Articles written by John F Mann - Page 2

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About me - John F Mann

Resisting unfairly strong urge to oH~pen with sarcastic (ironic?) "obit"......*sigh*.......say La Vee.

Though I write.....rather quixotically at times......I have not (yet) announced myself as a fuLL bLown writer.

Starting at what was very nearly "The End",

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Personal Finance > Investing (Other) Investing in electric utilities: 1 of 4
The long-awaited arrival of practical electric cars may finally be on the horizon. Technological improvements, especially in batteries, have allowed for the development of electric cars that are currently on US roads. Although cost remains high, we appear to have reached a point where costs will be reduced to allow for mass ... More..
Business > Finance & Insurance Inflation in the US: 3 of 10
When reading articles that discuss "inflation", it is worthwhile to consider what definition the author is using. However, in many cases, the author simply assumes a definition without any specific description. A large majority of economists and business writers use an effective definition of "inflation" that simply means an... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory Should lawmakers free us from market forces by controlling gas prices?: 8 of 25
All cries for our government to halt the rise in gasoline prices are a demonstration of illogical "thinking" bordering on sheer lunacy. An increasing majority of Americans are starting to understand that unless we decrease purchase of foreign oil, we will have to sell more and more of our bedrock assets to foreign-controlled... More..
Home & Garden > Home Repair (Other) Evaluation and repair of cracked foundation walls: 1 of 3
Cracks in foundation walls can be of no significance or a major structural defect, which can be expensive to correct. Proper evaluation is therefore very important to determine; (1) If repair work is warranted and, (2) Details for effective repairs. As a licensed professional engineer, I am called in to evaluate cracked foun... More..
Home & Garden > Home Repair (Other) Everything you wanted to know about bearing walls: 1 of 3
Many homeowners, would like to open up floor space, especially within older homes which often have relatively small rooms divided by walls. Removing walls however must be done carefully, since some interior walls generally support upper floors and attic floor. Roof framing might also be supported. Walls that support other pa... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Elections (Other) Should the Electoral College be abolished?: 9 of 23
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... More..
Personal Finance > Stock Market The top 5 stock investments of the past decade: 5 of 11
The ten US stocks with the best price performance for the last 10 years (end of 1997 to the end of 2007) are listed below. Studying the story and stock performance of each company can provide useful information for option strategies. Stocks in the list are from the year-end report on best performing stocks for the prior ten ... More..
Sciences > Sciences (Other) UFOs (unidentified flying objects): Fact or fiction?: 5 of 10
Widespread belief in UFOs from other planets is one example of how the human mind uses mystery and faith to maintain a sense of power in the face of the otherwise overwhelming forces unleashed by the use of science to change human existence. Although belief in UFOs is relatively benign by itself, it is symptomatic of a much ... More..
Personal Finance > Retirement The best home financing solutions for retirees: 1 of 2
As a "boomer" fast-approaching 55, I have been looking ahead to buying a new house that will fit better with our "retiring" lifestyle even further down the road. Of course, as with any major financial change, planning is not only useful but essential. CASH OR MORTGAGE Paying for a new house with cash should only be considere... More..
Business > Business Strategy The weak economy and government investing: 1 of 2
Consumer spending for items other than food and energy has been trending down in recent months due to continuing severe credit problems and the generally slow economic conditions that may turn into a full blown recession. According to recent reports, many economic experts are predicting a further decline in consumer spending... More..