Bought 100 Kroger/Misinformation is the Coin of Our Realm in the U.S.

1. Bought 100 Kroger at $21 (see disclaimer): I recently traded Kroger, selling 100 shares at $22.25 in May. Sold Kroger/ Bought 100 PHO at $13.6/ FJA: Underlying Bond TRADES Kroger pays a small dividend, and my dividend yield at a $21 cost is around 1.7%. While that sum is higher than money market rates and treasury bills, that is the only positive comment that I can make about that yield. The main reason for gravitating back to a Kroger trade is the stability of its business so far during this recession and its reasonable valuation, less than 10 times the consensus forecast for Kroger's fiscal year ending in January 2011 and slightly more than 10 times the F/Y ending in January 2010 forecast: KR: Analyst Estimates

I also noted that Deutsche Securities started coverage with a buy today and a $28 price target. Morningstar has it rated 5 stars. During the last quarter, excluding fuel sales which are volatile just due to the price per gallon, store sales increased 3.9%, with the same store sales showing a 3.1% increase. I viewed that as a solid performance given the circumstances. Total sales for that quarter were 22.8 billion. http://www.sec.gov Net earnings totaled 435 million, an increase of 12.7% from net earnings in the year ago quarter (p. 20). Earnings per diluted share increased 13.8% to 66 cents per share. This would be for the first quarter in Kroger's fiscal year which ended in May 23, 2009.

The price of Kroger's stock took a small hit recently when Safeway significantly lowered its outlook for the year on 7/23/2009. Reuters Prior to that news, Kroger was selling mostly in the 21 to 22 range since June 10.

2. Unfortunately, A Very Large Number of People Are Easily Misled by Those Who Seek to Manipulate Them: The True Believers do not require accurate information when forming a passionately held opinion. Misinformation is quickly absorbed by them as true provided it conforms to what they already believe or are prone to believe. While I am opposed to the Democrats' health insurance plan, I can almost sympathize with the Beanpole in his effort to combat the well oiled misinformation machines in America .

There is one provision in the House bill that provides Medicare funding for individuals to prepare livings wills and healthcare power of attorneys. You would think that this would be a welcomed provision in the bill, providing a much needed service.

 A Living Will is what I would call a normal part of estate planning by the those who have had attorneys prepare wills for them, but has unfortunately been neglected by many. There are those who have transformed that beneficial part of the legislation into a Dr. Joseph Mengele inspired bureaucratic horror mechanism for the dispensation of evil. It basically shows how easily people are mislead, and how passionately they cling to an opinion which lacks a factual basis. Scare Tactics The researchers at the non-partisan FactCheck are working overtime correcting the vast amount of false information that is now being regularly spewed out about the plan: FactCheck.org That service also shows how Obama is mangling his facts: FactCheck.org Another fact check organization featuring a number of articles about the factual errors flying around on this issue is Politifact.PolitiFact | Sorting out the truth in politics This is an interesting column from that organization about Palin's claim about a "death panel". PolitiFact | Palin 'death panel' claim sets Truth-O-Meter ablaze

This is a link to a NYTimes article on who helped organize a boisterous and angry crowd to attend today's Town Hall meeting with Senator Specter. Many of the ones attending these forums to display their anger would actually be the major beneficiaries of this plan, though they are unlikely to figure that out anytime soon.