Parsad

No idea. He's just not posting as much right now. Cheers!

Article on the current dispute. Cheers! http://www.thestreet.com/story/11773878/1/mbia-bank-of-america-battle-coming-to-a-head.html?puc=yahoo&cm_ven=YAHOO

Don't hear anything from the other toadies these days either...where is the notorious Sam Antar? Hiding under his rock I presume! Cheers!

You would think so...I can only hope so. Too bad we can't short SAC! I'm also surprised that Chanos did not stumble across this fraud. ;D Cheers!

Sadly, they only have a civil suit involving him, and it's for $275M...a tiny fraction of his net worth. What they need is to topple his lieutenants and get them to roll over on him. That's the only way they'll be able to take down this white-collared Bonanno wannabe. Kudos to Preet Bharara for digging and digging. Cheers!

I thought this article resonated a bit of the dot-com, day-trading era. Not nearly the same, but there are some similarities. Cheers! http://finance.yahoo.com/news/boom-lures-app-creators-tough-014750928.html

Couldn't agree more Hawk! It's when people think everybody deserves a house...then you get trouble. I think everyone deserves shelter and a place they can call home, with affordable rent for those that are of limited income, but I don't think everyone deserves to OWN a home...just like I don't think everyone deserve to own a car, Rolex watch or Prada suit. It's when people start to desire those things, and see their friends buying such things who can't afford them, then you get things like excesses and bubbles when loose credit becomes available. Keeping up with the Jones' is very expensive long-term! Cheers!

If you eat those, then you live in Richmond, BC and are probably a Hong Kong expatriate! ;D I remember when they opened the first one in Richmond...there was a massive lineup...bigger than outside an Apple store when a new phone comes out. All Hong Kong expats! I used to snarf one down too occasionally at the Metrotown store, but now that I've moved, the closest one is near my office on Robson. Cheers! Actually, now that I've read their website, I did not realize they started in Japan and that they have over 250 stores around the world. I always thought it was a Hong Kong thing, as my friends from there couldn't stop talking about it when they opened the first store here. Cheers!

If you eat those, then you live in Richmond, BC and are probably a Hong Kong expatriate! ;D I remember when they opened the first one in Richmond...there was a massive lineup...bigger than outside an Apple store when a new phone comes out. All Hong Kong expats! I used to snarf one down too occasionally at the Metrotown store, but now that I've moved, the closest one is near my office on Robson. Cheers!

Of that $6.3B, BAC had cut $3.65B or 58%! Cheers! http://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-big-us-banks-cut-190532920.html

You know what? I was one of the first guys to think he could not do this...probably another guy who writes a book, starts a fund, tries to do a turnaround and increase shareholder value...you know, the usual Buffett playbook that every young manager aspires to follow. Well, he's surprised me already. I think he's done a great job at Paragon so far. Doesn't mean much yet, but kudos to Sham for getting to where he is now! He's already saved the company, which would have gone under in another couple of years, and that's saved alot of money for shareholders, as well as some jobs, homes, college plans and just basic living for employees. If it means I have to put up with more books before these young guys even get a job...so be it...I'm a curmudgeonly, grumpy old 40 something! ;D They could be out there torching cars and rioting after a Stanley Cup loss...instead, they are aspiring to be more using a role model we all admire. I'll be really watching to see what he does now, and once again, congratulations to Sham on doing a good job and following his dreams. Cheers!

Just acquired a property in North Hollywood. Cheers! http://finance.yahoo.com/news/kennedy-wilson-acquires-asset-163909603.html

Berkshire's HomeServices of America CEO, Ron Peltier, interviewed on CNBC. He's quite optimistic about real estate. Cheers! http://finance.yahoo.com/video/cnbc-29093777/buffett-s-real-estate-man-sees-housing-hope-31159078.html;_ylt=AmbhMiLoYOFiHloZy6JyD6eiuYdG;_ylu=X3oDMTIzdmNtdHE1BG1pdANDTkJDIFRvcCBTdG9yaWVzBHBrZwMzMTE1OTA3OARwb3MDNQRzZWMDTWVkaWFCTGlzdE1peGVkTFBDQVRlbXA-;_ylg=X3oDMTFpNzk0NjhtBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fcnbc-29093777%252Fbuffett-s-real-estate-man-sees-housing-hope-31159078.html

I don't think they should anything, and just leave the dividend payment to when they do it normally every year. The fiscal cliff at worst is only going to affect tax planning for one year...this year's dividend...after that you will pay regardless. By catering to U.S. shareholders, and only those in taxable accounts, they would be penalizing shareholders in every other jurisdiction (especially Canadian), as they would have received two dividend payments this year. So some people may be pushed over thresholds that claw back on their Old-Age Security or other benefits...even Pharmacare. Fairfax is in the investment business, and you could go so far as to say they are in the tax planning business for shareholders to the extent their ownership is based around the company. But they are not in the tax planning business for their shareholders personal income taxes. Cheers!

Yes, but it might be the foreign stocks that don't show up in his 13-F. Prem in my opinion is the one who fits the bill, but I'm not sure that was the one he referred to. Cheers!

I've thought that Hostess brands would be a terrific buy at the right price for Berkshire or a number of other companies, like Weston Foods. I was never a fan of Twinkies, but I sure like the occasional Ho Ho or Zinger...especially the Zinger. That pink, syrupy cake, covered in shredded coconut and the same Twinkie's vanilla filling inside...mmmmm! Gonna miss them unless Berkshire saves the day! Cheers!

Actually, I had to rescue him that night just before midnight. The ballroom was completely empty, even the tables were bare, and there were 50 people still in a circle around Francis. He would have stood there till 3 am if no one came to get him. That once-in-a-lifetime CDS investment was also Francis and Brian Bradstreet's idea. He had to get regulatory approval to buy them for the Chou Funds and then amend the fund bylaws. By the time he received approval, prices had started to rise and he could never buy them for his fund. Otherwise, the Chou Funds may have been up 100% that year too! Cheers!

He's also the nicest person you will ever meet. It's why Prem and everyone at Fairfax views him so highly. There is no ego around Francis whatsoever, and he has all the time in the world for people. As many of you who surrounded him at last year's dinner till nearly midnight know! ;D Honestly, not only a great investor, but the nicest person I know in the industry. Cheers!

My numbers were what I thought the bare minimum would be. I don't want to get expectations too high because the Fed does what the Fed does. If they treat BAC like the other banks then the payout will be higher. But if they treat BAC based on legacy issues, then my numbers are what I think they will be around. Many of you thought they would be able to return capital last year and I said I didn't think so...another year. Well, that year has past and they've overshot my expectations. Let's hope the Fed sees it that way too! Cheers!

http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2012/11/12/elon_musk_s_tesla_model_s_is_first_all_electric_car_to_win_motor_trend_car.html Well actually, Romney was the loser...both objectively and subjectively. ;D Cheers!

Also now named Motortrend Car of the Year. Cheers! http://money.cnn.com/2012/11/12/autos/tesla-model-s-motor-trend-car-of-the-year/index.html?source=cnn_bin

It will probably be around 5-7 cents a quarter. Big jump, but only about 2-2.5% yield. I would think they would try to buy back $3-5B of stock as well. Cheers!

No I think the show is much longer...maybe half an hour. This was just their promo clip. Cheers!

Article on the new stress test standards. More details will be released by the government on the 15th of November. Cheers! http://blogs.barrons.com/stockstowatchtoday/2012/11/12/for-dividend-hungry-bank-investors-3-important-stress-test-development/?mod=yahoobarrons

Clip of Buffett from Becky Quick's new interview show "Off The Cuff". Cheers! http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/off-the-cuff/warren-buffett-213923494.html