Comments, Stupidity, Me and Random Thoughts

There has been a marked increase in the number of real comments that are being added to my posts, and I must say I am very happy to see it. I have been asking for more comments (by asking questions in my posts), so I am glad to see folks answering the questions or simply voicing their opinions, it kind of validates me doing this. For your info, I am still receiving about 50 SPAM comments for every “real” comment, not sure what the spammers think is going to happen, but I am still being deluged with “wiener enhancement” comments too.

Thanks to last week’s post Are Canadians Stupid (about money), there was a retort of such by another blogger (mentioned below) which in turn caused Rob Carrick to highlight this follow-up (again look in my list of articles to read this week). Nice to see one of my ditties can cause ripples in the financial blogosphere.

I also wrote a Civil Servant’s point of view article, from which I have received positive feedback (from other Government of Canada Serfs (#GOCSerfs on Twitter)). You may see me talking about myself in specific in the next few weeks, I have been chatting with some experienced writers who are encouraging me to come out of hiding and give my readers a profile of myself. We shall see how this might roll out.

Weekly Recap

Lots of great comments this week and some pretty diverse topics written by me:

• I did manage to get a Sunday best of Twitter post out with Bank Rates Hover, Daylight Savings, and Sunday’s Best, where I do also talk about hovering Bank of Canada rates as well.
• Statistics Canada must have hired a few Nortel Accountants because when they say Unemployment Dropped in February, it is only because folks stopped looking for jobs, which isn’t something to be happy about.
• I got very philosophical with Why Don’t They Empty the Dishwasher, wondering if kids just don’t understand the importance of some tasks, when they ignore them.
• Going away to school can be expensive, as I try to point out with The Cost of University Residence, but I got some interesting responses to my assertion about cars and kids staying at home for University.
• I was expecting much more salacious comments to I am a Civil Servant, but I am pleased to see the discourse staying at a very mature level.
• Stupid Canadians, Spring melt-offs and Random Thoughts Are Canadians stupid monetarily? I didn’t get too many replies to my query in my post yesterday, but I will stick by the statement that Canadians are mostly uneducated about money.

And thanks to those who added me on Twitter. Check out my Facebook page as well .

Links for the Week

Some quite interesting stuff happened this week, and as usual, I can give you the 4-1-1 on where to find this great info:

• As mentioned Rob Carrick mentioned me indirectly in Rob Carrick’s Reader: Are Canadians Stupid, this week, one of those mentions usually means a tsunami of readers for a day or so.
• The Blunt Bean Counter gives us Confessions of a Tax Accountant-2012 Week 1, the bean counter is quickly becoming one of my favourite sites to read (even if he is a fan of the Blue Team).
• Larry MacDonald isn’t blogging but is still writing in the Globe and gives us a Buy-and-Hold Dividend Investor finds peace of mind. I think this is a busy time of the year for a lot of my favourite writers.
• Mr. Money Mustache tells us Why he is SO Not Buying an iPad 3, which of course is now called a “new” iPad (no longer iPad 3, just a new one). I might buy one, but I like my iPad 2 as well!
• Michael James wonders about the Real Estate Strategy: Low-ball Pricing to Create Bidding War, I got lucky selling my previous house, but it was not because of any strategy by me.
• Canadian Capitalist updates us with Sleepy Mini Portfolio Q1-2012, which is always interesting, since I kind of use that idea in one of my savings vehicles.
• Our Financial Kin at My Own Advisor says that He Disagrees with an Expert, buying what you know makes sense, which makes sense to me too. Why invest in something you don’t understand?
• Boomer of Boomer and Echo points out that The Best Time to Start Saving, is NOW, which is always true (no matter when NOW is).
• Miranda at Planting Money Seeds, points out the danger of having stuff delivered with Goodbye, $307: Package Stolen right off my doorstep, I had a $30 power supply left on my doorstep this week, luckily I saw it before any local thieves did.
• Gail Vaz-Oxlade gives us some ideas on how to Translate Your Points into Money, my “points” are effectively money (I use PC Points mostly).
• Preet gives us a helpful Data Vizualization of Eurozone Debt over time, good to see Preet posting on his blog, and an interesting graphic too!

Is Spring Springing?

“Nothing can confound a wise man more than laughter from a dunce.”

• George Byron