John Hjorth

Thanks for that elaboration, Richard, In that light, sleepydragon's post makes sense to slow me, also.

I'm not sure I understand your post here, sleepydragon, What kind of conflict of interest are your referring to here? If I remember correctly [i may not], Mr. Buffett gave an interview at an Allen session/gathering, where he talked about that he considered WFC a better bank than JPM, but he had bought 1 million shares in JPM personally. [Needless to say, that I have since been puzzled about that statement.] I don't have the actual link.

Please consider this a topic split from the Google topic in the investment ideas forum, ref. request from KJP. - - - o 0 o - - - The Economist: The email Larry Page should have written to James Damore.

Thanks, globalfinancepartners & longinvestor, - I would like to see that USD 100 B in cash and T-bills [-and counting!] reduced "just a bit" and converted to earnings! -Chess it is.

I see some moves by Elliott described and covered in the "General news" topic by provided links, and some "counter" messages from Berkshire. Thank you to fellow board members for that. Yes, we are in the final stages of a game of Chess here, involving billions of USD. As I understand things, Future Energy Holdings has been in bankruptcy for about four years. Here I understand "bankruptcy" as "being under creditor protection". [i hope I have understood the phrase "bankruptcy" correctly here.] My question here is: How long can this go on? Here, where I live [Denmark], a company cannot exist for such a long period without a solution to its debt/liquidity problems without being "declared dead", meaning going into forced liquidation, managed by a liquidator, who has power to wind up the whole Holly-go-Molly, thereby enforcing losses on creditors.

This is an entity, that connects economic idiots with people with cash, to make money. These entities run lean, and internet based in most cases. You can complain by leaving - by paying your balance [if you can] and close the card account. The above is meant in general terms. I'm not by that calling you an idiot, mbreject, nor even indirectly implying that you are. In our household we have a few of those cards, too, because of the built in perks. I can't even get automated monthly payment in full of the balance [because the card issuers don't want us to pay monthly balance in full, so that they can charge interest on the balance], so I pay them manually - monthly, and in full, so we get our perks -, without any interest expenses on the card.

Just about a month ago, I received the book from Amazon. I must admit, that I have severe problems with this book. I don't "like it", as posted earlier in this topic by Jeff. To me, there is a material difference between "don't "like it"" and "dislike it". I have to carry back Rishi's review on Amazon to here - I hope you forgive me for doing this, Rishi: I'm trying to express, that I consider this book - for me, about five years into this non-zero game - the lever to get to be a better investor, in a style going forward, that fits me personally. It's fairly easy to read the book, I suppose, but to read it, with the intent to adopt, adapt and thereby improve as an investor, is a totally different matter. It's exhausting - very, - but at the same time good! - - - o 0 o - - - The Lady of the House has actually taken notice of the process going on with me. She: "What is it with you, and this book, that is following you everywhere?" She has just noticed, that if my name was Linus van Pelt, this book would be my security blanket. - - - o 0 o - - - The quote in this topic of Rishi's review is meant as a compliment. So are my other personal comments. - - - o 0 o - - - The next thing is that I consider the price of the book ridiculous, compared to the value it provides to the reader. - That's meant as a compliment, too. - - - o 0 o - - - Thank you for sharing your inner thoughts about investing here - in this book -, Jeff.

Thank you for doing this split, longinvestor, - it's a great idea & initiative - for future ongoing discussion and information sharing about the insurance parts of Berkshire here on CoBF. - - - o 0 o - - - I have attached a screen shot from the latest Berkshire Q-10, p. 24, lower part - please focus on the "Berkshire Hathaway Reinsurance Group" line. What do you see?, and what do you think about what you see?

Thank you, gents, I'm actually trying to educate my self a bit on this matter by reading a lot of stuff about the situation. So I try to post what I find on my way, that I suppose could be of value for my fellow board members, too. I try to keep my posts right now without expression of personal opinions. However, I must say, that I also have expressed in another topic my concerns about this situation, and the needle in the feelings spectrum for me is moving in the "worried" range right now, with velocity towards "scared". - - - o 0 o - - - This is definitely very, very bad & ugly.

From fas.org: Richard L. Garwin: "Strategic Security Challenges for 2017 and Beyond".

As always, I take your posts too seriously, Sailor! - - - o 0 o - - - Edit 1, & off topic: I really hate your investment style, being invested in NVO and a PBM at the same time is to me bordering to racketeering.

You are being fooled here, DooDiligence. The Twitter account is not confirmed.

Great stuff, thank you for sharing, rkbabang.

globalfinancepartners, During the years, it has come to my attention, that you have a really deep and detailed knowledge, understanding and view of insurance operations of Berkshire [consistently & continuously hard work, to cut it to the bone .... - out of pure interest]. Personally, I would really appreciate, if you would share with me and our fellow board members the temperature of the Berkshire insurance operations, as you perceive them right now. For my part, it would be really appreciated. We have a separate topic for the 2017Q2 on here, that I hope you will use, instead of this "general news" topic, so that what is on your mind does not "drown". Thank you in advance, if you're in on it.

I sincerely hope you buy them all, Jurgis. - - - o 0 o - - - I haven't been that worried since the havoc in Europe after the fall of the Iron Wall.

It reads like you are having a bad day today, DooDiligence. I hope that's not the case. In case, just do a bit charting of your NVO US ADRs today on your Mac, and you will likely feel better.

Aye Aye, sir. [: -) ]. Ordered the book the day you posted that, just got confirmation, that it'll arrive tomorrow. - Never go down on unread books [margin of safety, in some weird kind of way]!

My visit to Indexville ended the weekend before the last, while reading The latest memo from Mr. Marks : There They Go Again . . . . Again.

Hilarious. Love it. Made my day. [ : - ) ]

I'm in your camp on this, longinvestor, Furthermore, - say, you try to pick it up relatively cheap for two years - you are then subject to "the risk" of a large Berkshire aquisition in that period, creating a jump upwards in earnings going forward, which most likely will influence market price upwards, generating a miss out for the forward net Berkshire buyer. We know the Oncor deal is in the mold right now, but generally we do not know what is going on at Mr. Buffetts desk.

It's actually great advice, rb. Thank you. [: - ) ]

Thank you for your elaboration, Uccmal, - It's much appreciated. - - - o 0 o - - - On the 1st August I decided to do calls on basically all cash in time deposits in the family for liquidation, thereby pushing the cash into being investable at our investment bank, where the cash will pull nothing, the opportunity cost below 1 per cent. I will do the calls next week. I expect to add a bit more to Berkshire in 4th quarter, if it does not run up too much. There are a few positions, that I also would like to reduce, because I consider them fragile in a correction or crisis. The rest of the long term positions I'm reasonable satisfied with, however not all positions are yet the size I want going forward, but the prices offered by the market right now are not reasonable to me, so I'll let that go for now. After that my expectation is to do nothing - just to wait. I don't know yet if I can do that. I will find out. I think it's time for me to learn to do so, to be prepared.

Added more BRK.B in the opening today. - - - o 0 o - - - [Yes, at about all time high for BRK.B, but USD/DKK, and USD/EUR is now down more than 10 per cent this year].

Why are you buying shares in a company in terrible industry heading towards cyclical bottom? Just kidding and teasing oddball. 8) HA!! Although that argument could be made for some of BRK's holdings. It is to me true. There is no such thing as a free lunch. - Good luck, Charlie - We are in the same camp.

Full respect for your last post, Artha158, It is quite symptomatic for this board, that the daily ongoing discussion right now has switched to the discussion of the most crappy capital allocation of all: Cars. [Fellow board members active in that particular car topic: Please take no offense here].