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"The last few years have certainly shown the downside of thinking that more house is always better, even if you have to stretch to afford it. Regardless, it's silly to talk about personal finance without talking about where you live and what you drive. In the context of achieving happiness, there is also some intriguing research suggesting that big, infrequent purchases (such as houses and cars) don't do much for overall happiness, whereas spending a lower percentage of your income on these items might free up cash for categories that will give you a more pleasant life. There are also plenty of people who have discovered this truth and, rather than trying to keep up with the Joneses or submitting to their tyranny, are getting a good laugh at them."
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"Clearly, when it comes to business-building, some degree of obsession is required—or soon the business won't be around to obsess about. The problem arises when entrepreneurs try to simultaneously enjoy a thriving family life while they are growing a successful company. Business-building introduces the obvious pressures that arise when free time is scarce, but the financial risk and uncertainty also become sources of tension. Combined with the classic entrepreneurial personality—the tendency to need to be the boss, to make the decisions, and to go it solo—the entrepreneurial life can be difficult for spouses to endure. At the very least, this cocktail can introduce resentment and friction into the relationship."
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"The practice of medicine today is obsolete, extremely wasteful, driven by patient crisis and perverse incentives. New tools in medicine can reboot the future of health care, making it more precise, consumer-driven, and truly preventive. While not intended to be a comprehensive overhaul of all of the maladies of medicine, the 9 steps outlined here address exceptional opportunities for getting us on the right path for the future."
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"We are, to some degree, what we buy. Or at least we can become a bit closer to who we want to be based on the products we use, consume, and wear. As consumers our brand alignment can function not only as a means for public self-identification, but also as an important source of self-affirmation.
The brands we purchase can become, in a sense, our personal position statement.
Each of us can define ourselves publicly, and we can simultaneously feel good about who we are privately, as a direct result of our consumption patterns."
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"Young people pay a high price for not graduating high school. Drop-outs earn substantially less than their friends who have diplomas—when they're employed. The recession is tougher on them: their unemployment rates are higher than the rest of the population. Their risk of going to jail is higher, too.
The rest of America also pays a high price for this awful situation: in lost talent, in lost taxes, the costs of social services we provide, and the costs of dealing with crime.
And we can't even say that the whole world is in the same boat. We rank 8th from the bottom in a comparison of high school graduation rates among the 30 member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
But we don't have to accept this travesty. We can teach young people the attitudes and skills they need to succeed in school and in life. And we can make it worthwhile for schools make the effort."
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