Random Thoughts: April Fools

Easter and New Beginnings

My guess is I had a good Easter weekend, given I am writing this before it, but only publishing it on Monday (yes I am that lazy (some might say prepared)). Last week we had some April Fools jokes (Google claiming it had changed it’s name to Topeka was a good one), here in Ottawa we had a radio station announcing a false weather forecast for the weekend that seemed to catch a few folks off guard as well (I didn’t hear it, but the accounts I have been given of it, sounds funny).

Financially more talk of Interest rate increases and the Major Banks already starting to raise their Mortgage rates in anticipation of these pending updrafts in rates. The Apple iPad was also launched to glowing reviews from those who love Apple products and mixed reviews from the skeptics. Me I’d like one, if someone wants to give me one to review, I promise to use it!

April Fools from Me

• Easter: A new Beginning as it is every year.
• The Last Lecture if you can watch this without crying, you are dead inside.
• Money and Conflicts go hand in hand don’t they?
• Ontario has same Deficit as California? yikes!
• April Fools Finances silliness abounds here.
• Good Friday Edition: Best of Top 5 Investing Regrets always the best of.
• Technology & Theology can those intermingle?
• Random Thoughts: Health Care Week Health Care in the U.S. but at what co$t? I am not commenting on the relative cost of the medical service reforms in the states.

From the Blogosphere

In the Personal Finance Blogosphere we had some interesting thoughts as well:

• The Canadian Couch Potato wrote about The Bond Dilemna and how rising interest rates are bad for bonds. It is something I must deal with soon, as I have a fair amount of money in bonds for now (time to run to GIC’s maybe)
• While Michael James is full of Natural Gas most of the time he is happy he is now buying Cheap Natural Gas from his Gas supplier as well.
• Keeping with the Bond theme, Preet (a big lover of Bondage) asks Is Your Brokerage’s Bond Desk a Profit Centre?, which means things cost more than they should, never a good thing (those who do should be horsewhipped (keeping with the bondage theme as well)).
• The Canadian Capitalist talks about the tools of the trade that he uses in Portfolio snapshot with Google docs (or should that be Topeka docs?). Interesting way to make information safe and backed up as well
• It is still tax season and Canadian Financial DIY points out a Tax Filing and Foreign Income Form T1135 – Save Some Trees and Your Time. CRA is looking to increase the government’s income, don’t give them an excuse to come after you
• Jay a new writer at Four Pillars points out that Time Is a Valuable Commodity and he is oh so write. I never have enough time, ever!
• Congrats to Ellen Roseman on celebrating Three Years and 250 blog posts later, good for her, I am still here after 6 years, we shall see how much longer we can all keep this up!

Enjoy this new Financial Quarter, and this new month! You start again with a clean slate.

Random Thoughts from 2010

• So many financial questions and more random thoughts, too, to start the year.
• The Rideau skateway opened in 2010, with more financial posts too.
• Got the end of 2009 Inflation perspectives with other stories.
• Chutzpah and financial discussions always go hand in hand.
• I’ve written about financial shock collars before with some Random thoughts.
• Valentine’s Day 2010 was an OK time but I still complained.
• Remember the 2010 Vancouver Olympics? Those were heady days, moneywise as well.
• What does the Canadian National Anthem have to do with money? In 2010 it did.
• Random Thoughts: Spring has Sprung? better watch out for ragweed.
• Random Thoughts: Let the Madness Begin! as it does every year.
• Inflation: Facts and Figures You Should Know important to know.
• Practical Financial Tips For Navigating a Rising Interest Rate Environment seems a bit long winded.
• Random Thoughts: A Financial Haiku We explore the train of thought about value and a financial haiku. Keep it clean! Optimized for Google and including the keyphrase ‘haiku’ twice.
• Let the Playoffs Begin! New rules for the NHL playoffs and financial institutions: Get ready for taxes in the springtime with these updates!