Imagine having access to an investment that can double or triple in the time it takes most stocks to gain or lose only a few points. That's exactly what some IPOs have achieved in the past few years. IPOs provide exciting and potentially lucrative investment opportunities by anyone's standards--but they are not a wise option for the ill-informed. Just as the right IPO can deliver once-in-a-lifetime returns, so can a high-risk offering self-destruct...