This book has four essential messages summarized as follows: ....The risk of placing money into common stock or equity mutual funds has evolved to the point where this process, commonly referred to as investing, can now be more accurately described as speculation or gambling. The people who place money into the stock market take on most of the risk but receive only the ''crumbs'' of a market advance. The real winners are the executives, the corporations, and the brokerage industry. The rewards are so great that the behavior of these ''beneficiaries'' of market advances can range from unethical transgressions to outright fraud. The traditional measures for dealing with market risk - asset allocation and diversification - do not adequately address the problem. This book presents a new philosophy and strategy for dealing with the inherent dangers of stock market investing....There are ways to participate in market advances while protecting the underlying principal against loss. These ''protected'' investment alternatives are available today and are evaluated as a means for intelligently dealing with market uncertainty. These four messages are pertinent to anyone concerned about the risk associated with investing in stocks. This includes individuals, fiduciaries, and financial professionals, both foreign and domestic. An underlying theme is that there is no certainty when it comes to predicting how the market will perform during a specific period of time in the future. It may turn out to be the best place to put money or the absolute worst. Investors don't know. Investment advisers don't know. Nobody knows! Given that the future is completely uncertain, there is a better way to plan and invest that goes far beyond placing our blind faith in the expectation of an ever-rising stock market. Speculating in the market may be stimulating entertainment, but the risks associated with investing in stock are incredibly high. Investments that protect our principal yet allow for participation in the upside of the market eliminate the gambling facet and allow us more control over our future financial health.