he owns burlington northern. berkshire owns burlington northern.on pacific, largest user of diesel in the world. so i'm sure burlington northern's not that far. have you made the pitch to burlington northern and warren buffett, who happens to also be one of the largest owners of natural gas pipes in this country-v you made a pitch that he he should switch burlington northern engines from -- >> yeah, i think you've seen this announced, that we're doing a locomotive project with cn rail. and this started out really as a science project less than a year ago. >> like i did -- >> we're going to prove it's possible, prove it's feasible. can we look at this energy source for locomotives? because they burn tremendous amounts of fuel. now, what happened in he is-d emd, one of the largest manufacturers of diesel locomotives, has joined the product. we're going to make a commercial locomotive out of this project. we'll have it on the rails next year. so i think we're going to see everybody say how do i get this cheaper energy source. >> i think it's a big mar

reason we have never really called them as a witness and i might say that we know that the burlington, northern santa fe railroad has direct route right into canada and albert a and if the pipeline is not built, maybe some of that oil will move by rail into the u.s. and of course, the owner of that railroad is warren buffett. we have not made any effort to call warren buffett to testify in this hearing because even though his company might benefit if the pipeline is not built, with we do not think he has a direct financial interest in it. and i really in my view do not view, warren buffett and the coke brothers any different on this situation. so, i simply wanted to mention that. i would also say that the state department, when it issued the final environmental impact statement in august of 2011 actually made the comment that it would be better to build this this pipeline than to not build the pipeline. if you were looking at the two options, it would be better to build it than to not build it. and so, other pipeline projects requiring a presidential permit usually take 18 to 24 months to appro

a little more than two years ago they brought burlington northern, santa fe to get into the railroadmember i recommended union pacific last week? it's within striking distance of its high. the railroads are struggling because they transport so much coal and every other cargo is red hot and berkshire could save a fortune if it ever decided to switch its trains from diesel to ultracheap natural gas as matt horwin recently pointed out in a piece. how about berkshire's carpeting business? that's like mohawk industries. and how about berkshire's paint business, benjamin moore? compare that to sherwin-williams. berkshire owns a whole bunch of other businesses from manufactured housing and clayton homes and if housing booms in 2012, as i think it will, we have a fabulous housing play. berkshire specialty business, and remember when they bought lubrasol on the bottom of the chemical's earning cycle? now the chemical stocks are on fire. it is less than a point off its high. they have a natural gas pipeline biz. energy is making a new high today. you like kinder morgan? and of course, berkshir

burlington northern has a bit -- but it's powder river cold therefore it's cleaner. david is right, there have been mistakes. reinsurance rates are going up, so you start a pipeline business, you look at the pastiche that is berkshire hathaway and you say this stock is up almost nothing for 2012? >> so if it's that hard to understand, that hard to categoriz categorizes, don't think companies typically trade at a discount? they don't perform exactly in line with the xlf? isms i would point out there's been periods where there's been definite outperformance and higher multiple, and i think this should be one of them. >>> dropping 38% in january, video game related sales dropping 34%. software sales last month back to 2004 levels. >> you want to short microsoft on that? >> not on this momentum that we have seen. >> you want to short oracle? microsoft, windows 8 coming out. >> you think buys taleo is desperate? >> i think when you're carving up your own business model. if larry ellison or mark hurd were to come on, i think they could articulate it. i don't get it, but i

and warnings, the heaviest snow later on tonight will be up in northern new england where we could pick up six to 12 inches from burlington up to northern maine. everyone else in new england, this is the worst of it. it's about over with. a little surprise snow out there, not what you want on your friday morning for your drive. >> no. all right. bill, thanks so much. coming up, oil bubbles over. apple talks dividends. and is the maid of the mist a thing of the past. your first look at this morning's business headlines is straight ahead. >>> coming up, a scary moment for danica patrick, the heat put an end to lin sanity and a ruling on the ryan braun drug suspension. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. ok, guys-- what's next ? chocolate lemonade ? susie's lemonade... the movie. or... we make it pink ! with these 4g lte tablets, you can do business at lightning-fast speeds. we'll take all the strawberries, dave. you got it, kid. we have a winner. we're definitely gonna need another one. small businesses that want to grow use 4g lte technology from verizon. i wonder how she does it. that's why she's the boss. because the

rose from burlington northern. i come back and say do i really want to play this game? give me the man. >> any other publicly traded company where they say i'm here, have i no intention of retiring, my health is good and we do have a successor, would they actually name that person? they probably would not. when have we heard about a publicly trading company say we have a succession plan and that guy is it. >> that's a good point. >> when you think about jack welch, with ge, he knew a number of people might be his successor in this case they seem to have one person already in mind. it seems a bit different than what many companies would do in terms of. >> i thought it was going to be david sokol. again, i feel like kraemer, you're saying it's a bad stock. but there was someone i thought we had in mind. the man had ethical chal ngss. >> one more listen to beffett, it time talking about prospect of investing in europe. >> at year end, for example, we have an insurance subsidiary -- reinsurance subsidiary in germany. i bought seven international stocks then. in fact, i may

burlington northern rail road, mr.pital investment because of expensing so people respond to investment incentives and our tax code in the united states, both the corporate rate and the punitive tax on repatriation of money abroad are big disincentives for investment in the united states. >> hey, fred, a question for you, a little off topic but the postal service in the news, we don't know what's going to happen to the future of the postal service. it's good for your business ultimately but if you were put in charge of the postal service i'm curious what you would do. >> the postal service is run by a competent gentleman. he was in memphis last week and talked to our management team and we carry priority mail on a wholesale basis and we have a partnership with them in smart post. obviously their issue is the digital diversion of their first class mail. so they have proposed a number of things to the congress that if, were adopted, would allow them to flex their expenses down, so my strong recommendation to the congress

that reason we've never really called them as a witness, and i might say that we know that the burlington northern santa fe railroad has direct routes right into canada and alberta and that if pipeline is not built, maybe some of that oil will move by rail into the u.s. and, of course, the owner of that railroad is warren buffett, berkshire hathaway. we have not made any effort to call warren buffett to testify in this hearing because even though his company might benefit if pipeline is not built, we do not think he has a direct financial interest in it. and i believe in my view, do not view warren buffett and the koch brothers any different on this situation. is so i simply wanted to mention that. i would also say that the state department when it issued its final environmental impact statement in august of 2011 actually made the comment that it would be better to build this pipeline than to not build the pipeline. if you were looking at these two options, it would be better to build it than not to build it. and so other pipeline projects requiring a presidential permit usually take 18-24 months

we know the burlington northern railroad has roots into canada and alberta. if the pipeline is not built, and maybe some of that oil will move by rail into the u.s.. the owner of that railroad is warren buffett will not made any effort to call warren buffett to the hearing. even though his company might benefit if the park plan is not built, we do not think he has a direct financial interest in it. i do not view warren buffett and the koch brothers any different on this situation. i would also say the state department issued its final statement in august of 2011 and made the comment that it would be better to build a pipeline and to not build the pipeline -- than to not build a pipeline. other projects requiring a presidential permit usually take up to 24 months to review and approve. keystone is now in its 40th month. when the additional delays appeared to be mounting early in 2011, the house passed a bipartisan legislation with 47 democrats voting yes that instructed president obama to make a final decision one way or the other on the presidential permit by

i might say that the burlington northern santa fe railroad has direct routes right into canada and alberta. this pipeline is not built, some of that oil will move by rail into the u.s.. of course the owner of the railroad is warren buffett. we have not made any effort to call warren buffett to testify in this hearing because even though his company might benefit if the pipeline is not built, we do not think he has a direct financial interest in int. -- in it. i do not think warren buffett is any difference from the situation. i wanted to mention that. i will also say that the state department, when it issued its final environmental impact statement in august of 2011, actually made the comment that it would be better to build this pipeline then to not build the pipeline. if you were looking at these two options, it would be better to build it been not to build it. -- to build it den not to build it. other pipeline projects usually take 18 to 24 months to review and approval. keystone is now in its 40th month. wendy's additional delays appear to be mounting early in 2011, -- wendy's addition

we've had light snow overnight throughout northern portions of new england. up around burlingtonf the mountains getting some additional light snow. that will blow through this morning and clear it out for a breezy cooler afternoon. with the next snow that will come in during the day wednesday, even areas like new york city will start as snow, but that will quickly change over to rain for new york city. but areas of central and northern new england, this should be an all snow event. and late snow during the day thursday. probably won't especially he said up thursday evening, so 6 to 12 inches for a good swathe of northern new england. be one of the more widespread snows for central and northern new england this winter. so today is just fine. cooler than yesterday in just about all areas, but not bad. typical late winter day around here. and then as we go through the middle of the country, we'll watch that blizzard developing later this season up in the dakotas. >> i've been out west and there's no snow out there. >> they're it actually getting a bit, too. >> thank you so much. >>>

noticed something on bigger picture, light snow here and there across northern reaches of maine, maybe a flurry towards burlington. activity pushing off the coastline and the rest of us from chicago to new york and down towards d.c. there's a look at some of the showers for south florida. you see some of the heavy rain embedded off the coastline. really from miami down along the florida keys. we see the best chances for the heavier showers today. we keep a close eye on the disturbance. this area of low pressure off western cuba that could at least produce decent rainfall through the next couple of days. the north, maybe a few isolated thunderstorms. even if we do see more development of this system, it's primarily a rainmaker as it moves through the north and east as a slight chance over the next 24 to 36 hours it could earn a name as a subtropical storm. right now it has to get to subtropical depression. it's mainly the rainfall potential through south florida. there's a look at some of the snow in colorado. mostly through southwestern portions of colorado, may get that through aspen and vail. maybe extending to

another storm will crank up off the coast, northern new england is going to get a lot of snow tonight into tomorrow morning. especially areas like burlingtonrmont, could end up with 6 to 12 inches of snow. all the mountains will get a good deal of snow too. if you have skiing plans this weekend you'll get fresh powder. otherwise, watch out, thunderstorms in the southeast. happy to say, jonathan, things calm down over the weekend. no big storms. it's colder, but it's going to be windy around here, even new york city could see 60-mile-per-hour winds tonight into tomorrow which will get everyone's attention. >> wow. washington, d.c., 76 degrees? >> they're going to be very warm, but then it's going to be colder tomorrow. >> i'm telling you, lobsters in a pot, bill. lobsters in a pot. >> i want to see that sou cow, i'm impressed. maybe a triple axle. >> thanks, bill. >> leave that one alone. in sports spring training is just getting under way but reigning national league mvp ryan braun got to celebrate an early "w" yesterday when he became the first major league baseball player to successfully appeal a suspension resulting from a positive drug

new facilities located in richford, in the northern part of our state in plainville, in the central part of our state, in rutland, and in other areas -- burlingtoneveloping a beautiful, beautiful new dental facility. furthermore, one of the areas i think we are seeing some progress in vermont and randers the country, which i think -- and around the country, which i think has huge potential, is putting dental offices right in schools. i know in burlington, vermont, we helped bring that around some years ago. you have kids from all over the city of burlington getting their dental care. at one particular school it is working phenomenally well. we have similar programs in ri richford. madam president, i wanted to mention that i think the time is now for the congress to begin addressing this issue. and one of the things that i've done recently is on my web site, which is sanders.senate.gov, i have asked people from all over the country to tell us their stories in terms of what happens if they don't -- they are or members of their family don't have access to dental care. and we have received, madam president, more than 1,200 stories from vermont and a