“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.�  – Matthew 5:9 “I don’t think any president has been more wrongly persecuted than Nixon, ever. I just think he was a saint.� – Ben Stein From Ben Stein, New York Times bestselling author, humorist and former speech writer for both Nixon and Ford administrations – a powerful (and humorous) thinker on economics, politics, education and history and motivation – a personal memoir of his friend Richard Nixon: The man, patriot, president, peacemaker and visionary.  The Richard Nixon Stein remembers and lovingly describes has almost nothing to do with the Richard Nixon as portrayed in most media. In Stein’s view, Richard Nixon was a born peacemaker, a saint. Stein believes Nixon was tortured, abused, beat up by the Beautiful People, but through it all, above all, he was a peacemaker, a trait he inherited from his Quaker mother.  Nixon’s goal, as he often explained to Stein and others on his staff, was to create “a generation of peace.� And Stein argues he did it; Nixon gave the United States the longest sustained period of peace since World War II. In Stein’s view, if we no longer have to fear Russian ICBMs screaming out of hell to start nuclear war, we can thank the shade of Richard Nixon. Why did the media hate him so much? Stein argues it was because Nixon was vulnerable and showed it when attacked. He did not have the tough hide of a Reagan or an Obama. Like the schoolyard bullies they are, the media went after Nixon for his vulnerability. An insider’s account of Nixon the man, president and peacemaker, The Peacemaker: Nixon: The Man, President and My Friend will make you reconsider the life and legacy of 37th President of the United States.

Hilarious advice on what NOT to do with money, from financial funny man Ben Stein Everyone's searching for the secrets to financial success, but what about the best ways to lose money . . . fast?! In How To Really Ruin Your Financial Life and Portfolio, bestselling author, economist, financial commentator, and media personality Ben Stein explains exactly what to do . . . to go bust! The ultimate "how-NOT-to" guide, the book gives readers invaluable tips that should be avoided at all costs. Written in Stein's own inimitable style, this hilarious guide provides essential financial advice on what not to do when it comes to managing money. From reading and acting upon investing newsletters to trading on a margin, from investing in bonds to breathlessly following CNBC, and from buying stock in firms you do not understand to believing in your own genius at stock picking to keeping as little cash on hand as possible, Stein presents the rules that every would-be investor needs to know, so they can do the exact opposite and actually make money. Fully revised and updated, this new edition presents all-new missteps that can destroy any portfolio. Fully revised and updated edition of the tongue-in-cheek bestseller that shows investors what not to do with their money Written by acclaimed author economist, financial commentator, and media personality Ben Stein Loaded with indispensable pieces of bad advice that readers should avoid at all costs A laugh-out-loud approach to personal finance, How To Really Ruin Your Financial Life and Portfolio is an accessible guide to money from the funniest man in finance.

SO, WHAT WOULDN'T BEN STEIN DO?

There are so many terrible ideas to avoid. For instance, Ben Stein wouldn't marry someone who refused to work or was a diva or had a drug problem. Any of those choices would be really bad. He wouldn't spend his entire paycheck and leave his bank account empty. He wouldn't arrive late to an appointment. (Most definitely not ) He wouldn't drive an ugly car. He's fairly certain he wouldn't pierce any part of his face. He also wouldn't preserve tax cuts and expect money to trickle down from the sky. And he would never invite a drunken stranger into his home (again).

"What Would Ben Stein Do?" Read this book, and find out. His answers to your questions about life, work, money, relationships, and everything in between are all inside.

Investing do's and don'ts from some of the most recognizable voices in personal finance

It's been a tough year for investors. Many have seen their retirement accounts dwindle dramatically and are looking for a safe way to protect what they have and make back some of what they've lost. That's why the bestselling author team of Ben Stein and Phil DeMuth have created "The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing: Do's and Don'ts to Protect Your Financial Life."

When you invest, there are essential things you should do and many things you shouldn't. "The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing: Do's and Don'ts to Protect Your Financial Life" addresses this issue and shows you how to utilize the fundamentals of finance to achieve success in today's market. This practical guide contains proven advice on navigating today's treacherous financial landscape and will put you in a better position to make more informed investment decisions.Includes street-smart advice for the individual investor uncertain about their investment and retirement portfoliosWritten by a experienced team of bestselling authors whose investment advice is accessible to everyoneOutlines the steps you must take to protect yourself from the financial calamities of modern life

"The Little Book of Bulletproof Investing: Do's and Don'ts to Protect Your Financial Life" offers quick, easy-to-follow, and entertaining advice for anyone looking to get back on the right investment track.

"My friend, Ben Stein, has written a short book that tells you everything you need to know about investing (and in words you can understand). Follow Ben’s advice and you will do far better than almost all investors." — Warren Buffett In his entertaining and informative style that has captivated generations, beloved New York Times bestselling author, actor, and financial expert Ben Stein sets the record straight about capitalism in the United States—it is not the "rigged system" young people are led to believe. As he reveals in The Capitalist Code, "Life can be faced by moaning and complaining or it can be faced by study, work, optimism, and faith in the free capitalist system. Guess which side gets the happier life?" Most Americans have not inherited wealth or a successful business that could set them up for life. That means most Americans are destined for financial worry and concern for the rest of their lives. Right? Wrong! Ben Stein explains how the wonderful system of stock market capitalism can allow any American to build financial security. In this succinct guide, you will learn:  Why it really is better to have money—and how to get there How to save first, and then spend automatically Why investing in great companies is easier than you think That's what this book is all about: how to harness the incredible power of the U.S. economy for enjoyment and security by being owners of profitable businesses-by consistent, conservative investment starting as young as possible in a diversified portfolio of stocks. Anyone can be a capitalist—and should be. All it takes is a little bit of knowledge and an even smaller amount of action. All it takes is The Capitalist Code.

Investors, shell-shocked by the "Great Recession" of 2008-2009, are looking for answers, for something fresher than the old 'buy-and-hold' mantra. They hunger for stability, yet yearn for growth to rejuvenate their battered portfolios.

Ray Lucia's "The Buckets of Money Retirement Solution: The Ultimate Guide to Income for Life" provides just that--a reassuring and scientifically proven strategy that gives investors both growth and income.

Lucia, a Certified Financial Planner who's helped thousands of people invest more than $2 billion, explains how to spend down 'safe' buckets (containing, for example, Treasuries, CDs, bonds), while leaving a riskier bucket (real estate, stocks and alternative investments) to grow long-term. This strategy shields investors from the short-term ups and downs of the market. And it gives them the courage and discipline to stay invested no matter what the future holds.

Written in a breezy, accessible style and loaded with tons of examples and clear, specific calculations, the book explains how to set your financial goals, divvy up your money accordingly, and then invest intelligently. With this book as your guide, readers will learn how to achieve both income and growth while at the same time reducing risk. "All in all," Lucia writes, "this plan is akin to a sports car that seats six, approximating the best of both worlds. In this case by being a conservative strategy that's also growth-oriented."

Almost every kind of investment--stocks, bonds, commodities, real estate--plunged in the past year or two, turning off millions of investors who'd been planning for and counting on a reasonably comfortable retirement. These retirees or near-retirees need solutions ... something fresher than the old 'buy-and-hold' mantra. Yet here's what they hear from the financial-services industry: Set up an asset-allocation model, then take a systematic withdrawal to support your retirement ... remembering, of course, to rebalance the accounts to remain in sync with the model. Wrong That maximizes the advisors' fees but doesn't protect the investors' assets during the tough times.

An emotion common to humankind is fear. Fear dogs our days, makes us lose sleep, ruins our relationships, and takes the joy out of living. The strongest, best defense against that emotion is to see through the eyes of faith. As such, Ben Stein brings you 500 ways to look at life in this way so that you can triumph over fear. Ben absorbed many of the positive thoughts within these pages at 12-Step meetings he has attended, he has applied them to his own life, and he's found that they work. They're simple, but extremely effective. For example: - I do not know exactly why faith and surrender work. I just know that they do work. - Say it to yourself and believe it: My life is a great place to be today. I would rather be me than anyone else, and that's saying something. - Life is about waking up, breaking up, shaking up, making up . . . and meditation to keep the human spirit calm. - There are two forms of worship: worship of God and worship of ourselves. Guess which kind works? Taken regularly, concepts such as these will make your life easier, calmer, and definitely more enjoyable.

Most investors spend their time worrying about selecting individual stocks and mutual funds: big mistake! Modern Portfolio Theory--developed in 1952 by economics Nobel Prize winner Harry Markowitz--shows that it's more important to focus on how our securities interact as a whole. Astonishingly, most investors--including many professionals--still run their investment accounts the same way people did back when "How Much Is That Doggie In the Window" played on the Hit Parade. It's time to apply what we've learned in financial economics over the past 50 years to bring your portfolio into the rock-'n-roll era. Armed with a computer, you, the investor, can use sophisticated tools to analyze your holdings--tools that would have been the envy of the biggest money managers only a decade ago. First among these is the Monte Carlo simulator: the better mousetrap that investors have been waiting for. With their trademark wit, Ben Stein and Phil DeMuth show you how your current portfolio is radically underdiversified, costing you money. They offer step-by-step instructions to supercharge it across a variety of investment situations to get you the best risk-adjusted returns.

A specter is haunting the baby-boom generation - the specter of retirement. The generation that's used to having it all is suddenly finding that it doesn't have enough. The stock market bubble has deflated, interest rates are at all-time lows, Social Security is questionable, pension plans are underfunded, and personal savings are woefully inadequate. This comes at a time when medical advances are assuring that we'll be the longest-lived generation ever. The authors grapple with the coming baby-boom retirement crisis and show you how to get back on track. They outline the steps you can take today to assure your future tomorrow. Backed up with the facts and figures, they lay out exactly how much you need to save in order to maintain your standard of living, and how to invest your dollars to get the maximum return from your savings. For those already retired, they explain how to tap in to your next egg to get the most income while keeping your money safe. This is a survival manual for the difficult but exciting road to retirement security. Don't leave middle age without it!

This book is a collection of Ben Stein' " To Ruin" Series: * How to Ruin Your Life* How to Ruin Your Love Life* How to Ruin Your Financial Life These books will not only make you laugh out loud, they will allow you to honestly assess your life. Learn from these books- for heaven' sake, do the opposite right now!

Praise for Yes, You Can Time the Market!

"‘Buy and hold’ makes sense for the average investor in stocks. Even better, say Stein and DeMuth, is to buy only when prices are low and hold when prices are high, keeping accumulating savings in Treasuries while waiting for ‘low’ prices. They define ‘low’ and ‘high’ prices by historical experience. An interesting and thoughtful analysis."
–Professor Milton Friedman
University of Chicago, Hoover Center
Nobel Prize Winner in Economics, 1976

"Wall Street, prepare yourself. Ben and Phil hit the nail on the head with their insightful guide to investing. No gimmicks, no games, just tapping the true power of economics to make sensible investment decisions. Add to that the authors’ dry wit, and this handbook is a must-read for investors small and large."
–Diane C. Swonk
Director of Economics, Chief Economist
Senior Vice President, Bank One Corporation

" The logic and reasoning are persuasive. Stein and DeMuth buttress them with evidence, lots of it. The term ‘valuable’ properly applies to the guidance of the conclusions."
–C. Lowell Harriss
Professor Emeritus of Economics
Columbia University

"How refreshing to read commonsense advice about the stock market! Stein and DeMuth’s findings are both verifiable and free of quantitative trickery. What’s more, their writing is as clear and straightforward as the methods they recommend."
–Martin Fridson
author, It Was a Very Good Year:
Extraordinary Moments in Stock Market History

Life is not lived all at once--it's lived in moments, days, months, years, and decades. This means that the financial plans and actions we all have to take to meet our responsibilities sensibly must be "organized "by years and decades. Ben Stein wrote the original guide to this subject almost a quarter century ago. Now, Ben, along with Phil DeMuth, the eminent financial planner and writer, have gotten together to update the book, incorporating the massive changes that have occurred in the economy in the past 25 years. This book tells you what and when to save, how much to save, what to save it in, when to spend, and when to say "no "to your present and "yes "to your future. "Yes, You Can Get A Financial Life!" is a time-traveling guidebook on how to organize the money side of your life for all of the decades of your life.