Articles written by GCM

What is Helium

About me - GCM

I am a lawyer, a student of life, a student of politics, and a student of history. I am also a father, and an avid chess player. I enjoy reading and writing on legal, political, and financial topics.

I am a firm believer that we can learn from the past and

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Politics, News & Issues > Government & Policies Do the NSA and CIA threaten civil liberties in the US?: 1 of 21
NSA's Data Gathering A Violation of the Fourth Amendment or Just Bad Policy?The NSA is widely known to be gathering the following information on average American citizens in the area of email, internet, phones, financial, and airline information. Endnote 1. The information includes the following:a) email- sender, recipient, s... More..
Business > Finance & Insurance Shifting the green: JPMorgan Chase buys Bear Stearns: 1 of 8
The Economic Crisis and Government Bailouts Did it Really Need to HappenThe economic crisis in the United States reached new heights his week with the forced fire sale of Bear Stearns for a mere two dollars a share. The crisis began last summer when sub-prime mortgage defaults began to rise causing a deterioration of the cred... More..
Home & Garden > Real Estate (Other) Do "sell and rent back" deals help or hurt homeowners facing foreclosure?: 1 of 8
Sale and lease back deals typically hurt homeowners facing foreclosure. They also are not an effective means to accomplish the goal of the sale and lease back, which is to remain in the home. Homeowners facing foreclosure should consider other better options to sale and lease backs.1)Homeowners Can Lose Equity in Sale and Lea... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Family Law Should US citizens accused of domestic abuse lose the right to bear arms?: 4 of 28
No, a person should not lose rights, even the right to bear arms, based on an unproven accusation alone. Such a law would violate basic principles set forth in the fifth and sixth amendments to the Constitution. The fifth amendment provides for the right to due process before the government can deprive life, liberty, and prop... More..
Business > Small & Home Business Succession planning and the family farm: 1 of 7
Training the next generation to run the farm can be a difficult process, but absolutely essential to the continuation of the family farm. A farm family can use a number of different techniques to assist its younger generation to acquire the skills necessary to take over the farm.Successful farming requires a number of skills ... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Party Politics & Ideology Commentary: Presidential primaries and caucuses: 3 of 20
The Race for President: Lets Move Away from Supporters Statements And Get Back to the Issues Despite the existence of real pressing issues in this country and a disagreement between the parties as to how to address those issues, the nation's media seems fixated by inappropriate comments made by people other than the candidate... More..
Politics, News & Issues > Economic News Bank bust: Implications of the Bear Stearns collapse: 1 of 5
Bear Stearns Cos.'s decision to sell the company for a bargain price will likely be challenged by Bear Stearns' shareholders on the grounds that the decision does not meet the standard set forth in the law. In determining who wins that lawsuit, it will be critical for Bear Stearns' Board to show that they made an informed dec... More..
Business > General Management 10 Questions to ask your accountant (before you hire him): 2 of 5
Hiring the right accountant can make a huge difference in the success of the farm. The right accountant helps the farm make tax sensitive decisions such as when to purchase new equipment to maximize tax deductions for depreciation. The accountant also should be responsible for mid-year and end of year reviews that assist the ... More..
Personal Finance > Personal Finance (Other) A guide to passive income: 7 of 14
Passive income is income earned from a business in which an individual does not take an active part in the business. Passive income includes income received from renting out real estate, such as residential homes, office buildings, and farm land. It also includes income that a limited partner in a limited partnership. Passive... More..
Business > Business News & Issues Paulson's proposed regulatory reform of the U.S. financial system: 1 of 2
Initial Thoughts on Paulson's Proposed Regulatory Reform of the U.S. Financial System Treasury Secretary Paulson has proposed a three step process to reform the financial regulatory system. He claims that his proposal is aimed to help give tools to financial regulators to prevent or respond to future crises. Endnote 1. His th... More..