A Tour of Berkshire, Omaha

Having pulled all-nighters for seats at the Qwest Center, many shareholders were ready for lunch as early as 10 a.m.--with substantial lines already forming for Dairy Queen ice cream bars and movie theater-size buckets of popcorn at the exhibit hall. Stationed next door to the DQ exhibit, women in sparkly Berkshire Hathaway shirts and "I heart Warren" sweatshirts chatted with men in Armani-clad suits in a forty-five minute wait just for stamps featuring a picture of Warren Buffet.

The exhibit hall looks like any trade show from the onset, but it reeks the qualities of a madhouse. Without even a break from the morning meeting, theme-park-like waits have formed at every exhibition station. Want to take a tour of the Clayton model home in the exhibit hall? Expect a 20-minute wait. Want to watch the question-and-answer session broadcasted live on screen? Good luck getting a seat.

Maybe the waits were worth it for some. After all, the impressive $139,000 three-bedroom model home featuring granite and stone siding, two porches, and a balcony easily puts my Manhattan studio to shame. And the chocolate ice cream did hit the spot. But, really, the pushing and shoving just to glimpse the Omaha-based country band? Next year, I think a simple walk-through of the exhibition hall will suffice.

by Eileen Soltes