Cutting, Canada Day, Christmas, Graduations and some Random Thoughts

The cuts continue here in Ottawa, with many more Civil Servants receiving notices that their jobs might be “affected” by the Harper Government Cuts (they find out whether they are the victims in a few weeks). This may lower the median income for Ottawa/Gatineau? We shall see, should help the housing bubble in the area as well, but then again, I thought the same when Nortel went nose first into the ground.

Canada Day is Sunday and Parliament Hill is being readied for the big party. It is nice working downtown seeing all the work that is being done to get things ready. There was a poor lad who impaled himself on his bayonet (I think he is OK, but lost a lot of blood), part of a colour guard practice (I think). It’s not a wonder that does not happen more.

Another High School graduation to attend for me, which entails sitting in a sweltering hot gym with a bunch of other parents, but this will be the last one for a while, so I am sure I will have pangs of sadness at the ceremony.

With the Supreme Court somewhat deciding that Obama Care is sort of OK, there is a move on Twitter with the hash tag #movetoCanada , really? You folks do know we have very high taxes due to our Socialized Health Care system, don’t you? Sort of like saying it is too hot in Florida and going to Arizona to escape the heat (you American folk are a funny bunch).

Weekly Recap

A hot week in the Nation’s capital, and it doesn’t look like it is going to cool off much either:

• Football, Heat, Drafts and Sunday’s best highlighted those posts from my Twitter Stream you might have missed that are from my archives. I have written over 2000 posts, what the heck have I been saying?
• There was a significant Drop in the CPI for May 2012, which again is caused by gasoline prices fluctuating. Is this a good thing, I have no idea, but it is one less reason to raise interest rates that is for sure.
• This not my only blunder buying things but with Good Idea (really bad implementation) I lament my purchase of an expensive exercise bike (but I also revel in replacing it with a great purchase on Kajiji).
• I was a bit rushed so I went deep into my archives with Revisit: It’s Simple Isn’t It, which I originally published in 2005 as one of my first posts, it seems to be still relevant.
• No I am not piling on with Damn Rich Civil Servants, I am simply pointing out that Ottawa-Gatineau has the highest median income in the country (for cities). That may change with the cuts going on currently.
• Aboriginal Day, Moving Wood, Gens Du Pays, Tweeting and Some Random Thoughts For those of you who didn’t realize yesterday was National Aboriginal Day (I hear some folks would rather it was National Indigenous Peoples Day), hope all who celebrate that day had a good time.

Links for the Week

We averted having an Election in Ontario (not that anyone really cared), we had the Omnibus Bill of Death pass for our Federal friends, :

• My Own Advisor points out that as with Music and Theatre with In Courting Dividend Stocks Timing is Everything (ok know your dates too). Timing is …. everything (that is much funnier in a podcast).
• Larry MacDonald wondered about Real Estate as an inflation hedge, I think the only real estate I will invest in is my house and that is enough thanks (I know many friends who are landlords and they seem to enjoy an interesting life).
• Miss T at Sustainable Personal Finance points out The Dollars and Cents of Your Bathroom, I worry more about the scents in my bathroom, but cents are important as well.
• The Blunt Bean Counter goes off the rails a little with Are Accountants Really Boring? It’s kind of like asking does it rain in Britain much, not all the time. I wouldn’t say that Accountants are as wild as Proctologists, but I know my share of wild accountants (but then again I did work at Nortel too).
• Michael James takes the investment industry to task with Skilled Investors and Ex-post Reasoning, trying to be logical again, but logic has no place in investing (yes I actually had a finance guy tell me that once).
• The Canadian Couch Potato gives us an Overview of Commission-Free ETFs , you don’t know about ETFs? Go to my Sunday post, there is a video there from Khan Academy giving you an overview.
• Miranda at Planting Money Seeds announces that NerdWallet Launches Financial Tool for Same-Sex couples, Quicken is homophobic? Hmmm…
• Gail Vaz-Oxlade gets out the ruler and wants to rap some knuckles with Happy Go-Lucky Go-Broke, you know who you are, get those hands up!
• Tom at the Canadian Finance Blog gives us another important idea Create a Home Repair Fund, and if you are a new home buyer, you need to do this, now!
• Preet didn’t have a new Podcast this week, because of his busy schedule, but he did let TuskTrader have a go with Bad Trades and the emotions associated with them. Wonder if Tusky is turning towards the Dr. Phil Investing World ? You will however be seeing more of Preet as he has been picked up as the host of a new show on the OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), wow, will he remember his blogging buddies when he is the next Dr. Oz?

I Wish It Could Be Xmas Every Day…

Not really, but you do realize that Christmas is now less than 6 months away!

“Christmas is a time when kids tell Santa what they want and adults pay for it. Deficits are when adults tell the government what they want – and their kids pay for it.“
— Richard Lamm  quite topical don’t you think? Enjoy your Obamacare!