The national and international media visits Omaha every year for Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders’ Weekend, but we have some great local media, too!
They reported several stories on the record crowds that descended on Omaha for the 2010 BRK weekend.
Posts Tagged ‘Warren Buffett’
Local Coverage on Berkshire Weekend
Thursday, May 20th, 2010Warren Buffett Pictures
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
Hello Berkshire Weekenders,
We were lucky enough to have Warren stop by Borsheims again this year for a little Sunday afternoon fun. Warren dropped in and watched a few table tennis matches. Ariel Hsing, top-ranked US table tennis player, took on competitors from about 1 p.m. till 3 p.m. She also brought Warren an extra large chocolate bar as a treat.
Warren then went upstairs to play a little bridge with one of his old friends and partners, Sharon 
Osberg. He was never without his trademark smile and a can of cherry coke. Thank you Warren for stopping by and thank you to all the shareholders who make this weekend the exciting event that it is.
Check out hundreds more exclusive Warren Buffett and Bill Gates photos on our Flickr page. You can download and share all the photos on our page for free. Check it out today. Enjoy!
Hope you had a great time this year. I know I did,
Bill, the blogger
Warren Buffett’s Favorite Game
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010Good Morning Weekenders,
I hope that you are enjoying your stay in Omaha. We sure hope that you will stop by Borsheims today for the final day of the shareholder’s weekend. We have many exciting activities going on this morning and this afternoon, including Warren’s favorite card game, bridge. This year we have made some changes to the bridge experience.
The bridge tables and sign up are now upstairs in the atrium of the Regency Court. To get up to the bridge tables head to the north side of the building near the bathrooms, then take the stairs near the waterfall up to atrium. Bridge play won’t begin until 1 p.m., but you can sign up your foursome anytime. Just head on up and say hi to Sarah, and she will add you to the list of bridge teams.
FYI, but this year we don’t expect any VIPs to attend the bridge play. We have not invited any professional players this year and we expect Warren to be playing a bit of table tennis downstairs instead.
Enjoy the bridge and the lovely day,
Bill, the blogger
Warren’s Widom
Saturday, May 1st, 2010Hello Weekenders,
Just wanted to share a little more wisdom from the mouth of Berkshire Hathaway’s CEO Warren Buffett. I have also included some of Vice-Chairman Charlie Munger’s zingers and tips as well. I hope you enjoy this small bit of Berkshire Hathaway Wisdom.
On Berkshire Stock
I’ve never sold a share of Berkshire Hathaway st0ck in my life and I probably won’t sell a lot after I’m dead. (Warren)
On Investing in India
It is not a zero sum game. If China and India do better, it does not mean that we do worse. I would not run from the United States. (Warren)
As of yesterday I agreed next March to go to India. India is going to grow dramatically and Iscar belongs in every country of the world. (Warren)
Both China and India do limit us quite significantly in what we can own in a company. (Warren)
On Inflation
The prospects for significant inflation have increased. Not only here, but all over the world. (Warren)
On Financial Education of Children
We all owe a lot to the employment culture of McDonald’s. (Charlie)
On Taxes
You could have a wealth tax, many countries have done that. (Warren)
Taxes, if we continue to spend 25% or 26% of GDP, we are not going to be able to continue to keep taxes at 15% of GDP. It will have to be some combination of taxes quite a bit higher and spending quite a bit lower. It is going to be an interesting equation to solve. (Warren)
On Unethical Business Practices
We won’t trade reputation for money. (Warren)
If the reason you are doing something, if the best reason you can come up with for doing something is that the other guy is doing it. Then something is wrong. We want very much to protect the reputation of Berkshire. (Warren)
The ideal is not to make all the money that can be made without getting in a bunch of legal trouble. The ideal is that we celebrate wealth only when it has been fairly won and wisely used. (Charlie)
Charlie Being Charlie
I’ve got nothing to add. (Charlie)
Hope you are having a great time,
Bill, the Blogger
Warren Buffett’s Response to Goldman Sachs
Saturday, May 1st, 2010Hey Weekenders,
I am sitting in on the Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder’s Meeting right now and the question of Goldman Sachs’s lawsuit has come up (no surprise there). So, I thought that you might be interested in hearing Warren Buffett’s and Charlie Munger’s take on the Goldman Sachs lawsuit:Our experience with Goldman goes back 44 years, and during those years we have bought more businesses through them, than any other investment bank. (Warren)Stay tuned for more of Warren and Charlie’s Wisdom,Ironically, it has probably helped our investment in Goldman. We have preferred stock with Goldman…Every day that goes by, that Goldman does not call our preferred, it is money in the bank. We get $15 every second from our preferred. I don’t want those preferred to go away. (Warren)
[On Goldman Sachs's Reputation] There is no question that the allegation alone causes the company to lose reputation. The press of the last few weeks hurt the company…But I don’t believe that the allegation of something falls within my category of losing reputation in something. Now, the proving something is different…if it leads into something more serious, than we will see in that time. (Warren)
I agree with all of that, but I also think that every business ought to decline a lot of perfectly legal business. The standards of business should not be what is legal and convenient. (Charlie)
Bill, the blogger
Berkshire Hathaway Subsidiary Discounts
Friday, April 30th, 2010
Hello Weekenders,
Many shareholders go to the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholders Meeting to hear Warren and Charlie’s words of wisdom. But others go to do some serious shopping! The shareholder’s meeting this Saturday at the Qwest Center will offer hundreds of deals from many Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries. From Fruit of the Loom and Justin Boots, to See’s 
Candies and Ginsu knives, the famous shareholder discount gets you access to a lot of discounted merchandise. Do your spring cleaning now to make room for all the great finds at great prices this Saturday.
I hope to see you out there for a bit of wisdom from Warren Buffett, and for a great amount of discounted shopping!
Best Wishes,
Bill, the blogger
Berkshire Hathaway Bridge Game and More
Thursday, April 29th, 2010Hello Weekenders,
Berkshire Hathaway Shareholder’s weekend is famous for great deals, good advice and Warren Buffett playing bridge. The Bridge games are usually held in the open courtyard of Regency Court right after Sunday brunch during the Borsheims shopping day of the Berkshire weekend. This final day of the 
Berkshire Shareholder’s Weekend o
ffers many fun activities including a chess champion, a magician, a table tennis champion and, of course, bridge.
There will be a few changes to the activity line-up this year. In the courtyard of Regency Court, starting at 1pm on Sunday, two-time U.S. chess Champion Patrick Wolff will be playing against several opponents at once, probably blindfolded. We plan to project the games on a large screen to make it easier for everyone to see. We have also invited magician Norman Beck back this year to befuddle and astound the crowd.
One big change this year is the addition of top-ranked junior table tennis player Ariel Hsing. She joined us in 2007 and we are happy to welcome her back again! And of course anxious to watch her challenge Mr. Buffett. Table tennis matches will be held in the courtyard, where bridge was held last year. 
Bridge will be played upstairs this year in the upper atrium of Regency Court. The stairs to get to the atrium level are located on the north side of the building near the restrooms. So, just bring your four-person team upstairs to sign up and play, or create a foursome with new friends! Sadly, we are not expecting the bridge champs or VIPs to be playing bridge this year.
See you soon,
Bill, the blogger
MEDIA MEMBERS: Schedule of Events, Credential Info for Borsheims
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010More than 40,000 Berkshire Hathaway shareholders are expected to gather at Borsheims Fine Jewelry & Gifts in Omaha this weekend as part of their company’s annual meeting festivities. It is expected to be the largest crowd ever for the event, which has been held at Borsheims for the past 21 years.
Joining the crowds for the weekend? Here’s your guide to what’s happening at Borsheims April 30 to May 2.
KETV: Berkshire Stores Prepare for Thousands
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010OMAHA, Neb. — Berkshire Hathaway subsidiaries are preparing for an estimated 40,000 shareholders expected to descend on Omaha for the annual shareholders meeting.
Borsheims is stocking the cases with all sorts of shiny pieces.
“On any given day, we have 100,000 pieces of inventory in our system. For Berkshire weekend, we can double that,” said the jewelry store’s Adrienne Fay.
Check out the rest of the story and get details about the deals you can get online now on KETV’s website.
Omaha World-Herald: Ranks of Buffett Devotees to Swell
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010The Omaha World-Herald’s Steve Jordon wrote a front-page article Monday to kick off Berkshire Hathaway shareholders week. The focus of the article was on the record-setting crowds expected again this year, and how businesses like Borsheims are preparing to welcome the crowds.
Here’s what Borsheims’ President & CEO Susan Jacques told him:
“It’s always mayhem, but it’s a really fun opportunity to meet fascinating people who come from all around the world and who are thrilled and delighted to be here,” said Susan Jacques, president of Berkshire’s Omaha jewelry giant, Borsheims. “Anytime we can have new folks come to take a look at the activities in the city of Omaha, we love it.”Read the rest of the article, including information about what Borsheims is doing to welcome the crowds, here.
