There was a thread from Dr. Paul that listed other things related to how ZenPool works on HT. However renting out a large chuck of hash power clearly could make up the difference seen in payouts. Even when the ZenPool was up over .0006 BTC/MHS there was a lot of variation. Your concern seems to be you can't track it. The problem is that is something you'll never be able to track.
If your hold up is you don't know GAW's business strategy, that is something you can't hope to get resolved.
At this point it is pretty clear that ZenPool is real, albeit complex. The relationship between how much hashing has been sold vs how much actually exists isn't clear, but logically they can't have less hashing power than sold for very long periods of time if the business is valid. No way to easily address that issue. However it appears that GAW is really in this for the long run so that is a big plus. A lot of cloud hashing sites are very fuzzy compared to the GAW stuff.
Sorry, but I call BS on this. Zenpool (and prime hashlets too) is at BEST an investment scheme where you give GAW your BTC and you TRUST GAW to give you back profits. If they are 100% ethical and honest, they will treat invested capital with the same care and fiduciary duty that an investment manger in a hedge fund would. It is illegal as hell and for good reason.
Well I call BS on your comments too. At first ZenPool was hard to believe, but just too much has happened and too many people and companies are involved now. If it was a scam, it would have already fell apart.
Re-read my comments. I did not say GAW was a scam. I said it was an illegal investment scheme. There is a difference.
My point is that all you are doing is handing GAW BTC in the hope that GAW will invest it wisely and give you honest and fair returns. There is no other way to understand Primes or Zenpool based on what Josh has said.
-> What are the limits of Josh's investment discretion on Zenpool? Can he lend out hardware (yes, he said as much). Can he lend out BTC (say on BTCJam)? Can he use Zenpool to play Satoshi Dice? Can he invest in the stock market with Zenpool? Can he accumulate funds in zenpool to be used to place pre-orders with ASIC companies? Can he use Zenpool to buy a jet to fly to vegas in the hope of getting more investors to put more money into zenpool to boost its purchasing power? The truth is, GAW can do ANYTHING with that money.
-> It is not even clear what funds and/or miners consitute the Zenpool pool (how much of each $ purchased goes into the "zenpool"? Is Zenpool kept separate from Prime pool? LTCpool? ) Does each zenpool miner purchased mean that another physical miner is added to zenpool with hash power at least equal to the hash power purchased? If not, where does the rest of money go? etc. etc.
What I actually said was that Zenpool at least (and possibly the other hashlets) is "illegal as hell". I stand by that assertion as Zenpool is nothing other than an investment pool but without the disclosures and duties that come along with a legal investment pool. Take a look at any mutual fund, hedge fund, or other investment pool. You will find a detailed prospectus along with detailed risk disclosures. Where is that here? it isn't because its illegally run.
That may mean its a scam (as I have said before, it lights up ALL of the red flags for a ponzi). BUT it may also be the case that Josh is a good guy with the best intentions. I speculated elsewhere just now that maybe Josh is using the money from hashlet sales to buy up the Bitmaintech L1's that were suddenly sold out. If he bought enough of those to equal or exceed the hash power of the hashlets sold, then its NOT a ponzi and NOT a scam. It IS, in any case, illegal without the disclosure required of an investment pool.