Published Sunday April 25, 2010
Warren Watch: Ask the Answer Ball
By Steve Jordon
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
The Warren & Charlie’s Magic Answer Ball works best with yes-or-no questions.
Cryptic answers are not Warren Buffett’s forte, but you can get one any time you like with the Warren & Charlie’s Magic Answer Ball.
It’s an orb of memorabilia that will be available during Berkshire Hathaway Inc. shareholders weekend, and it’s decorated with caricatures of Buffett, chairman and CEO, and Vice Chairman Charlie Munger.
The ball and its floating answer-thingie (technically, an icosahedral die) is from Mattel, which also makes the Magic 8 Ball used by American youngsters for decades to answer life’s vexing questions. Borsheims will sell the $14.02 ball (with tax, that’s $15) at its store starting this week and at the Qwest Center Omaha during the meeting.
The ball was supposed to be ready for last year’s meeting, but a fire at the manufacturer disrupted production, Borsheims said.
Instead of the standard Magic 8 Ball answers like “Ask again later” or “Very Doubtful,” the Warren & Charlie Ball’s answers include “Diversify,” “SWEEEEET DEAL!” and Munger’s widely known demurrer: “I have nothing to add.”
Wikipedia says the Magic 8 Ball was invented in 1946 by Albert Carter and contains a cylindrical reservoir holding alcohol with dark blue dye. The hollow die fills with the fluid so it floats slowly until one of its sides rises to the viewing porthole, revealing its words.
It works best with yes-or-no questions, such as, “Should I sell?” or “Will interest rates rise?” or even “Should I buy this?”
More at: http://www.omaha.com/article/20100425/MONEY/704259931/0#warren-watch-ask-the-answer-ball
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