Letters.

Dot-Com Meltdown

To the Editor:

I shared Joe Queenan's article about the dot-com phenomenon ("Full Disclosure," CE: July '00) with my senior team, both for the cleverness of the writing and the importance of the message. Clearly, a lot of people have learned a lot of hard lessons from the NASDAQ bubble, and Mr. Queenan captures the essence of the issue with great humor and subtly.

We have tried to capture the same message on our Web site and in our newsletters to our clients. Frankly, we think we are making some progress, given the trauma in the IPO and Internet arena. Hopefully, sanity will reign as we move forward into the rest of this year and beyond.

John J. Brennan

Chairman and Chief Executive

The Vanguard Group

Valley Forge, PA

Baskets of Love

To the Editor:

I just want to thank you for the phenomenal article written about Tami Longaberger, CEO of Longaberger Co. ("The Weaver," CE: June '00) It makes me even prouder to have been an independent sales consultant and branch advisor for 13 and a half years.

When I joined, there were 3,000 of us, and now there are over 65,000. Tami is well respected by consultants, advisors, and staff. She and her sister Rachel are two rare young ladies who are taking their father's dream to even greater heights.

Wilma Brown

Taneytown, MD

To the Editor:

I am one of the 65,000 independent contractors mentioned in the Tami Longaberger profile. Thank you for positioning Tami Longaberger in such a warm, human light. She is truly a great lady and she seems to have kept her humility and humbleness with consultants in spite of the millions of dollars generated.

Tami Jirousek

Chardon, OH