OTHER INVESTMENTS (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Investments, All Other Investments [Abstract]

Investment Holdings, Schedule of Investments [Table Text Block]

The Company’s other investments are summarized below.

	Carrying values as of December 31,
Investment Focus	2018		2017
Technology and communications	$	150,000	$	163,000
Diversified businesses		2,372,000		2,615,000
Real estate and related		3,182,000		2,999,000
Other (private banks and insurance company)		335,000		635,000
Totals	$	6,039,000	$	6,412,000

Investment Income [Table Text Block]

Income from other investments is summarized below (excluding other than temporary impairment loss):

	2018		2017
Income from investment in 49% owned affiliate (a)	$	74,000	$	70,000
Real estate and related (b)		217,000		224,000
Diversified businesses (c)		63,000		270,000
Other (private banks) (d)		34,000		-
Technology and related		-		27,000
Total income from other investments	$	388,000	$	591,000

(a)          This gain represents income from the Company’s 49% owned affiliate, T.G.I.F. Texas, Inc. (“TGIF”). In 2018 and 2017 TGIF declared and paid a cash dividend, the Company’s portion of which was approximately $193,000 each year. These dividends were recorded as reduction in the investment carrying value as required under the equity method of accounting for investments.

(b)          The gain in 2018 was primarily from one investment in a partnership owning rental apartments in San Antonio, Texas which were sold in March 2018 at a gain to the Company of approximately $105,000. Also included in the 2018 gain are cash distributions from investments in real estate partnerships which distributed proceeds above their carrying value. The gain in 2017 consists primarily of cash distributions from an investment in real estate partnership which distributed proceeds from sales of its real estate.

(c)          The gain in 2018 and 2017 consists of cash distributions from various investments in partnerships owning diversified businesses which made cash distributions from the sale or refinancing of operating companies and/or distributions from operating activities.

(d)       In the first quarter of 2018 the Company’s investments in two private banks experienced mergers with publicly traded larger banks and we received stock in those publicly traded banks plus approximately $34,000 in cash. The cash portion was recorded as gain from other investments. The bank securities we received from the mergers were mostly sold during 2018 at a total gain of approximately $136,000 which is included in gains from sales of marketable securities. A portion of the shares received from the mergers are being held in our marketable securities portfolio at the carrying value equal to our original investment in the private banks (with an unrealized gain of approximately $14,000 as of December 31, 2018).

Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value [Table Text Block]

The following tables present gross unrealized losses and fair values for those investments that were in an unrealized loss position as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, aggregated by investment category and the length of time that investments have been in a continuous loss position:

	As of December 31, 2018
	12 Months or Less					Greater than 12 Months					Total
Investment Description	Fair Value		Unrealized Loss			Fair Value		Unrealized Loss			Fair Value		Unrealized Loss
Partnerships owning investments in technology related industries	$	-	$	-		$	132,000	$	(18,000	)	$	132,000	$	(18,000	)
Partnerships owning investments in diversified businesses		273,000		(27,000	)		-		-			273,000		(27,000	)
Total	$	273,000	$	(27,000	)	$	132,000	$	(18,000	)	$	405,000	$	(45,000	)

	As of December 31, 2017
	12 Months or Less					Greater than 12 Months				Total
Investment Description	Fair Value		Unrealized Loss			Fair Value		Unrealized Loss		Fair Value		Unrealized Loss
Partnerships owning investments in technology related industries		138,000	$	(24,000	)	$	-	$	-	$	138,000	$	(24,000	)
Total	$	138,000	$	(24,000	)	$	-	$	-	$	138,000	$	(24,000	)