The Rational Walk publishes content on investing, personal finance, books, and philosophy. The Berkshire Hathaway Resource page contains useful information for investors. Publications include free research reports. Readers can receive new articles via email by signing up for a subscription. Recent articles appear below.
Without a basic level of trust regarding the intentions and expected behavior of other human beings, our modern civilization would very quickly disintegrate into chaos.
Many investors are occasionally tempted to speculate. It is important to avoid confusing speculation with investment operations.
In a biography published a century ago, Henry Ford reflected on the early days of the automobile industry. We have much to learn from Ford despite serious flaws in his character.
This post contains a compilation of articles published over the past year about Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett, and Charlie Munger.
The FDIC is taking an estimated $13 billion hit after seizing First Republic and selling most of the bank to JPMorgan.
Solving the puzzle of creating an online business is an interesting challenge. This post announces a new paid subscription offer for The Rational Walk delivered via Substack.
I have submitted questions for the 2023 Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting on the following topics: Voting control in 2050, Repurchase taxes, and Apple's exposure to China.
Treasury Inflation Protected Securities currently offer the potential for a positive inflation-adjusted return if used appropriately.
Substack's new microblogging platform could eventually displace Twitter. However, Substack's current business model is not profitable and may not be sustainable in the long run.
Peter Attia explains how we can battle the "Four Horsemen" of modernity conspiring to degrade our ability to live a long life free of chronic conditions and disabilities.
This post is a list of books that I read in the first quarter of 2023, most notably the accounts of E.B. Sledge's service in the Pacific during World War II.
Large related party transactions reported by the Wall Street Journal were disclosed in the company's 145 page proxy statement, available for all to see for nearly a year.
We carry supercomputers in our pockets providing access to all of the wisdom of human history, so why has public discourse deteriorated in the twenty-first century?
Geopolitical tensions are rising, calling into question longstanding deep economic ties between the United States and China.
This article is an analysis of Berkshire's proxy with a focus on repurchases, compensation, ownership, risk disclosures, and board diversity.
The current banking crisis has led to calls for the government to insure all bank deposits, but doing so has significant long term implications.
Recent bank failures raise questions about how Berkshire Hathaway and other insurers account for fixed maturity investments.
Many market observers seem to lack an understanding of the effect of rising interest rates on fixed maturity securities. This article explains the basic principles of bond investing.
Apologists for crony capitalism are telling the American people that shareholders and executives of failed banks will be wiped out. The reality is more complex.
The FDIC will provide unlimited deposit insurance for Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and the Fed will accept depreciated securities at par value from banks seeking emergency funding.
Silicon Valley Bank's shareholders and creditors cannot be bailed out without introducing massive moral hazard antithetical to capitalism.
A classic run on the bank exposes harsh realities hiding in plain sight. How will regulators and policymakers react to fears of contagion?
After a five month hiatus, Warren Buffett spent $354.5 million over the past week to bring Berkshire's ownership interest in Occidental Petroleum to 22.2%.
A recent high profile derailment has negative implications for the railroad industry. Berkshire Hathaway's ownership of BNSF could represent a political advantage.