It's hard to be critical of a guy who has achieved legendary status as an investor and created enormous wealth for him and others.

But, to paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, what's up with Warren Buffett?

Buffett is considered the classic value stock investor. His company, Berkshire Hathaway, owns a portfolio of conservative companies -- both public and private -- that have a tradition of strong management and consistent growth. He is the largest shareholder in such companies as American Express, Gillette, Coca-Cola, H&R Block and Wells Fargo.

And, his efforts have paid off handsomely. Shares of Berkshire Hathaway trade for a staggering $93,000. That is more than double the price of just four years ago. Buffett is often queried about splitting the stock price, but he says that will never happen.

A few years ago, he made a concession and introduced another class of stock that trades for 1/30th the price of a full share. The "B" shares of Berkshire Hathaway trade at the bargain price of just $3,100.

Buffett didn't do this as a favor to investors. Rather, he did it to protect the sanctity of his stocks. A bunch of money managers were creating clone portfolios that tried to duplicate the company's holdings.

Rather than let these people benefit from his success, he created the lower-priced version, and it has been a popular alternative ever since.

Owners of Berkshire Hathaway will be making their annual pilgrimage to Omaha, Neb., in a couple of weeks for the shareholder meeting. They gather to hear from their leader about stocks and other pearls of wisdom. Each shareholder gets four tickets to the event, and attendance is closely monitored. It's probably easier to get a ticket to the Super Bowl than the Buffett hootenanny.

That is why investors are scratching their heads over the latest Buffett stunt. Believe it or not, he is selling tickets to the weekend events on the Internet. Go to eBay, and you can buy a four-pack of tickets to the shareholder meeting for $46.

Buffett says he is doing this to stop other shareholders from scalping their passes to the highest bidder. Obviously, not all people who own the stock make it to Omaha for the meeting. So, they sell them to people who just want to bask in the glory of Buffett. By the way, he has indicated that next year, the tickets that go to shareholders will be nontransferable.

George Chamberlin is a regular contributor to the North County Times and also is a TV and radio commentator. Contact him at george@moneyinthemorning.com.

Buffett is also receiving some serious criticism for his role as a corporate director. Several large institutional investors -- including the California Public Employees Retirement System -- say they will not vote to reappoint Buffett to the board of directors at Coca-Cola. CalPERS owns 12.7 million shares of the soft drinks company and says it will not vote for Buffett because he also sits on the audit committee. They say this is a conflict of interest.

Finally, a visit to the Berkshire Hathaway Web site will find a letter of greeting from Buffett. Be prepared, however, for a hard sell.

"You probably know that I don't make stock recommendations," it states.

"However, I have three thoughts regarding your personal expenditures that can save you real money," reads the Buffett letter. He then proceeds to offer sales pitches for jewelry, car insurance and variable annuities.