What we buy and who we are

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Money and what we do with it--this sounds like an
even-handed way to determine ethical standards. But in these times of supposed
transparency, I can't figure out how a nation like the United States keeps
going when it has debt in numbers beyond anyone's ability to comprehend or even
pronounce. How many zeros?

For transparency, I recommend a personal money management
approach of a simple software program that tracks spending on a daily basis.
There is nothing quite like a daily tab in your face to force you to come to
terms with priorities: you are what you've spent your money on.