Warren Buffett got married yesterday, and if you're a follower of the Warren Buffett saga (and aren't we all, here in investing land?), you know that Buffett lived separately from his first wife, Susan Thompson Buffett, for decades. She died two years ago. This news prompted the BloggingStocks team to ask: Is Warren Buffett more billionaire, or more regular ol' guy from Omaha? Let's look at the evidence:
- Diet. Warren Buffett feasts on hamburgers, Omaha steaks, and Cherry Coke. Advantage: regular Omaha guy.
- Homes. Warren still lives in a home in Omaha he bought for $31,500, although he does have a vacation home in Laguna Beach. Still ... Advantage: regular Omaha guy.
- Jet set or no jet set? Warren was famous for his modest string of Lincoln Town Cars, but he bought a corporate jet in 1989 ... and then bought a whole jet company. Advantage: billionaire.
- Friends. Sure, Warren counts Bill Gates, fellow richest man in the world, as a friend. But they're both gigantic nerds and play golf and -- I am not making this up -- bridge rather than high-stakes poker. Advantage: regular Omaha guy.
- Media saturation. What's this? Warren is working on his very own TV series. I know you're saying, like, ohmigod Sarah! That's so totally billionaire behavior. Ahem. But it's an animated series about investing. Haha! Advantage: regular Omaha guy.
- Parties. Oh you're very funny. Warren Buffett at a party? As if. Advantage: regular Omaha guy.
- Women. Warren Buffett just got married, and it's only his second wife, after all. But Astrid Menks used to be a cocktail waitress. What's more, at 60 to Buffett's 76, she's a much younger woman. Advantage: billionaire!



Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-31-2006 @ 2:29PM
Justin said...
I met Warren Buffet at his headquarters in Omaha through a school field trip with the University of Kansas. We got him a "Dusty Sunday" from Dairy Queen, and he ate the whole thing. He talks about the most precious thing in life being true relationships with friends. He doesn't seem to get big headed with all his wealth.
8-31-2006 @ 2:40PM
Eliot Phillips said...
As a Nebraskan, I'm offended that you didn't refer to it as "gettin' hitched" ;-)
9-01-2006 @ 7:42PM
Kevin said...
As a Nebraskan I would be offended if you referred to it as "gettin' hitched" :)
9-02-2006 @ 7:22PM
Michelle Lucile Rosenbaum said...
Warren Buffett is so much fun to read.
It was true love (don't take it personally) when I showed my husband the article in the Post that said at some young age, this book, The Intelligent Investor, changed this guy, Warren Buffett's life.
So, I tell my husband, he must be crazy to say one book could change his life, so eventually, I picked up the book and it was in the fourth print and a bunch of buys were grabbing it. It is a good book that can change your life, along with the hundred others that Warren Buffett read in high school.
Roger Lowenstein's book is really good and I am just reading it; inadvertently I bought two copies.
My daughter reads so much faster.
HAPPY ABOUT THE MARRIAGE, I guess even though it was a highly peculiar relationship and I like better to think about the financial side of Warren Buffett. I wish I was a socialogist sometimes to write down my version of our culture, mores, and actual habits of our population by category pertaining to mating.
In fact, I would like to be at the table with Warren, Bill Gates and I guess the rest when Bill Gates starts using his software to keeps tabs on about eighty billion and perhaps we will have major changes with excel and various data banks for trading, reporting, and controling and monitoring.
With Buffett's math and Gates' software, they will realize that the computer industry has a long way to go to catch up to Sarbanes Oxley orderly requirements timely and with less cost.
Right now, excel is my love and banking and finance with order control. but who asked me
When I gave up on finding a husband, financial accounting was a perfect choice to fill in. Of course, as this blog says, Warren Buffett and people like President George Bush, are the kind of men I sort of was searching for but of course, I am sure, perhaps, it was in the timing, that I did not find them. Oh, back to SO 404 and Lowenstein and new non finction writers, jen and chris
TODAY IS THE WEDDING WEEKEND AND we see the billionaires personal lives so I'll go back to my reading.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING THIS WEB SITE; I MISSED THE PAPER TODAY AND NEEDED TO GET CAUGHT UP ON BUFFETT. Buffett energizes me to think orderly and with purpose and I happen to like his life style and you could not choose a prettier beach than Laguna.
Of course, I need a quart of coke to wake up in the morning myself. My daughter takes it without the caffeine at night and with in the morning.
Michelle
9-02-2006 @ 7:25PM
Michelle Lucile Rosenbaum said...
Look, I just wrote a comment; if you got it good, if not time is up.
MEANWHILE, HAPPINESS TO MAN I LOVE TO READ ABOUT AND STILL WOULD LIKE TO MEET. The only famous person I have ever recognized was Arthur Levitt at a town meeting and I got his signature. But, I think I could recognize Warren and Astrid, if I saw them.
9-07-2006 @ 9:50AM
carla mancho said...
My comment is to get Mr Buffett to help me with tuition go through nursing school.Right now I do not have enough money to buy basic text books.I am from cameroon ,Africa,desiring to finish my studies in nursing in time to go help out in Africa.
I will be very happy if this information is communicated to him.Right now am at a community college.