Well, the Bear market rumbles on and on, clawing and shredding brokerage statements left and right. While we're tending to our scratches and mauled psyches, we can spend some quality time reading over the weekend. Here a five suggestions.
- Good overview article on value investing entitled, The Graham & Dodders. Besides Graham and Dodd, the piece discusses Warren Buffett, Mohnish Pabrai, Leon Cooperman, the guys at Tweedy Browne, and the Sequoia Fund (co-founded by the legendary, and late, Bill Ruane). Even if you're familiar with value investing, as Controlled Greed readers are, you'll find this worth your time.
- If you're a regular here, you know I can't get too much of the late John Templeton. And here we go again. This Forbes piece provides a nice overview of Sir John's career, and even tries to pinpoint some stocks he might find attractive today. I'm suspicious of that sort of thing, but confess it gets my interest.
- With Warren Buffett's annual letter to shareholders due Saturday, Bloomberg speculates Berkshire Hathaway's 2008 performance may have been its worst in history -- as measured by the company's book value.
- It's been popular since September 11, 2001 -- especially among many of my conservative friends -- to dump on the Saudi Royal Family. Yes, I know the majority of highjackers that day were Saudis. Yet I've always believed that was by design by forces wanting to destroy US-Saudi relations. Karen Elliott House wrote a thoughtful op-ed in The Wall Street Journal this week on reforms King Abdullah is implementing. And I wish him and The Kingdom well in what must be among the world's most difficult balancing acts.
- Africa-Asia Confidential runs yet another in-depth report on China's growing investment in the Dark Continent. This story focuses on China creating a mining portfolio in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
That's it for now. The big thing this weekend will be Warren Buffett's letter. Remember when Buffett wasn't part of American pop culture? Anyway, see you next week.
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