Mann to Man

WARREN BUFFETT AGAIN --and Harry Reid's profound lack of integrity..again I have written about Warren Buffett several times. His avoidance of taxes with his myriad foundations and contributions to others (Gates e.g.) while pushing for others to pay more is well-known, but few will acknowledge it. Even less care. His reputation as the premier investor protects him. So does his affiliation with politicians -- Democrats, especially President Obama. I wonder how many are aware of his purchase of a huge bloc of Bank of America stock using pressure from the Obama administration to "convince" BofA's chairman to sell the bloc. There's more, but does anyone care? Crony capitalism! There is more but it would seem that not many care. On a day when Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid is publicly calling conservatives "liars," disgust causes me to write. Reid is also characterizing the conservative Koch brothers as the leading financial contributors in politic...

Whilst I don't agree with every point in this piece below, it is true that America's econ omy is energy based . However, the financial industry does control our economy. They can drive price of energy up and down almost at will. For example, part of the economic collapse of 2007-8 was "manipulation' of oil prices - by Goldman Sachs especially. On one side of the trading house they were promoting that oil would hit as high as $200/b. On the short side of the house they were predicting a drop to $75/b. We would have had a "normal recession" from oil pricing without the collapse of the mortgage industry, which can be said to have "covered up" the oil price recession. Some will disagree with this, but it is real.  This article is from Eric Horne, a respected friend and trader. I consider Eric most learned in energy and the economy. Our Economy Is An Energy System, Not A Monetary System    Investors should understand that debt is actua...

  Who could have been surprised that the UAW would seek a new vote at V W-Chattanooga? And, they have a good chance to reverse the recent vote to reject unionizing. Expect to see Obama weigh in and you can expect union malpractice. But it is not likely to be reported accurately. Those in denial of what unions are today won't understand, and won't want to, what many of us have learned the hard way -- that unions have become big business themselves working not for the benefit of their members but fund raisers (employee dues)  for political purpose.     UAW Asks Labor Board to Weigh New Vote at Tennessee VW Plant The United Auto Workers asked the National Labor Relations Board to consider holding a new union election at a Tennessee Volkswagen plant where workers last week rejected the union’s representation. The union is contending Republican lawmakers and others interfered with the vote. The NLRB will review the UAW’s objections, a board spokesman said...

UNIONS USE MEMBERS TO FUND DEMOCRATS For a long time many people have known that no longer is the principal purpose of unions to work for their members. Rather, they've morphed from protectors of the rights of employees to using their member's dues to fund political candidates. Virtually all funding goes to Democrats. Such funding is now their purpose, their mission. Democrats depend heavily on them, hence they are heavily favored by, and get protection from, Democrats. They are a major part of the Democrat machine – very important. I believe most people know this now but few openly recognize the fact and fewer will discuss it. I've never found one Democrat who would admit their dependence on unions. When they advocate for unions, they always do so under the guise of employee's rights. Disingenuous and delusional! The recent UAW attempt to unionize Volkswagen in Chattanooga clearly demonstrated the fact that unionizing the plant was more important to the un...

FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL 02/20/2014   Editors note: Government of the people, by the people and for the people is no longer for ALL the people. It's now for the 50% of people, who elect and support Democrats, who aren't traditional Democrats by any means. They are Wilsonian Progressives, many even more radical than Wilson intended. But, who's responsible? The people. Voters who vote reflexively for the "D" and those who don't take the time or use the energy necessary to counter them. A sad sign of our times that, by all indicators, will continue unchanged.      U.S. Budget Expected to Offer Democrat-Supported Proposals President Barack Obama's 2015 budget will not include policies in his previous budgets that have been favored by Republicans, a White House official said, including a change in the Consumer Price Index that would affect Social Security. Instead, Mr. Obama's budget will present proposals supported by his ow...

  From The Wall Street Journal today   Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin Convicted on Bribery Charges Former Mayor Ray Nagin was convicted of bribery and related charges, capping a widespread federal investigation into public corruption in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A jury found Mr. Nagin guilty on 20 of 21 counts, making him the city’s first mayor to be convicted of corruption charges. Seven city contractors and officials have been convicted or pleaded guilty to related crimes. The case grew out of a probe of city contractors and Mr. Nagin’s administration that began shortly after the 2005 hurricane caused billions of dollars in damage and left 80% of the city under water. Mr. Nagin’s case wasn’t directly tied to Katrina funding, but the massive rebuilding effort served as a backdrop as prosecutors detailed alleged kickbacks to Mr. Nagin from vendors and other associates.  I find this interesting, strange and unsurprising, all wrap...

                                               More On Ignoring The "Scientific Method"                                             By Michael J. Brown Michael Brown is a retired Army Officr who holds an MBA from The College of William and Mary. He published the piece below in The Virginia Gazette as a follow-up to Steve Kauffman's op-ed published in the same paper and posted on this blog on February 7. As with Mr. Kauffman's published piece, I had nothing to do with their decision to write and publish, but found both to b e so objective and accurate as to be compelling to post on this blo...

More on Climate Change By Steve Kauffman OK. Let's think about Climate Change.  The Weather Channel website had an article that started off with the following: "The scientific agreement that climate change is happening, and that it's caused by human activity, is significant and growing, according to a new study published Thursday.  "The research, the most comprehensive analysis of climate research to date, finds that 97.1% of the studies published between 1991 to 2011 [presumably by scientists] that expressed a position on man-made climate change agreed that it was happening, and that it was due to human activity."  Another place says that an overwhelming number of scientists form a consensus that Climate Change is caused by human activity. Remember that. "Scientists form a consensus."  What is a scientist and what is a consensus? A scientist is one who is "a person learned in science and especially natural science: a scient...

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER ON HUCKABEE AND ABORTION As I read The Daily Press, A Tribune Newspaper, this morning, I thought I was reading my own op-ed on Huckabee and abortion, both of which I've railed about. Often! Then I looked at the byline and had to face reality.....Krauthammer. Charles has the exact same take, as I've railed about, on Huckabee's misguided statements at CPAC on contraceptives and the Democrats' belief that government needs to protect women against their own libido. As I ask often, how many ways can Republicans present themselves poorly and use the wrong language. Words and how they are used are utterly important....critical. Huckabee is a good man, might even be a good candidate for president. However, if he is going to present himself as he did in this instant, don't even try. Charles also spoke to the insane way that Republicans have fought the abortion issue for 40 years -- ignoring the public consensus on early term ...