July 2010

Taking Stock (so to speak)

Sat, 07/31/2010 - 22:40

With reservations, I bring you the inevitable blog post about the famous WSJ story on Li Lu. Let me caveat this by saying that even good reporters like Susan Pulliam can't cover all the nuances in a short article, especially because the people involved probably aren't telling her everything. There may be important things left out. With that said, here's the unvarnished gist of it:

Morgan Stanley: Stock Is Too Cheap to Sell

Mon, 07/26/2010 - 07:53

In my latest Bloomberg column, I reflect, as a former managing director, on Morgan Stanley's strategy and competitive position.

Cirque du Berk 2012

Tue, 07/20/2010 - 09:29

Being a helpful sort, I put together the complete agenda for CIRQUE DU BERK 2012 – LAS VEGAS EDITION, which follows. Just some of the possibilities. Berkshire will have to spend a little money to do all this, but think of the payback.

Thursday

Armored trucks from Borsheims arrive at Sands Expo Center, located in between Wynn and Venetian.

For Aspiring Authors

Fri, 07/16/2010 - 08:30

People often ask about the writer's life. Writing is an absorbing, draining, exhilarating, maddening, fulfilling way to spend your time. It's like  trying to paint the Mona Lisa with somebody holding a stopwatch beside your easel. It's like doing a jigsaw puzzle by first finding a million pieces that are hidden all over the world. Writing a book is like running a marathon while wearing a straightjacket. This, on the other hand, is what its like to be "an author."

Solution: Move Meeting to Paris, Hawaii, Bali or Better Yet, Vegas

Thu, 07/08/2010 - 07:56

In my last post, I wrote about price-gouging by the hotels in Omaha. To get some perspective on what this means in the real world, let’s look at the total cost of the trip for two people to share a room at this year’s Berkshire meeting including nonrefundable coach air tickets.

Tab for 2011 Berkshire Meeting

Wed, 07/07/2010 - 19:14

Markets are a meeting of supply and demand. I recently got a jolt to learn that the only rooms left in Omaha for this year’s Berkshire meeting are at the Holiday Inn Downtown Omaha. This hotel has a bar and a swimming pool, but no restaurant, room service, or fitness facility. That would be okay at the Holiday Inn’s “normal” rate, which at $176 including taxes and fees is reasonable for a one-night stay in a mid-priced hotel without many amenities.