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John Hjorth

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Posts posted by John Hjorth

  1. I think these kinds of generalizations are at best to no avail, at worst cognitive bias creating and bias generating.

     

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    The political systems across European countries on surface may appear alike [democracies], but are far from that with regard to actual modus operandi. Everywhere - also in the USA - there are people who start yelling "Tax, tax tax!" , when they "see" some company being in the good part of their individual cycle. ["See", because they don't really read financial reports from any company, but read headlines in MSM as a basis for their doings and yelling].

     

    I have personally seen Danish left wing [and right wing] politicians being cruzified by diligent journalists doing their job well with the mic turned on and TV-camera runnning in interviews about Danish tax legislation, where you are left behind with the clear impression that they have no clue what so ever what's going in their own tax returns, nor able to explain just the basic mechanics in the tax calculations for a couple with kids, a home, morgages and two cars and a couple of 401-Ks. But they still have an opnion on about every everything in it, while in reality they don't have a clue.

     

    And it gets even worse, when the discussion turns to corporation taxation.

     

    Stupidity and ignorance is present everywhere!

     

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    Putting a nationality label on a well performing listed large cap is to me in most cases a serious mistake, and makes no sense in todays globalized world.

     

    Berkshire Hathaway is for most American, but many of the companies in the listed portfolio are international megacaps [think Apple], [but parent co. based In Omaha, Nebraska],

    Fairfax Financial Holdings is not a Canadian company [, the functional currency is not even CAD, but USD,] most of the activity takes place outside Canada, [but HQ based in Toronto, Canada],

    Markel Corporation is an international insurance group, too, not an american, based on activity, [ but HQ based in Richmond, Virginia],

    LVMH is not a French luxury conglomerate, but basically a global company with most of its activity outside France [, but HQ based in Paris, France],

    If one just think of Banco Santander as "Spanish bank" just 5 minutes of yours the last annual report for it will drag you out that bias [, and headquartered in Santander, Spain],

    I think that Novo Nordisk has less than 1 percent of it sales in Denmark [, but headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark],

    Atlas Copco is headquartered in Nacka [a part of Stockholm], Sweden, and you can do business with it here :

     

    image.png.fd1957e09e3f99ae2bf62b6b6a72ffe1.png

  2. @Viking,

     

    Thank you for what is to me a gem! -Yes, it's contextual, but still a quite comprehensive write-up on an Insurance company, that is actually quite complicated.

     

    One question here for both Lars [ @Viking ] and Sanjeev [ @Parsad ] : I suppose it's intentional, that non-CoBF members [so called CoBF guests] can download the attached file in the starting post of this topic, right? [Actually, that is not an obviousness to me personally.]

  3. Yes, fairly uneventful, except what has already been mentioned by @gfp and @Libs. Uneventful may perhaps by some persons be considered a bit boring, but that has nothing to do with unsatisfactory.

     

    The numbers calculated by you, @backtothebeach looks right to me, thank you for sharing them.

     

    With the minimum liquidity requirements for the insurance operations of USD 30 B related to claims, the group still has an aqusition capacity just north of USB 100 B, which continues to appear mind boggling and hard to relate to. It is unparalled strength.

  4. On 8/3/2023 at 8:29 PM, Gregmal said:

    I just recall how ironic it is that when Trump was in office and actively making peace efforts in North Korea, China and Russia, while also asking the freeloaders in Canada and Europe to pay up, folks whined and cried and idk what else but he hurt their feelings or something. The second Biden comes in we gets wars and constant escalations and oh! Now it’s uncomfortable….

     

    On 8/3/2023 at 9:01 PM, Xerxes said:


    Canada contributed to NATO 2% target by contributing 1% + a bit of Justin on the top to make up for it

     

    Even Steven 

     

    24 minutes ago, ValueArb said:

    From WaPo today. I can only see the chart cause I’m a cheapskate but it’s pretty shocking. Ukraine aid is roughly  1/2 of 1% of all US federal spending the last 17 months, and a lot of that is in nearly obsolete equipment. If US voters think that is too much to nearly demilitarize Russia, the future really is dim.


    Esposa article on US Ukraine spending

     

     

    Personally, I think the odd [odd to you] fact here may be, that you gents @Gregmal, @Xerxes & @ValueArb are all right, but none of you need to feel embarrassed or to keep your heads low about this friggin' mess.

     

    We European citizens simply need to get our act together and participate in an orderly manner to resolve this issue, whatever it takes. If we fail, it's unfortunately on you to assist cleaning up this mess, because It's eventually and basically about your way of life, too.

     

     

  5. 24 minutes ago, LC said:

     

    On above average volume as well - so it's not just us COBF'ers buying 😄

     

    @LC,


    Yeah, likely the rerating of Fairfax shares [both places] may now be a work in progress. - I won't be surprised to see more of the same short term going forward.

     

    A bit amazing taking into consideration that the Fairfax forum here on CoBF has been accessible and and readable for CoBF guests / non-CoBF members all the time. 

     

    I bet perhaps @Vikings fairly new X account may be a part of the full explanation [some may call it 'the culprit' 🤭!], too! 😉

  6. 13 hours ago, scorpioncapital said:

    is anyone worried about a nuclear war, followed by deflation, a rush to certain continents vs others, panic, and some companies doing well that sell radiation monitors, or even Amazon delivering essential goods via robots?

     

    I personally have a hard time thinking about such a screnario, it is just so deeply unpleasant to think about. Where would you try to go, if this sceninario eventually would end to get real?

  7. On 7/27/2023 at 6:29 PM, whatstheofficerproblem said:

    @John Hjorth is there a misunderstanding here? Never in that sentence did I judge you or anyone for what they posted, nor is the entire message related to that.

     

    I was merely mentioning how something relatable to everyone in the board can be used on merch, the thread title 'Why buy an Egg' would look cool on a cup was what I was saying. Just pasting the CoBF would lack variety.

     

    On 7/27/2023 at 10:06 PM, Parsad said:

     

    Hi John, yeah I think you misunderstood.  I took Whats message to be adding amusing quotes to COBF cups/merchandise. 

     

    For example, "Cheers!" which is what I always end my messages with or maybe something from Greg like "Just buy stocks, God damit!" or Viking "Load up on Fairfax, because the window will close!", etc. 

     

    He wasn't taking a jab at you or anything like that.

     

    Cheers!

     

    @whatstheofficerproblem & @Parsad,

     

    Yeah, I see now what Sanjeev [ @Parsad ] was posting about my posting here related to the orinal post by @whatstheofficerproblem referring to, using basically my own personal language applied here on CoBF other place, ref. "Johns kinks', based on my own behavior with direct reference in another topic to me calling the concept of having and enjoying a winther BBQ 'kinky'.

     

    So this was not about calling me kinky, and personally I should have abstained from the original basis calling winther BBQ kinky, because everyone naturally can BBQ as they feel inclined to and finds appropriate.

     

    So, I apologize for that comment of mine above, to all!

     

  8. Awesome!, thank you for sharing, @Xerxes,

     

    Just by a quick glance at the website for VisionGrill, have I understood it correctly, that a part of the product palette are 'convertibles', where you are able to swich energy souce between gas and charcoal? - Thank you in advance.

  9. @cameronfen,

     

    Certainly not! 😉👍

     

    Talk about food, cooking, BBQ, weather, drought, grill types and brands, accessories, CoBF members BBQ experiences, preferences and habits - I like reading all the stuff in this topic, and actually feel I learn something from it. So slapping a listed company on top of all that I think that is just fine for all of us!

     

    To me, the topic has got a cultural shade and dimension by all that, which I personally appreciate much.

     

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    Now talking about businesses, pricing of these products - the seven versions of Big Green Eggs - has been mentioned as being steep. It must be a fantastic family owned business, looked at through our lens as investors!

  10. To me, the horizon widening effect of the discussion in this topic so far has been amazing to me, with regard to both products and BBQ activities. Thank you. Please continue with your contributions in this topic.

     

    Great to read your stuff here.

  11. There is nothing wrong with investing in bonds, as so and such.

     

    The issue here is the mere topic title : "Where are you getting high yields on cash?",

     

    In the meaning confusing "high yields on cash" [related to risk] with investing in bonds [related to risk].

     

    Like being invited to a BBQ, asking the host : "What are we having?" - Answer from the host : "You."

  12. Thank you very much to all participants so far in this topic for your contributions. Your posts are the contrary to scaring me away from these products! 😅

     

    Interesting read across cultures, I think!

     

    -Please keep them coming, thank you!

  13. 1 hour ago, Saluki said:

    I think it's  outrageously priced, but the distinctive green color and shape is a clue.  It's like the red bottoms on a woman's shoe or the little alligator on a polo shirt. You want people to know that you bought something really expensive, so that people can envy you because you are the type of person who can drop that much money on a grill. 🤣

     

    So much for that, @Saluki - the trade off / alternative between showing off with a grill or [even] larger stock positions [- without showing off -] among CoBF members. We both know the answers to that.

     

    But then there is also the element of passion to BBQ [that to me trespasses every limit of rationality]. My late little brother was an avid hunter, also devoted to fishing, he allways had a grill handy when he was out hunting or fishing. Also a niece of mine is married to a man, who actually grills [coal based only, Weber tools only] all year around. A bit kinky, if you ask me, but this is not about my personal sexual preferences.

     

    Only one place to order these thingies / products here in Denmark according to the website, and really expensive, verging to obscene. Here, I'm just trying to get some sense of the utility of the products.

     

    As also @gfp has implied above, there is an element of culture to grilling and BBQ, that I suppose varies wildly, as with food in general.

  14. Somehow, you're my kind of guy here, @gfp,

     

    Here is a screen shot of the Weber Smokey Joe - from the Danish part of the Weber website today, that we have in our front garden yard, to use, when we are nobody but the two of us BBQing - It resides on a small wooden table normally used as a pot plant stand, to get it up in operational height :

     

    image.png.ccb089aa445f14b08559ab112480c8ce.png

     

    I'm not an engineer, but I think I can acknowledge when I have something truly outstanding in my hands related to engineering. The number of components, including  screews and wingbolts are optimized the heck out of this product to the absolute minimum! It's so fascininating! Several components then have dual purposes / functions.

  15. Thank you, @gfp, much appreciated.

     

    Here in our household, we already have two grills, that actually works fine for us. One - a tiny one - in our front garden yard [the front garden yard fairly good shielded, to keep it private], and a bigger one at the patio in the back yard and main garden]. Brand Weber - and those actually fulfill our needs.

     

    So to me, it reads so I perceive it as the concept of "luxury" has hit BBQ, too - if I'm not totally mistaken here.

     

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    Edit:

     

    Whoa!, Was posting without seeing all posts after @gfps above. Will get back here in this topic.

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