Ulti

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/01/08/neri-oxman-ackman-axel-springer-business-insider/

A. Trust me. I am in your camp concerning Hamas and its attack on Oct 7 \Israel. B. As far as context, it was very interesting to read all the bios of the scholar winners from Harvard. I also want to know the background of the people who's views and beliefs differ from mine esp. those who support Hamas and their Oct 7 attack ( Paraphrasing Sun Tzu..Know yourself and know your enemy ). C.https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-israelis-and-palestinians-are-both-trapped-by-the-dangerous-fantasies/.. a rational piece from an author who has 30 years of personal historical experience. I also like reading Tom Friedman's pieces in the NYT.. again personal historical experience.

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/11/10-from-harvard-named-rhodes-scholars/ Asmer Asrar Safi, who is from Pakistan, studies social studies and ethnicity, migration and human rights at Harvard College. His senior thesis is focused on Maulana Abdul Rahim Popalzai, a Muslim cleric known for leading peasant and labor movements in the Frontier Province of British India. Safi co-founded the South Asians for Forward-Thinking Advocacy and Research Initiative, and is particularly interested in bringing conversations from Pakistan to the global stage. At Oxford, he will study progressive political messaging in South Asia. Its nice to have context... I am curious about what is progressive political messaging is and how does this relate to S Asia..Hopefully Oxford throws in some Democracy and democracy in the coursework

Maybe wanna correct the typo in the title ( if you were using Yiddish) https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oy vey

https://news.yahoo.com/congress-getting-classified-ufo-briefing-170757118.html

https://www.thewirechina.com/ A paid site but seems well worth it if you are investing in China

https://www.seafarerfunds.com/prevailing-winds/ Not an investor in the fund but some occasional commentary on China financ\econ (Does not discuss funds).

https://www.seafarerfunds.com/prevailing-winds/china-commission-testimony-2023/ U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission China’s Current Economy: Implications for Investors and Supply Chains August 2023 At least for me, a well thought out presentation of China's issues and how the US should interact.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/entertainment/other/charlie-munger-close-up/ar-AA1mboxN

Just saw this last night ;dont know if its been posted. An excellent "feel good "movie to watch with the wife\girlfriend\both etc. https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=bank+of+dave+movie+trailer&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWIC1DKq0S9s

Our take here is that Berkshire is eventually going to evolve from what has been a reinvestment machine into one far more focused on returning capital to shareholders… Thansk for the post MCR

This is why I think that the company is going to focus on dividends going forward ( and continue with timely buybacks.) When times are tough and Berkshire is again " has last resort money to lend or use" are companies going to still go to Berkshire? Will someone at the company make another BAC call? I think this will happen more infrequently or just go away.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/politics/article-canada-minimum-emissions-cap-oil-gas-sector/ I’m curious as to those on board who are invested in Canadian oil and gas see this…. I would assume that Alberta is foot to fight this tooth and nail.

https://www.morningstar.com/stocks/why-berkshire-hathaways-success-will-continue-after-charlie-munger-warren-buffett

I am sad like everyone else. Now that I have a good " bead" on succession plan I have a few ( maybe ignorant, already discussed) questions. -- Who is capable of making the occasional "crazy times" investments that Mr. B. has done and sometimes able to extract a deal that we go wow. Is this the realm of Ted and Todd and are they "heavyweights" enough? __ With the Management , Board etc in place; do folks still expect large volatility ( people perm selling ) when Mr. B. is no longer at the helm? Will the Board and management stabilize with one of the horseman and start dividends ? __Culturally, the company seems very stable. Once Mr. B is gone, would the company be more influenced by outsiders ? (without the big dog there ?) Sorry for the morbid topic... I am a long term holder and am curious what other people think . Thanks

Thank you.... And a gift from our northern bros...Nice haha.. https://apnews.com/article/wild-pigs-feral-swine-canada-minnesota-border-e59a542efb3c64d5f4b136fc137b7665

From my conversations to folks n Israel and a variety of news sources….Vast majority of Israelis hate Bibi his government and want him gone

Totally agree... Just to add ( and wish for) get rid of Bibi and Abbas. And bring back Fayyad and a centrist Israeli government.

https://wealthtrack.com/financial-thought-leader-james-grant-on-the-investment-ramifications-of-the-new-era-of-higher-interest-rates/

An excellent podcast … I think the gentleman said there is a new provincial leader and attitude… they have actually asked him how to reduce red tape… also liked the energy outlook and how to run a business in general…. I liked his simplicity in explaining an energy company’s4 levers of buybacks debt reduction dividends and acquisitions to create fcf…. Sounds like these levers are ubiquitous for most publicly traded companies ( aiv and Joe ) ?

https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2023-11-07/gary-winnick-global-crossing-founder-and-once-la-s-richest-man-dies-at-76 Those were the days…. And I was an investor

https://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/French-Utility-Giant-European-Natural-Gas-Demand-Is-Unlikely-To-Recover.html https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-prices-sink-4-on-demand-destruction-worries-weak-china-exports-152159486.html

Thanks , fits the budget

Counterpoint to the "merger to grow " theme BP Plc doesn’t believe it needs to bolster US shale activities following Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp.’s giant oil deals last month. If anything, its American rivals may have overpaid. “We’d much rather be counter-cyclical than buy at a high point in the market,” BP interim Chief Executive Officer Murray Auchincloss told Bloomberg News in an interview after the London-based company posted earnings on Tuesday. Since taking over the helm of BP after the shock resignation of former CEO Bernard Looney, Auchincloss has said the company will stick to its strategy of steering toward low-carbon technologies. That perhaps isn’t much of a surprise, as it would be unusual for someone in an interim position to shake up a company. Still, the 53-year old Canadian was adamant that he didn’t need more barrels when questioned about the lack of BP’s scale compared to its North American competitors. “If I’m honest,” Auchincloss said, the firm is really focused on low-carbon, energy “transition growth engines and not the oil-and-gas side” when it comes to M&A. Murray Auchincloss Photographer: Christopher Pike/Bloomberg In the past month, Exxon and Chevron agreed on a pair of takeovers together worth more than $100 billion, both of which are intended to boost fossil fuel production growth. The wedge between the two sides of the Atlantic has inevitably led to more speculation on whether BP is exposed as a takeover target, something Auchincloss wouldn’t address. Instead, he voiced confidence on driving returns back to shareholders and narrowing the valuation gap versus the US oil majors through other means. Auchincloss noted that BP’s share price multiples are trading in line with its European peers and closed the gap with US competitors by about a third in the last year. When looking at price-to-earnings multiples, however, the gap remains stubbornly wide. Exxon’s are about 40% higher. There’s never a good time for a company to be without a permanent leader. But being rudderless at a time when peers are making historic deals will only keep the questions on BP’s stability coming. Chart of the day

good overview of Canadian Energy and current/ future mergers…. Would be interested in the more expert opinion…. As a suncor investor , much more interested in return of capital than company acquisitions ( with the exact of their recent sands addition