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This article presents information on how organized crime launders dirty money and steals millions from investors through sales operations that market and manipulate the stock of worthless public companies in the U.S. Mob activities even spill over into more conventional stocks. This journal has learned of a major investigation by the Manhattan district attorney's office. Reportedly it is not only investigating penny stocks but also allegations that mob members and their friends made millions with insider information before investor Merv Griffin announced his bid for Resorts International.

Profiles Texas businessman James Ling. Career background; Family background; Business philosophy.

Presents the advice of billionaires in Texas on how someone could get rich. Tips from Billie Joe McCombs, owner of the Minnesota Vikings football team and several automobile dealerships; Role of optimism in business according to Charles Butt, chairman and chief executive officer of H-E-B; Advice of Robert H. Dedman Sr., founder and chairman of ClubCorp International; Views of Joseph D. Jamail, a trial lawyer.

Outlines the events which led up to the failure of the Texas-based restaurant chain, Ninfa's. Background on Ninfa Laurenzo, who founded the restaurant in 1973; History of the chain's founding and growth; The business decisions which eventually caused the restaurant to file for involuntary bankruptcy in October 1996; The involvement of Sysco Food Services and Southern Produce in causing the bankruptcy proceedings.

This article recounts the steps entrepreneur George Zimmer took on the way to establishing a successful retail chain. Zimmer's success is all the more impressive when one considers that the $3.8 billion market for men's tailored clothing has been shrinking 5% a year since 1989, forcing specialty menswear chains like C&R Clothiers and Woolworth's Richman Brothers to shutter stores. Zimmer promotes the business aggressively, too. He learned the value of television advertising the hard way. In his first year in business, Zimmer opened three strip mall stores and promoted them with small ads in the Saturday sports section of the local newspapers.

Discusses the success of cofounders James McCurry and Gary Kusin, and their company Babbage's, one of the biggest consumer software retailers in the United States. Ross Perot's advice and influence in their success; Concentrates on software for the home rather than for the office.

The article focuses on penny stock firms. The number of penny stock firms has decreased from 350 in 1988 to 290 in 1990. New Jersey regulators have identified at least five penny stock peddlers that have signed franchise or branch-office agreements with suspended, or barred, brokerdealers. Florida regulators have spotted at least five more such firms, and the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) and the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) are investigating.

The article reports on developments relevant to the business sector of the U.S. in April 1990. It includes information on the on again, off again indictment against Michael Milken, as well as the emergence of the University of Pennsylvania as first in ten-year performance among college and university endowments in the U.S.

This article reports on the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission investigation into possible insider trading by Zurich-based brokerage Ellis AG. Illegal profits of $50 million to $100 million are allegedly involved--maybe twice the amount that put Dennis Levine and Ivan Boesky behind bars when they were caught in 1986. Congressional investigators put together a random list of 54 takeover situations for the first half of the decade. They found that the Swiss brokerage firm's accounts traded in 53 of them.

The article reports that Heineken's sales declined by 15 percent in 1987 and its market share of imported beers went from 38 percent to 23 percent. Cerveceria Modelo's Corona Extra beer is within five percentage points of Heinekin in the United States. The sales decline is attributed to marketing company, Van Munching and Co. Inc.'s decision to reduce the advertising budget of Heineken.

The article presents several tips related to taxation in the U.S. Tax year 1987 phases in rate cuts. The top individual income tax rate this year is 38.5%, down from last year's 50% level but above next year's 33% top rate. This means that most deductions are worth more this year than next year, and most income worth less. Some deductions, meanwhile, are being phased out, such as those for consumer interest and tax shelters. Another, for state sales taxes, is already gone. Investors should know that the "installment sale" option on securities trades is no longer available. This allowed someone selling securities at a profit in the last week of the year to count the transaction as occurring either on the sale date or on settlement day five days later--and thus count the gain this year or next.

Deals with the motion picture industry of Texas. Details on the plans of Rebecca Campbell, executive director of the Austin Film Society, to turn the Robert Mueller Municipal Airport in Austin, Texas into a movie studio; Number of film projects in Texas in 1999; Role of higher costs in the dwindling status of the Texas movie industry; Impact of the presence of unions on the industry.

Focuses on SuperStand, a chain of newsstands based in Houston, Texas. Number of SuperStand stores in the Houston area; Role of SuperStand in the closure of Guy's News newsstands; Comments by Chris Peluso, acting chief executive of SuperStand; Details on the business successes of Alfredo Brener, an investor in SuperStand.

Focuses on the problems of the Emma L. Harrison Charter School in Waco, Texas. Evidence of poor management by the staff; Financial delinquencies of chief executive officer Ida Pinkard; Status of the charter school movement in Texas.

Discusses how the posh Petroleum Club of Houston, Texas, atop the downtown Exxon Building, used to be exclusively for oilmen, but since oil prices collapsed, the club has fallen on hard times. Now the Petroleum Club is going after lawyers. Memberships offered.

Reports that the housing market was terrible last year, but Lennar Corp. had a great year. Leonard Miller, founder and chairman of the Miami, Florida-based company; Specialized in moderately priced homes; Making money when the market is down; Creation of an asset management division.

The article reports on the criminal convictions of Mafia-connected penny stocks hustlers including Dominick Fiorese to a criminal count of conspiracy to commit fraud, Barry Davis to five criminal counts of conspiracy to commit mail, wire and securities fraud, and Eric Wynn to stock manipulation in the U.S. Fiorese faces 5 years in jail and $250,000 in fines while Davis faces 25 years in prison and around $1 million in fines. To boot, Wynn is serving a 3 and half-year sentence.

The article reports on the move of Houston oilman Roy Huffington to sell his energy company and real estate company in the U.S. According to the author, Huffington has sold his company to Opicoil, an affiliate of Taiwan's Chinese Petroleum Corp. She further points out that Huffington and his family have sued in Texas state court for charging that they have shortchanged the Taiwanese.

The article reports on a law suit filed against Dallas, Texas-based company TV Millions by a couple from California, on charges of forgery. It is stated that TV Millions advertised in journals stating that one can gain the distributorship of singer Elvis Presley's unreleased videotapes and exclusive items for a deposit of $10,000, and later fled away with the money. The case is handled jointly by the U.S. agencies, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, and Postal Service.

The article reports business developments in the U.S. California's Mission Insurance Group, a $1 billion company half-owned by Forbes Four Hundred financier, Carl Linder went into bankruptcy. Eli Lilly's acquisition of Advanced Cardiovascular System,a medical instruments company using a contingent payment agreement or earnout becomes a trend. Heineken, an importer of beer was able to regain its share in the beer market.

The article focuses on the success of Robert O. Anderson in the oil industry in the U.S. During the time while he was a wildcatter, Anderson ventured on 50-50 partnership deal with Tiny Rowland's Lonrho Inc. and purchased market interest in Arco's. He headed an exploration program of Arco which gave the company a share in North Slope of Alaska. Anderson was the main factor which pushed the merger with Ricfield that gave it its major position in the oil industry in the West Coast.

The article reports on the program of the U.S. Social Security Administration that improves the delivery of benefits to its beneficiaries abroad. The administration has increased the benefits mailed each month to its recipients living overseas, sending out $1.3 billion checks in 1986. The U.S. sends checks mostly to retired workers or widows and to any qualified non-U.S. citizens living in foreign countries such as Mexico, Canada, and Italy.

The article reports on the trend of increasing the portfolio values of individuals from a minimum amount of $4 to $5 million by investment companies in the U.S. It is accounted that as Bessemer Trust and Morgan Guaranty increased its minimum investments, small managers of investment companies such as Randall Rose & Co. followed suit by raising its minimum from $250,000 to $500,000. It is covered that increased of minimums reduces paperwork's for managers without cutting into profits.

Profiles Walter Mischer, a real estate developer and banker from Houston, Texas. Status of his business ventures; Overview of his biography; How he started in real estate development.

Provides information on charter school craze in Texas. How charter schools are run and manage in Texas; Number of charter schools in Texas; Charter school for juvenile offenders in Harris County.