Manns Medium

When it comes to being rich, many of us pray for that more than anything else because we have been made to believe that being rich is truly where it’s at.  We think that if we are rich, we can buy anything and everything our little hearts desires and that will erase all of our pain, suffering and bad memories from existence forever.  We believe that being rich will make others like us more and accept us better.  We believe that everyone would be our friend and no one would want to be our enemy because with money, you are elevated high above all others and the sun shine upon you brightly each and every day.  No clouds will ever appear in your world if you are rich and no more rainy days for you and those who now are willing to subject themselves to your every whim.  This may sound good on paper and even look good in a movie but be aware people, this is nowhere near the truth and if you really did wish to educate yourself, you would find that being rich is like a...

Before we really get started here, first please allow me to offer my thoughts and prayers to those most affected by Hurricane Sandy whether directly or indirectly.   We all stand together as brothers and sisters to offer any support that we can from physical labor, to donations and yes even in spirit.   Having said that let me now complete my obligation to the purpose of writing this.   Hurricane Sandy, like many other natural disasters are sometimes called “an act of God” for insurance purpose as well as to help many explain why it took place.   I find myself questioning that logic now more than ever because I have been exposed to a different point of view.   I awoke this morning with a burning desire to pen this article and I cannot honestly tell you why.   All I know is that when I get a calling such as this one, I am compelled to follow it. And so here we go.   When God first turned this world over to Adam and Eve, it was perfect. ...

I’ve read a little about the pipeline dispute but still can never really paid that much attention to it until now.   The earth-shattering issue seems to be more manufactured than magnificent.   It could be quite easily solved if all parties would truly be willing to fix the problem instead of playing political games. Matthew Daly of the Associated Press reports in his article titled “ Obama, Congress begin 2012 in oil pipeline dispute “that “ President Barack Obama and Congress are starting the election year locked in a tussle over a proposed 1,700-mile (2,735-kilometer) oil pipeline from Canada to Texas that will force the White House to make a politically risky choice between two key Democratic constituencies.”   His article covers the enormous fight that would occur and how greatly President Obama would suffer with this choice.   While I can agree that some who supported this president in the past may be extremely pissed and pledge their loyalty to others but if...

We ask our military to make the ultimate sacrifice for this nation and its people and we assume that sending politicians to state and federal institutions would do the same.   This apparently not the case involving Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and a bill to strengthen safety rules for oil and gas pipelines. According to an article written by Joan Lowy for the Associated Press titled Senator blocks pipeline safety bill on principle, “a senator who opposes federal regulation on philosophical grounds is single-handedly blocking legislation that would strengthen safety rules for oil and gas pipelines, a bill that even the pipeline industry and companies in his own state support.   Republican Sen. Rand Paul's opposition to the bill hasn't wavered even after a gas pipeline rupture last week shook people awake in three counties in his home state of Kentucky.   A deadly gas pipeline explosion near San Francisco last year — along with other recent gas explosions and oil pipelin...

According to an article written by Laura Conaway for the Maddowblog titled 'Not fabulous' still good enough for drilling permits “l ast night, after weeks of unflattering coverage from us of his department, the head of the government agency that gives out deepwater drilling permits in the Gulf of Mexico appeared on our show. Michael Bromwich answered questions about why the   Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement   have continued to issue permits even after the agency posted a report showing that   blowout preventers   may need to be redesigned.”   She included a few key points to the conversation that you will find below but I saw things much differently. On the new caps for undersea spills, which for BP's disaster were 87 days in coming ? MADDOW: This week, Helix revealed themselves that by their own assessment, it could take them 17 days to contain a spill. Seventeen days is the new fast response that we're supposed to feel bet...

The Tsunami and the explosions of the Japanese nuclear power plant have made many in the United States nervous about building more nuclear power plants here. The lesson we should learn from this disaster is clear. The first lesson we should learn is that nothing will ever be completely safe and the best that anyone can ask for is that while we are working toward anything, we take the lessons that we have learned to help create a blueprint for the future.   We have already addressed locating nuclear power plants anywhere near earthquake fault lines.   This needs to be one of the primary concerns of building more.   Another should be much more concentration of insuring capture and storing the uranium that could be the result of complete meltdowns.   We should begin to find better ways to treat those whose health may be affected by radiation sickness but most importantly the construction of these newer nuclear power plants that may be built. We should not be so afraid...

I am sure that I join many Americans who see the turmoil in Egypt as an unspeakable act by those who wish not to honor the will of their people and harm, injury and kill their fellow Egyptians in order to stay in power.   I guess Egypt is not as far from America as we think because the same thing is happening here except not to such a degree. America has all of the evidence that we need to once again begin to discuss the need for energy independence.   To step down from our dependency on foreign oil and become more conservative on the fuels that we use now.   This also goes along with Associated Press White House Correspondent Ben Feller’s article Obama sharpens jobs element of energy pitch.   The president was quoted as saying "Making our buildings more energy efficient is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest ways to save money, combat pollution and create jobs."   We are presented with an opportunity to revisit this worthwhile topic and actually do someth...