bookie71

With his security detail it might be hard to just run into him.

Doesn't part of share drop come from gift to Gates Foundation (A shares converted to B shares)?

FBAK just came out with first Q report http://finance.yahoo.com/news/first-national-bank-alaska-announces-191800856.html

Carl Sandburg's series on Lincoln is great. (I listened to it last summer.)

FBAK pro's: selling near book value, good reserves, very conservative balance sheet, bank is aggressively re-buying it's stock con: Alaska's oil based economy AND stupid legislature

At least 50+ % of the tax free exchanges that i have seen in my practice over the last 50 years wish they had taken the cash and paid the taxes. Mostly because as the time limits get close they picked exchange properties that didn't make sense. You have to be very disciplined to make it work right and willing to pay the taxes IF you don't find ideal properties.

Besides BRK, BH, Fairfax and Sequoia, what meetings are worth attending? I'll start it off with First national Bank of Alaska (FNBK). It is usually very interesting and they have good comments on the Alaskan economic outlook that is usually right on. It's not quite as live wire since Mr Cuddy (in his 90's) has turned it over to his daughter, but he still makes a few comments similar to Mr. Munger's.

I have a lawyer friend, from Omaha, whose parents had a chance to invest in the first partnership, but decided it was better to put the money in savings for his college. As he says, "They could have bought the college"

I wonder how many of Costco's members will renew their AMEX if they are charged a yearly fee? I know I had dropped mine in the mid 1980's because i was using a Visa all the time for airline miles.

I think I'll buy a lottery ticket, and beat all of you. :-)

Because we are bookaholics, we use the library.Our local library lets us put the books on hold,(done on line),then sends us an email when they are ready for pickup. They also will get the books from other libraries. We have hauled several pickup loads of books to the local thrift store.We are trying to decluter

Thanks for posting.

Most of the banks and credit unions sell the loans and only service them for the owners. It would tie up too much capital if they kept the loans.

As a CPA for over 50 years, REMEMBER that levers work in 2 (two) directions. And they hurt like he** when they hit you in the chin.

Berkshire and Wesco

Way past due, should have been done 40 years ago.

I believe that on Schwab, you select tax efficient or tax savings to select the more expensive cost of sales

It's why you MUST have a margin of safety.

non-subscription link http://www.wsj.com/articles/american-express-to-lose-costco-exclusivity-1423746408

From the New York Times http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/09/us/matured-anchorage-struggles-to-shake-old-fears.html?_r=0

Here are a couple of places you can get annual reports ( I suggest the paper copies as i am old fashioned and like to mark them up) https://www.orderannualreports.com/060/UI/GP/home.aspx?cp_2=A620 http://www.nasdaq.com/services/annual-reports.aspx http://www.annualreportservice.com/ Good hunting!

Another good source is to go to one of the "annual report" services and order all the reports available on an industry.

According to the 1/23 Kiplinger Letter, "Cheaper oil is effectively a tax cut, worth about $100 billion to consumers this year. Generally, each penny decline in retail gasoline prices adds $1.4 billion in purchasing power to the economy if it is sustained over the course of a year."

I agree, low fuel prices helps the economy, BUT not in the oil states.

I expect the non oil states to do great, but caution if you are into small companies in the oil states.