lethean46

This lengthy article was published by Time Magazine 3/4/2013. "Bitter Pill" by Steven Brill. Subtitle: Why Medical Bills Are Killing Us. There is LOTS of good information about the cost of healthcare in this article. It is an eye opening read. http://livingwithmcl.com/BitterPill.pdf ML

From high in the bleacher stands. :-) A great BIG thank you to the board. +19% (XIRR) for 2012 over four personal accounts. My portfolios are highly concentrated in BRKB, roughly 75%. I delegate to WEB. :-) Other positions: AIG, AXP, BAC, BYDDY, FRFHF, GS, USG, and WFC. I added AIG and BAC to the mix last year. Thank you. I am very pleased with the 2012 return. I'm also thrilled to have finally learned how to use XIRR in Excel. I'm working on the last 3 years and eventually hope to go back to 1999 when I took control of the accounts and pulled the trigger on my first BRKB buy. So far, it looks like this: 20% (XIRR) for 2010. I have yet to finish entry for one account. -4% (XIRR) for 2011. I have yet to finish entry for one account. War stories to tell. I bought USG with Marty Whitman at $15. Bought more with WEB at $17 and $20? Rode it up to $30? and then rode it down to $2 buying more shares on the way down. Froze at the bottom. Bought USG bonds at $75 when the common hit $2 or so. Bonds worked out great. They were redeemed at par and paid all accrued interest. Then rode 4000 shares up to $76 and didn't sell a single share! And then, rode the common down to $2, again! - selling shares on the way down. I still hold some shares with cost basis $2+ and $7 and $11 in Taxable acct and $46 in RO/IRA (rights issue.) Whew. BYDDY is 1% of portfolios bought at 3 different times. Underwater. Again, I froze at the bottom. But this is a long term hold. I hope Parsad is right and that this is Mohnish's secret personal holding. That'd be nice! AIG and BAC are in tax deferred accounts - all ready for dividends. :-) Highlights and lowlights ... Thanks again. ML

That was a terrific article. Thanks.

<<<The 2010 donation to the Gates Foundation was worth around $1.6 billion. http://www.cnbc.com/id/38046115/Warren_Buffett_s_1_6_Billion... Charitable contributions are generally limited to 50% of AGI. But this is a contribution of appreciated stock and will be limited to 30% of AGI. So Mr. Buffett would be able to deduct only $18.9 million of his donation.>>> I found the above explanation at the MF BRK board posted by a guy who usually hangs out on the MF tax board. ML

Terrific. Thank you. ML

Whew. Talk about withdrawal ! ...... I'm very glad the board is back up and running. Nice job, Paul. And thank you, Parsad, for everything you do. ML

Parsad, Thanks for that link. Interesting that .... Currently, Ms. Querrey serves as ...... Member of the Board of International Dispensing, .... Hmmm. A blast from the past. I wonder how long she has served on that Board. Previous to or after her marriage to Lou Simpson? I read all of the information with great interest. Is Lou Simpson really available as a manager? For me? Wow. I have been interested since the announcement that he would be running private money out of his new home in Naples. Now? Having read this material? I see some issues of concern. To wit. A husband and wife team. He born in 1936 and she born in 1961. Did I read that correctly? Check. YES. Get out the calculator. He is 75 and she is 50. Dang. (Better than 50 and 25 though.) So now I'm thinking ... that this might be their "together" project. Uh oh. HE of GEICO fame, and she of what exactly again? And how long have they been married? I have no clue. But will google it. Not that the answer will mean much, either way. A husband/wife team sends up red flags for me, generally. Then the age difference. Then her lack of relevant background. It sounds like she has a LOT of responsibility on THIS one. Really a lot. And I don't see that kind of experience in her background. Boy. Would I love to go in with Lou Simpson though. High net worth individuals? What's the minimum investment? I didn't see that. Can you offer any comment on the above? I'm having trouble posting now. The reply box is jumping all over the place. So I have to end. ML I will be googling

Here are two summary reports posted on the BRK board at the MF. http://boards.fool.com/notes-from-morning-with-charlie-29392423.aspx?sort=whole http://boards.fool.com/morning-with-charlie-notes-29392431.aspx Lethean46

I wish FFH conference calls were available via the internet. Any reason why they are not available via that venue? ML

Fabulous pics. Thank you. ML

FYI. Buffett didn't exactly say that. He wrote that SOKOL said that .... A subtle but significant difference? ML

New WSJ article says that Buffett will take questions at the annual meeting (not before) re Sokol. An independent committee of the BOD has been formed to determine if BRK policy was breached by Sokol. Excerpts of BRK policy included in the article. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703806304576245271170720328.html?mod=WSJ_hp_LEFTWhatsNewsCollection ML

Thank You, SanJeev. I read the board almost everyday - since before FFH hit $45 or some such. Ordered the AR. When was that? 2003 or so? A long time ago ... You have an AWESOME board here. ML

Sanborn Maps? ML

Yes. He said the average age of cars on the road in the US is 8 years. ML