Articles written by John F Mann

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About me - John F Mann

Starting at what was very nearly "The End", I currently deal daily with aftershocks of a profound cardiac "event"; aka severe heart attack. Not extraordinary these days of course, thank goodness! Just provides a benchmark.

Professionally speaking, I actively

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Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory Inflation in the US: 1 of 10

During 2010 the terms "inflation" and "deflation", have been tossed like a coin in discussions of economic performance and policy. That both potential problems are, at the same time, considered plausible in the near future by opposing "schools" of thought, indicates significant uncertainty, and perhaps deficiency, with basic...
Home & Garden > Architecture A look at famous bridges in the US: 1 of 10

Throughout time, bridge-building has been an essential activity for any civilization that had to connect lands previously divided by rivers and canyons. Bridges greatly increase potential for economic progress that improves general living conditions. Great bridges appeal to our longing for peaceful coexistence, with nature a...
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections Should the Electoral College be abolished?: 2 of 17

Even with electronic voting, counting a hundred million votes across four-plus time zones remains a challenging task. Breaking up a complex problem into smaller, manageable parts is very often the most effective way to reach a solution. The Electoral College is one practical method that allows for a manageable counting proce...
Home & Garden > Home & Garden (Other) How to measure the pitch of your roof: 1 of 7

There are several ways to determine the pitch or slope of a roof surface, including the use of satellite imaging technology. Most important however, is that you do not have to climb on the roof or even on a ladder to easily measure a roof slope. For those who understand basic terminology, you can skip the first section. Howe...
Personal Finance > Mortgages & Home Loans Compare today's mortgage rates to those of 15 or 20 years ago: 1 of 5

Current (July 2010) US mortgage rates are far lower than at any time during the past 40 years. Anyone with ideas of buying a house in the near future should spend time to consider the benefits. This article discusses how current rates compare with past rates, as well as how mortgage rates affect housing affordability. For th...
Home & Garden > Home Repair (Other) Questions to ask a contractor before starting home repairs: 2 of 9

Home owners who have never hired a building contractor for home repairs often approach the task anxiously, especially if they have heard or read about the all-too-frequent horror stories. Any home owner who has seen the 1986 movie "The Money Pit" (Tom Hanks, Shelley Long) should of course repeat "it's only a movie". This dis...
Politics, News & Issues > Economic News Is the US economy in a recession?: 3 of 12

As of July 2008, we continue to hear tortured pronouncements, typically without much factual information, about how the US is in "recession", and has been for several months. The vast majority of such recession mongers conveniently neglect to tell us that they are more interested in their own political agenda than fair evalu...
Home & Garden > Home & Garden (Other) Replacing your roof: 2 of 8

Roofing is typically evaluated during a general home inspection performed for the buyer. Between sales however, homeowners typically do not consider the condition of their roofing until raindrops are falling indoors. Considering extensive damage that a roof leak can cause, a visual inspection should be performed at least onc...
Home & Garden > Architecture The difference between an architect and a structural engineer: 1 of 4

By the time of senior year in high school, most of us have heard the terms "architect" and "engineer". If you work in the construction industry, had college friends who studied architecture or engineering, or paid for the construction of a building, you may have also learned that design (planning) is an essential part of the...
Politics, News & Issues > Climate Change Would higher gas taxes help fight global warming?: 1 of 4

Policies that result in the use of less gasoline will reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. With the key assumption that the theory of man-made global warming is correct, the logical conclusion must be that a reduction in gasoline useage must result in less global warming, compared to the previous outlook. Of course, if the...