An accessible look at how the government promoted the housing bubble that it is now using for its own ends.

    - help is finally at hand. That help comes in the comfortingly accessible form of Stephen Trombley's Short History of Western Thought, which outlines the 2,500-year history of European ideas from the philosophers of Classical Antiquity to the thinkers of today, No major representative of any significant strand of Western thought escapes Trombley's attention: the Christian Scholastic theologians of the Middle Ages, the great philosophers of the Enlightenment, the German idealists from Kant to Hegel; the utilitarians Bentham and Mill; the transcendentalists Emerson and Thoreau; Kierkegaard and the existentialists; the analytic philosophers Russell, Moore, Whitehead and Wittgenstein; and - last but not least - the four shapers-in-chief of our modern world: the philosopher, historian and political theorist Karl Marx; the naturalist Charles Darwin, proposer of the theory of evolution; Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis; and the theoretical physicist Albert Einstein, begetter of the special and general theories of relativity and founder of post-Newtonian physics.

    Si todos debemos movernos para sobrevivir, vale la pena preguntarse: ¿qué factores de nuestro entorno nos impulsan a movernos y cuáles, por el contrario, nos detienen? ¿Por qué algunas personas tienen la oportunidad de moverse hacia donde quieren y otras no? ¿Por qué ciertas sociedades evolucionan y otras no? Para responder a estas interrogantes, los autores del libro estudiaron los códigos culturales y el comportamiento Bio-Lógico de 71 países para desarrollar un índice de que permite medir la movilidad social dentro de estas sociedades.Andrés Roemer y Clotaire Rapaille señalan que las culturas más exitosas son aquellas que han sabido preservar los mejores aspectos de su tradición, al mismo tiempo que han estado dispuestas a innovar y buscar nuevos horizontes. Se trata de sociedades abiertas al cambio y sin temor al statu quo. Otra clave del éxito evolutivo de las sociedades es el equilibrio entre el aspecto biológico (determinado por cuatro factores: supervivencia, sexo, seguridad y superación) y el aspecto cultural. El reto, concluyen los autores, es aprender a armonizar nuestros instintos (nuestro cerebro reptiliano) con nuestras emociones (nuestro cerebro límbico) y nuestra lógica (el neocórtex).ENGLISH DESCRIPTION If we all know we must move to survive, shouldn’t we ask ourselves which factors in our environment propel us and which halt us? Why do certain societies evolve while others don’t? In this book, Andrés Roemer and Clotaire Rapaille point out that the most successful cultures are those that are not afraid of the status quo: they have learned to preserve the best qualities of their traditions while being open to innovation and to uncovering new horizons. Another key to the success of these societies is the equilibrium between biological and the cultural aspects. The challenge is to harmonize our instincts, our emotions, and our logic.

    Some have explored the levels of happiness or dissatisfaction associated with typical daily activities, such as working, seeing friends, or doing household chores. Others have tried to determine the extent to which income, family, religion, and other factors are associated with the satisfaction people feel about their lives. The Gallup organization has begun conducting global surveys of happiness, and several countries are considering publishing periodic reports on the growth or decline of happiness among their people. One nation, tiny Bhutan, has actually made Gross National Happiness the central aim of its domestic policy. How might happiness research affect government policy in the United States--and beyond? In The Politics of Happiness, former Harvard president Derek Bok examines how governments could use the rapidly growing research data on what makes people happy--in a variety of policy areas to increase well-being and improve the quality of life for all their citizens.Bok first describes the principal findings of happiness researchers. He considers how reliable the results appear to be and whether they deserve to be taken into account in devising government policies. Recognizing both the strengths and weaknesses of happiness research, Bok looks at the policy implications for economic growth, equality, retirement, unemployment, health care, mental health, family programs, education, and government quality, among other subjects. Timely and incisive, The Politics of Happiness sheds new light on what makes people happy and how government policy could foster greater satisfaction for all.

    Punishments. Prices. The Nobel Prize. Candy Crush. Incentives take more forms than you might expect and they can be hard to spot, but they shape our lives in ways that we rarely examine.Some incentives are obvious, like for example, publicly committing to doing something you dislike in order to motivate you to do something difficult, like lose weight. But, many of the most powerful incentives are accidental, and invisible even to those who designed them. Some are tame – and some are most definitely not. Whether it’s bounties for criminals or Instagrammable meals, training your dog or saving the planet, incentives regularly backfire, go missing, mutate and evolve. Without oversight, their unintended consequences can have very global effects. In Incentivology, economist Jason Murphy uncovers the huge incentive systems we take for granted and turns them inside out. In lively, entertaining prose he explores the mechanisms behind many tremendous successes and spectacular failures in our history, culture and everyday lives, and shows us how to use (or lose) incentives in our world at large.

    The classic account of modern British journalism, now updated and re-issued.

    Because of technological change the two trends are converging so that all that we need for transacting will be our identities captured in the unique record of our online social contacts. Social networks and mobile phones are the key technologies. They will enable the building of an identity infrastructure that can enhance both privacy and security - there is no trade-off. The long-term consequences of these changes are impossible to predict, partly because how they take shape will depend on how companies take advantage of business opportunities to deliver transaction services. But one prediction made here is that cash will soon be redundant - and a good thing too. In its place we will see a proliferation of new digital currencies.

    This book foregoes the sensational, headline-grabbing stories about the few billionaire hedge fund managers to reach the top of the field. Instead, it focuses on the much more common travails of start-ups and small investment firms. The successes and failures of a talented group of competitive managers—all highly educated and well trained—show what it takes for managers and allocators to succeed. These accounts include lessons on funding, team development, strategy, performance, and allocation. The hedge fund industry is concentrated in the largest funds, and the big funds are getting bigger. In time, some of these funds will not survive their founders and large sums will get reallocated to a broader selection of different managers. This practical guide outlines the allocation process for fledgling funds, and demonstrates how allocators can avoid pitfalls in their investments. So You Want to Start a Hedge Fund also shows how to: Develop a sound strategy and raise the money you need Gain a real-world perspective about how allocators think and act Structure your team and investment process for success Recognize the patterns of successful start-ups The industry is approaching a significant crossroads. Aggregate growth is slowing and competition is shifting away from industry-wide growth, at the expense of traditional asset classes, to market share capture within the industry. So You Want to Start a Hedge Fund provides guidance for the little funds—the potential future leaders of the industry.

    Or it can be a way to lose your shirt. What determines whether you get rich or go broke can often be a tiny detail here, a missed opportunity there. The margin for error is slim. Heck, it’s non-existent. Fortunes are amassed by experienced options traders who know how to use this strategy THE RIGHT WAY. And financial lives are destroyed by those who don’t. This book will catapult you into that first category. Without all the fluff and B.S. that you don’t need. The Bullsh*t Free Guide to Iron Condors is a TRUE no-nonsense guide to the Iron Condor strategy, written by an experienced trader who lives (or dies) by working it every day. It’s designed as a real-life, step-by-step guide for experienced options traders who want to use this strategy the RIGHT WAY -- which means the CONSISTENTLY PROFITABLE way. In the book you’ll discover: * 6 little-known techniques for adjusting trades that go bad (most experienced traders don’t even know these) * How to create a trading journal and trading log, and why it’s CRUCIAL that you do. (Note: the book includes downloadable examples you can use yourself.) * The 3 ways the world’s top Iron Condor traders manage risk, including detailed examples so you can trade “like the big boys.” * How to save yourself thousands of dollars when entering live trades (this information is closely guarded by many trading “gurus”). * Which option broker is the best for trading Iron Condors. (This is one of the most important decisions you’ll make, so choose wisely.) * How to set up a trading plan that actually works. (We include a sample trading plan to get you started.) * Why weekly options are not as amazing as they sound (and are, in fact, often a HUGE mistake). * How to incorporate volatility into your trading. (You will come to LOVE huge volatility moves after reading this!) * How to eliminate the risk of early assignment. * How to avoid being caught with your pants down on settlement day. (Make this mistake and you can kiss your profits goodbye.)

    Wearied by eight years in the bond market and disillusioned by the financial services profession, he decides to get an “honest job” for a change. Before he knows what hit him, Jimmy finds himself waiting on tables of barflies at his local Waffle House.Amidst the glorious chaos of the night shift, the 24-hour diner affords a bevy of comedic experiences as the author struggles to ingratiate himself with a motley crew of waiters and cooks.Unexpectedly, the restaurant also becomes a font of insight into financial markets and the human condition.In a uniquely hilarious and thought-provoking narrative, Waffle Street unravels the enigmas of money, banking, economics, and grits once and for all. As they laugh heartily at the author’sexpense, readers will develop a profound appreciation for the first principle of economics: there really is no such thing as a free lunch.

    It is the thing that snarls at us when we think about making a change in our lives and stops us developing and achieving our potential. In Taming Tigers Jim Lawless shares his proven and inspirational training programme to help you achieve your dreams by taming the Tigers in your life.Now for the first time, you can learn how to use these highly practical rules to overcome your fears and do things you never thought you could - in both your professional and private life.1.Act boldly today - time is limited2.Re-write your rulebook - challenge it hourly3.Head in the direction of where you want to arrive, every day4.It's all in the mind5.The tools for Taming Tigers are all around you6.There is no safety in numbers7.Do something scary everyday8.Understand and control your time to create change9.Create disciplines - do the basics brilliantly10.Never, never give up!Read case studies from people who have changed their lives by following the rules, and hear about Jim's experience of grabbing his own Tiger by the tail, as he went from a thirty-six-year-old overweight non-riding consultant, to a fully-fledged jockey and UK freediving record holder in 12 months - proof that Taming Tigers works!

    This is usually because the right questions are not asked. In the world of investing, where honest and common sense advice is scarce, here is a book that simplifies key concepts in money management and guides you to invest with a specific goal in mind. ‘You can be rich –With Goal Based Investing’ arms you with the relevant questions to ask. It also gives you access to a bouquet of practical yet enlightening calculators that enable you develop personalized investment solutions. If used regularly, these mirror the progress of your investment plans and help you gauge if are going in the intended direction. Investors who have the discipline to follow the simple steps suggested in this book could attain results that are vastly superior to even those achieved by professionals. Most importantly, successfully securing goals due to appropriate investing delivers an improved life with more time to spend on what is really important for you and your loved ones.. If you are in the process of creating wealth – irrespective of whether you are a beginner, mid-way through your journey or almost there – you can find nuggets of simple, practical wisdom in the pages of this book.

    After the crash, many real estate investors lost everything they’d worked so hard to achieve—but not every investor suffered that fate. Even during the worst parts of the downturn, some real estate professionals were able to grow and scale their businesses. Not only did they come out the other side unscathed, but they also created a better financial situation than ever before. In Recession-Proof Real Estate Investing, accomplished investor J Scott dives into the theory of economic cycles and the real-world strategies for harnessing them to your advantage. With a glossary of terms, articulate visuals, and clear instructions for every type of investor, this easy-to-follow guide will show you how to make money during all of the market’s twists and turns. Inside, you'll discover: The basics behind how our economy works and how to make it work for you The four major phases of the economic cycle: Expansion, Peak, Recession, Recovery How to know when economic shifts are likely to occur and strategies to withstand those impending changes The positive and negative impacts the economic cycle has on real estate investing and businesses Strategies to continue to profit and grow your business during every point in the economic cycle Multiple strategies to modify your investing tactics—not only to survive economic downturn, but to also thrive!

    With fresh insights and a penetrating eye, New York Times reporter Constance L. Hays examines a century of Coca-Cola history through deft portraits of the charismatic, driven men who used luck, spin, and the open door of enterprise to turn a beverage with no nutritional value into a remedy, a refreshment, and an international object of consumer desire. The rise of Coke is also a catalog of carbonation, soda fountains, dynastic bottling businesses, global expansion, and outsize promotional campaigns, not all of which succeeded. By examining relationships at every level of the company, Hays reveals the psyche of a great American corporation–and also tells a larger story about business and this nation’s culture.

    As such, I believe that it is of value to anyone who is interested in understanding accounting, from high school students to undergrads to MBAs to business executives." – Professor Paul Healy, Harvard Business SchoolFor anyone who has struggled with accounting comes this quick read like no other. Using a breakthrough visual system called Color Accounting™ this best-seller makes learning accounting easy. The book engages you in the story of an ambitious man being taught accounting and business by his wise grandfather. The parable brilliantly simplifies how accounting and business truly work, in such a way that anyone can really ‘get it’. Color Accounting strips away obscure detail and jargon – leaving you to focus on the essence of what you really need to know.You will literally see how accounting works in the many colorful diagrams that lead you through the setting up and running of a business - clarifying principles that you can apply to your own life and workplace. By reading The Color Accounting Parable you will learn to read and interpret Balance Sheets and Income Statements with confidence. Plus you will learn how to avoid 5 fatal mistakes that business owners often make. The authors are two certified accountants who worked for the largest accounting firm in the world. They draw on their experiences teaching at some of the most reputable universities, corporations, banks, law firms, not-for-profit organizations and government agencies in the United States and around the world.