'Question everything,' says the creator of Netflix's 'House of Cards'

If you're avoiding spoilers, rest assured -- there are none here. As the show's creator Beau Willimon says, a twist you don't see coming is "a magical thing."

"I'm going to sound sort of corny here," Willimon said, "but it's a magical thing to experience a surprising element of the story for the first time and have it truly be surprising. It's like a spell. It's a sort of act of voodoo. It's that thing that happens to you as a viewer, that you can never have again, because you know now."

In a wide-ranging interview with CNNMoney, Willimon talked about the significance of the third season -- which debuted all at once on Friday morning -- and how the very word "television" is being redefined.

"Is the term 'TV show' even really applicable anymore?"

"House of Cards" is what Willimon calls "a paradigmatic shift in the way that people consume their entertainment." Not everyone who watches season three will watch all of the episodes at once, but many will -- and what matters is the choice.

The arrival of new distribution options like Netflix are causing people in the industry to "question everything," Willimon said.

"The entire calendar for how shows are released" can be rethought, he said.

So can "the length of shows. I mean, you have a lot more limited series now, which I think is a direct result of bingeing, actually, because people are essentially watching a six- or eight-hour movie."

"I think that it has forced us, in a good way, to question what constitutes a TV show," he added. "Is the term 'TV show' even really applicable anymore? Are we just telling lots of different types of stories in different formats?"

"Some television shows have commercials. Some don't. Some are all released at once. Some are week-to-week. It puts us in a position to question everything, and that's exciting," he said.

Frank Underwood and inspiration from past presidents

"House of Cards" calls its episodes "chapters," like a book. In season three, the protagonist Frank Underwood is now the United States president, and it's not "an easy road" for him, Willimon said.

He said "a good analogy might be Lyndon Johnson after the assassination of JFK. He had a lot to accomplish in a very short amount of time, and not necessarily the support of everyone in Washington. It's an almost impossible position to be in."

The show's writers draw from other past presidencies as well, including "Nixon, JFK, FDR, Truman, going all the way back to Lincoln and Jefferson and Washington and all those guys," he said.

The show's writers like to re-watch a famous Stephen Colbert speech...

Inspiration for the series comes from many places besides presidential history.

The writers have made it a tradition to watch Stephen Colbert's 2006 White House Correspondents Association dinner speech before getting started on each season.

Why? "There's something dangerous in that speech," Willimon explained.

In Colbert, "you had a guy that was saying some very funny things, but also some things that were too important to be funny, and saying it to a president's face. Now, in terms of power, in terms of seizing a moment, in terms of leaving nothing on the table and taking off the kid gloves, that sort of energy, that sort of bravery, and also that certain ability of Stephen Colbert to not take himself too seriously when it comes to very serious matters -- the balance of all that, I think, was just kind of like, a perfect moment. It's great to look at some perfection when that's what you strive for in your own endeavors."

Why real-life presidents are drawn to "House of Cards"

Willimon said he thinks that many politicians "wish they could be as brazen in their approach to things as Francis Underwood is."

The producers and stars of the show were thrilled when President Obama tweeted about the season two premiere this time last year.

So did the president ask for screeners ahead of season three?

"Well, you'd have to ask the White House," Willimon said slyly. So that's a maybe? "It's a maybe," he said.

Willimon dodged one other question: Will there be a fourth season of "House of Cards?" He steadfastly declined to say yes or no.

CNNMoney (New York) March 1, 2015: 6:18 PM ET

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BlackBerry commits to software on any device

BlackBerry (BBRY, Tech30) announced plans to make its latest software offerings available on iOS, Android and Windows phones and tablets.

The software will include communication, security, and workplace tools, allowing users to edit documents, share calendars, hold secure video conferences and protect themselves from identity theft, among other things.

The move continues BlackBerry's pivot away from the smartphone hardware market. BlackBerry's devices have been losing market share for years and now account for a small fraction of smartphones sold.

Instead, CEO John Chen has been focusing on a new plan: selling the company's enterprise software for use on all mobile devices, including those sold by one-time competitors like Apple (AAPL, Tech30).

Under Chen's leadership, only 46% of the company's revenue comes from hardware sales, and the rest comes from software, services and other sources, according to its most recent earnings filings.

Sunday's announcement at the Mobile World Congress represents a "major company-wide initiative in BlackBerry's commitment to build out its robust software portfolio," the company said in a statement. The software will be customized for each type of device and will be released later this year.

"Our goal is to be wherever our users need and want us, with our software suites, whether that's on an iPhone or a BlackBerry Classic," Chen said in the statement.

The BlackBerry Classic, complete with the company's traditional QWERTY keyboard, was released in late 2014.

Related: Kim Kardashian hoards BlackBerrys

BlackBerry also announced it would combine some of its security software with tools designed by Samsung (SSNLF).

The new tools are aimed at users who would have carried two phones to keep their business and personal lives distinct. They will incorporate government-grade security and put up a wall to separate personal and work content.

BlackBerry and Samsung have denied recent reports that they are considering a merger.

CNNMoney (New York) March 1, 2015: 6:11 PM ET

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The secret of #TheDress: Mobile viewing

BuzzFeed's now-famous Thursday story -- simply titled "What Colors Are The Dress?" -- now looks like it'll become the sprawling web site's most-viewed post ever.

"We've had other huge hits," BuzzFeed editor in chief Ben Smith said. But this one "went bigger faster."

Maybe that's the lesson for BuzzFeed and its many rivals: The speed with which #TheDress happened. Stories that previously would have "gone viral" over a period of days can now achieve the same success in hours.

Smith credits the proliferation of mobile devices and the ever-increasing "universality" of the Internet.

"The network is so much more fully built out than it was even a year or two ago," he said.

To his point, 79% of Thursday's views of "What Colors Are The Dress?" (which was basically an optical illusion) came from mobile devices like iPhones. The huge proportion of mobile viewership underscores why technology companies -- and, more recently, media companies -- have been talking about being "mobile-first."

When Smith was on CNN's "Reliable Sources" on Sunday, and I commented about the mobile-focused future, he said "It's the present, not the future."

"Certainly," he said, "the way we think about our readers is a person holding a phone."

Watch: Ben Smith on "Reliable Sources"

According to BuzzFeed, 94% of the story's views came from social media sites like Twitter and "dark social" sources like links swapped via text-message.

Smith said he appreciated how people also shared the photo of the dress physically, by passing their phones and tablets to friends and family (and instigating the fights that BuzzFeed subsequently wrote about).

"Is that the Internet or I-R-L?" he asked me before Sunday's show, using the abbreviation for "in real life."

Dao Nguyen, BuzzFeed's publisher, wrote about the same dynamic in a Friday blog post.

The story "shaped conversations at dinner, in bars, on couches, over text, all driven by mobile and the ability to show your phone to your friend," Nguyen wrote. "Same picture, same device, but different colors! In less than 24 hours, people from every corner of the world were looking at each other's phones at a post, on a site, run by a company totally optimized for social and mobile."

It helped that BuzzFeed published the original story in the 6 p.m. hour on the East Coast, just in time for mobile phone prime time. Viewership surged in the 8, 9 and 10 p.m. hours.

And BuzzFeed -- not to mention lots of other web sites that raced to follow up -- simultaneously responded to interest and stoked interest by publishing a dozen other stories about #TheDress debate.

"We definitely have a culture of -- when something's blowing up -- swarming it," Smith said.

Now, three days later, 11 of the top-viewed 20 posts on BuzzFeed (ranked by weekly traffic) are related to the dress.

The original story has 37.6 million views. A followup, "This Might Explain Why That Dress Looks Blue And Black, And White And Gold," has 12.2 million.

BuzzFeed's most-viewed story ever is a quiz called "What State Do You Actually Live In?" It was posted in February 2014, and it has racked up 41.6 million views. #TheDress is already in striking distance.

CNNMoney (New York) March 1, 2015: 6:55 PM ET

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Warren Buffett knows who next Berkshire CEO is

He also said that he knows who will one day replace him. Of course, Buffett did not share that name with the rest of us.

"The board and I believe we now have the right person to succeed me as CEO -- a successor ready to assume the job the day after I die or step down," he wrote in his latest annual letter to investors.

Buffett added that the next Berkshire CEO would be someone that already works at Berkshire and is "relatively young."

And while Buffett chose to be coy, Berkshire's vice chairman and long-time Buffett friend Charlie Munger seemed to suggest that it's a two-man race to succeed Buffett.

Munger, in his own remarks in Buffett's letter, specifically named Berkshire reinsurance head Ajit Jain and Berkshire Energy CEO Greg Abel as "proven performers who would probably be under-described as 'world-class.'"

Munger added that he doubted either Jain or Abel would ever leave Berkshire or seek to change how the company is run.

This is Buffett's 50th annual shareholder letter since he took control of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) in 1964. So it's only natural that it's time for Buffett to prepare Berkshire investors for life without him.

Throughout the past five decades, Buffett has had a lot to say about the financial markets, economy and society.

Last year, he even gave travel tips, urging people to consider flying to Kansas City, and then drive a rental to Nebraska, since airlines often have "jacked up prices" on flights to Omaha. This year, he even endorsed Airbnb as a way to save on lodging -- though it's hard to imagine Buffett endorsing the young tech company as an investment.

Related: How good is Warren Buffett? Very

But most Buffett fans read the letters for his advice on stocks -- even though Buffett has conceded that the portfolios run by his two investing lieutenants Todd Combs and Ted Weschler have outperformed his own lately.

Buffett is a classic buy and hold investor who has largely shunned pricey technology stocks in favor of blue chips in the financial, industrial and consumer sectors. He has often urged investors to not panic and dump stocks due to fear.

In this year's letter, Buffett stressed that investors should not confuse volatility and risk. He said that stocks "will always be far more volatile" than cash and other investments.

But the bigger risk is not being in the market.

Buffett said that "for the great majority of investors, however, who can -- and should -- invest with a multi-decade horizon ... their focus should remain fixed on attaining significant gains in purchasing power over their investing lifetime."

The proof is in the returns. Berkshire's market value per share has increased by a jaw-dropping 1,826,163% in the past 50 years.

To put that in perspective, the compounded annual gain is 21.6%, compared to 9.9% for the S&P 500.

Another constant Buffett refrain: Don't bet against America. Better times lie ahead.

That optimistic spirit was once again present in this year's letter. Buffett was particularly confident about the chances of continued success for Berkshire.

He said that "the chance of permanent capital loss for patient Berkshire shareholders is as low as can be found among single-company investments" and added that the there is "essentially zero" risk of Berkshire being hit by any major financial problems.

Related: Berkshire is one of Motley Fool's best stocks to buy

Buffett even joked that Berkshire would "always be prepared for the thousand-year flood" and "will be selling life jackets to the unprepared." That's a reference to some of the big investments Berkshire made in financial firms in the wake of the 2008 credit crisis.

But he added that Berkshire is now so big, it will be tough to match the performance of the past 50 years.

Buffett also stressed that the company is much more than an investing and insurance giant -- and he hinted at more deals to come.

Berkshire bought railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe in 2009 and teamed up with private equity firm 3G Capital to purchase Heinz in 2013.

"Berkshire is now a sprawling conglomerate, constantly trying to sprawl further," he wrote, adding that it expected to partner even more with 3G.

Still, some investors have questioned whether Buffett has lost his mojo. Big Berkshire investments IBM (IBM, Tech30), Coca-Cola (KO) and American Express (AXP) have lagged the market lately.

Related: Warren Buffett ditched Big Oil. Dumb move?

However, other Berkshire stocks -- most notably top holding Wells Fargo (WFC) -- have done extremely well.

Buffett refers to Wells, IBM, Coke and AmEx as Berkshire's "Big Four" investments. And he does not seem to be too concerned by the recent problems at the latter three.

He said that all four "possess excellent businesses and are run by managers who are both talented and shareholder-oriented."

And Berkshire's own stock has outperformed the S&P 500 over the past five years. The company is now the fourth most valuable in America, trailing only Apple (AAPL, Tech30), Google (GOOGL, Tech30) and Exxon Mobil (XOM).

But Buffett did concede that he made one huge blunder last year. Its investment in British supermarket chain Tesco (TESO) turned out to be a flop due to an accounting problem at the retailer.

Related: Berkshire buys stake in Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox

Berkshire sold some of its Tesco stake in 2013 but didn't unload the rest until after the stock had plunged last year. Buffett took full responsibility for "the leisurely pace in making sales."

"I made a big mistake with this investment by dawdling," he wrote. But even that error didn't wind up hurting Berkshire too badly.

Buffett said that after-tax loss on Tesco was $444 million -- about 1/5 of 1% of Berkshire's net worth.

One of the nice things about being so big is that you don't have to hit a home run every time you step up to the plate.

CNNMoney (New York) February 28, 2015: 10:27 AM ET

17.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kelly Osbourne quits E!'s 'Fashion Police'

Kelly Osbourne (center) has quit E!'s 'Fashion Police.'

E! announced on Friday that Kelly Osbourne will be departing the network's style and red carpet show to "pursue other opportunities."

"We would like to thank her for her many contributions to the series over the past five years during which time the show became a hit with viewers," the network said in a statement.

The departure comes as "Fashion Police" is facing scrutiny over one of its hosts comments.

On Monday's telecast, co-host Giuliana Rancic made a comment about the dreadlocks of actress-singer Zendaya Coleman, saying the hair probably smelled like "weed" or "patchouli oil." Some felt the comment was racially insensitive.

The backlash from Rancic's comment fell onto Osbourne who took to Twitter to convey her displeasure over the situation.

"I DID NOT MAKE THE WEED COMENT [sic]", Osborne tweeted on Tuesday." I DOT NOT CONDONE RACISM SO AS A RSULT [sic] OF THIS IM SEREIOUSLY [sic] QUESTIONONIG [sic] STAYING ON THE SHOW!"

Giuliana Rancic has since apologized for her comments.

E! said that the show would return as scheduled on Friday, March 30 and that no decisions have yet been made on Osbourne's replacement.

The woman who broke into the BBQ 'boys club'

BuzzFeed's newest traffic driver: debate about the color of a dress

'House of Cards' fans that already finished season 3

CNNMoney (New York) February 27, 2015: 7:32 PM ET

17.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Advice from Warren Buffett that could make you rich

Such consistency has paid off for Buffett: A jaw-dropping return of 1,826,163% over the past half century. That's an average annual gain of 21.6%, compared to 9.9% for the S&P 500.

You probably can't do as well as Buffett -- he's got a lot of advantages you don't -- but his advice can get you a lot of the way to reaching your goals.

1. "America's best days lie ahead"

Remember 2008, the early days of the Great Recession? A lot of people couldn't imagine better days ahead, got scared and sold their stocks. A massive rally of 200% followed for those with the courage to ride out the tough times.

Buffett and his partner Charlie Munger held strong, and took the opportunity to pick up bargains. True, they're billionaires and can better afford to do so. But it's a lesson for all of us.

In 2015, there is no shortage of reasons to worry. But here's what Buffett has to say about it:

"Charlie and I have always considered a "bet" on ever-rising U.S. prosperity to be very close to a sure thing. Though the preachers of pessimism prattle endlessly about America's problems, I've never seen one who wishes to emigrate (though I can think of a few for whom I would happily buy a one-way ticket). Most assuredly, America's best days lie ahead."

2. If you think long, stocks aren't as risky as you think

Sure, stocks can take you on some scary rides. Bad years with losses of 10% or 20% come around often enough. Specific stocks you own might go to zero if you were really speculating.

But Buffett spends some time telling investors not to mistake those ups-and-downs with risk -- provided you build a diversified portfolio of established companies, and are saving for the long term.

Here's Buffett: "It has been far safer to invest in a diversified collection of American businesses than to invest in securities -- Treasuries, for example -- whose values have been tied to American currency. That was also true in the preceding half-century, a period including the Great Depression and two world wars. Investors should heed this history. To one degree or another it is almost certain to be repeated during the next century."

Buffett helpfully outlines the mistakes that will undermine stocks' potential: "Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior, make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. Active trading, attempts to "time" market movements, inadequate diversification, the payment of high and unnecessary fees to managers and advisors, and the use of borrowed money can destroy the decent returns that a life-long owner of equities would otherwise enjoy."

Related: Scared of a market crash? Read this

3. Don't listen to the "experts."

What are the top strategists saying now? Who cares?

"Anything can happen anytime in markets," writes Buffett. "And no advisor, economist, or TV commentator -- and definitely not Charlie nor I -- can tell you when chaos will occur. Market forecasters will fill your ear but will never fill your wallet."

4. Be decisive

Sometimes you know the right thing to do, but it just "feels" better to go slow.

Even Buffett is vulnerable to that behavior, and he says it cost him in 2014 with his investment in Tesco, the British supermarket chain.

"In 2013, I soured somewhat on the company's then-management and sold 114 million shares, realizing a profit of $43 million. My leisurely pace in making sales would prove expensive. Charlie calls this sort of behavior "thumb-sucking."

"During 2014, Tesco's problems worsened by the month. The company's market share fell, its margins contracted and accounting problems surfaced. In the world of business, bad news often surfaces serially: You see a cockroach in your kitchen; as the days go by, you meet his relatives."

Buffett finally got out completely, but ended up with a loss of more than $400 million.

Related: Warren Buffett knows who the next 'Buffett' is

Related: How good is Warren Buffett? Very good

Related: Investors who lose money make these two mistakes

CNNMoney (New York) February 28, 2015: 12:08 PM ET

17.42 | 0 komentar | Read More

Warren Buffett knows who next Berkshire CEO is

He also said that he knows who will one day replace him. Of course, Buffett did not share that name with the rest of us.

"The board and I believe we now have the right person to succeed me as CEO -- a successor ready to assume the job the day after I die or step down," he wrote in his latest annual letter to investors.

Buffett added that the next Berkshire CEO would be someone that already works at Berkshire and is "relatively young."

And while Buffett chose to be coy, Berkshire's vice chairman and long-time Buffett friend Charlie Munger seemed to suggest that it's a two-man race to succeed Buffett.

Munger, in his own remarks in Buffett's letter, specifically named Berkshire reinsurance head Ajit Jain and Berkshire Energy CEO Greg Abel as "proven performers who would probably be under-described as 'world-class.'"

Munger added that he doubted either Jain or Abel would ever leave Berkshire or seek to change how the company is run.

This is Buffett's 50th annual shareholder letter since he took control of Berkshire Hathaway (BRKA) in 1964. So it's only natural that it's time for Buffett to prepare Berkshire investors for life without him.

Throughout the past five decades, Buffett has had a lot to say about the financial markets, economy and society.

Last year, he even gave travel tips, urging people to consider flying to Kansas City, and then drive a rental to Nebraska, since airlines often have "jacked up prices" on flights to Omaha. This year, he even endorsed Airbnb as a way to save on lodging -- though it's hard to imagine Buffett endorsing the young tech company as an investment.

Related: How good is Warren Buffett? Very

But most Buffett fans read the letters for his advice on stocks -- even though Buffett has conceded that the portfolios run by his two investing lieutenants Todd Combs and Ted Weschler have outperformed his own lately.

Buffett is a classic buy and hold investor who has largely shunned pricey technology stocks in favor of blue chips in the financial, industrial and consumer sectors. He has often urged investors to not panic and dump stocks due to fear.

In this year's letter, Buffett stressed that investors should not confuse volatility and risk. He said that stocks "will always be far more volatile" than cash and other investments.

But the bigger risk is not being in the market.

Buffett said that "for the great majority of investors, however, who can -- and should -- invest with a multi-decade horizon ... their focus should remain fixed on attaining significant gains in purchasing power over their investing lifetime."

The proof is in the returns. Berkshire's market value per share has increased by a jaw-dropping 1,826,163% in the past 50 years.

To put that in perspective, the compounded annual gain is 21.6%, compared to 9.9% for the S&P 500.

Another constant Buffett refrain: Don't bet against America. Better times lie ahead.

That optimistic spirit was once again present in this year's letter. Buffett was particularly confident about the chances of continued success for Berkshire.

He said that "the chance of permanent capital loss for patient Berkshire shareholders is as low as can be found among single-company investments" and added that the there is "essentially zero" risk of Berkshire being hit by any major financial problems.

Related: Berkshire is one of Motley Fool's best stocks to buy

Buffett even joked that Berkshire would "always be prepared for the thousand-year flood" and "will be selling life jackets to the unprepared." That's a reference to some of the big investments Berkshire made in financial firms in the wake of the 2008 credit crisis.

But he added that Berkshire is now so big, it will be tough to match the performance of the past 50 years.

Buffett also stressed that the company is much more than an investing and insurance giant -- and he hinted at more deals to come.

Berkshire bought railroad Burlington Northern Santa Fe in 2009 and teamed up with private equity firm 3G Capital to purchase Heinz in 2013.

"Berkshire is now a sprawling conglomerate, constantly trying to sprawl further," he wrote, adding that it expected to partner even more with 3G.

Still, some investors have questioned whether Buffett has lost his mojo. Big Berkshire investments IBM (IBM, Tech30), Coca-Cola (KO) and American Express (AXP) have lagged the market lately.

Related: Warren Buffett ditched Big Oil. Dumb move?

However, other Berkshire stocks -- most notably top holding Wells Fargo (WFC) -- have done extremely well.

Buffett refers to Wells, IBM, Coke and AmEx as Berkshire's "Big Four" investments. And he does not seem to be too concerned by the recent problems at the latter three.

He said that all four "possess excellent businesses and are run by managers who are both talented and shareholder-oriented."

And Berkshire's own stock has outperformed the S&P 500 over the past five years. The company is now the fourth most valuable in America, trailing only Apple (AAPL, Tech30), Google (GOOGL, Tech30) and Exxon Mobil (XOM).

But Buffett did concede that he made one huge blunder last year. Its investment in British supermarket chain Tesco (TESO) turned out to be a flop due to an accounting problem at the retailer.

Related: Berkshire buys stake in Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox

Berkshire sold some of its Tesco stake in 2013 but didn't unload the rest until after the stock had plunged last year. Buffett took full responsibility for "the leisurely pace in making sales."

"I made a big mistake with this investment by dawdling," he wrote. But even that error didn't wind up hurting Berkshire too badly.

Buffett said that after-tax loss on Tesco was $444 million -- about 1/5 of 1% of Berkshire's net worth.

One of the nice things about being so big is that you don't have to hit a home run every time you step up to the plate.

CNNMoney (New York) February 28, 2015: 10:27 AM ET

15.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

Kelly Osbourne quits E!'s 'Fashion Police'

Kelly Osbourne (center) has quit E!'s 'Fashion Police.'

E! announced on Friday that Kelly Osbourne will be departing the network's style and red carpet show to "pursue other opportunities."

"We would like to thank her for her many contributions to the series over the past five years during which time the show became a hit with viewers," the network said in a statement.

The departure comes as "Fashion Police" is facing scrutiny over one of its hosts comments.

On Monday's telecast, co-host Giuliana Rancic made a comment about the dreadlocks of actress-singer Zendaya Coleman, saying the hair probably smelled like "weed" or "patchouli oil." Some felt the comment was racially insensitive.

The backlash from Rancic's comment fell onto Osbourne who took to Twitter to convey her displeasure over the situation.

"I DID NOT MAKE THE WEED COMENT [sic]", Osborne tweeted on Tuesday." I DOT NOT CONDONE RACISM SO AS A RSULT [sic] OF THIS IM SEREIOUSLY [sic] QUESTIONONIG [sic] STAYING ON THE SHOW!"

Giuliana Rancic has since apologized for her comments.

E! said that the show would return as scheduled on Friday, March 30 and that no decisions have yet been made on Osbourne's replacement.

The woman who broke into the BBQ 'boys club'

BuzzFeed's newest traffic driver: debate about the color of a dress

'House of Cards' fans that already finished season 3

CNNMoney (New York) February 27, 2015: 7:32 PM ET

15.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

Advice from Warren Buffett that could make you rich

Such consistency has paid off for Buffett: A jaw-dropping return of 1,826,163% over the past half century. That's an average annual gain of 21.6%, compared to 9.9% for the S&P 500.

You probably can't do as well as Buffett -- he's got a lot of advantages you don't -- but his advice can get you a lot of the way to reaching your goals.

1. "America's best days lie ahead"

Remember 2008, the early days of the Great Recession? A lot of people couldn't imagine better days ahead, got scared and sold their stocks. A massive rally of 200% followed for those with the courage to ride out the tough times.

Buffett and his partner Charlie Munger held strong, and took the opportunity to pick up bargains. True, they're billionaires and can better afford to do so. But it's a lesson for all of us.

In 2015, there is no shortage of reasons to worry. But here's what Buffett has to say about it:

"Charlie and I have always considered a "bet" on ever-rising U.S. prosperity to be very close to a sure thing. Though the preachers of pessimism prattle endlessly about America's problems, I've never seen one who wishes to emigrate (though I can think of a few for whom I would happily buy a one-way ticket). Most assuredly, America's best days lie ahead."

2. If you think long, stocks aren't as risky as you think

Sure, stocks can take you on some scary rides. Bad years with losses of 10% or 20% come around often enough. Specific stocks you own might go to zero if you were really speculating.

But Buffett spends some time telling investors not to mistake those ups-and-downs with risk -- provided you build a diversified portfolio of established companies, and are saving for the long term.

Here's Buffett: "It has been far safer to invest in a diversified collection of American businesses than to invest in securities -- Treasuries, for example -- whose values have been tied to American currency. That was also true in the preceding half-century, a period including the Great Depression and two world wars. Investors should heed this history. To one degree or another it is almost certain to be repeated during the next century."

Buffett helpfully outlines the mistakes that will undermine stocks' potential: "Investors, of course, can, by their own behavior, make stock ownership highly risky. And many do. Active trading, attempts to "time" market movements, inadequate diversification, the payment of high and unnecessary fees to managers and advisors, and the use of borrowed money can destroy the decent returns that a life-long owner of equities would otherwise enjoy."

Related: Scared of a market crash? Read this

3. Don't listen to the "experts."

What are the top strategists saying now? Who cares?

"Anything can happen anytime in markets," writes Buffett. "And no advisor, economist, or TV commentator -- and definitely not Charlie nor I -- can tell you when chaos will occur. Market forecasters will fill your ear but will never fill your wallet."

4. Be decisive

Sometimes you know the right thing to do, but it just "feels" better to go slow.

Even Buffett is vulnerable to that behavior, and he says it cost him in 2014 with his investment in Tesco, the British supermarket chain.

"In 2013, I soured somewhat on the company's then-management and sold 114 million shares, realizing a profit of $43 million. My leisurely pace in making sales would prove expensive. Charlie calls this sort of behavior "thumb-sucking."

"During 2014, Tesco's problems worsened by the month. The company's market share fell, its margins contracted and accounting problems surfaced. In the world of business, bad news often surfaces serially: You see a cockroach in your kitchen; as the days go by, you meet his relatives."

Buffett finally got out completely, but ended up with a loss of more than $400 million.

Related: Warren Buffett knows who the next 'Buffett' is

Related: How good is Warren Buffett? Very good

Related: Investors who lose money make these two mistakes

CNNMoney (New York) February 28, 2015: 12:08 PM ET

15.30 | 0 komentar | Read More

'House of Cards' fans that already finished season 3

That's 13 episodes. Each episode is about 50 minutes long.

@TanjaBumbar said on twitter (TWTR, Tech30) it was a "Really good season, it was amazing having all 13 episode [sic] available at the same time."

@MurphyOReilly thought it was a great season too. "Fantastic end to an enthralling season," he tweeted.

Sebastian, or @challi1337, said he has "extremely mixed feelings about the ending and a few other scenes."

None gave away any secrets, respectfully. Well, except for this mysterious comment from @TanjaBumbar: "Mrs Underwood you finally made the right decision."

All four Twitter users appear to live in Europe. This makes sense considering Netflix unloaded all the new episodes at 12.pm. PT/3 a.m. ET Friday morning, making it hard for US fans to complete the task. One woman, Olivia Armstrong, however did. Armstrong says she lives in Brooklyn and finished the show in 13 hours and 15 minutes. She even live-blogged her experience. Her latest tweet? "Sleeping forever byeeeee."

It was 8 a.m. in the U.K. when @MurphyOReilly says he started. He didn't go outside ("fresh air is so overrated!") and bought American snacks to keep him in the mood.

He survived on Mike and Ike's, Oreo's and Doritos during his "12 hour 5 mins" binge session.

"House of Cards" is one of Netflix's original shows. The streaming media company has been heavily investing in the production of its own content over the past few years. The shows are also getting praise from critics. Kevin Spacey just won the best actor Golden Globe for his role as Frank Underwood on "House of Cards."

Netflix is also planning to release movies starring Adam Sandler and the sequel for "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" later this year.

Netflix has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Related: Nothing stops Frank Underwood...or Netflix

CNNMoney (New York) February 27, 2015: 5:46 PM ET

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