bookie71

What were your reasons for "abstaining" instead of voting "no" on the Coke compensation package?

Yep, I remember when our oldest got his license, it was a tremendous relief. Plus he liked being able to drive the car without my wife or myself.

I agree, but I'm an old grouch.

Are there any notes or minutes of the meetings?

One way might be to have the commission based on longer term relationship with customer. For example 30% at start 20% after one year, etc. Put emphasis on retention and satisfaction. One company bases bonuses on satisfaction of customer in surveys.

Interesting interview http://therotarianmagazine.com/the-rotarian-conversation-howard-buffet/

Right is right, wrong is wrong. Many of you are using the same ethics that our legislators use to justify taking bribes. It's cash that I can put in the freezer.

Got me!

Parsad, you are the "man"! :D

I agree. Every time i think I have a suggestion, I find out a few days later it would have kept me from seeing something.

several years ago we bought a copy for each of our kids.

I received mine today (Wed 3/26). It seems to take about a week longer for things to get to Alaska.

For you folks working 12 hours or so a day. Are you really efficient working that many hours. From having my own CPA firm for almost 50 years, I found that most folks can do the long hours for a few weeks, then suddenly their production becomes 40 hours of effective production gets done in 60 hours. Take some time to smell the roses, go fishing, go to a play, go to a concert, go camping, do some gardening, or something you enjoy that is not work related. No matter how much you enjoy what you do, we all need a "mental health holiday" every once in a while.

"This can go the other way as well. I know a guy who manages a VC fund, he values his time very highly. So he outsources everything possible in his life. He compares his 'wage' with what he'd lose if he wasn't working to do some everyday task. It's beneath him to do anything but work since that's the highest valued item. It's a strange concept, it works well in theory, but he can't shutoff. He would say he's frugal or cheap because he's paying a maid and working, but when you look at his life he's living a very nice lifestyle that's unobtainable for most." Dang, and I've been taking down the paneling and putting up sheet-rock in the basement. The amount of time I'm spending is enoromus, but I'm having a blast and impressing SWMBO, which isn't easy to do after being together for over 50 years.

ditto

Check out the Chou funds. They are available on Schwab.

I second the Chou funds.

Love it!

It's the yield after the expenses that is important.

I didn't know the family ever sold anything, but 1997 would be about the time they sold their grocery stores to Safeway.

It just showed up on Schwab alerts http://www.schwab.com/public/schwab/investing/investment_help/investment_research/news.html?&path=%2Fresearch%2Fpublic%2Fstocks%2Falertnews%2F%3Fdocid%3D600-201403121100PR_NEWS_USPRX____SF81569-1 This board is awesome.

I thought the Sears in Anchorage leased from the Carr/Gottstein families. I hope you are right, as I would love to see a Nordstrom's Rack.

Sorry, we don't have a 401-K, we have an old fashioned profit sharing plan (the company makes all the contributions , not the employees). It is about 66% of portfolio.

Thanks

It is a proposal and with a Democratic Senate and a Republican House it won't pass, but it is an indication of the thinking of some politicians. Years ago they tried to put a surtax on pension distributions over a certain amount, but it was taken out of the law fairly quick.