Articles written by Michael Greaney - Page 3

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About me - Michael Greaney

Mr. Greaney, a Certified Public Accountant, is CESJ's Secretary, volunteer Director of Research, and a member of the executive committee. He has audited profit and non-profit organizations throughout the world, with the American Red Cross, Georgetown University

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Personal Finance > Smart Spending Are savings from coupons worth the trouble of collecting them?: 2 of 19
Every so often a "woman's magazine" (that frequently have more interesting and better-written articles than "men's magazines") will run a story on "How I Feed My Family on Thirty Cents a Week" or some such thing, all through intensive "couponing." A recent "human interest" segment on a local news television program featured a... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Mythology & Folklore Is the Loch Ness Monster real?: 5 of 47
The only safe way to debate the existence of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Loch Ness Monster is to hedge your bets. Of these, there is actual evidence only for the last-named (and that is considered problematical by many authorities), but the intensity, seriousness, and fervor with which the beliefs are held rival th... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Food & Agriculture Should people eat only locally produced, organic food?: 2 of 18
Whenever I see a sign or advertisement about "organic food," my initial reaction is to ask (sometimes out loud), "What other kind is there?" I realize that there are certain inorganic elements essential to the human body and, ultimately, all organic matter is composed of inorganic elements, so the label "organic" turns out to... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Economic News Will the Federal Reserve be able to keep inflation down in a sluggish US economy?: 1 of 9
The Federal Reserve System is a tool - nothing more. As such, it has been misused almost from the moment of its inception in 1913.The original purpose of the Federal Reserve (an interconnected series of 12 regional central banks for the United States) was to provide an adequate supply of money for qualified industrial, commer... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Political & Economic Theory Is there a solution to the mortgage foreclosure crisis?: 4 of 33
There may actually be some people who regard the home mortgage crisis as solved, especially given the massive State intervention and amount of money poured in. The basic problem, however, remains, despite the periodic rosy predictions of economists and presidential advisers issued just before the next plunge in the stock mar... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Death Penalty Assessing the death penalty: 17 of 139
Very few people on either side of the debate over the death penalty consider the practical or realistic aspects of the problem. Generally, statements are made inserting emotionalism into the question to some degree, whether love of humanity or desire for revenge. While sentiment certainly has a place at the table - it is, aft... More..
Arts & Humanities > Marketing & Selling Writing Is it time for all websites to pay writers for their articles?: 2 of 16
Samuel Johnson of dictionary fame once remarked that "nobody but a blockhead ever wrote except for money." While generally good advice, there are exceptions to the rule - the exceptions being determined by the free market.In a very real sense, the world wide web is one of the freest of free markets. Entry to the marketplace i... More..
Business > International Business & Trade Explaining the Islamic Banking system: 1 of 8
"Islamic banking" often presents a puzzle to people unfamiliar with economic and philosophical history. It is distinguished principally by the general refusal to charge interest on loans, terming virtually all such loans "usury." While a slight oversimplification, the view that all interest represents an unjust profit is clos... More..
Arts & Humanities > Meaning of Life Life's domino effects: Each existence contributing: 1 of 8
"Man," as Aristotle declared in "The Politics," is by nature a political (i.e., "social") animal." The human person does not normally live his or her life in a vacuum, but in the normal course of events in community with others, interacting, building and destroying relationships, and participating in and being bound by custom... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Testimonials: Humorous stories from of job loss and unemployment: 9 of 71
My first job out of graduate school was as something called an "oil scout" in southern Indiana. No, I didn't get to wear a cool helmet or boots or anything, or even visit the seemingly numberless oil and gas wells that dot the Hoosier State. My job was to telephone well operators and get the latest weekly results of drilling,... More..