Good Morning Berkshire Weekenders,

Bridge is open. This year at Borsheims we have invited back Bob Hamman and Sharon Osberg (two of our favorite bridge pros) to help liven up the games at the shareholders-only shopping day. So come on down to the bridge area in the center of Regency Court and get your foursome started.

There are two ways to get into the game today. Swing by the bridge area and visit Amanda at the sign-up table.

1. If you have a foursome, you can jump onto a table right now and get started.
2. If you are a single, Amanda will add you to the wait list and as players tire or drop out, your name will be called to fill in. Who knows maybe you will get to fill in at Warren’s table or one of the pros tables.

Hope you can come out and have some fun with us today.
The Borsheims Team

Hello Weekenders,

I hope that you are enjoying your time at the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder’s Meeting. I recently had a chance to talk with Amy Dudzik. She is a jewelry buyer for Borsheims. She is also a veteran of the Berkshire Weekend. Check out her video interview below for more information on what looks are hot this year and what you can expect to see during the Berkshire weekend.

See all of our video interviews here.

Black Diamond Ring

Argyle Pink Diamond Ring

To see more diamonds visit all our photos here.

Hope you are having fun,
The Borsheims Team

Welcome Weekenders,

Well it is Sunday, the final day of the Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder’s Weekend this year. But the festivities are far from over. Swing by Borsheims today for our exclusive shopping day and a chance to see Warren Buffett play bridge.

Right now brunch is being served. It is a beautiful, sunny 65 degrees, and many shareholders are enjoying a nice brunch outside this morning.

The brunch opened at 9 a.m. and will run until 4 p.m today for an exclusive Berkshire shareholder shopping day. There will also be several bars opened this morning, in case you are in the mood for a mimosa or bloody mary.

So come on in and have a bite to eat, the games and festivities should begin around 1 p.m.

See you soon,
The Borsheims Team

Hey Weekenders,

I recently read an article written by The Omaha World Herald’s Steve Jordan that focused on the record-setting attendance expected at this year’s Berkshire Weekend. In the article Mr. Jordan calls the shareholder weekend recession proof. I would have to agree. We are expecting the largest crowd ever.

A record 35,000 people are expected May 2 at the Qwest Center Omaha, despite a year of bailouts, layoffs, crises measured in the trillions of dollars, a one-third drop in Berkshire�s stock price and the company�s worst performance in Warren Buffett�s 44 years as chairman and CEO.

Shareholders say they believe in the investment philosophies of the man sometimes called the Sage of Omaha, and many come to visit friends they have made during years of visits to the city.

To read the rest of the story, visit Omaha.com.

Hope you are enjoying the event,
The Borsheims Team

Hello Berkshire Weekenders,

Warren and Charlie offered up so much wisdom during the shareholder’s question and answer section that I couldn’t get it all into one post. I shared a few quotes in an earlier post. But, here are some more gems.

BYD
â��Built best selling single mode in China (in vehicles). What it is, is a damn miracle,” said Charlie Munger. â��This company is hiring the top 17,000 graduates a year out of 1 billion 300,000, you get a remarkable aggregation of human talent. That car that you are going to see in the annex, I think that they make everything in that car except the glass and the rubber.â��

�This is very unusual and I regard it as a privilege to get Berkshire associated with a company that is trying to do so much for humanity,� commented Charlie Munger.

On the US Dollar/Inflation
�I will guarantee that the dollar will buy less in 5 -10 years from now, maybe substantially less,� said Warren Buffett. �You�ve got governments around the world electing to run material deficits close to unprecedented, except in war time. It is going to cause units of currency to buy a lot less over time. You can bet on inflation.�

�In my life there has been a lot of inflation,� commented Charlie Munger. �The trick is to avoid the runaway inflation.�

On the World Economy
â��We have a system that works, it unleashes human potential,” said Warren Buffett referring to capitalism. â��We will have bad years in capitalism. But, there is no question in my mind that there is enormous human potential and the opportunities will win in the end. Your children will live better than you.â��

â��As I get closer to the age of death I feel more cheerful about the economic future,â�� said Charlie Munger. “What I find really cheerful is that we are finally gonna harness the power of the sun. It is going to eliminate a lot of environmental needs. You can see it coming right over the horizon. Whatâ��s good about our situation now, is that the main technical problem of mankind is about to be fixed (solar power).”

On Contracts
�Our model is a seamless web of trust that is deserved on both sides,� said Charlie Munger.

For Fun
�In the end you�ll see it my way, because you�re smart and I�m right,� Warren Buffett describing about how Charlie Munger convinces of things during disagreements.

Enjoy and have a great weekend,
The Borsheims Team

Hello Weekenders,

I hope that you are enjoying the big party at Nebraska Furniture Mart. I just left and let me say, if the party is as big as the tent, then you can’t miss this one.

While you are there, check out the 77-acre shopping campus and take advantage of the shareholder discount. NFM offers almost everything you can imagine for the home. Or just stop and relax at one of their hundreds of recliners.

The mart is expecting thousands of visitors today and I heard that they expect more than $33 million is sales from this event.

Oh, and make sure to check out the Nervous Nellie, the latest mattress to be endorsed by Warren Buffett. This new mattress has a secret pocket to hide all of your valuables. Ha Ha!

Best Wishes,
The Borsheims Team

Hello Berkshire Weekenders,

All the Berkshire companies who hosted booths this year at the annual shareholder’s meeting did a fantastic job. I couldn’t help but notice that besides the country western theme, there seemed to be another theme occurring. The second theme that I am talking about was the green or eco-friendly feel of this year’s shareholder meeting. Some of my favorite booths discussed Berkshire’s involvement in the green or alternative energy movement.

Here are few that I enjoyed:

1. The ihouse: This home, produced by Clayton, was built from the ground up to be eco-friendly. It was also very energy efficient. It featured solar panels, rainwater catchment systems and decks made from recycled materials. There were many other features that lent this home a green feeling. I especially like the bamboo floors.

2. MidAmerican Energy also had a fantastic booth that discussed their usage of wind energy and their plans to continue to grow their use of renewable energy. Their wind energy diorama is the header image to this blog post.

3. BYD, what can I even say about this display. It was beautiful and futuristic and interesting. It was nice to see Berkshire investing in a company with such a bold and aggressive vision. I believe Mr. Munger even called BYD miraculous.

It even seemed that a lot of the answers that Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger gave focused on the future of renewable energy. My personal favorite quote on the subject came from Charlie Munger.

â��What I find really cheerful is that we are finally gonna harness the power of the sun. It is going to eliminate a lot of environmental needs. You can see it coming right over the horizon. Whatâ��s good about our situation now, is that the main technical problem of mankind is about to be fixed.”

Best Wishes,
The Borsheims Team

Hello Weekenders,

I just got done looking through a couple of different NetJets at their display at Epply Airfield. It is not to be missed. They are still open and will be available for tours and viewings until 6 p.m.

At their airfield display you can chat with pilots and tour six exquisite airplanes:
Cessna Citation Encore
Cessna Citation XLS/Excel
Gulfstream 200
Hawker 900XP/800XP
Cessna Citation Sovereign
Gulfstream 450/400 (GIV-SP)

A little more about NetJets:
In 1986, NetJets pioneered the concept of fractional jet ownership, giving individuals and businesses all the benefits of whole aircraft ownership and more at a fraction of the cost. Today, NetJets is the worldwide leader with the most Owners, the most experience, and the largest fleet.

For even more information, check out this video that I found on NetJets from the History Channel that features the GulfStream 450.

Best Wishes,
The Borsheims Team

Hello Weekenders,

If you come to the annual shareholder’s weekend this year, you are bound to see some of the artwork of Matthew Placzek. Mr. Placzek’s project entitled ILLUMINA stands outside the Qwest center where the annual meeting will be held on Saturday. This $2 million public art project features a 35-foot stainless steel clock and six bronze figures, and includes a 14-foot-tall stilts walker.

The entire project, which Placzek cites as his largest and most important to date, consists of more than 2,000 LED lights, 4,000 pounds of bronze, 28,000 pounds of stainless steel and 360 tons of concrete. Its size, diversity of elements and complexity of design required a collaborative effort involving specialists from across the country. Read more about this project in a story published by Omaha’s KETV.

Placzek also has a variety of special artworks available for purchase this weekend at Borsheims. Check out a few of these beautiful works below and swing by the store to see everything.

Best Wishes,
The Borsheims Team

Hello Weekenders,

If you didn’t get a chance to visit the Qwest Center today for the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder’s Meeting, than you missed more than a great Q and A session with Warren Buffett. The entire Qwest has been turned into a Wild West Show.

First of all, There are real ponies and bulls in large pens around the Qwest Center:

Then you’d hear the foot-tappin sounds of the Fort Worth-based Quebe Sisters Band.

But don’t worry, if got to feeling overwhelmed from all the discounts. Just grab yourself a Cherry Coke (taking a page from Warren here) and relax on a hay bale.

It really is a great time. So come on down y’all.

Best,
The Borsheims Team