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Buffett and the Forever Fund

Often reference is made to the fact that the RRs have fewer employees than before. They now hire private contractors, to do many jobs that were previously done by their own employees. Large construction equipment owned by the RRs and by the contractors does the work that earlier required several people to accomplish. The large equipment; does not suffer personal injury and the costs of employee benefits furnished by the contractors, such as retirement and unemployment are not as burdensome. Fewer people now but the work does get done. Check the track record.

Burlington Northern's New Engineer: Warren Buffett

It was my privilege to attend the past two BRK annual meetings. It was estimated that 35,000 were there last May. The auditorium was full, it will be burdensome to accommodate a lot of new share-holders. Does it follow that options will be traded on the new share class?

GE: Still a Bargain

I placed a buy order for 2000 @ $15.14, near today's opening, it filled; 1000, 600 & 400, traded above $15.20, made a new low of $15.11. Now it is $15.27, and if I do not see more red ink today, it will be a surprise.

SEC Charges BofA for Merrill Bonuses

So for the first half of 09, Merrill contributed 1.8 B; that aint much after paying 5.8 B in employee bonuses for the previous year.

Warren Buffett and the Imaginary Economy

The best reason that I think of, to give funds to a charitable foundation rather than our government is that the foundation might get more bang for the buck. Also; it may be spent for something more to my liking.

On the DTCC and Market Liquidity

Trace Mayer, I learned a number of things from your article, thank you. Though many people might pooh-pooh my knowledge of the “financial” party line, (Jim Fisher included) I think Buffett would be okay with my holdings and I may request that he send out a few of my certificates. They will not lose their value as scratch paper.

Berkshire Arbitrage Opportunity Eliminated: Is the Market 'Efficient'?

This is a tax question: If I sell BRK-A, that has been held for more than a year, at a loss and immediately buy back 30 or more BRK-B shares, will I be entitled to claim a long term loss on the A and establish a new basis on the B shares?

Regulators: An Apology

Please, some of you who have a better grasp of our great financial system than I, comment on how the Madoff investors stand with regard to SPIC claims.

Geithner's Tax Troubles Give Obama a Chance to Get It Right

DUMP HIM
Geithner needs to go; this is no way for a new administration to begin. It is past time that tax cheats be prosecuted. Some where out there among our three million populations there is a better choice.

What Caused Berkshire's Freefall - And How Investors Can Benefit

We are long, just as we were when the stock pecked. It seemed impervious then, are still long with looses. The chart pattern is telling us it will go still lower. My expectation is that it will be years before BRK-A gets back above $150K.

Bernie Madoff Comes Out of the Closet

Minneapolis, local boy, Tom Petters’, is an avowed Christian and his Ponzi scheme is credited with taking only three billion. Seems to me that Madoff is more than sixteen times as bad. The multiple may or may not be related to their belief systems.

Widening Rich/Poor Gap Spreads Contradict Global Recovery

Dirt lawyer/Jimmy L., enjoyed your comments. Who did you bill, how much for the time you spent on this?

A Bailout for Berkshire?

At the annual BRK meeting last May, Warren told the 30,000 people listening that their returns in the future would not be as good as they had been and if that was not satisfactory that they should probably sell.

Ten Iowa Stocks

Mark Russell said that a gourmet tour of Iowa would be a non-stop trip. I was a Collins employee from 1962-1964, (largest private employer in the state at that time). I jokingly refer to this as the two years I did at Iowa. Many time since I have driven through the state. Russell had it right.

Did Buffett Kill the (First) Wells Fargo-Wachovia Deal?

To poster Mark Weber above, “Who is he looking out for?”, me hopes he is looking out for #1 and us other stockholders. It is one of his duties.