Life

I am an Oregonian, born and raised in Portland. Growing up I went to summer camps throughout the state such as Westwind on the coast, and Camp Howard in Clackamas County. I knew of other summer camps through my elementary classmates but never knew the history of a Christain youth camp run by Young Life. This camp was the site of the biggest scandal to ever occupy the state of Oregon. The Netflix original Wild Wild Country tells the story of a religious movement known as the Rajneesh. The Rajneeshes settled on Antelope, Oregon as the location for the Rajneeshpuram commune, where the Bhagwan’s followers could express their spirituality. Antelope was a town of 40 residents and within weeks was overrun with individuals committed to this new faith.

The original series symbolizes freedom of religion, cultism, and misplaced trust. By living a progressive lifestyle through freedom of expression and inspiring individual creativity, the Bhagwan’s following attracted people from all over the world. Living in the commune inspired a sense of belonging, when these people had otherwise felt alone in a divisive society. But when something is too good to be true, it often is.

The goal of the Rajneeshes is to create an “awakened man”, one who promotes a healthier, happier, more civilized lifestyle. But from the very beginning, you know some Rajneesh are criminal. Following Rajneesh arrival in Antelope, confrontation gradually turns into violence, but for the first couple of episodes you are unsure who is in the right and who is in the wrong: the free spirited Rajneeshes or the government officials and local townspeople. As the commune grows, obstacles for Rajneeshpuram develop. Attempts to resolve such issues result in criminal activity led by the Baghwan’s secretary Ma Anand Sheela. All of the sudden the Rajneeshes have more guns than the entire state of Oregon and are using illegal acts to win local elections. It’s incredible to observe a group of people, who are so transfixed by the teachings of one man, go to such lengths to support their cause through whatever means necessary. Wild Wild Country will leave you on the edge of your seat, especially if you’re an Oregonian.

"It is remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent."
- Charles "Charlie" Munger

Who in the world is Charlie Munger? You've heard of Berkshire Hathaway and the Billionaire who runs that corporation - Warren Buffet. Some refer to Charlie Munger as Buffet's right-hand man because he is the Vice Chairman of Berkshire. However, he was just as influential in building Berkshire into the unbelievably profitable enterprise it is today. "In the time of Munger and Warren Buffet's reign as leaders of Berkshire, the company has returned roughly 2,000,000% on its initial value" (Farnam Street). The profitability they have managed to obtain is nothing less than extraordinary. One share of the conglomerate's Class A stock would currently run you just over 300,000 dollars. That is THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND for ONE share. Munger and Buffet are great at recognizing what they know, and what they don't know. By simply doing their research and knowing the ins and outs of a business, they can confidently make decisions on their investments.

These two men are the kings of diversification. Berkshire wholly owns companies like GEICO and Dairy Queen. Forget monopolizing the market, the strategy that has worked so well throughout their leadership is diversifying their assets in dissimilar corporations such as Fruit of the Loom and BNSF Railway. This advice has inspired in the rest of us and is (hopefully) reflected in our financial portfolios. February has been one of Wall Street's most volatile months in recent history, but if you're diversified then you should feel surefooted in this bull market. As some say, don't put all your eggs in one basket.

As I sit in seat 28A on Alaska Airlines flight 922, approaching Baltimore Maryland at 567 mph, I'm thinking of the man that the Baltimore International Airport is named for. Thurgood Marshall. This is a name I did not know much about until recently. Last week I watched the film Marshall. Set in 1940 when racism was still prominent in much of this country, the film tells the story of an African American man unjustly accused of a crime he did not commit. In a transitional time such as this, there were false incarcerations of individuals based on the color of their skin. Enter Thurgood Marshall. Lawyer for the NAACP, defending those individual's innocent of crimes they did not commit. I'll let you watch the movie to discover the ruling on the particular court case that is featured, but right now I want to focus on the true events that the film is based on.

I think films that are based on true events are great. I find them gripping. My favorite part of any film based on true events is the part right after the exaggerated recount of the historical events, and right before the credits. My favorite part are those facts, the real images from the true events and the authentic video taken in that time period. That information never ceases to dial in my attention and give me goosebumps. Marshall did not disappoint and left me with some jaw dropping facts and statistics. Thurgood Marshall was just 32 when he won his first case before the Supreme Court. He argued many cases that were vital to the civil rights movement, including Brown vs. Board of Education. Marshall was the first black man to be nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court and after his passing he was bestowed the highest civilian honor - the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Thurgood Marshall International Airport, a dedication well deserved.

I was recently in New York City. My uncle lives in Manhattan and has the coolest job on planet earth – Broadway Company Manager. He always has recommendations for the best plays to see when I’m back East. This time around I saw a musical titled Come From Away. It told the true story of what happened to 38 aircraft and 7,000 passengers who were stranded in the small town of Gander Newfoundland on 9/11. The story of this small town, welcoming, sheltering and caring for thousands of strangers who unexpectedly arrived on their doorstep was incredibly uplifting in the midst of such a horrific event. The play had a level of intensity unlike anything I’ve experienced due to the atmosphere in the theatre. Sitting there with New Yorkers, many of whom may have lost family or friends in the terrorist attack 16 years ago, was extremely emotional. Nonetheless, the play was inspirational and focused on the gratitude of stranded civilians and the bonds that were formed through the devastating experience. If you’re in New York, or even if you aren’t, this one is worth the trip!

We just brought home a puppy! He is a French Bulldog from an AMAZING breeder located in central Oregon (Maia’s Mini Supremes). He is a fawn with unique white markings - check out those white booties! Our breeder could not have been more accommodating. Maia welcomed us into her home and impressively answered every question we could think of concerning our new companion. Having grown up with big Labrador Retrievers, I never thought I’d own an animal under 50 pounds. Yet here I am, having bought my first pet and he weighs 6 pounds as a pup, unlikely to ever exceed 30 pounds. I could not be more excited! We can already tell he is going to have the best personality and that level of cuteness will fill my everyday with smiles from ear to ear. Hugo Berney, welcome to the family.