Which is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming poolWhat do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in commonHow much do parents really matterThese may not sound like typical questions for an economist to ask. But Steven D. Levitt is not a typical economist. He studies the riddles of everyday life—from cheating and crime to parenting and sports—and reaches conclusions that turn conventional wisdom on its head. Freakonomics is a groundbreaking collaboration between Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist. They set out to explore the inner workings of a crack gang, the truth about real estate agents, the secrets of the Ku Klux Klan, and much more. Through forceful storytelling and wry insight, they show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives—how people get what they want or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing.

The housing market, like any other investment, has always had its ups and downs. But ever since it started its upswing at the beginning of this decade, the ride has become more thrilling and more dangerous. One day, home values are skyrocketing and cheap money is up for grabs; the next day, houses linger on the market and interest rates rise alarmingly high. Home buyers and sellers are beginning to recognize that however the market moves where they live, they must be prepared to make smart housing decisions.Written by veteran real estate reporter June Fletcher, House Poor teaches you everything you need to know to weather the ups and downs of the housing market, including: How to tell whether your hometown is likely to boom or bust When to take equity out of your house How to buy as a first-time home owner or as an investor during turbulent times How to protect your home investment When and how to sell your home Today's volatile housing market could make you house poor.This book will keep you house proud.

In The Power of Business en Espaol, Cancela, one of the most well-respected business experts in the Spanish-speaking world, provides readers with a guide to the exciting yet often confusing Spanish-language market. From how to deal with the many Spanish accents and colloquialisms to learning where the Spanish-dominant consumer really lives and spends money, The Power of Business en Espaol is a book that will demystify Spanish-dominant consumers for non-Spanish speakers. Broken down into seven easy chapters that include specific examples of real companies that have been successful (or unsuccessful) in their marketing techniques for this demographic, this handbook gives you the tools to build your business and reach out to this rapidly expanding market. Giving readers simple keys to understanding the people, the culture, and the language that unites this growing segment of the population, The Power of Business en Espaol is a road map for anyone who wants to prepare their business for the language hurdles of the twenty-first century or simply wants to learn more about their new neighbors.

This game-changing book empowers readers to become confident, independent, wise decision-makers— savvy to how our emotions, moods, and habits can trip us up. An investor wonders whether to put his money into the stock market or to keep it in a savings account. A patient is torn between opting for surgery and trying an experimental drug therapy. A college-bound student questions whether to take on debt to attend an Ivy League school or to choose a public institution with low tuition. We face momentous decisions with important consequences throughout our lives. We have never had better access to information and expertise, yet this data deluge has become a double-edged sword. Which sources of information are credibleHow can we separate the signal from the noiseWhose advice can we trustAll of these questions are reasons for us to become empowered decision-makers capable of making high-stakes choices ourselves. Whether you are a politician, a businessperson, a professional, or a parent, now is the time to take a radically different approach. In Eyes Wide Open, the bestselling author and visionary thinker Noreena Hertz shares insights from the latest research along with practical advice, including why looking at information in black and white rather than in color can lead to better decisions why it's smart to be skeptical about experts' pronouncements, and how to identify the best among them why it's crucial to carve out time to think, even in moments of crisis how and why you should regulate your emotional thermostat to make smart decisions why you need to shake up your social network if you don't want only to reinforce what you already know and amplify the beliefs you already have It's time to make decisions with our eyes wide open—for the sake of our health, our wealth, and our future security.

In this age of digital communication, getting the right message across clearly is crucial to success. Communicating Effectively, a comprehensive and essential resource for any manager on the run, shows you how.Learn to: Build relationships through effective communication Get more done via e-mail Draft pitch perfect letters, memos, and reports Conduct productive conference calls Deliver hard-hitting presentations The Collins Best Practices guides offer new and seasoned managers the essential information they need to achieve more, both personally and professionally. Designed to provide tried-and-true advice from the world's most influential business minds, they feature practical strategies and tips to help you get ahead.

From the author who brought you the massive New York Times bestseller Bringing Down the House, this is the startling rags-to-riches story of an Italian-American kid from the streets of Brooklyn who claws his way into the wild, frenetic world of the oil exchange.After conquering the hallowed halls of Harvard Business School, he enters the testosterone-laced warrens of the Merc Exchange, the asylumlike oil exchange located in lower Manhattan. A place where billions of dollars trade hands every week, the Merc is like a casino on crack, where former garbagemen become millionaires overnight and where fistfights break out on the trading floor.This ordinary kid has traded Brooklyn for the gold-lined hotel palaces of Dubai. He keeps company on the decks of private yachts in Monte Carlo teeming with half-naked girls flown in by Saudi sheiks and makes deals in the dangerous back alleys of Beijing.But the Merc is just a starting place. Taken under the wing of another young gun and partnering with a mysterious young Muslim, the kid embarks on a dangerous adventure to revolutionize the oil trading industry and, along with it, the world.Rigged is the explicit, exclusive, true story behind the headlines that dominate the world stage.

Why have all the sprinters who have run the 100 meters in under ten seconds been blackWhat's one thing Mozart, Venus Williams, and Michelangelo have in common?Is it good to praise a child's intelligenceWhy are baseball players so superstitiousFew things in life are more satisfying than beating a rival. We love to win and hate to lose, whether it's on the playing field or at the ballot box, in the office or in the classroom. In this bold new look at human behavior, award-winning journalist and Olympian Matthew Syed explores the truth about our competitive nature why we win, why we don't, and how we really play the game of life. Bounce reveals how competition the most vivid, primal, and dramatic of human pursuits provides vital insight into many of the most controversial issues of our time, from biology and economics, to psychology and culture, to genetics and race, to sports and politics. Backed by cutting-edge scientific research and case studies, Syed shatters long-held myths about meritocracy, talent, performance, and the mind. He explains why some people thrive under pressure and others choke, and weighs the value of innate ability against that of practice, hard work, and will. From sex to math, from the motivation of children to the culture of big business, Bounce shows how competition provides a master key with which to unlock the mysteries of the world.

This first-of-its-kind book for young entrepreneurs is now completely revised and updated for a new generation by one of the original authors (now an adult) and his 14-year-old sister.Originally written by Arthur Bochner when he was just 13 with his mom, financial planner Adriane G. Berg, this was the first book to take kids step-by-step through the process of starting their own businesses. Now 24 and a successful political speechwriter, Arthur teams up with his kid sister, Rose, on a completely revised, updated edition to the basics of becoming an entrepreneur, offered in a smart, entertaining style just right for kids age 8-14.This fun and fact-filled volume includes: Cartoons, quizzes, games, and stories about starting up a business and making money from it How to use eBay and other Internet resources Ideas for donating to nonprofits and helping the environment. De*ions of 20 super businesses to start right now (such as lemonade stands, lawn mowing, garage sales) Ten basic business skills kids need to know: Speaking up for what you want; Business budgets; Record keeping, research, and filing; Telephoning; Negotiating; Putting it in writing; Marketing, advertising, and publicity; Networking; Working with others, even parents.

Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it. Meet Lou Holtz, the motivational miracle worker who revitalized the Notre Dame football program by leading the legendary Fighting Irish to nine bowl games and a national championship. During his twenty-seven years as a head football coach, Holtz garnered a 216-95-7 career record. Each new assignment brought a different team with different players, but, invariably, the same result--success. How did he do itBy designing a game plan for his players that minimized obstacles while maximizing opportunities. Now he wants to pass his game plan on to you. In Winning Every Day, you'll discover ten strategies that will drive you to the top of your professional and personal life. Coach Holtz will reveal how you can acquire the focus and commitment it takes to be a champion. It won't be easy; it takes sacrifice to be the best. But now you'll have a proven winner alongside you in the trenches. Winning Every Day demonstrates how you can elevate your performance while raising the standards of everyone around you. Follow Coach's strategies and winning becomes habitual. You will learn to welcome sacrifice as you dedicate yourself to excellence. He will show you how to clearly define your short-term and long-term goals, to develop an unwavering sense of purpose without compromising flexibility. Through it all, Coach Holtz will help you discover the courage you need to live a life of unremitting triumph. You couldn't have a better guide. He will provide you with the strategies he has shared with Fortune 500 companies, groups, and organizations. Voted the top motivational speaker two years running by a survey of speakers' bureaus, Coach is going to present you with all the Xs and Os, the basics of his game plan for success in life and business.

What's the hard truthSoft skills get little respect but will make or break your career. Master your soft skills and really get ahead at work! Fortune 500 coach Peggy Klaus encounters individuals every day who excel at their jobs but aren't getting where they want to go. It's rarely a shortfall in technical expertise that limits their careers, but rather a shortcoming in their social, communication, and self-management behaviors. In The Hard Truth About Soft Skills Klaus delivers practical tools and techniques for mastering soft skills across the career spectrum. She shows how to: manage your workload handle the critics develop and promote your personal brand navigate office politics lead the troops and much more! Klaus reveals why soft skills are often ignored, while bringing their importance to life in her trademark style straightforward, humorous, and motivating. Perfect for readers at all professional stages from those who are just starting out to seasoned executives this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to take his or her career to the next level.

From America's most trusted financial advisor comes a comprehensive guide to a new and utterly sane financial choice. In Die Broke, you'll learn that life is a game where the loser gives his money to Uncle Sam at the end. There are four steps to the process: Quit Today No, don't tell your boss to shove it...at least not out loud. But in your head accept that from this day on you're a free agent whose number one workplace priority is your personal bottom line.Pay Cash You should be as conscious of spending as you are of saving. Credit should be a rarely used tool for those few times (buying homes and cars) when paying cash is impossible.Don't Retire Your work life should be a journey up and down hills, rather than a climb up a sheer cliff that ends with a jump into the abyss.Die Broke It sounds terrifying, the one intolerable outcome to your financial life. And yet, in truth, dying broke might be your best option for a life without fear: fear of failure and privation now, fear of impoverishment in the long run.

Quit worrying about debt. . . .Forget penny-pinching. . . . Stop sacrificing. . . . Forget saving money. You don't get wealthy by putting your money away in a bank account, nor do you become poor just because you bought yourself an extra latte. You get rich by making money . . . and America's leading money-making expert Loral Langemeier can show you how.A timely book with a counterintuitive message, Put More Cash in Your Pocket helps you create your own "lemonade stand" by getting paid for the things you already do. By following Loral's simple and straightforward approach, you'll put more cash as much as $1,000 a month in your pocket in no time.

Investing isn't a man's world anymore and that's a good thing for individual portfolios, Wall Street, and the world's financial system.Warren Buffett and the women of the world have one thing in common: They are better investors than the average man. Psychologists and scientists have shown that women have the kind of temperaments that help them achieve long-term success in the market. The calamities of the past several years have only provided more statistical and anecdotal evidence of the same. Here are just a few characteristics of female investors that distinguish them from their male counterparts:Women spend more time researching their investment choices and tend to take less risk than men do. This prevents them from chasing "hot" tips and trading on whims. Women are also more likely to seek out information that challenges their assumptions.One study found that men trade 45 percent more often than women do, and although men are more confident investors, they are also more susceptible to becoming overconfident. By trading more often and without enough research men reduce their net returns and increase transaction costs and capital gains taxes.Women aren't as susceptible to peer pressure as men are, which results in a more levelheaded, patient approach to investing.Women have less testosterone than men do (not a surprise, we know). New and continually unfolding science points to the possibility that testosterone is responsible for herdlike risk-taking behavior from men in the financial markets.This book shows that women, with their patience and good decision making, epitomize the Foolish investment philosophy, as well as the investment temperament of the most successful investor in history: Warren Buffett. While men may be brash, compulsive, and overly daring, women tend to be more studious, skeptical, and reasonable. The book will empower and educate women and the men smart enough to embrace a "feminine" investing style on how to strengthen their portfolios and find success in the market.

Best-selling author Andy Kessler ties up the loose ends from his provocative book, Running Money, with this history of breakthrough technology and the markets that funded them.Expanding on themes first raised in his tour de force, Running Money, Andy Kessler unpacks the entire history of Silicon Valley and Wall Street, from the Industrial Revolution to computers, communications, money, gold and stock markets. These stories cut (by an unscrupulous editor) from the original manu* were intended as a primer on the ways in which new technologies develop from unprofitable curiosities to essential investments. Indeed, How We Got Here is the book Kessler wishes someone had handed him on his first day as a freshman engineering student at Cornell or on the day he started on Wall Street. This book connects the dots through history to how we got to where we are today.

Get Ready for the Real World How do you get a job without experience and get experience without a jobIt’s the question virtually every college student or recent graduate faces. Now newly revised and updated, Lindsey Pollak’s Getting from College to Career is the definitive guide to building the experience, skills, and confidence you need to succeed in the job search, offering action-oriented tips and strategies ranging from the simple to the expert. Learn how to: ?Get the best tools for career prep and job hunting ?E-mail like a professional ?Go global ?Practice the eight essentials of internship achievement ?Perform five minutes of stand-up ?Overprepare for interviews ?Persist without being a pest Getting from College to Career gives you the essential information and guidance you need to get your foot in the door of the real world. Don’t start your first job search without it!

The marketing revolution is here, so get on the right side of the barricade and become a part of it! Let's thank Mr. and Mrs. Consumer and their little Consumerlings who have seized power from the corporations and are now firmly in control. In Punk Marketing, Laermer and Simmons take an irreverent, penetrating look at the seismic change in the relationship between the people who sell stuff products, services, entertainment and those who purchase it. They demonstrate that to survive in business, a revolutionary approach is needed one they have branded "Punk Marketing" and it's one we all need to understand, for the traditional divisions among commerce, content, and consumers are continuing to blur ever more rapidly.Never dull, sometimes controversial, but always a helluva lot of fun, Punk Marketing presents a manifesto for any businessperson needing to engage consumers or any consumer seeking to understand and employ their newfound power. And here's the good news: It's based on principles that have existed forever. In an age of digital video recorders, "branded" entertainment, cell-phone TV, multiplayer online games, and never-ending social networking, a coherent approach to marketing has never been more vital. With Punk Marketing, there's a built-in plan to equip you with tools to make all this change work out just fine, thanks.Punk Marketing is the first shot soon to be heard 'round the world of a long-awaited and breathless uprising that businesses want, deserve, and desperately need.

It was an inconceivable deception: over $65 billion stolen in the world's largest Ponzi scheme. Including new and revealing interviews with those who worked closest to himand his family, Betrayal is an in-depth, penetrating look at the man who perpetrated history's most notorious financial crime. To the people who knew him, Bernie Madoff was a kind and honorable person; a loving father and husband; generous to his employees and charitable even to strangers. On Wall Street, he was known as a wise elder statesman, wildly successful in his investments but never too risky with people's money. He was so revered and trusted that thousands placed their life savings with him, and he in turn provided them with early retirements and affluent lifestyles.But on December 11, 2008, Madoff confessed that he'd lied to them all. The monthly financial statements he'd sent customers for decades were all works of fiction. Their money was gone.Despite the crush of media attention on Madoff's scam, little is known about Madoff himself. What could lead a seemingly good man to ruin the lives of everyone who ever cared about himWhat caused Bernie Madoff to commit an unspeakable act of betrayal, bankrupting his family, his friends, his mentors, and thousands of investors who depended upon him for their livelihoodsBetrayal: The Life and Lies of Bernie Madoff is about the man who realized that he could have everything he wanted if he simply lied to the people who trusted him the most. Author Andrew Kirtzman tracked down more than a hundred people from Madoff's past, from the first girl he ever kissed to family members who played in his house as children; from his secretaries to his drivers; from traders at his company to his inner circle of friends. He pored through thousands of pages of court records; private e-mails; phone-conversation tran*s; and census, military, and immigration records. The result is a fascinating story about the rise of a deeply immoral man.Kirtzman describes Madoff's feelings of inferiority and humiliation as a child, and his obsession with making money to prove himself worthy as he grew older. He reveals Madoff's construction of a criminal enterprise at a young age, long before he's ever claimed it began. He paints a picture of a loving yet strange family that ran a multibillion-dollar corporation like a small family restaurant. He offers an inside look at life within the company and the characters who worked on the infamous seventeenth floor. He reveals the details of an underground flow of cash that no one has known about until now. And he chronicles the desperate moments leading up to Madoff's fall, from the perspective of the people who spent the last hours with him before his house of cards collapsed.

The workplace is constantly in flux, and even now there are new opportunities open to women. But to take advantage of these possibilities, it's essential to know the current rules for corporate success. This isn't your father's or your mother's workplace anymore! Whether it's the CEO seat, an executive manager slot, or a more intrapreneurial position, women who follow Career GPS will have what it takes to gain their professional goals.Dr. Ella L. J. Edmondson Bell, Ph.D., an authority on career development, has worked with women across a variety of fields and in different kinds of corporations, from Fortune 500s to start-ups. Here she offers guidelines to help women forge their own pathways to professional ascent, providing tips for maximizing a review, networking in a relevant way, and much more. According to Dr. Bell: Think working hard is enough to be recognizedIt's not enough to assume your effort will speak for itself. You have to socialize with the decision makers. It might not mean you have to pick up the golf clubs, but you do have to figure out what works in your own organization. Parlez-vous Fran?isLearning MandarinIf you work for a global company and aspire to an extreme job or higher, make it known that you would take an overseas assignment to advance your career. Nowhere to go right nowEven in hard times there are options. Learn a lateral skill such as accounting so when the company is firing on all engines again, you will impress through the breadth of your knowledge. Drawing from her work as a consultant to some of the country's most prestigious Fortune 100 companies, Dr. Bell helps readers succeed at every level in a dynamic corporate marketplace. Career GPS combines Dr. Bell's academic knowledge and expertise with dozens of heartfelt first-person stories from smart women who rose through the ranks. Here is a book that will guide women of all cultures, ages, and levels of experience to their career goals.

You can't win a fight with your boss.If you have ever thought otherwise, then you're dead wrong. And you're career is over, too.In this lively guide to surviving the pitfalls of the modern corporate environment, Tom Markert, a senior executive at information giant ACNielsen, presents 56 practical rules that every employee, manager, and executive must follow in order to find corporate success. With rules such as "Work hard and smart" and "Find a good boss" Markert addresses some of the most important questions facing corporate executives today. Here, in colorful and inspiring language, he offers practical advice on how to impress and make your boss look good, how to position yourself for success, and how to address work and social situations that every employee must conquer.And, most important, Markert covers the number one question in any employee's mind: How do I work with my bossHere, this book becomes an indispensable guide to corporate life. Markert draws on his experience to illustrate these rules with telling, and often funny, anecdotes about people who have not followed the rules and paid the ultimate corporate price -- failure, embarrassment, and a career stopped dead in its tracks.

A mesmerizing, behind-the-scenes business thriller that chronicles how Sega, a small, scrappy gaming company led by an unlikely visionary and a team of rebels, took on the juggernaut Nintendo and revolutionized the videogame industry in development as a feature film from Sony PicturesIn 1990, Nintendo had a virtual monopoly on the videogame industry. Sega, on the other hand, was just a faltering arcade company with big aspirations and even bigger personalities. But all that would change with the arrival of Tom Kalinske, a former Mattel executive who knew nothing about videogames and everything about fighting uphill battles. His unconventional tactics, combined with the blood, sweat, and bold ideas of his renegade employees, completely transformed Sega and led to a ruthless, David-and-Goliath showdown with Nintendo. Little did he realize that Sega's success would create many new enemies and, most important, make Nintendo stronger than ever.The battle was vicious, relentless, and highly profitable, eventually sparking a global corporate war that would be fought on several fronts: from living rooms and school yards to boardrooms and Congress. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, no-holds-barred conflict that pitted brother against brother, kid against adult, Sonic against Mario, and the United States against Japan.Based on more than two hundred interviews with former Sega and Nintendo employees, Console Wars is the tale of how Tom Kalinske miraculously turned an industry punch line into a market leader. Blake J. Harris brings into focus the warriors, the strategies, and the battles and explores how they transformed popular culture forever. Ultimately, Console Wars is the story of how a humble family man, with an extraordinary imagination and a gift for turning problems into competitive advantages, inspired a team of underdogs to slay a giant and, as a result, give birth to a sixty-billion-dollar industry.

The classic bestseller on socializing now fully updated for social interactions in a digital ageHow to Work a Room is the classic bestselling book on improving communication and socializing skills, and using them to create and leverage connections. This Silver Anniversary Edition is fully revised and updated to include the role of technology and social media in networking, as well as Susan RoAne's proven tips for using digital strategies to your advantage plus practical hints for starting conversations and strengthening rapport with strangers. How to Work a Room: The 25th Anniversary Edition is a vital tool for business professionals, job seekers and career changers of all ages.