Parsad

Very, very bullish! He's 85% invested and looking for more cash because he's found many things he really likes. He said that in 2000 he was 85% cash and today he's 85% invested and almost all of it is in U.S. equities. Larry said there is something he held five years ago that they did really well on, and are in the midst of buying as much as they can. He said that mutual funds have limitations of 10% in any one investment, which he is totally opposed to, and would be happy to put 20% into some ideas. He mentioned the name John (maybe spelled Jon too) and then said I shouldn't say too much because we are buying it hand over fist. But it is growing at 20-25% a year and will for the next 5-10 years. From what I could dig up it looks like it could be one of two things: DTSI or Clear Channel. Anyone else have any ideas? He's still very high on Six Flags and Coinstar as well. He only had an hour, but he said there's another ten companies I can talk to you about. Then the handler from Clarington said we've got to get you to another meeting. He was very nice though as always, and was sticking around to talk to people, but they were putting his coat on for him and getting him out the door. Not sure why Larry never just had someone buy out his fund and seed him with say $150M in a hedge fund. His style is better suited to a fund, rather than a mutual fund. He did say one thing that you don't always hear. He said he likes things that are really simple to understand, because often "He just doesn't know!" He said the industry is full of egotistical managers who will never just say "I don't know", because their pride and ego won't let them. He said "At the end of the day, I'm just human, and there are plenty of things I don't know." Cheers!

Looking good! Cheers! http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-29/north-american-rail-freight-carloads-for-march-24-table-.html?cmpid=yhoo

A friend of mine is the vice-president of investments for a financial planning firm in Vancouver, and he arranged for Larry Sarbit to speak in their office this morning. I got to tell you, and I've known this for years, but he's a terrific guy and a great manager. The first thing that gives it away was that this lady walks up to him and says "Larry, I heard you speak several years ago..." and before she could finish he says "My sympathies!" I couldn't stop laughing! It was one rapid fire joke after another while he gave a terrific presentation on why he's been bullish on U.S. equities for the last three years. For example, he talked about his holding in Coinstar and he said: "Do you think that anyone walks up to the dvd rental at Safeway, looks at the Coinstar box and says..."I'm sorry, I really wanted to rent a movie today, but Greece is having some real problems." Of course not, it's so damn ridiculous! We look for businesses that have almost actual coupons attached to them based on their free cash flows. Businesses that will continue to grow and have durable, competitive advantages." Anyway, here is his updated performance track record, as he got chased out of Investor's Group and AIC for holding too much cash. By the way, he said that he thought starting his own firm was the best thing after all the problems he had at IG and AIC, "but then he realized he hated the manager!" Cheers! Larry_Sarbit_Performance_Record_-_1988_to_2011.pdf

When reporters or analysts start talking about standard deviation to define risk, I usually want to kick them in the butt so hard, that I'll never find my shoe again! ;D Cheers!

I'm surprised that in about 11 years of running this forum, we've never asked this question! ;D I had a pretty good idea how many people were represented from different regions, but actually seeing the different cities and then sometimes even putting it to a nickname was pretty illuminating. Also very humbling that so many people participate and enjoy this forum. Thanks everyone! Cheers...and I literally mean it waving a glass of beer to you all...well actually its a sealed novelty bottle from a craft brewery in Vancouver!

Let me ask you guys something: Were you guys buying when the stock was below $6? Did you buy then because insiders were buying? If you answered yes to both questions, then you are correct to demand Moynihan buy shares. If you answered yes to the first question, and no to the second question, then why does it matter at $9.60 if Moynihan buys or not? They say that the CEO of a corporation is the company's best salesperson. So don't rely on their advice or actions...trust your own analysis! Cheers!

A franchisee in Washington is launching a food truck. They only have one restaurant in the Capitol, so probably smart. Cheers! http://www.cnbc.com/id/46878558

Relative to other large bank CEO's, and the amount of work that he had to do to turnaround BAC, it's a damn bargain! Plus his compensation is restricted to certain hurdles being met. Cheers!

Article on the price of natural gas. Cheers! http://www.cnbc.com/id/46885001

Seattle peaked in July 2007. Peaked in July 2007 and prices fell slightly, but did not fall like most parts of the U.S. until mid-2009. Cheers! Too many ex-pats like myself are going back to Cali. That would make sense. Some went to Australia too! ;D Cheers!

I second this request as I'm thinking of heading down and am also a first timer. The Omaha tourism website looks pretty bleak. Plenty! You can go to NFM, Borsheims, the Net Jets display on Saturday, Gorats or Piccolos, The Old Market Area (great restaurants & shops), catch an Omaha Royals game, visit Boys & Girls town, check out Buffett's house, go gamble in Council Bluffs at Harrah's or Ameristar, drive around and check out the architecture, go play golf at numerous golf courses, walk around the River...I'm sure there are a ton of other things people will tell you. Don't forget all the private parties between Berkshire sanctioned events. Cheers!

Seattle peaked in July 2007. Peaked in July 2007 and prices fell slightly, but did not fall like most parts of the U.S. until mid-2009. Cheers!

Thanks for the information guys! It's tough to get a read from Vancouver. I go to Seattle alot, so I check out how things are in Washington, but they got hit much later than the rest of the U.S., and they are still working their way through. Cheers!

Great advice! That's what I did too. By the way, you can always send a letter to MrB, because he's one of the guys you should have coffee with too! ;D Cheers!

Apparently, Xbox's use similiar to Apple TV is growing rapidly as well. Cheers! http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/plugged-in/hbo-comcast-come-xbox-360-182414016.html

Junto, in the Minne/St. Paul area, do you find that properties are selling faster in core market areas, or is it a broad increase in sales in all suburban areas too? I agree with your comments about the market decoupling. It could very well be that certain markets are picking up, and certain markets are in a depression-like state. You are getting bidding wars now in certain markets. It seems as though most people in the housing industry are tentatively optimistic. Cheers!

The only entertainment value I get from this show's glacial story line comes from yelling at the on-screen characters as they make consistently terrible choices. The show is just not realistic enough for me to tolerate... the zombie mayhem I can accept, but I can't suspend reality long enough to believe that there exists any random group of people who are collectively that stupid. For me, it's a toss up between Breaking Bad and The Wire for best TV series ever. VAL, have you ever been through a zombie apocalypse? No...nuff said! ;D Cheers!

The CEO of Toll Brothers has some comments on housing and their business. Cheers! http://www.cnbc.com/id/46872827

Francis' 2011 annual report is out. He discusses banks and TARP warrants, Europe, Chinese stocks and the Canadian housing market. Not all are in the Chou Associates Letter, so you may have to go through each one. He's also always got one really funny joke and this one does not disappoint. Cheers! http://www.choufunds.com/pdf/AR11.pdf

The Walking Dead seems to be moving away from the grimace fest it was under the previous showrunner. They also killed off their main antagonist in Shane. But I think they are now going to cover alot more of the material from the graphic comic, as the last episode alluded to a couple of big things for next season. I actually don't watch the show for the gore fest, but the character development...which I thought was pretty good. It didn't have to be zombies...it could have been any sort of contagion...and then you watch what these people do to those around them and what they become...good or bad! It just happened to be zombies in this comic! ;D But hands down, Game of Thrones is awesome and I'm pretty jacked up to watch the new season starting this weekend. When I'm not reading, then I'm watching sports or a few of these shows. Cheers!

I like Breaking Bad and watched Sopranos all the time. Mad Men is one of the most boring shows on television! ;D Watched the occasional episode of Oz. Watch The Wire when I can. I really liked Deadwood, but think Boardwalk Empire is a bit too plodding...great actors though. Was very disappointed by Luck! Had everything going for it, but incredibly slow paced except for the occasional racetrack scene. The best thing about Luck were the four gambling buddies, and the show had Nick Nolte and Dustin Hoffman! Cheers!

Article on BAC being downgraded from buy to neutral. That's not why I posted it though. I posted it because of the analyst report mentioned at the bottom of the article that said upside potential was limited at $7 in Q4 2011. ;D Cheers! http://blogs.barrons.com/stockstowatchtoday/2012/03/27/bank-of-america-downgraded-show-me-the-earnings-power/?mod=yahoobarrons

By the way, should warn anyone reading that there is a ton of nudity in Game of Thrones. I would say it is one of the more risque shows I've ever seen on television. But much of it fits the time and circumstance, so not ENTIRELY gratuitous! ;D Cheers!

Could be growth is partly to blame. They are probably ramping up the back office support and administrative expenses for future growth. Cheers!

Thanks Toronto! Yes, Game of Thrones is the best show I've seen since the first season of Lost. Absolutely terrific writing, sets, actors...stunning twists to the stories. Great show! Supposedly the second season is taking it up several notches. Cheers!