tions in means of categorizing and profiting from others' money is astounding. Currency arbitrage, IPO's, Puts, Calls- truly an astounding and, to others, bewildering variety of tools to be used for a single purpose- making more money.

But, just as the market developed its tools, other forces intruded into that idyllic Eden of Capitalism. The wake of the Crash brought with it a new force, government regulation. The passage of the '33 and '34 Acts brought restrictions and Bureaucracy crashing down on our heads, if you will pardon the pun. You had to know how to deal with it, and generally it was better to do so with means less formal than the courts. I courted various members of the bureaucracy, and soon learned how to work the new system to avoid nasty entanglements. It is amazing that a simple clerk can have more real power than the head of a Department. That was years in the development, sometimes spanning generations of the same family.

The world did not stand still, but exploded into war, which was very good for business. Both during and after World War II, the economy grew dramatically, as did incentives for business. I began purchasing interests in many of the large Industrial concerns that began to supply the war effort. Fortunes could be made first on government contracts, and then in the private sector once the war had ended. Those investors whose factories had been aided by war production had an enormous edge on the competition. And of course knowing how to do business without government interference, or with plenty of it for the competitors, could make one even more competitive.

I am now performing some diversification, expanding as the modern world allows: delving into the realm of the Media, hobnobbing with High Society, even occasionally mixing with the common ruck of the Street. Each of these areas has its own attractions. The Media has become such a pervasive influence in the world that controlling, or at any rate influencing, the material that it projects can bring great accomplishment. The elite of High Society have excellent resources for finding out all the latest information on those in their set, and can bring pressure to bear when projects are needed. Also, there is among them an interest in providing something more than just money, but a soupcon of culture and sophistication that must be nurtured. The Street, for all its dirt and grim reality, still turns up opportunities for those ready to brave it. In all, I find that you must continually seek new areas of interest to avoid calcification. There are so many potential markets waiting to be expanded in that I find myself longing to push into all of them, and I am continually looking for opportunities to do so.

TFS: Do you have an investment philosophy?

JSD: Find quality and hold it. We have to think in the long term, both in our lives and in investing. We can afford to wait out momentary dips, and even take advantage of them. Of course, this depends on finding reliable areas for our funds. If necessary, we have the means to make them remain reliable, and to cause great problems for competitors. Those who go for short-term gains at the expense of long-term growth will find themselves high and dry when the unexpected comes. That is what life is truly about- long term gains, both in fortune and culture. The true mark of a successful man of business is to leave a legacy behind, not simply a fortune.

Yes, my desire for the power to crush those I despised provided a major incentive in my start, but as I become immersed in the traditions of the Ventrue, I realize there is more. The fortune must serve a greater purpose, pushing the world along despite its own inertia, until it becomes greater than it had been. Civilization is crafted by those with the will to do so, and it is the legacy of a world reforged that is the mark of true power. I have made some small steps towards improving civilization, a gallery for expanding culture and art here, a scientific expedition there. But it will take a concerted effort to match the force shown by the nobility of the Italian Renaissance. That is my eventual goal- to become a DiMedici, in influence if not blood. That is some way off, as I must gather my resources to perform such deeds, but then, I have a long night ahead.

TFS: Well, we certainly hope that you develop this town culturally. But how has Atlanta been as a market?

JSD: There is a great deal of under-utilized capital there, which I intend to help channel into greater productivity. Unfortunately, for the largest part of my time in Atlanta, the potential for growth has been crushed by the market practices of certain outside influences. This has been a great disappointment to me. Now that those outside sources of problems have been removed, the time for true investment and growth has arrived.

TFS: Any specific plans for the future?

JSD: Most I would prefer not to share, but I do intend to increase my holdings both in depth and breadth, and am willing to pay others well for their help in doing so. After all, waste is the greatest crime I can imagine. There is a great deal of potential out there, and I continually have my ears and contacts looking for them. With the help of others, I intend to pursue such chances as come my way, and I believe that it will be of great profit to all who aid me.