Vegas Murder Conviction, Berkshire Hathaway, and Flying Spaghetti Monsters

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Media Murder

A jury found former Nevada county official Robert Telles guilty yesterday of the 2022 murder of journalist Jeff German. The case garnered attention as the only known US journalist among almost 70 killed worldwide that year and raised concerns of press freedom.

German, a journalist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, had reported on allegations of inappropriate work behavior in Telles' office, including bullying and favoritism as well as a romantic affair between Telles and an employee (read German's reporting here). In September 2022, he was found stabbed to death outside his home. Local police and German's colleagues zeroed in on Telles—who had lost his reelection bid following German's exposé—as the prime suspect. Physical evidence, photos, surveillance video, and DNA confirmed Telles was behind the murder. 

Telles was first elected Clark County public administrator in 2018, in charge of overseeing unclaimed estates in the Las Vegas area. He was found guilty of first-degree murder and faces up to life in prison.

West Bank Raids

Israel launched airstrikes and raids in multiple cities in the West Bank yesterday, killing at least 10 Hamas militants, per Hamas and Israeli figures, and arresting other suspects. The operation was believed to be the country’s largest there in 20 years.

Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Israel has conducted near-daily raids in the West Bank (see map). Israel says it seeks to counter a rise in militant activity there; at least 19 Israelis have been killed in recent months, per Israeli figures. Israeli settlements there have meanwhile expanded, and Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians have been on the rise. Israeli soldiers and settlers have killed at least 652 Palestinians in the West Bank since the start of the war, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. 

Addressing Israeli settler violence, the Biden administration yesterday imposed sanctions on an Israeli security official and security company operating in the West Bank. See latest war updates here.

Berkshire Joins Trillion Dollar Club

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate reached $1T in market capitalization yesterday. The firm joins just six other US companies currently valued at 13 figures: Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon.   

The conglomerate and its longtime CEO—known among investors as the "Oracle of Omaha"—have averaged 20% annual returns since the native Nebraskan bought Berkshire Hathaway, then a struggling textile manufacturer, in 1965 (see history). The firm has since grown to have controlling shares in roughly 70 companies, with a cash pile of close to $280B (including $234B in US T-bills, making it the Treasury's largest lender). Its success comes as the conglomerate approach—whereby a parent company owns majority stakes in many diverse companies—has declined in recent decades. See a list of Berkshire's current assets here. 

Buffett's approach involves long-term investments in undervalued companies, with an emphasis on high-quality managers in sound businesses. Listen to a high-level summary of his annual shareholder letters here.

In partnership with EnergyX

This Metal Is the New Oil

In partnership with EnergyX

Meeting the Projected 20X Lithium Demand

Each EV battery needs ~70 kg of lithium—10,000x the amount of a smartphone. With more than 1 billion EVs projected on roads by 2050, current lithium production can’t meet soaring demand. 

Enter EnergyX. Their tech can extract up to 300% more lithium than traditional methods, earning them $100M+ of investments from GM and others. They also just announced Project Lonestar, a US lithium plant supported by a $5M DOE grant. Join EnergyX as a shareholder before their raise ends October 3.*

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