in Dec. But what strikes me about ARKK is that it fell 80% during 2021 and the 2022 bear market, yikes. So that says something about the type of stocks that Cathie Wood has in her ETFs -- high momentum stocks, which can be great during the momo phase, but then get clobbered when the air comes out. She holds some of the most exciting tech stocks and sectors, but as buy/hold they would require too much Tagamet, so I consider these to be mainly trading vehicles. Some larger holdings like Tesla could be buy / hold, but others just way too volatile.

I had some of the ARK ETFs during the big 2020 recovery period, plus other hot / trendy sectors like cloud computing, cybersecurity, robotics, fintech, transportation innovation, etc. They did great, but the trajectory seemed too steep so I took profits in Q-1 and Q-2 of 2021, which was a little early, but I figured 'take the money and run'. 2020-21 was an exciting period to be in stocks. The market got crushed in Spring 2020, but the Fed's massive response made it fairly easy to get back into the market, and off it went. But in the future things should be a lot tougher since the Fed's tools are depleted -- their balance sheet is still sky high (so QE ability is limited), and unlike 2008 and 2020 there is now inflation to worry about, plus global de-dollarization, which will tie the Fed's hands during the next market crash / financial crisis. So the next crisis could be a 'different animal' compared to 2008 or 2020.




---

[ombowstring]

Just looking at the holdings of ARKK - https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ARKK/holdings?p=ARKK - I wouldn't buy it. There's not much to get excited about that I see. I prefer individual stocks.

[wow_happens28]

LOL, I am actually not a huge fan of TA. Most work half of the time, and now days, many false moves and market makers scare the heck out of you with good stocks or force you into bad stocks, especially lately with fake out breakouts. They seem to be a bit better in ETFs. So I believe it better for ARKK.

https://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=ARKK&p=D&yr=1&mn=0&dy=0&id=p74896211233

[ombowstring]

>> LG Magna e-Powertrain Expands Footprint with New Facility in Hungary <<

https://www.magna.com/stories/news-press-release/2023/lg-magna-e-powertrain-expands-footprint-with-new-facility-in-hungary

[ombowstring]

Magna

https://www.magna.com/stories/news-press-release/2023/magna-brings-next-generation-front-camera-module-to-market-with-european-oem

Magna Brings Next Generation Front Camera Module to Market with European OEM

[ombowstring]

wow, I don't know much about TA. Maybe gfp would like to comment.

[wow_happens28]

ARKK, like the chart. It just bounced up from a resistance line connecting the last 3 bottoms,

https://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=ARKK&p=D&yr=2&mn=0&dy=0&id=p46578025677

[ombowstring]

ARCHER AVIATION

https://j2t.com/solutions/newsview/592220/adviser/

"One disruptive business that Cathie Wood is charged up about is Archer Aviation, an electric air taxi company. In fact, Archer Aviation finds itself in several Ark Invest exchange-traded funds (ETFs): the ARK Innovation ETF, ARK Space Exploration & Innovation ETF, and ARK Autonomous Technology & Robotics ETF.

Forget about grabbing a land-based taxi to the airport, Archer Aviation plans to provide rides on its electric vertical take off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft to shuttle passengers to the airport. While this may seem like a convenience for those who are wealthy, Ark Invest research foresees the price tag for an eVTOL ride dropping significantly as the technology scales. Over the next decade, for example, Ark Invest imagines the cost of a ride from Manhattan to JFK Airport falling to about $70 per person when shared among three passengers.

Archer Aviation aspires to begin commercial operations in 2025, and it has made great progress on its way to meeting this target. Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration certified that Archer Aviation has met all safety requirements necessary to begin flight test operations. In addition, the company has gained notice from aviation leaders like the U.S. Air Force and United Airlines, which has signed an agreement with Archer Aviation for the purchase of aircraft totaling up to $1 billion, plus an option for an additional $500 million."

[ombowstring]

It's the coming thing -

https://www.archer.com/partnerships

https://www.archer.com/news

https://investors.archer.com/news/news-details/2023/United-States-Marine-Corps-Visits-Archer-Indicating-Growing-Interest-In-Midnight-eVTOL-Aircraft-Across-The-U.S.-Military/default.aspx

https://investors.archer.com/news/news-details/2023/U.S.-Air-Force-and-Archer-Enter-Into-Contracts-Worth-Up-to-142-Million-Representing-Landmark-Investment-In-eVTOL-Technology-by-U.S.-Military/default.aspx

https://investors.archer.com/news/news-details/2023/Archer-Aviation-Forms-Government-Services-Advisory-Board-to-Support-Planned-Expansion-of-its-Existing-Relationship-With-the-U.S.-Department-of-Defense/default.aspx

[ombowstring]

The stock is moving nicely. I wouldn't be surprised to see a pop because of the upcoming summit in D.C.

[gfp927z]

Ombow, Archer does seems to be well positioned. I'm curious whether some of these 'partially winged' VTOLs can remain aloft if their onboard 'fly by wire' computer system fails? My dad was an aeronautical engineer, and a key problem with traditional helicopters is that lacking wings, if the engine fails they immediately fall from the sky, instead of safely gliding back down to land. Some older pilots and engineers refused to even get in a helicopter for that reason. Traditional helicopters also have a ton of vibration, so structural failure is a major concern, especially rotor failure.

But these new electric VTOLs solve many of these problems. If a single electric engine fails, it's no big deal since the other 6, 8, 10 are still working. Also, the vibration problem is negligible, and the loss of a single rotor is also not a big deal. So not having a 'wing' is less of an issue since the odds of losing all power is much less.

However, there are rare scenarios where electric motors can all stop working together, and/or the flight control systems suddenly fail to function. I assume these new high tech aircraft are 'fly by wire', which means that they rely totally on their onboard computer systems. If the computer quits, down you come, and with no 'wings' for gliding, it's all over. Back in the 1980s, numerous F-16s (which were one of the first 'fly by wire' jet fighters) crashed in Europe due to their fly by wire systems being disabled after they flew near certain types of ground tower radiation. The F-16 was designed to be very unstable, which allows higher maneuverability, but they can't remain in flight without the fly by wire computer. I suspect most of these VTOLs will have similar vulnerabilities.

---

[ombowstring]

ACHR

https://investors.archer.com/news/news-details/2023/Archer-To-Take-Center-Stage-At-U.S.-Chamber-of-Commerces--Upcoming-Global-Aerospace-Summit-in-Washington-D.C.--Showcasing-eVTOL-Aircraft-Industrys-Progress-Towards-Commercialization-In-2025/default.aspx

[gfp927z]

>>> How to Invest in FAANG 2.0

Money

3-17-23

https://www.bottomlineinc.com/money/investing/how-to-invest-in-faang-2-0

Low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are the best way to gain broad exposure to the market niches poised to outperform in the coming years…

Fuel/Oil & Gas:

Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) holds stocks of about 110 companies involved in the exploration and production of energy products such as oil, natural gas and coal. The fund, which had a recent 3% yield, is dominated by giant global oil-and-gas companies such as Chevron and Exxon Mobil. Cost: 0.10%. Year-to-date performance: 3.15%.* Important: ETFs that track oil prices directly can be very volatile and are suitable only for traders.

Agriculture:

iShares MSCI Global Agriculture Producers ETF (VEGI). With about 155 stocks, this portfolio provides exposure to companies that produce fertilizers and agricultural chemicals, farm machinery, and packaged foods and meats. Top holdings: Deere & Co…fertilizer producer Nutrien. Cost: 0.39%. Performance: 1.63%.

Aerospace/Defense:

SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (XAR) spreads its assets across about 30 aerospace and defense manufacturers. While it includes giants Boeing and Lockheed Martin, 75% of the portfolio is in mid- and small-cap names such as National Presto Industries, which manufactures ammunition for the US government. Cost: 0.35%. Performance: 7.12%.

Nuclear/Renewables:

VanEck Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF (NLR) tracks foreign and domestic stocks and offers a 1.9% recent yield. The fund’s 25 companies include nuclear plants, engineering firms that build and maintain nuclear power facilities and uranium-­mining companies. Top holdings: Dominion Energy…CEZ, which operates nuclear power plants in the Czech Republic. Cost: 0.60%. Performance: 4.44%.

Gold/Metals:

SPDR Gold Mini-Shares Trust (GLDM) is best for investors who want direct exposure to the price of gold, which typically is used as a hedge against high inflation and geopolitical uncertainty. The actual gold backing the shares is kept in vaults in London and audited regularly. Cost: 0.10%. Performance: 2.6%.

SPDR S&P Metals & Mining ETF (XME) is best for aggressive investors who want broad exposure to companies that mine major minerals and ­metals. The equal-weighted portfolio holds about 35 US-based gold, steel, copper and aluminum producers including Royal Gold and Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. Cost: 0.35%. Performance: 10.88%.

<<<



---

[ombowstring]

Archer Aviation

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=172690139

[ombowstring]

Is that a short idea??

[ombowstring]

I coulda had AMZN at $7.00, but it was just a bookstore then and I didn't foresee the potential.

[gfp927z]

10 stock ideas, based on the upward trajectory and steadiness of their 10 and 15 year charts -


Consumer -
***************
Costco (COST) - Discount variety warehouse outlets (237 Bil) (Munger)
Pepsico (PEP) - Food and beverage (247 Bil)


Financial -
**************
Aon PLC (AON) - Fincl svcs, insurance (67 Bil) (Ireland) (Berkshire)
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co (AJG) Insurance services (49 Bil)
Cbiz Inc (CBZ) - Financial, insurance, advisory services (3 Bil)
Marsh & McLennan (MMC) - Insurance, services (96 Bil)


Services -
*************
Cintas (CTAS) - Uniforms, maintenance services (50 Bil)


Technology -
****************
CACI Intl (CACI) - Diverse IT services (7 Bil)
CDW Corp (CDW) - IT solutions (27 Bil)
Synopsys (SNPS) - Electronics design automation software (67 Bil)




---

[bar1080]

Oh, the bull crap penny players believe -- or say they believe. Slobbering gambling addicts still occasionally claim that Microsoft was once an OTC penny stock. Actually MSFT IPO'd in 1986 at $21 a share and immediately listed on the Nasdaq.

[bar1080]

I'm getting shares in Veralto Corp next month, a spinoff with sales of $5 bill, from Danaher corp. "As a standalone entity, Veralto is expected to have an investment-grade credit rating. "Danaher also announced that it expects "when-issued" trading of Veralto common stock to begin on September 27, 2023, on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE"), under the symbol "VLTO WI."

Does VLTO sound anything like pissant BABYF? Many huge firms were never microcap "startups in the iHUB sense.

[gfp927z]

Ombow, Here's a small cap that has been doing extremely well for many years -- Winmark (WINA). Check out it's phenomenal 5, 10, 15 year chart. The market cap is only 1.2 bil, and it's business also thrives during recessions -

>>> Winmark Corporation (WINA), a resale company operates as a franchisor for small business in the United States and Canada. The company's Franchising segment franchises retail stores concepts that buy, sell and trade merchandise. Its Leasing segment operates middle-market equipment leasing business. The company buys and sells used clothing and accessories geared toward the teenage and young adult market under Plato's Closet brand; and operates stores which buys and sells used and new children's clothing, toys, furniture, equipment, and accessories primarily to parents of children ages infant to 12 years under the Once Upon A Child brand. In addition, it buys, sells, trades in, and used and new sporting goods, equipment, and accessories for various athletic activities including team sports, such as baseball/softball, hockey, football, lacrosse, and soccer, as well as fitness, ski/snowboard, golf, and others under the Play It Again Sports brand; and buys and sells used women's apparel, shoes, and accessories under the Style Encore brand. Further, the company buys, sells, trades in, and used and new musical instruments, speakers, amplifiers, music-related electronics, and related accessories under the Music Go Round brand. Winmark Corporation was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. <<<


More on Winmark -

https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=168421919


https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=170473449


Microcap Ideas -

https://investorshub.advfn.com/Micro-Cap-Ideas-28748



---

[bar1080]

Not really. "start-up at some point." I own several immensely successful enterprises that were spun off or split off from my blue chips. For instance my Skyworks Solutions, a chip maker spunoff from Rockwell International decades ago.

[bar1080]

"What stocks do you like here?" Here, meaning what?

I have no idea where stocks are heading "near-term." Long term, dividend-paying blue chips should continue to do well.

It's fun watching nearly every IHUB stock fad crash and burn. Electric vehicles most recently. The faux food issues are deader than dead.