Articles written by Michael Greaney - Page 4

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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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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..
Arts & Humanities > Meaning of Life Big Bang or Big Man: How in the heck did we get here?: 12 of 92
Once upon a time (meaning that mythical period prior to last week) Galileo was taking a carriage ride with his good friend, Cardinal Baronius of the Roman Curia (the Papal Court). Galileo was expounding his ideas about the heliocentric theory as opposed to the prevailing Ptolemaic (geocentric) theory of how the solar system ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > US Economy How long should a person receive welfare?: 3 of 23
If welfare can be justified at all, the only answer to the question as to how long any person should receive welfare is as "long as he or she needs it." The problem then becomes defining "need," and what, if anything, is being done to correct the problem that led to that individual (or anyone else) receiving welfare. These a... More..
Entertainment > Movie Genres Ten things that science fiction got wrong: 2 of 15
At one time, all a book needed to entice me to buy it was the label "science fiction." As I grew in wisdom (or at least became more budget conscious) I was forced to become more discriminating; rocket ships and zap guns were no longer sufficient to feed my addiction. I required more substantial fodder. Unfortunately, as I gr... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Pulitzer Center Can the US military be effective in nonmilitary efforts to revive a war-battered community?: 7 of 52
The armed forces of the United States military are among the finest and most effective military organizations in the world. When freed of political considerations and allowed to do their job unhampered, the U.S. military accomplishes its objectives with skill and efficiency, to say nothing of with honor, gallantry, and valor... More..
Arts & Humanities > Colonial & Early American Was America founded as a Christian nation?: 6 of 44
Whether or not the United States was founded as a Christian nation is a question that concerns people probably more than it should. It's not that the question is unimportant, but the asking of it demonstrates a lack of understanding of the basis of western civilization: the Aristotelian understanding of the natural law. In t... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Politics in the Middle & Near East Will the current peace process in the Middle East yield lasting results?: 7 of 50
While laudable, current efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East are ultimately doomed to failure. There is a seemingly inherent avoidance of the single most important factor in the peace equation: the dignity of the ordinary human person. All current and past solutions are based on the assumption that one side can only w... More..
Religion & Spirituality > Religion & Spirituality (Other) Should the Bible continue to be used for swearing-in ceremonies and in courtrooms?: 21 of 149
The last time I testified in court, I was asked to swear an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. The final part of the oath, "so help me God" was omitted. Not being a bigger fool than my mother gave birth to, I did not make an issue of what struck me as a rather serious lacuna at the time. The ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms Problems with the world today: 11 of 77
In the early twentieth century Gilbert Keith Chesterton, the genial social commentator and novelist, published a collection of essays he titled, "What's Wrong With the World." He might have summarized his opinion with a pithy "just about everything," but that would have left the public (in the words of Anna Russell), "as bef... More..
Arts & Humanities > Arts & Humanities (Other) Is artistic skill natural or learned?: 17 of 108
Usually in biology class the questions will arise over whether what an individual becomes is determined by heredity or environment. The issue whether artistic skill is natural or whether it can be learned falls into the same category - and is, like the one concerning whether heredity or environment determines our character a... More..