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On a recent August morning in the ballroom of the Townsend Hotel, in the affluent town of Birmingham, Michigan, Jimmy Lee, the vice-chairman of investment banking at JPMorgan Chase and one of the grand old men of Wall Street deal-makers, was quoting General George S. Patton Jr. "Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men," Lee told the audience of 150 or so JPMorgan Chase clients, who were gobbling up berry parfaits and quiches under crystal chandeliers. Patton, none of the older people there needed reminding, was the swashbuckling military genius who led his troops through fierce fighting in North Africa, Sicily, and France during World War II. But Lee was not interested in the war hero per se. Rather, without a trace of irony, he was using Patton's words to describe his boss Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase's C.E.O. "Jamie Dimon," said Lee, "has moral courage running through his veins."
If moral courage consists of speaking your mind wherever you are and whenever you like, then certainly Dimon, like Patton, has got that. When, a few minutes later, Dimon, dressed casually in white sneakers, Wrangler jeans, and a blue Vineyard Vines polo shirt, took the podium from Lee, he weighed in on everything from last summer's debt-ceiling crisis ("a disgrace") to the tax system (also "a disgrace"), to his former mentor Sandy Weill's recent pronouncement that the big banks should be broken up ("Just because another bank messed up doesn't mean we should take apart JPMorgan. . . . If there isn't a JPMorgan straddling the globe serving clients, then a Chinese bank will happily fill that role"), to the wisdom of Obamacare ("I was in favor of universal health care, but what we did didn't fix the problem; we just did the universal part").
And as everyone who knows Dimon expected him to do, he offered up a full-throated defense of businessmen and a plea to end what he calls the "regulatory assault" on Wall Street. "It may seem that businesses go to Washington and complain a lot—like a boy who cries wolf," he said, "but there are real issues here that are important for our country and our industry. The denigration of business hurts America, because the secret sauce for our economy is confidence I don't want to hear that nonsense that all business is bad."
The Detroit area was the sixth stop on Dimon's third JPMorgan Chase bus tour, which is designed to demonstrate to clients, employees, and important people around the country that the bank is a force for good in the world. Instead of relaxing in the Hamptons, Nantucket, or Montana, like many other Wall Street executives, Dimon and a small group of his acolytes were zipping through steamy midwestern towns and cities. At stop after stop, the executives emerged from their bus cocoon into what they called "the Tunnel of Love," where employees surrounded them for hugs, fist pumps, and high fives. In Findlay, Ohio, a teller cried when she had her picture taken with Dimon. "Did you see that?" Dimon asked when he got back on the bus. "That's what I'm talking about—companies are made up of real people who give a damn!"
They routinely took "hostages"—employees, such as tellers, branch managers, and small-business bankers—aboard the bus. When one hostage, a blonde teller, said she used to be a hairdresser, Dimon joked, "I love your hair." The hostages, in turn, told the executives what they could do better, like simplifying the computer screen tellers use. Over the three tours many such ideas have been put into practice. (There's a spreadsheet to keep track, as there always is in JamieWorld.)
The JPMorgan team ate ButterBurgers at Culver's, in Findlay. On the bus, Dimon danced to his favorite song, "Stand by Me," and offered a prize to anyone who could identify a more obscure tune ("Post Break-Up Sex," by the Vaccines). Dimon recalls that when he e-mailed his senior executives, back in 2010, first proposing the bus trip, there was resistance, including security concerns. But, as in almost everything related to JPMorgan, Dimon prevailed. "That's bullshit. We have to live our lives and do the right thing," he told them.
But this year a sour note hung over the trip. The headlines in the business press were dominated by reports of the London Whale, the nickname for a JPMorgan trader whose huge, risky, and esoteric bets have cost the bank nearly $6 billion and counting. It was a major embarrassment for Dimon and a rare miscue in his otherwise charmed seven years at the top of JPMorgan Chase.
In first announcing the trading losses, at a hastily convened conference call for analysts and the media on May 10, Dimon knew he would get skewered. "It plays right into the hands of a bunch of pundits out there," he said at the time. "But that's life…. We have egg on our face. We deserve any criticism we get." After spending much of July 13 again explaining the trading loss to the media and to research analysts—including making the stunning admission that the traders in London may have intentionally mismarked the trades to make them look less egregious, a potential illegality that the Justice Department is still investigating—the exhausted Dimon got an unexpected call from Tom Brady, the star quarterback of the New England Patriots. (Jimmy Lee, a legendary sports fan, had arranged for it.) Brady reminded Dimon that even Super Bowl champs have bad days and told him "to hang in there." "I was surprised he even knew who I was, to tell you the truth," Dimon says.
On the bus tour, Dimon might have hoped for a respite from the trading blunder. Unfortunately, the logo on the Vineyard Vines polo shirts that the JPMorgan Chase executives were wearing through the heartland was a whale, and so, there it was—on the sleeve of every corporate shirt—the very symbol of Dimon's singular management failure. The subject of the disastrous bet came up at each stop, and each time Dimon had his pat response ready: "The London Whale drama has been harpooned, beached, eviscerated, cremated, and killed. So help me God! It's fish food."
But it's not that simple. Dimon was supposed to be "the port in the storm" (his words), and JPMorgan Chase was the bank that didn't need a bailout (as he repeatedly says), the one that saved Bear Stearns in March 2008 and then preserved some 30,000 jobs at Washington Mutual by taking it over when no other institution would. He's the C.E.O. who didn't allow his firm to make some of the risky mortgage-related bets that every other firm did, and the one who pores over the details of one financial report after another until he understands every last iota about his mega-bank, which has some $2.3 trillion in assets—one-sixth of the total in the U.S. banking sector. But Bill Daley, who served as JPMorgan's Midwest chairman before he became Obama's chief of staff, from 2011 until earlier this year, says in Dimon's defense, "This wasn't so much about the details as it was the fact that the man viewed as Mr. Details didn't seem to have the details."
Which raises the crucial question: How did one of the most anal, numbers-oriented C.E.O.'s on Wall Street allow a bunch of traders in London to make such a huge, concentrated—and losing—bet and not know about it until it was too late?
It is a conundrum.
A Mighty Fortress Is Our Bank
Like it or not, Dimon, 56, is still the reigning king of Wall Street. He got that way by making JPMorgan Chase the nation's biggest bank and by building what he likes to call the firm's "fortress balance sheet." To the victor go the spoils, as Patton would no doubt appreciate. Dimon's 2011 compensation of $23.1 million was the highest among his peer group, and his 7.2 million JPMorgan Chase shares are worth nearly $300 million these days—not to mention the fortune he has almost certainly socked away from his years building what became Citigroup.
Apparently, though, the trappings of wealth do not interest him. "He's not an extravagant man," says Heidi Miller, who worked for Dimon for 18 years and was once listed as *American Banker'*s most powerful woman in banking. "I swear, if his wife didn't point out shirts that match his suits, I'm not sure what he would look like in the morning, half the time. I always think of him as somewhat rumpled. He is oblivious to the trappings of very fancy things."
Unlike his two recent predecessors atop JPMorgan Chase—Bill Harrison and Sandy Warner—Dimon is not a member of the Augusta National Golf Club. In fact, he does not play golf. "It takes too much time," he says. He prefers jogging and an occasional game of tennis to keep fit. During his five years living in Chicago, from 2000 to 2005, when he was C.E.O. of Bank One Corporation, the expectation was that he—as a corporate leader—would attend black-tie charity events. He didn't do it.
Dimon "ruffled feathers all over Chicago," Daley recalls. "He's very smart and very sophisticated, but he doesn't play the game. Most C.E.O.'s would say, 'This is part of my job.' Jamie would say, 'If I grow earnings and the branches are expanding, and I provide a lot of jobs, that's what really matters. The rest is BS.' "
On Friday nights, Dimon preferred to go to Mario's, a landmark Chicago watering hole. "Mario still says he misses Jamie and his Friday-night martini," Daley says.
When the Dimons returned to New York after the 2004 merger of Bank One and JPMorgan Chase, they bought a weekend house in Bedford, New York. Dimon is perfectly happy spending his two-week vacation there alone, making his own coffee and wandering around the local Target in his jeans. When his oldest and youngest daughters, Julia and Kara, were at Duke a few years ago, he loved to visit them in Durham and hang out, martini in hand, at the Washington Duke Inn on campus—the "WaDoo," he calls it—with their friends. (The Dimons' middle daughter, Laura, graduated from Barnard College.)
But if you see a man of the people, well, that isn't the whole story. He may eat ButterBurgers and carry out his own trash, but he also flies around the country on private jets and lives on Park Avenue in a $10 million apartment, in addition to the Bedford mansion, which is on 34 acres and has 10 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. As his colleagues note, not always with admiration, Dimon embraces the limelight, and one often hears around Wall Street that JPMorgan Chase has become "the Cult of Jamie." "I do think he's exceptional," a former colleague says. "But I think he's narcissistic. He's very self-focused, so he loves his image. It's an extremely important part of who Jamie Dimon is. His own reflection in the mirror is a very important part of the person." Adds another, "What do I think makes him tick? I think he likes being King Jamie. It may not be the same as being president or maybe Treasury secretary, but after that it's not bad to be an imperial C.E.O. of the country's largest and most important bank." A person who works closely with Dimon says, "True, he has a healthy ego," but he adds, "If you call him on it, he can laugh at himself."
The London Whale crisis might have derailed him, and at first it appeared that it had. But by the time he appeared twice before Congress this past summer, Dimon was nearly contrite. In contrast to the many Wall Street C.E.O.'s who have obfuscated on Capitol Hill, Dimon decided—short of resigning—to take as much of the blame for what happened as he could. "We made a mistake," he told Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon. "I am absolutely responsible. The buck stops with me."
By the time he finished he had the lawmakers eating out of his hand.
To a great extent, Dimon's entire Wall Street career is predicated on a major contradiction. Unlike Lloyd Blankfein, at Goldman Sachs, who was a trader, or Vikram Pandit and Brady Dougan, at Citigroup and Credit Suisse, respectively, who were bankers, Dimon never had a revenue-producing-line position at a Wall Street firm. He has never given advice to a client on how to structure a takeover, nor has he ever had one of those come-to-Jesus moments as a trader when the market is acting like a riptide and dragging you out to sea. "He never had to think of having that internal governor like those of us who worked their way up the totem pole in their 20s, 30s, and 40s did," says a former senior JPMorgan Chase executive. "He never had to tolerate or be subjected to a true 360-degree review."
And yet many people consider Dimon to be the best Wall Street leader around precisely because he has always been in management and has always had an intuitive feel for—and some say a genuine love of—the "plumbing" of the business, from how checks get processed to how to connect disparate computer systems.
There is a consensus that not only did Dimon turn around Bank One before selling it to Harrison at JPMorgan Chase for $58 billion in stock—one of the largest bank mergers ever—but he also integrated the two banks brilliantly. According to Jimmy Lee, who has been at JPMorgan Chase or its predecessors for 35 years, Dimon had both the technical expertise needed to integrate the two firms' systems and the emotional I.Q. to get the people from different corporate cultures to work together as a team. "It is like understanding a schematic or electrical diagram," says Lee. "It's complicated. You have to understand the whole, and how the whole works together. I challenge you to name another C.E.O. that has all of those competencies."
As for Dimon's interpersonal skills, Lee says, "Great leaders always have this special sauce that is like a heavy dose of humanity, the ability to get people to follow them, even in the face of adversity, the ability to connect with people—you saw it in the hearing in Washington—and the ability to treat big people the same as little people. One of Jamie's favorite questions, when we're talking about giving someone a big job here, he'll say, 'Would you want your child to work for that person?' It's an interesting way to look at it, and what it says to me is he's got this God-given sort of oversupply, almost, of humanity."
Indeed, Dimon has the reputation of inspiring fierce loyalty from the band of brothers (and a few sisters) who have followed him from his executive positions working for Sandy Weill—as together they built what became Citigroup—to Bank One and to JPMorgan Chase. The list is long and includes Heidi Miller, Jay Fishman, Jay Mandelbaum, Charlie Scharf, Bob Lipp, Karen Parkhill, Linda Bammann, Jim Boshart, and Mike Welborn. As one Citigroup executive after another decided to join Dimon in Chicago to try to turn around the distressed bank, Weill became incensed. Dimon had a non-compete agreement with Citigroup as part of his severance package—"which I followed to the letter," Dimon volunteers—but Weill called Dimon and threatened him with a lawsuit. In typical fashion, Dimon says, he told his former mentor, "Sandy, you should be asking yourself, If all these people are taking smaller jobs for less pay—you should be thinking about why they're leaving, not why they're coming."
But very few of the Dimon loyalists are still at his side at JPMorgan Chase. "Those who thought that the relationship was more than transactional were the ones who then became the most shocked when they found out that it wasn't," explains a former Dimon loyalist. "All of this talk about these loyal lieutenants and all of that, how many really are there? How many are left now?"
Charlie Scharf started working for Dimon right out of Johns Hopkins University and then spent the next 25 years at his side, rising to become the head of JPMorgan Chase's mortgage and retail-banking operation and a member of the operating committee. There was even talk of Scharf's being a possible successor to Dimon. But in June 2011, with mortgage losses at the bank mounting, Dimon says Scharf asked him to be reassigned. (He now works at One Equity Partners, the private-equity arm of JPMorgan Chase.) "It's not what you think," Scharf says. "It's not about the money. I don't have the ego. For some people, it's all about the next job; it's all about being a C.E.O. I could be very comfortable doing what I'm doing for the rest of my life."
Steve Black and Bill Winters, the co-heads of investment banking at JPMorgan Chase until Dimon summarily fired Winters and relieved Black of his operating duties in 2009, declined comment. Dimon named Jes Staley, a JPMorgan & Co. veteran, to replace them. The business press then saw Staley as a likely heir apparent, but Dimon replaced him in July 2012 with two of the latest up-and-comers, Mike Cavanagh and Daniel Pinto.
As in everything, Dimon is unapologetic about what may seem like his ruthless excising of those closest to him. It's not personal; it's just business. "If you're blindly loyal to me, then you're just acting like a crony of mine," he explains. "If you say you admire me because of the principles for which I stand, I understand that, but then you also have the right to call me to the carpet when you think I'm falling short. I get that here every now and then. I get people saying, 'Jamie, you always say "X." You ain't doing it, not in this case,' and sometimes I have good reason for not doing X. Sometimes I was unaware I wasn't doing X, and sometimes I'm just dithering, dathering, like everybody else."
But with Dimon, loyalty is not a formula for job security. "It isn't," he admits, "because then you're being disloyal to the company. If you aren't performing anymore, it's time to make a change. Sometimes it's just time. People get tired in these jobs."
Nor is Dimon a boss prone to using gentle encouragement. One former JPMorgan Chase executive, who calls Dimon the "best chief executive I ever dealt with," nonetheless could not quite get over his willingness to dress down high-level executives in public. "I have a very vivid memory of sitting in a meeting with the controller, the internal auditor, the external auditor, and a few more junior people sitting in the room," the former executive says, "and Jamie ranted and raved and said that nobody was doing their job right and everybody was being paid more than they should be paid."
Was Dimon right? "No," the ex-banker continues. "Absolutely not. . . . I went into his office, and I said, 'For God's sake, this is totally unacceptable behavior'—kind of regurgitating what he said and how he said it—moving him to pick up the phone and apologize. He did the same, in some instance, to the head of technology in the company."
Dimon says these stories don't sound like him. "First of all, I yell very little, just so you know," he says. "Maybe years ago I did more, but I yell very little."
Dimon in the Rough
The son and grandson of stockbrokers—Dimon's father, Ted, now works at JPMorgan Chase—Dimon grew up in Queens, and he retains a charming outer-borough dialect. He and his fraternal twin brother, also named Ted, attended Tufts University, where Jamie double-majored in economics and psychology. His classmates remember him as brash, a bit of a bully, and quite the ladies' man. "He was very likable, very real," a former classmate recalls. "We are all a little bit amazed at his success, but very proud of him."
After college, Dimon worked in management consulting for two years before enrolling at Harvard Business School. There he befriended such future business titans as Jeffrey Immelt, now the C.E.O. of General Electric, and Steve Burke, the current C.E.O. of NBC Universal. Burke, who is on the board of JPMorgan Chase, tells the story of how Dimon, early on at Harvard, won the admiration of his business-school classmates by challenging a professor on the implications of a case study about the Ocean Spray cranberry cooperative. "Steve Burke makes this stuff up," Dimon says, laughing. All he actually did, he says, was to go to the blackboard and spend 15 minutes diagramming the case. "You got it exactly right," he says the professor told him, noting that no confrontation either occurred or was needed.
Dimon worked at Goldman Sachs between the first and second years of the M.B.A. program. He had investment-banking job offers from that firm as well as from Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers, but Dimon's father worked at the brokerage unit of American Express and passed along to Sandy Weill an essay his son had written about the rise of American Express. "Jamie didn't have that sort of early struggle that most of us mere mortals have," one former colleague says, adding,"You can understand Jamie Dimon only through the lens of Sandy Weill."
Along with offering to pay him less money than the other firms, Weill promised only that the experience would be "fun." Three years later, when Weill lost a power struggle at American Express and left, Dimon went with him and, together with other executives such as Robert Willumstadt and Bob Lipp, bought Commercial Credit, an underperforming consumer-lending business in Baltimore. The whiz kids turned it around and, over the next decade, pieced together merger after merger until they had created what is now Citigroup.
Naturally, the hyper-ambitious Dimon soon wanted Weill's job. But it was not available. "He and Sandy had a very complicated relationship," says Michael Schlein, a former Citigroup senior executive. "It played out in lots of different ways, but fundamentally Jamie was ready for his starring role and Sandy wasn't ready to leave the stage." One thing led to another, and in November 1998, Weill abruptly fired Dimon during a Citigroup weekend retreat in Greenwich. "It hurt," Dimon says. "I helped build that place, and the people there were my friends. I was surprised to get fired. Maybe I was a little naïve. One or two people told me it would be coming, but I didn't realize how Sandy had worked to make it happen."
Weill declined to be interviewed about Dimon, but in the past he has made it clear he believes Dimon was too impatient. "The problem was in 1999 he wanted to be C.E.O. and I didn't want to retire," Weill told The New York Times in 2010. Citigroup's loss was Bank One's and JPMorgan Chase's gain. "Jamie was leading a pretty well-run, well-oiled machine," Jimmy Lee says, "and got sort of shot publicly in what will go down as the worst trade on Wall Street in the last 50 years."
After leaving Citigroup, Dimon took up residence in a small suite of offices in the Seagram Building, on Park Avenue. It was lonely, but he regularly saw his old Citigroup buddies such as Scharf and Mandelbaum, and he had lunch nearly every day downstairs at the Grill Room of the Four Seasons restaurant, so he could see and be seen by the titans of Wall Street, who made a practice of dining there. He remembers one day getting a call from Francis Ford Coppola, the Academy Award–winning director of the Godfather films. "I thought it was a friend of mine [playing a joke]," Dimon says. "You know, your friend calls and says, 'It's Bruce Springsteen,' or something like that? I go down expecting to see someone like Steve Burke and there he is, Francis Ford Coppola, and we had a three-hour lunch. Of course, I had nothing else to do. But here's the fascinating part: he knew everything. This is what you learn about some people. He reads The Wall Street Journalevery day. He called me because he was thinking about doing a movie and trying to get a feel for characters, and he found me an interesting character." He and Coppola remain friendly.
Soon enough, Dimon was contemplating his next move. He had offers from a private-equity firm. He could have joined Amazon as a senior executive reporting to founder Jeff Bezos. He spent time talking to Microsoft about a position.
He was seriously considered as the C.E.O. of Home Depot. As the talks heated up, he realized he had not been to a Home Depot in years. One Saturday he and one of his daughters and Jay Mandelbaum and his daughter visited the Yonkers, New York, store. "When he walked in the store his eyes kind of lit up, because he loved it," Mandelbaum remembers. "Home Depot is a great company, great stores, and he loved just watching the service people and checking out all the aisles. I remember him turning to me and saying, 'We need to buy something,' so he was trying to figure out what to buy, and he remembered that Charlie Scharf had a woodshop at home, so he said, 'I want to buy something for Charlie. I'm going to buy him one of those tool belts.' " A few days later, when Dimon was in Atlanta interviewing for the Home Depot job, he was asked if he had been to a store recently. Recalls Mandelbaum, "He said, 'Oh, this past Saturday,' and they said, 'What did you buy?,' and he said, 'A tool belt.' " (In the end Dimon remained in financial services.)
Dimon is the first to admit that his 18 months in the wilderness not only humbled him but also made him a more nuanced executive. "There's no question that adversity, problems, stuff like that, make you a better leader, at least for some people," he says. "There's no question that I've become more respectful of other people, more respectful of mistakes. When it comes to running these big companies, there is no road map. There are a lot of things you can look at, but there's no real road map. But I don't think I've changed fundamentally since I've been eight years old. Part of it is just also embedded in me. I want to do the best I can. I try to be very open. I try to admit my mistakes. It doesn't mean I'm not tough. I try to treat everyone fairly, from the mailroom guy to the C.E.O. I've seen people, when they get into these bigger and bigger jobs, it goes to their heads. I've seen it. Some people in life change who they are, and some don't. I'm basically the same guy I've always been."
When the opportunity emerged to lead Bank One, it was the sixth-largest bank in the United States, albeit a seriously distressed one. It took nearly four years, but Dimon and his team turned it around using many of the same tough-love techniques he had learned from Weill and would use again at JPMorgan Chase. No matter where Dimon has worked, "he's always been able to snap his fingers and get things done," says a former colleague. " 'Jamie Wants This' are the three words that are used sometimes rightly, sometimes wrongly. But no one, or very few people, says, 'Does he really want this?' "
Dimon has heard the "Jamie Wants This" shtick, and he doesn't like it. "That's not what you do to drive an organization, and if it gets overused, it's a mistake," he says. "The good leaders here would never do it. You'll never hear that pass the mouths of people who are normally very strong here. Although they might say, 'Jamie Wants This,' as notification, if they think it's a dumb thing, they'd be the first to say, 'He asked for something like that, but let's not do something stupid.' Come on, that's like common sense I think I would worry if that were true." As for the "Cult of Jamie" talk, he doesn't think it's true. "If people talk about the 'Cult of Jamie' because they respect me and listen to me and trust me—then that's not a bad thing," he says. "But if you mean the 'Cult of Jamie' because I'm the boss and no one can question me, that's not a good thing."
Blankfein infamously described Goldman as doing "God's work." Jamie Dimon isn't sanctimonious, but he is earnest about his company, and he clearly believes that JPMorgan Chase is a force for good. "We've helped keep California, Illinois, and New Jersey afloat," Dimon told the crowd in Detroit during his bus tour. He elaborated on this in his congressional testimony, explaining how JPMorgan had lent these struggling states money when no other bank would.
Carry a Big Stick
But as with any big bank today, the legal record offers up another narrative. An incomplete list: As are other banks, JPMorgan Chase is facing a class-action lawsuit accusing the firm of driving homeowners deeper into debt by misleading them about mortgage modifications. In 2011, JPMorgan paid $153.6 million to settle S.E.C. charges that it, like Goldman, misled investors in a complex mortgage-securities transaction. JPMorgan just paid $56 million to settle charges that it had overcharged active-duty soldiers and wrongly seized their homes. (JPMorgan replies that this was an accident and that it has given out more than 1,000 homes to wounded veterans.) JPMorgan also paid $5.3 billion as part of the $25 billion settlement with state and federal officials over abusive foreclosure practices. There's an ongoing probe of JPMorgan Chase for possible energy-market manipulation, and American Banker has reported allegations that the firm improperly sued thousands of delinquent credit-card borrowers. And, of course, JPMorgan is likely to be caught up in the lawsuits and investigations over the manipulation of the key interest rate called libor, to say nothing of shareholder lawsuits in the London Whale debacle.
Dimon's talk of saving states aside, JPMorgan was a lead bank to Jefferson County, Alabama, the location of the biggest municipal bankruptcy on record, thanks in part to the high cost of auction-rate debt and related derivatives used to finance a sewer project. JPMorgan has also paid more than $200 million to settle charges related to a wide-ranging scandal over municipal bid rigging. (JPMorgan notes that all of the behavior at issue happened before Dimon arrived at the firm.)
"Look at what Goldman actually did wrong," says a former Goldman executive. "Then you look at all the things JPMorgan has done wrong, and they are all the way back in the business pages. I say this without criticism and with admiration, but the way he [Dimon] has kept that bank's reputation is amazing."
Dimon, however, is a fierce defender of the status quo. "Customers will only do business with us if we're better, faster, cheaper," he says. "If not, they'll go someplace else." He frequently points out that, although JPMorgan Chase's mortgage business lost money in 2008, the investment bank made money, and vice versa in 2009. "Take away our ability to be diversified and the result is a wobblier system," he says.
Certainly, there are things only a big bank can do. Warren Buffett, who owns shares in JPMorgan, says that when Berkshire Hathaway bought the railroad Burlington Northern for $26 billion, in the fall of 2009, he called up Dimon on the Tuesday morning just prior to the public announcement of the deal and said, "Jamie, I need $8 billion!" "You got it," Buffett says Dimon told him. "Even with some of the other big banks, that's not something you could do on the phone," Buffett adds.
But Dimon's sanguinity is somewhat belied by the formidable lobbying machine that he's built in Washington. JPMorgan's shop is much bigger than that of other banks, and it is chock-full of politically connected former congressional staffers. The firm has become known for the regularity with which its top people show up in Washington.
Dimon has put himself front, center, and uncensored in the debate about tougher oversight. He's lambasted regulators for failing to recognize that, while some companies were "too big to fail," others were "ports in the storm," and for making "hundreds of rules, many of which are uncoordinated and inconsistent with each other."
Part of the explanation is purely pragmatic: Dimon is trying to preserve his firm's profits—and maybe the firm itself. But it's hard not to hear something more emotional when you listen to Dimon. "This country would be flying if we had gotten stuff right and all worked together, but we haven't," he says. He frequently says that banks and bankers are being "scapegoated" for their role in the crisis, and he is full of righteous indignation. He often invokes Abraham Lincoln: "I'm a Democrat, and I tell Democrats and Republicans, you guys are busy simplifying and scapegoating—well, Abe Lincoln wouldn't do it." He says he's heard the story of a young officer telling Lincoln during the Civil War, "We're going to win because God is on our side." Lincoln responded, "Son, let's hope that we're on God's side."
For all of Dimon's personal engagement, and for all the lobbying clout that JPMorgan has, the jury is still out on the bank's success in stemming the tidal wave of new regulations. The current version of the Volcker Rule, aimed at preventing banks from making risky bets with depositors' money, is watered down from what activists would like to see, but it isn't what the industry wants, either, and the fight over the regulation of derivatives is ongoing.
Now JPMorgan, like the rest of the industry, is lurching to the right. Combined contributions from JPMorgan Chase PACs and employees are nearly four times as much for Mitt Romney as they are for Obama.
There's a feeling in Washington that the banks, JPMorgan included, have squandered some of their credibility. "What they [regulators] say when the industry complains is, I don't believe them," says Karen Shaw Petrou, co-founder of Federal Financial Analytics, a research and advisory firm. "The industry has repeatedly said things like 'This rule will doom credit to small businesses.' That's hurt their credibility and undermined their ability to get policymakers to pay attention to studies that prove that some rules may even have a perverse impact." Such behavior shows Wall Street did not have its fingers on the nation's pulse. "I think they underestimated the enormous negativity out there about them," Daley says. "They were used to being at the top, to being so loved and so admired, investment bankers with their houses in the Hamptons, wow, they make so much money, so they must be so smart—they are geniuses. They underestimated the depths of the anger … [and] the problem they had created for the political system."
Still, there are plenty of people who think Dimon has done exactly what he should have done. "Most corporate leaders hide and never say anything that they believe in," says Warren Buffett. "Jamie certainly hasn't put his views in a blind trust. I think he knows as much about banking as anyone in the country, and he ought to talk about it. It would be a terrible thing for him not to voice his views."
But there has been a cost, although it remains to be seen how big that cost is. Back in 2009, The New York Times called Dimon "Obama's favorite banker," and while several people close to Dimon say the personal relationship was always overstated, some have observed tension between the two men—a lost opportunity, at least to those who think that a better dynamic between them might be more constructive for the country. "The chemistry between him and the president has been bad," says a former administration official. At President Obama's inauguration, Dimon said to Obama and to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, "Tell me what you need. I'll send people down here. I'll do anything," says one D.C. hand. "Jamie walked into 2009 with the view that he was on the team." He wasn't.
"Jamie, especially in a number of private meetings, has been awfully tough with the president," says Daley. In Daley's view, there's a clash of styles between the business world, where an executive can snap his fingers and get things done, and Washington, where it just doesn't work that way. "When they did have meetings with the banks, Jamie would have liked an e-mail afterwards [that said] here are the 10 things we talked about and here's the follow-up," says Daley. (Two of Dimon's key rules for success are "always have a follow-up list" and "get stuff done.") "But," Daley continues, "there would be nothing. What offended Jamie is that no one seemed to be listening or doing something in response to his comments or telling him why he was wrong and that pissed him off."
That said, Daley believes that just as Obama and Dimon's closeness was overstated, the rancor today is as well. On Saturday, January 21, 2012, Dimon went down with his wife and daughters for a tour. The president, who was working on his State of the Union address, was in the Oval Office later than Daley had expected. "So, there I am with Jamie and Judy—oh, man," says Daley. "I tell the president, and he says, 'I'd like to see him, although I don't know if he'd like to see me!' So, they all go in and get pictures taken, and then weeks later Jamie and the president had lunch together."
Perhaps if Dimon expressed himself in a less combative way, his comments would be more productive. Says Daley about Dimon, "His persona is bigger than what he specifically advocates. I don't know if it's wise. But he could not do it otherwise." There are plenty of those who say that Dimon's increased visibility in the political landscape is just one aspect of an increasingly dangerous picture. "In the last couple of years he's had books written about him; in the public arena, political arena, he's become larger than life, and I would argue that he's starting to believe it all himself to some degree," says a former financial-industry C.E.O. "The arc of a C.E.O. who gets idolized is that they ultimately fall off the pedestal," says another financial executive. He adds, "JPMorgan suffered from two big things that every bank should fear: a dangerous combination of complacency and hubris."
Killer Whale
In talking about the London Whale, Dimon himself says he had become "complacent." And, in fact, basic risk-management practices were skipped, warning signs were ignored, and denial ran rampant through the executive suite. Dimon violated his own rule, which is "Trust, but verify."
Until last spring, no one outside JPMorgan knew much about its chief investment office (C.I.O.), despite the fact that it managed a huge amount of money—more than $350 billion. When Dimon came to JPMorgan Chase he made Ina Drew the firm's chief investment officer. She had worked at predecessors of the firm since 1982, when she joined Chemical Bank, where she ran Treasury, a decidedly unglamorous function. (Treasury makes sure that a bank has the funds it needs to operate, and invests its spare cash—basically the difference between the deposits the bank receives and the loans it makes—in very safe securities, such as U.S. Treasuries.)
JPMorgan Chase seems to have had a more aggressive vision for how its spare cash could be put to work than did other banks. "The unit has always been a profit center," says a former top risk manager. Of course, this is not how JPMorgan Chase describes it; the firm says that the C.I.O.'s job was merely to hedge or offset the risk of loss in other parts of the bank. One way to understand the discrepancy may be by parsing the meaning of the word "hedge." While Dimon says that he agrees with the spirit of the Volcker Rule, JPMorgan, like other banks, is protesting some of the specific provisions. In a letter earlier this year, the bank argued that the rule should still allow JPMorgan to protect against a downturn in profit in another business by "hedging" in the C.I.O.—even if the hedge is against a future, rather than a current, risk, and even if the hedge gives rise to outright profits because the loss never materializes. JPMorgan does say that the "hedge" should be linked to a specific risk—but you can see how activities that produce profits could still be called hedges.
Drew herself was extremely well respected—people both inside and outside the firm cite both her intelligence and her integrity—and for good reason. She'd started on Wall Street when, as one friend puts it, "women had to work twice as hard as men, and that's what she did." She was "avant-garde and smart and quick and ahead of everyone," says a former Goldman trader who worked with her at Chemical Bank. "The smartest guys at Goldman would call her up with an idea, and she already knew about it." She lived through all the mergers and all the crises, from the 1998 collapse of the giant hedge fund Long-Term Capital Management to the financial crisis of 2008, and there was never a hiccup in her area.
A former JPMorgan chairman said that, in his view, she'd "saved the bank"; a former risk manager says that JPMorgan's avoidance of the worst of the credit crisis was in part because Drew had argued that putting subprime securities on the bank's balance sheet the way Citigroup did could bankrupt the firm.
Her performance over the years is why Jimmy Lee likens her to the baseball star Alex Rodriguez. "She had one of those personalities that was a very sort of competence-inspiring personality, meaning she really knew her shit cold," he says.
That something could go so wrong under her watch is baffling to those who know her. "This is my mistake," says Dimon. "I never worried about Ina."
Superstar that Drew was, there were red flags. Her background was in managing interest-rate risk, not credit risk. On Wall Street, "credit risk"—the risk that you don't get paid back—is considered an entirely different area. And "structured credit"—derivatives linked to debt—is a different planet, one on which the inhabitants are not nice to novices. "They'll kill you if you don't understand structured credit," says one trader.
That became an issue because around 2007, JPMorgan's C.I.O., which had traditionally focused on interest-rate products, began to morph after JPMorgan hired a trader named Achilles Macris, who had previously worked at Dresdner and before that at Bankers Trust. Macris took charge of the C.I.O.'s London office, which had been something of a backwater, and began to argue that the C.I.O. should also invest in credit instruments.
"Up until 2006, my view and Ina's view was that the bank already had credit risk, and there were a lot of people managing it who had done it their whole lives," says a former risk manager. "[We thought] they should be better than we can ever be." But Macris, this person recalls, argued that even seemingly complex securities could be managed properly.
For a while, Macris looked right. While JPMorgan doesn't break out the profits that were attributable to Drew's team, the C.I.O.'s gains on its investment totaled a stunning $7.3 billion between 2008 and 2011. Although Drew was on sick leave for part of 2010 due to Lyme disease, when she came back she moved to the 48th-floor executive suite, where Dimon sits, and she became one of the highest-paid people at JPMorgan.
In addition to the morphing of the portfolio, assets grew dramatically, and there was big turnover in the risk-management department. Add in Drew's illness and you would think someone at a well-managed, risk-conscious firm would have noticed. There's talk that risk managers did try to speak up; JPMorgan has said they and many others didn't dig into the details enough. The dénouement came when an unassuming French trader named Bruno Iksil accumulated such a huge long position on an index based on the creditworthiness of more than 100 companies that he distorted the market—i.e., it became cheaper to buy the insurance (in the form of credit-default swaps) Iksil was selling on the index than it was to buy it on the individual companies in the index. Iksil's trades were so large that the hedge funds nicknamed him "the London Whale" or "Voldemort" ("he who must not be named," in the Harry Potter books). Betting that the imbalance in the market had to correct at some point, the hedge funds saw a golden opportunity and took the other side of the trade. Instead of unwinding the position and taking losses, JPMorgan's London team added to it, and took other, even more esoteric bets as well. Today, the hedge funds on the other side are still shocked by how much money JPMorgan lost—and by the fact that the bank didn't see the obvious warning signs. "It's basic risk management," says one trader. "I do not see how you miss it."
In April, when Dimon first heard from press reports about the magnitude of the London Whale's losing bet, he said it was all just "a tempest in a teapot," an assessment he came to regret three weeks later when the scandal fully emerged. (He later defended the comment by saying the people who reported to him directly told him everything was fine. "I was assured by them," he says, "and I have the right to rely on them.") But by July 13, JPMorgan announced that the trades had lost $5.8 billion—and might lose another $1.7 billion.
Drew, who didn't have much choice, offered to resign and to give up around $30 million in compensation. Dimon says that Drew's resignation is exactly what should have happened. "She was the leader of the business. She offered to resign, and it was the right thing to do," he says. Others agree, but say that the fault isn't Drew's alone. "I think a whole lot of people had responsibility here," says one person who is very close to JPMorgan Chase. "Everyone on that operating committee had responsibility. Ina made a big mistake, but it wasn't as if there weren't other sets of eyes on this."
Bruno Iksil and his supervisors, including Macris, have left the firm; JPMorgan also said that it would claw back their compensation for the past two years. And the firm has also acknowledged that there were "concerns" that the traders may have been mismarking their positions. As a result, it had to re-state its earnings going back to the beginning of 2012 and declare a "material weakness" in its risk controls.
Most observers think that as a result of JPMorgan's loss the final version of the Volcker Rule will be tougher on the banks than it otherwise would have been. "This screwed everything," says an executive at another big bank. "Everyone was hoping that Volcker would be watered down." He adds, "If there were no collateral damage for the rest of us, there would be massive Schadenfreude."
The loss also added fuel to the fiery debate as to whether the big banks are too big. "It turns out JP Morgan can make dumb (and big) mistakes, just like all the other dumb (and big) banks," wrote an analyst named Kathleen Shanley of Gimme Credit. Dimon says the loss is a demonstration of how big can actually be good, because, thanks to JPMorgan's size, the loss is manageable—the firm still posted a profit of $5 billion in the quarter it took its trading loss. In other words, maybe it all was just a tempest in a teapot. "The goal is that your screwups are flesh wounds and not mortal wounds," says Matt Zames, the bank's co–chief operating officer. "This was a flesh wound."
But there's a different issue, which is that because of JPMorgan's size it was able to distort the market, not just briefly but for months. And Dimon didn't notice any of it. Says a former regulator, who is generally a defender of the big banks, "I do not think the big banks should be broken up. But when you look at JP, and this is supposed to be a hedge, and it's that complicated, and you have to go that big into the market to hedge—well, maybe you are too big! That's the tough one. I don't know, but when it gets away from a guy like Jamie … it's a tough argument."
At least publicly, Dimon remains remarkably unblemished. "I have not seen a C.E.O. ever handle a crisis so effectively," says Daley. "Jamie didn't let a cover-up become worse than the crime."
When asked if the experience of the London Whale has made him a better leader, Dimon is uncharacteristically humble. "I think maybe it's too late to make me better or worse, overall," he says. "Look, I'm 56 years old. Going into the Whale, I did everything I thought I was supposed to do, and I got a lot of advice from people I'm sure I'm better for what I experienced in some way, but it's hard for me to tell right now There's no reversing it."
Two of Dimon's most likely successors now are seen to be Zames, 41, and Mike Cavanagh, 46, but Dimon isn't going anywhere anytime soon. "I intend to be here for many more years," he says.
It isn't obvious there's anything else Dimon wants to do. He's talked about everything from owning a Cheers-like bar on the Upper East Side of Manhattan to teaching, or investing with others in small companies. But right about now, he seems more certain about the things he won't do. "I will not run another major company," he says. "I will not take a job with fiduciary responsibility, and I will not run for office."
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A decision to allow women to serve in combat roles should provide advancement opportunities for women looking at making a career in the military, say some Gaston County residents with military backgrounds.
A decision to allow women to serve in combat roles should provide advancement opportunities for women looking at making a career in the military, say some Gaston County residents with military backgrounds.
Byron Toole, a retired Navy pilot who now heads up the JROTC at South Point High School, called this week�s decision exciting news.
�I think that during my career I saw women become pilots like me; I saw women go out on ships like me,� Toole said. �In my experience they�ve served as well as any man, and better than some.�
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made the announcement Thursday. It will be up to the military service chiefs to recommend whether women should be excluded from any of those more demanding and deadly positions, such as Navy SEALs or the Army's Delta Force.
The decision affects up to 230,000 battlefront posts that were previously only open to men.
The historic change, which was recommended by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, overturns a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units.
Under the 1994 Pentagon policy, women were prohibited from being assigned to ground combat units below the brigade level.
Combat in Iraq and Afghanistan propelled women into jobs as medics, military police and intelligence officers. The positions were often attached to battalions, not formally assigned. So though women weren�t assigned as an infantryman, they could fly helicopters supporting the unit, or provide medical aid if troops were injured.
There has been opposition to putting women in combat, based on questions of whether they have the necessary strength and stamina for certain jobs, or whether their presence might hurt unit cohesion.
OneGazette reader agrees with that belief.
When The Gazette asked readers on Facebook their opinion on the subject, Rhonda Anderson had this to say:
�There are reasons our military is a strong force. Men act differently when women are added to the equation� Just having those women there puts all of our soldiers at a higher risk. Not to mention the cost associated with simply keeping them separated,� Anderson wrote. �I am a veteran, a wife, and a mother. I truly feel like much of the downfall of our society has come from the feminist movement. God created us differently.�
In addition to questions of strength and performance, there also have been suggestions that the public would not tolerate large numbers of women being killed in war.
Gazette reader Todd Criswell expressed that concern.
�Be careful what you ask for. The number one reason women are not in combat roles now is the forthcoming public outcry when coffins come back from Afghanistan filled with mothers, sisters and daughters. Living in combat conditions is not something to aspire to . . . even for a man,� he wrote.
David Rogers of Gastonia served in the Air Force for 20 years.
Rogers said women have really been in combat for years and that the announcement just formalized what�s already happening.
He said if someone can do the job, they should have the opportunity.
�Regardless of gender, if they can perform the task necessary to get the job done, it makes no difference,� he said. �It�s the right thing to do.�
Toole said gender restrictions shouldn�t stunt a person�s career. He said in the past women struggled to become admirals in the Navy because they couldn�t command a ship. That policy has also changed, he said.
If a woman is capable of the leadership role, she should have the opportunity, Toole said.
The change won't take place overnight: Service chiefs will have to develop plans for allowing women to seek the combat positions, a senior military official said. Some jobs may open as soon as this year, while assessments for others, such as special operations forces, may take longer. The services will have until January 2016 to make a case that some positions should remain closed to women.
Women comprise about 14 percent of the 1.4 million active military personnel. More than 280,000 women have been sent to Iraq, Afghanistan or to jobs in neighboring nations in support of the wars. Of the more than 6,600 U.S. service members who have been killed, 152 have been women.
The senior military official said the military chiefs must report back to Panetta with their initial implementation plans by May 15.
The Associated Press contributed to this article. You can reach Diane Turbyfill at 704-869-1817.


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An auto-tuned version of Nick Clegg apologising for an election pledge on tuition fees is to be released as a charity single on iTunes after becoming a massive online hit.
VIDEO: Watch the remixed Nick Clegg apology
The remixed version of the deputy prime minister's apology was among the top trending topics on Twitter on Thursday morning, courtesy of website The Poke and Alex Ross.
The website contacted the Lib Dem leader on Twitter to ask him whether the video could be released on iTunes with all profits going to 'worthy education causes'.
Mr Clegg subsequently replied: 'Permission granted, but all proceeds to Sheffield Children's Hospital please.'
The original video was uploaded on to YouTube last night ahead of it being shown on TV as a party political broadcast next week as the Liberal Democrat conference in Brighton begins.
'There's no easy way to say this,' Mr Clegg says in the video as he apologises for a 2010 manifesto pledge to vote against any rise in tuition fees. 'We made a pledge…we didn't stick to it, and for that I am sorry.'
Months after the election, in coalition with the Conservative Party, the Liberal Democrats voted through a potential rise in tuition fees to £9,000.
In the video Mr Clegg concedes 'people who are disappointed and angry that we couldn't keep all our promises – above all our promise not to raise tuition fees'.
BLOG: Was Nick Clegg's hearty political broadcast wise?
He adds: 'To those people, I say this: We made a promise before the election that we would vote against any rise in fees under any circumstances.
'But that was a mistake. It was a pledge made with the best of intentions – but we shouldn't have made a promise we weren't absolutely sure we could deliver.'
Mr Clegg concludes: 'We were right to leave the comfort of opposition to face the realities of government.
'And I know we are fighting for the right things, day in, day out, too: Rebuilding our economy to make it strong, changing the tax system to make it fair, defending the vulnerable in these tough times.
'That's what my party believes in. That's what I believe in. And, if we've lost your trust, that's how I hope we can start to win it back.'


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One of the mysteries surrounding Larry Ellison is how he can afford so many mansions, islands, yachts and planes, all while retaining his shares in his company.
Yes, the Oracle CEO is one of the richest men in the world, worth over $30 billion. Yet he sells only small amounts of stock under a schedule stock-sale plan. And last I checked, yacht builders don't take Oracle stock for payment.


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Arp 194: A Galaxy Group in Flux main content.
by AMNH on
Arp 194 is one of 338 galactic curiosities grouped in a catalog called the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies, which was organized in 1966 by astronomer Halton Arp. The Hubble Space Telescope recently imaged the galaxy group to reveal details on its dynamic interaction. The image celebrates Hubble's 19th year of observing the cosmos. Hubble's Wide Field Planetary Camera 2, which took this shot, was upgraded to a new, improved version on May 14.


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Park Meadows named "Merchandiser of the Year"
Park Meadows Country Club, which operates a private golf course, was recently named the Private Club "Merchandiser of the Year" by the PGA Utah, the third major accolade for the club in the past two months.
"Every private club in Utah has opportunity to be nominated," said Bobby Trunzo, the Head Golf Professional at Park Meadows. " I know we have doubled our sales over the last year and half to two years, since I've been here."
"I've been shooting for better inventory control and a better buying strategy since I started," he added. "Our strategy is to find a few select lines that differentiate us from other clubs in the area. We're not selling the exact same stuff as everyone else."
This month, the award was presented to Trunzo, who was nominated for the distinction by others in the industry. Golf professionals submitted their nominations of Trunzo based on his strategies for the store. He introduced a special-order program and also seasonally changes apparel in the golf shop to cater to summer and winter guests.
Gross products have increased by 35 percent since he began two years ago, Trunzo said.
The private golf course also received recognition from Salt Lake Magazine this fall as one of the best private courses in the state.
"I'm very happy to have been recognized by my friends and colleagues, but this was truly a group effort from our staff here at Park Meadows," Trunzo said in a press release. "My wife, Saskia, is the shop's merchandiser and deserves much of the credit. Corey Wooley, Travis Gilbert and Ashley Hihath were also critical to our success."
The Park Meadows championship golf course has hosted 10 Senior PGA Tour events, including an event last month when the course was selected to host the local qualifying round for the 58th annual USGA Senior Amateur Championship.
County loses employees with half-century of experience, ties to East Side
Anita Lewis, Brent Ovard and Travis English were influential in shaping how residents interact with the county.


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Alaska has its own clothing needs with climates ranging from coastal rainforest to windswept arctic tundra. For advice on what to wear to protect yourself and enjoy your time afield in Alaska, this is the place!
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Document Details
Filing Date
May 9, 2003
Document Date
March 31, 2003
Form Description
Quarterly report which provides a continuing view of a company's financial position
Filing Group
Quarterly Filings
Rayonier Inc.
Filing Formats
Mark McHugh
Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (904) 357-9100
Transfer Agent
For essential services such as change of address, lost certificates or dividend checks, or change in registered ownership, please write or call:
- Regular Mail
- Computershare
- P.O. Box 43006
- Providence, RI 02940-3006
- United States
- Overnight Delivery
- Computershare
- 250 Royall Street
- Canton, MA 02021
- United States
Inside the U.S.: (800) 659-0158
Outside the U.S.: (201) 680-6587
For online inquiries, please visit https://www-us.computershare.com.
Please include your name, address, account number and telephone number with all correspondence.
Note: Rayonier filed an amended 2002 Form 10-K on September 19, 2003 changing its presentation of certain non-GAAP financial measures, primarily for EBITDA by Segment and Free Cash Flow to comply with new SEC rules.


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Activities Focusing On the Works of Harun Yahya
Websites Containing Harun Yahya's Articles
www.islam.ru, This is a site with Islamic content in English and Russian. Its purpose is to provide information for Muslims and those who have recently converted to Islam. It gives information on recent events that have occurred in Russia and the rest of the world, and news from the Islamic world is also included. In the section in Russian called "Islam and Science" various excerpts from Harun Yahya's The Creation of the Universe appear.
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/islamnet/verite.htm is an Islamic site in French that has detailed accounts of Islam and the moral teachings of the Qur'an. It also includes articles by renowned Islamic scholars, and a section has been reserved for the French translation of Harun Yahya's Ever Thought About the Truth?
www.arvo.net, is a scientific and cultural site in Spanish. It includes Harun Yahya's article entitled "Islam is Not the Source of Terrorism, But Its Solution".
The Italian site, www.islam-online.it has a huge Islamic content. The home page devotes space to an illustrated presentation of Harun Yahya's The Evolution Deceit. When you enter this section you will find a comprehensive site in which The Evolution Deceit is introduced in Italian translation.
www.muslimworld.co.uk is one of Britain's most important Internet sites. Here information is provided about the reasons why some people have converted to Islam. On this site, under the heading "A Closer Look at Nature," such articles as Harun Yahya's "Rain," "The Miracle of Honey," and "Mechanisms of the Body" are included.
A special section has been created on the French site www.ifrance.com for Harun Yahya's works. This site provides links to access Harun Yahya's English and Turkish-language sites. Under the headings of faith, science, politics and nature, sections from Harun Yahya's various books and articles are included.
www.iquebec.ifrance.com is the official site of the Quebec Islamic Cultural Center. This site contains a very wide selection of material. It has verses from the Qur'an, the sayings of the Prophet, and comments from those who have become converts to Islam. In addition there is a special section for children. Harun Yahya's article entitled "The Real Origin of Life" appears on the home page.
www.islamfr.com, is a French Islamic site. A special section has been prepared for the works of Harun Yahya. The site gives detailed information about Harun Yahya's works and provides links to the author's English and Turkish-language sites. In addition, articles by the author are included in four sections: faith, politics, science and creation.
www.jamiat.org.za is a comprehensive Islamic site prepared by South African Muslims, and includes a special section about the works of Harun Yahya. Above is an article by Harun Yahya which explains why the theory of evolution is contrary to religion.
www.overgave.nl is a site that gives information in Flemish about the Islamic world and devotes considerable space to the works of Harun Yahya.
www.evolution-schoepfung.de is a site in German prepared with reference to Harun Yahya's works concerning the collapse of evolution and several others of his articles. The purpose of the site is to demonstrate the great defeat that evolution has suffered at the hands of modern scientific developments. This site has stimulated the interest of people from many walks of life and has an exhibition section that displays various posters relating to the theory of evolution.
Middle East News Online is a news provider and syndicator of news and information about the Middle East and North Africa to a world-wide audience. One of Harun Yahya's articles posted on this news service is titled "The Real Ideological Root of Terrorism is Darwinism and Materialism."
www.muslimforlife.de is a site in German containing all kinds of Islamic articles and devotes much space to books and articles by Harun Yahya.
The Islamic Institute of the Americas is an independent Islamic organization that represents recent American and European converts to Islam. In the section entitled "Books," the entire texts of Harun Yahya's The Creation of the Universe, The Disasters Darwinism Brought to Humanity, Perished Nations, The Evolution Deceit and For Men of Understanding are given in Spanish. And in the English section on evolution, there is a detailed review of the author's works on this subject.
This is a site prepared in Mozambique in Portuguese that regularly includes articles by Harun Yahya. In the picture you see the author's article on the "Miracle of Honey."
This site has been prepared for French-speaking Muslims and contains various articles on political and faith-related topics. This site is often updated and visited by many people. It devotes considerable space to a presentation about the author and his works.
Harun Yahya's articles in French are published in various sites on the Internet. Here are two examples.
French edition of For Men of Understanding
Living by the Qur'an Guarantees Real Peace - Design in Nature
This site, that endorses religious tolerance, published the article by Harun Yahya shown below on-line.
Islamonline.net was launched with the purpose of providing its visitors with all the information they need about Islam and its civilizations. It aims to present a unified and lively Islam that keeps up with modern times in all areas. Harun Yahya's articles are regularly published on this website.
True.Origin was established to provide an intellectually honest response to the claims of the proponents of evolution. It is one of the best-known reference sites on the refutation of Darwinism. The site refers to Harun Yahya as follows:
Harun Yahya's main focus has been the refutation of Darwinism and materialism, two modern myths which are imposed to conceal the fact of Creation, a truth both revealed in the Bible and the Koran.
Although TrueOrigin is unreservedly committed to biblical Christian faith and worldview, the following article by a wellread Muslim scholar not only demonstrates excellent analysis of National Geographic's unscientific practices, but is also clear evidence that objections to evolution are not limited to any particular religious foundation: Evolution fails primarily on the basis of the facts, not one's faith.
The Revival On-Line is the website of one of the UK's biggest and brightest newsletters. The Revival deals with the issues facing young Muslims today. It came into existence with the aim of producing Islamic literature which was down to earth, readable and entertaining, as well as educational. Harun Yahya's articles that are published on this website deal with scientific and faith related topics.
The purpose of Ummah.com is to provide services for the Muslim community world-wide, as well as anyone looking for information on Islam. The BICNews Global Newsletter Service, a sub-section of the site, broadcasts news and analysis around the clock, covering the whole world. Harun Yahya is a regular BICNews columnist.
IslamForToday.com is an Internet home for Western converts to Islam and a source of information for non-Muslims seeking knowledge and understanding of Islam. Harun Yahya's articles on Islam's peaceful nature have been published on this website.
www.chretiens-et-juifs.org is a Belgian website in French seeking dialogue between divine religions, basically Christianity and Judaism. This website was launched by the International Association of Christians and Jews for the Teaching of Esteem, which was established by royal decree in 1999. One Harun Yahya article published on this website states that Islam completely rejects terror.
www.bosnanskialim.com is a Bosnian site providing Islamic resources for Bosnian Muslims. Harun Yahya's writings on the refutation of evolution appear in the library section of this site.
www.bosnjankinja.net is another Bosnian site particularly aimed at Bosnian Muslim women. The site includes various writings by Harun Yahya translated into Bosnian by the volunteer contributors to this site.
The aim of Islamzine.com is to present Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Articles by Harun Yahya on faith-related topics and on the facts of creation are posted on this website, where a special section is devoted to Harun Yahya.
French articles by Harun Yahya are published on-line on many websites on the Internet. One of these websites, which is seen here, publishes Harun Yahya's articles under the section "Fundamental Principles of Islam."
Dieu-unique.com, a French website designed to present basic Islamic principles, devotes considerable space to extracts from Harun Yahya's books in French. The extracts seen above are taken from Connaitre Dieu Par La Raison, the French edition of Allah is Known Through Reason by Harun Yahya.
www.islam.at is Austria's most important Islamic site. It includes writings from esteemed Islamic authors and scholars. A special page has been prepared for articles by Harun Yahya.
Some of the author's articles are also available on this internet site, which includes Harun Yahya's biography.
Oumma.com is a comprehensive website in French. The above article, one of those by Harun Yahya posted on this website, reminds Muslims to live by the Qur'an and follow their consciences all the time.
www.aslim-taslam.com is a site in French. In the section entitled "Science," it includes articles by Harun Yahya on materialism and the theory of evolution. The site also features an interview with the author.
Islam-belgique.com is a website prepared by Belgian Muslims. Harun Yahya's articles posted on this website are titled "The Scientific Collapse of Materialism" and "Entropy and Order"
Islamicity.com is one of the most popular Islamic sites, hosting an average of 2.5 million visitors a day. A special section is reserved for Harun Yahya on IslamiCity under the section "The Qur'an and Science."
Eramuslim is an Indonesian news and cultural service for Muslims in Indonesia. This site presented The Evolution Deceit by Harun Yahya, which is slated for publication in Indonesian.
Islamicinterlink.com is an attempt to make Islamic content on the Internet easily accessible to all. The works of Harun Yahya are included under the Muslim Authors Index, listed under the Contemporary Scholars section.


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Funny thing from Cedric Benson.
You remember him, right? Former Bears No. 1 draft pick, taken fourth overall in 2005. You'll see him Thursday night. He's the Packers' new starting running back, and get this:
He told the Green Bay Press-Gazette he has no personal grudge against the Bears.
Well, of course not. Because it's the other way around. I mean, just look:
Benson held out for 36 days as a rookie, left the sideline of an exhibition game because it was raining, claimed he was hit too hard in practice, seemed to force the parting of beloved teammate Thomas Jones, got arrested, failed to live up to his fourth-overall draft slot, got arrested again, and finally was cut.
Geez, what grudge could Benson hold against the Bears? That they didn't write a contract clause for bail money?
It's not surprising that Benson got the grudge thing wrong after he got almost everything else wrong when he was here.
Maybe the Bears don't care. This far removed from Benson's idiot ways, it would be understandable, especially with a new general manager and a whole bunch of new assistant coaches because Lovie Smith fires everybody as a way of keeping his job.
As for Benson's few remaining former teammates still on the roster, I have to believe a few of them have some unpleasant memories.
I'm sure a lot of fans still care, too. Part of their job is to carry grudges, when they're not making noise at the wrong times, that is.
Benson is supposed to make a difference for the Packers. He did not come close in the opener, gaining only 18 yards on nine carries in a home loss to San Francisco. And just wait'll he starts fumbling the way we know he can. Part of me thinks you couldn't have handpicked a better former Bear to become a Packer.
The Bears have faced Benson one other time. He was a Bengal and rushed for 189 yards, which seemed to be a season's total when he played here. Brian Urlacher missed that game. So did defensive tackle Tommie Harris. The middle of Smith's defense turned into a rolling tollway.
Harris is gone, but Urlacher is expected to start against the Packers. Urlacher is expected to start against Benson.
Raise your hand if you want to see Urlacher finish Benson.


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I know it's the information age, but keeping up with the latest in the industryis a constant challenge. One of the key parts of my job is to wade through thisenormous wave of information, find the items that would be of most interestto you, and then figure out how best to present them. After doing this for anumber of years, the decision process to keep or discard materials really hasbecome second nature. However, there are still those pieces of information that stopme dead in my tracks and make me think for weeks on end about how I might usethem. Typically, I print these items out, and they eventually become buried in oneof the many piles sitting on my desk.As I sat down to write this month's "Industry Viewpoint," I thought it would befun to share a couple of these unique electrical research items with you that fit inwell with this month's editorial theme — electrical design.
• "New virus-built battery could power cars, electronic devices" — As recentlyreported in MIT News, MIT researchers have shown they can genetically engineerviruses to build both the positively and negatively charged ends of a lithium-ionbattery. This technology breakthrough leads the research team to believe these typesof batteries could one day be used to power plug-in hybrid cars and personal electronicdevices. The story goes on to say, "The viruses are a common bacteriophage,which infect bacteria but are harmless to humans." Although the technology hasn'treached the commercial production stage, it makes me stop and think. Do I reallywant to drive a car or talk on a phone that is powered by a virus? I must confess thatI'm already a borderline germaphobe as it is. Maybe the recent swine flu outbreakis feeding my fear a little bit too much right now to accept this development withopen arms.
• "Socially interactive devices" — A recent article in ABB Review asks, "Haveyou talked to your device lately?" Apparently, the company is "developing a collaborativedevice community that will be able to personify a piece of equipment orsystem (device), thus enabling it to interact with end-users and technical expertsthrough collaborative chat sessions." The company indicates "the time is ripe forbuilding excellent relationships between devices and their human counterparts,"which is why they're studying how to leverage the value of Web 2.0 technologies toimprove asset reliability. Maybe it's because I'm not a member of the Net Generation,but I can't stop asking myself, "Do I really want to become this intimate withmy electrical equipment?" I mean, what if our relationship ends on a sour note?Will the device start posting disparaging comments and unflattering photos of meon its DeviceSpace page?Hopefully, these two news items will make you stop and think how differentyour life would be if it weren't for the talents of researchers, scientists, inventors,and engineers. They really are the leaders of any industry. I, for one, am glad I'mon the front lines, listening and learning every step of the way.


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About This Activity
We have been able to expand timed runner entries ~ we will have 100 timing devices available on race day. Registration will be taken on RACE DAY from 7:15am - 8am. First come, first served. Questions please contact the Race Director, Vanessa Peca.
SHIRTS ARE SOLD OUT! We are attempting to work with the timing company to increase the number of runners that can be timed. Registration will therefore be taken only on RACE DAY from 7:15am - 8am. If there are further updates they will be posted on this site. Questions please contact the Race Director, Vanessa Peca.
Course Details
The Reindeer Run 5K course is a USATF certified course (IL-12135-JW). The course winds through the streets of downtown Wheaton. A course map can be found at: http://www.wheatonparkdistrict.com/pdfs/ReindeerRun_RaceRoute.pdf.
Parking Suggestions
On-street in downtown Wheaton. Parking garage in downtown Wheaton (Hale & Wesley).
Packet Pick Up
Prerace packet pick up will be held on Wednesday November 28, 2012 from 2pm to 8pm at the Wheaton Park District Community Center, 1777 S Blanchard, Wheaton, IL 60189. Race day packet pick up will be availble from 7:15am - 8am. Location TBA
T - Shirts
T-shirts are available for the first 500 registrants. T-shirt sizes are on a first come, first serve basis.
Reindeer Antlers
As this is a fun themed event, reindeer antlers are available at time of early registration for a $5 fee. Stop by the face paint table on the day of the race to receive a Rudolph nose!
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Face Painting
Sponsored by Mathieson, Moyski, Celer & Co., LLP, Accountants & Advisors! Stop by the face-painting table on the day of the Reindeer Run to receive a Rudolph nose! This table is sponsored by Mathieson, Moyski, Celer & Co., LLP, Accountants & Advisors, who have been serving business owners and individuals in Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Carol Stream and the western suburbs for more than 25 years. To learn more about their services, visit www.mmcadvisors.com or call 630-653-1616.
Awards will be given to: overall male and female finisher and top 3 finishers in each age division. Age divisions are as follows: 10 & under, 11-12, 13-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, and 80 & over.
The runners safety is of utmost importance. Therefore, bicycles, in-line skates, other wheeled vehicles (except wheelchairs) and dogs are not allowed. Strollers are also prohibited.
Timing Company Details
Timing and results provided by River City Race Management.
Volunteers are essential to the success of the race. All volunteers receive a long sleeve t-shirt and continental breakfast. If you would like to volunteer, visit www.volunteersignup.org/XPYPT. If you have any questions about volunteering, please contact the Race Director (see below for contact information).
Please contact Vanessa Peca, Race Director, at firstname.lastname@example.com or 630-510-5135 with any questions.
Thank you to our sponsors!
First Trust Portfolios;Wheaton Bank and Trust;Trust Company of Illinois;Community Bank;Cantigny Golf;Newsome & McCloughan Physical Therapy;Mathieson, Moyski, Celer, & Co.;Bradford Real Estate;Huck Bouma
All registration fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
$25 through 11/27/12 and $35 at Packet Pick Up and Race Day; CARA members $3 discount


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NEW YORK — The "Conjuring" spinoff "Annabelle: Creation" scared up an estimated $35 million in North American theaters over the weekend, making it easily the top film and giving the lagging August box office a shot in the arm.
The opening came close to matching the film's predecessor, "Annabelle," which opened with $37.1 million in October 2014. Warner Bros. could celebrate not only the month's biggest debut but also having the week's top two films. Christopher Nolan's "Dunkirk" followed in second with $11.4 million in its fourth weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Even amid an especially weak August, the well-reviewed horror sequel and modestly budgeted "Annabelle: Creation" found eager audiences.
"That we were able to do $35 million in what is a very sluggish marketplace was very impressive," said Jeffrey Goldstein, Warner Bros.' distribution chief. "We all know that moviegoing begets moviegoing and right now it's a dip in the content overall."
The film, the third to spiral out of 2013's "The Conjuring," cost only about $15 million to make. More sequels and spinoffs are being developed in what has become for Warner Bros. a steadily profitable horror franchise bent on old-school frights. The "Annabelle" offshoot centers on a possessed doll.
Last week's top film, the poorly received Stephen King adaptation "The Dark Tower," slid dramatically. The Sony Pictures release, starring Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, toppled nearly 60 percent on its second weekend with an estimated $7.9 million.
The week's other new entry, the Open Road animated release "Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature," edged just above "The Dark Tower" with $8.9 million. That was well below the 2014 debut of the original, "The Nut Job," which opened with $19.4 million.
But the solid returns for "Annabelle: Creation" did little to counter the box-office slide. The box office was down 31.6 percent from the same weekend last year, when "Suicide Squad" was No. 1 despite brutal reviews and Seth Rogen's "Sausage Party" opened. The summer altogether is down 12.4 percent from last year, according to comScore.
"This is a great weekend to be a really scary doll and Warner Bros., but for everyone else, it's just plain scary," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore. "It proves the horror genre is alive and well."
Some of July's bright spots, however, have continued into August. The summer's top comedy, "Girls Trip," will soon surpass $100 million domestically. The movie, starring Jada Pinkett Smith and Queen Latifah, took in $6.5 million in its fourth week to bring its cumulative total to $97.2 million. It may end up doubling the gross of its closest summer comedy competition: the starrier and pricey "Baywatch" ($58.1 million in its entire run).
In limited release, the A24 crime thriller "Good Time," starring Robert Pattinson, debuted with a robust $34,000 per-screen average on four screens. That was bettered, though, by the $47,000 screen-average of Neon's "Ingrid Goes West," with Aubrey Plaza, on three screens. Both films expand in coming weeks.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers also are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. "Annabelle: Creation," $35 million ($35 million international).
2. "Dunkirk," $11.4 million ($14.5 million international).
3. "Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature," $8.9 million.
4. "The Dark Tower," $7.9 million ($7.9 million international).
5. "The Emoji Movie," $6.6 million ($14.1 million international).
6. "Girls Trip," $6.5 million ($1.4 million international).
7. "Spider-Man: Homecoming," $6.1 million ($12.4 million international).
8. "Kidnap," $5.2 million.
9. "Glass Castle," $4.9 million.
10. "Atomic Blonde," $4.6 million ($5.2 million international).
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore
1. "Wolf Warrior 2," $83.6 million.
2. "Annabelle Creation," $35 million.
3. "Guilty of Mind," $23.6 million.
4. "The Adventures," $22.3 million.
5. "War for the Planet of the Apes," $17.1 million.
6. "A Taxi Driver," $15.3 million.
7. "Despicable Me 3," $15 million.
8. "Dunkirk," $14.5 million.
9. "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets," $14.4 million.
10. "The Emoji Movie," $14.1 million.
Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP


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Collision Repair – Mechanical Repair
Rhino Linings – Auto Sales
Rhino Linings Authorized Dealer
Collision Repair – Mechanical Repair
Rhino Linings – Auto Sales
Rhino Linings Authorized Dealer
"This body shop did an outstanding job. I would never go to another facility. I would absolutely recommend this shop, and I already have many times" — A. Gallo
"My car looks awesome. Rick's people are very helpful and friendly and were very good about answering all my questions" — J. Mellanson
"Both Jim and Rick were the best. Jim handled everything at my amazement. He did a great job. I really appreciate his help and concern. Thank you Jim!!" — Shirley F.
"The bodywork done by Rick's Auto Collision is excellent, everyone is extremely courteous and helpful" — Ann M.
"I couldn't be any happier – it looks great. All of the shop employees were wonderful. Robyn was a godsend. The repairs were done in a reasonable amount of time, and it was completed when I was told it would be" — L. Noble
"I am 100% satisfied with the marvelous and professional body work done to my car" — Ralph R.
"Very courteous and helpful in dealing with our insurance company. Car looks great!" — Lisa G.
"Working with Rick's Auto Collision was a very pleasant experience, and they deliver top quality service.I am very happy with the results" — D. Hussy
"Excellent customer relations, turn around time, quality of work and fair prices. Never change!" — Linda F.
"Thanks so much! My car is back to brand new. You did a fantastic job" — Agnes L.
"The quality of the work and caring was much appreciated" — Dan T.
"I'm very pleased with the work, as well as the time and personal attention I received. I'm already recommending Rick's Auto Collision to my friends! Thank You!" — Donna C.
"Everyone was very accommodating and extremely nice. Mr car looks fantastic! Thank you for all your help. I will send everyone I know who needs repair work to your shop!" — Alison O.


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Archive for January, 2011
52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History – New Year's Day
A new year has started and it begins a new series of 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History. The one for this week is as follows:
Week 1: New Year's. Did your family have any New Year's traditions? How was the New Year celebrated during your childhood? Have you kept these traditions in the present day? This challenge runs from Saturday, January 1, 2011 through Friday, January 7, 2011. I challenge everyone to participate as often as they can and time permits.


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Description:Proliant 1850R P3-550 128MB 512K Model 1Part Number(s)Hewlett-Packard Part# 123740-001
Overview:The Compaq 1850R is a space saving high performance full-featured rack server designed to meet the needs of Internet Service Providers corporate data centers and remote sites. The new 600 MHz Pentium III processor insures industry-leading performance in a rack-optimized server. All the remaining features of the existing ProLiant 1850R are maintained making it an unbeatable platform for file/print Windows NT Server Web mail or small database applications.


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Brandon Brown posted his third double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Lipscomb University Bisons defeated Campbell University 82-52 in the first round of the 2009 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Championship.
Adnan Hodzic (16), Josh Slater (11), and Michael Teller (10) also scored in double figures for Lipscomb, winner of nine straight games. It is the fifth longest active win streak in the nation.
The Bisons took a 26-16 lead with 6:59 left in the first on a 14-2 run off of four 3-pointers and an Adnan Hodzic jumper in the paint.
Campbell quickly tightened the game with three baskets in a 1:12 stretch to bring the game to within two.
Campbell did not hit a basket in the final 5:23 of the first half. Lipscomb closed the first half on a 9-1 run for a 35-25 lead at the break.
After a 3-pointer by Campbell's Junard Hartley to open the second half, the Bisons stole the game momentum with consecutive steals and baskets by Brown and Teller.
Campbell didn't score again for the next three minutes and didn't hit a field goal until the 15:12 mark.
Lipscomb used a 24-5 run covering 9:07 in both halves to go up 50-29 with 16:12 remaining.
The Bisons hit 12 of their first 15 shots in the second half. Lipscomb finished the game 31-of-64 (48.4 percent) from the field. Campbell was 17-of-48 (35.4 percent).
Lipscomb took a 27-point lead with 11:56 left in the game. It was the largest lead of the game until freshman Brett Staal drained a three with 1:16 left to put the Bisons up 80-52.
The Bisons were 8-of-29 (27.6 percent) from beyond the arc. Campbell was 8-of-25 (32 percent) from downtown.
Neither team excelled at the free throw line. Lipscomb was 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) while Campbell was 10-of-18 (55.6 percent).
Lipscomb held a 44-26 advantage on the boards. In addition to Brown's ten, Michael Lusk and Teller had seven each. Lipscomb had 15 offensive rebounds.
Campbell turned the ball over 18 times including 13 times in the first half. Lipscomb committed just 13 turnovers.
In the first half Campbell and Lipscomb each had 8 points in the paint. Lipscomb thrived in the post during the second period with 30 points in the paint to Campbell's 6.
The Bisons scored 18 second chance points to Campbell's 3.
Lipscomb improves to 17-13. Campbell finishes its season at 14-16.
Lipscomb will face No. 1 seed Jacksonville at 8:30 p.m. tomorrow evening in the semifinals of the 2009 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Championship. The game will be televised on Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS).
Tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. at the Allen Arena box office. Session tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for college students with a valid identification and children under the age of 18. Standing room only tickets will be sold once advance sales reach Allen Arena capacity of 5,028.
Jonathan Seamon and Benjamin Seamon will be on the call for the Lipscomb Sports Network. Free online audio streaming is available at www.LipscombSports.com/sportsnetwork/.
Article by Trevor Garrett of the Lipscomb Athletic Office of Media Relations.


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Deanies in Iowa: Those crazy middle-agers
They got up before the sun January 15 to drive nonstop to bitter-cold Iowa for their man, Howard Dean. It's the sort of crazy idealism you expect from college students. Only these road-trippers are waaaaay out of college.
Don Wells laughs like a hyena when it's pointed out that he might be a little mature for such hi-jinks. Between his guffaws, Wells, 62, responds, "Doesn't that tell you something about how dead serious we are?"
Wells is one of eight locals, a group in which college students were decidedly in the minority, who caravanned to the Iowa caucuses.
"We've got a retired federal prosecutor on our team, a 25-year foreign service veteran, and a neuropsychologist," he says. In fact, he estimates the average age of local Dean supporters is "maybe 45."
But why Iowa in the dead of winter? Didn't he get enough activism in college?
"I wasn't that kind," says Wells, an astronomer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. "I was too busy going to grad school."
Wells used vacation time to go door-to-door in Iowa last weekend, and he acknowledges how weird it is to drive 1,000 miles to knock on doors and ask strangers to go out on a cold Monday night to vote in the caucuses.
But it's also a measure of his commitment to doing something about what he calls "a corruption of the nature of government" in the case of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. He's not too happy with the "distortion" of the national press, either.
Says Wells, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."
Jean Wyant, 50, who signed on to the Dean campaign last spring, echoes Wells. What motivated her to make the journey is "the direction this country is taking, particularly with the unwarranted war and the news media coverage." She admires Dean for being the one candidate to oppose the war, and for his message that people can have more control in their daily lives.
And she and Wells are not alone. An estimated 3,500 grassroots Dean volunteers flooded into Iowa to get out the vote.
"We feel Iowa is the most important stop on the entire road," she says.
She and Wells, decked out in the fluorescent orange caps worn by Dean canvassers, were assigned to Burlington.
"You can't believe how hard this is," said Wells during a brief rest on Caucus Day. On both Sunday and Monday, he drove 80 miles west to Ottumwa to go door-to-door in windy 16-degree weather. "I was okay until the sun went down," he reported. After that, "I was suffering from wind chill, and my fingers were numb."
Just in case there's any doubt, he added, "This is not a vacation."
The Iowa caucuses, held in each of the nearly 2,000 Iowa precincts, were open to anyone who registered and would be 18 by November 2. "One of the more thrilling moments was to tell a 17-year-old kid he could be an adult on Monday night," crowed Wells.
He calls canvassing a "business of ones and twos," and notes that for the field of five Democrats clamoring for position in Iowa, each voter is significant.
Wells was assigned to be a poll watcher at a precinct during the actual caucus, with heat the obvious benefit of that assignment– at least when he was allowed inside.
That Dean came in third on Monday night with just 18 percent of the vote doesn't deter mature supporters like Wells. And even Dean's concession speech, in which he emitted the now-famous guttural yelp, was not off-putting to Wells or many other Dean-backers. In fact, Wells says he heard from supporters present that "Dean was at his best that night."
And Wells himself is not deterred. To demonstrate that he's behind Dean for the long run, at midnight following Monday's caucus, Wells put his wallet where his mouth is.
"I pulled out my credit card," he says, "and made another donation."
Local Deanies gather before hitting the road to Iowa.


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* Required Fields
Emtek's privacy leversets use traditional American locks and latches complete with a variety of trim styles; handcrafted from authentic materials. The leverset is operated by a lever from both the interior and exterior. With the privacy function; the door is locked via a push pin on the interior. The exterior has an emergency release hole that allows the door to be unlocked if necessary. Uncompromisingly rugged and beautifully crafted; these locks are suitable for the very finest homes.
Emtek's Lost Wax Collection takes its name from the traditional Tuscan method of construction which used lost wax castings. This ancient method captures fine design details while retaining a warm; textured surface after being finished with hand-applied patina. The Lost Wax Collection's knob / lever handles are supported by springs mounted behind the rosettes and sideplates; which return the handles back to the rest position and prevent lever sag. The latches are heavy-duty die cast construction; with strong internal springs; solid brass nose bolts; and sintered metal cams. A plastic bushing located in the joint between the handle and the rosette ensures a friction-free wear surface; preventing metal from bearing on metal and providing smooth; long-lasting operation. Handles are positively connected to rosettes with a permanent clip. Each has a set screw which eliminates 'handle wobble' when tightened. Emtek's threaded tubes are machined brass to ensure good threads and prevent corrosion.
Emtek is dedicated to bringing interesting; well made hardware back into American homes. Emtek's mission is to satisfy the higher expectations of today's homeowners with regard to door locks. They strive to provide a broad and interesting range of products that consumers can use as elements of decor; and not just as a way to latch a door.
This product is listed under the following manufacturer number(s):
*Denotes a finish or option that has been discontinued
There are no product questions yet.


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Apparition: Postcards from the Eye See You
Name: Apparition: Postcards from the Eye See You
Date: September 16, 2018
Time: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM EDT
Event Description:
J. Fredric May is a former photojournalist and filmmaker. In 2012, he suffered a major stroke that left him legally blind and subject to extraordinary hallucinations. This life-changing event altered his artistic vision, opening up an entirely new visual style. May's fragmented and compelling images reveal an artist seeing the world and making art after stroke.
The exhibition is free and open to the public. Presented in collaboration with the UF Center for Arts in Medicine, Harn Museum of Art, UF Health and UF Creative B.