I trust all out there realize that it is Mother’s Day on Sunday (May 12th), and you should (as my Father used to tell me), “… show your Mother some appreciation for all the bloody hard work she has done for you…”. Ignoring the biological impossibility of a World with no mothers„¢, without Mothers, most of us wouldn’t have gone very far in our lives. Who would make your dinners (yes I still hate Liver Casserole, but that is besides the point)? Who would ensure we aren’t wearing the same pair of underwear for the 4th day in a row? MOM!!! To paraphrase Keith Hampshire, “… do something nice for your Mother…” on Sunday.
A helpful hint for new Fathers out there, you may have the idea that your wife is NOT your Mother so you don’t need to get her anything, you are mistaken. She is your children’s mother, and if you don’t get her something expect a very cold and quiet Sunday (and the argument, “You aren’t MY Mother!”, really seems to exacerbate the whole thing), not that I am speaking from personal experience.
As a Canadiens fan living in Ottawa, it has been painful watching the Quarter Finals games go by, but I must admit I have new respect for Paul MacLean as Sens coach, his sense of humour and “aw shucks” attitude is quite entertaining, in comparison to some other coach’s persona (John Tortorella and Michel Terrien come to mind). This bit of “tom foolery” by the “Husky, Bug-Eyed Walrus” Doppelganger really was quite funny.
One of the fun things I got to do with my son was go to the Ottawa Train Expo (model trains) this past weekend. My son loves trains and even though we didn’t stay as long as we normally did, he still had a great time. The amount of work that went into this show is amazing (there is a video at the end of this presentation you should watch). I thank the organizers for their good works.
My Weekly Recap
The auditor general’s report always brings out the most interesting stuff, I am thinking of putting in an offer to the CRA to do some Tax Collection for them:
My Writings for Week Ending May 10th “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. | ||||
Best of: Best Financial Advice Ever My Dad passed away two years ago, and this is one of my favourite anecdotal stories he told me. |
Rant: What Kind of a ScumbagTruly I do not understand what kind of person steals from a Church. |
Discounts (and you only get what you ask for)If you don’t like your insurance rates, shop around and ask for discounts, the worst thing they can say is, “No!”. |
The Seduction of SpendingDoesn’t blowing a big wad of cash not make you feel good? |
Where is My Money ?If you are worried about where your money might be or if someone is going to pay you back, this is a very good question to ask. |
Links for the Week
More fun and excitement in Downtown Ottawa with strange packages, why is it that I am nearby when this happens? :
Top Stories of the Week of May 10thWhere would you be without your Mother?
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Real Estate Agent ContractsMichael James talks about Real Estate agents and their contracts. Does anyone really respect what these folks do? It does seem to be easier than it might be. |
What are you doing with your tax refund this year?Krystal Yee asks an interesting question for all of you licking your chops and waiting for your refunds. |
Conservative 2013 Budget May Allow Banks to Confiscate Customer’s DepositsThe Canadian Times have an interesting spin on part of the current budget. Is it really the case? Not sure, but it makes me wonder. |
How to take the misery out of filing tax returnsLarry MacDonald writes about how we can make this painful time more enjoyable, my only way to feel better is knowing I don’t owe any money! |
Death and Taxes and Taxes in Death U.S. Estate TaxesThe tax man in the states actually goes into your pockets even when you are cold and dead. This is a complicated subject and Mark at My Own Advisor also has a GIVEAWAY going on! |
Ex-Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling In Deal To Cut Prison Sentence By 10 YearsSo there really is a “Get out of Jail for $40M” card in Monopoly? Why are White Collar criminals allowed to do this stuff? |
Safe Investing with Canada Savings BondsTom Drake points out that you can actually invest in CSB’s and make money (not a lot, but you will sleep a lot better than if you are holding Enron stock). |
ETF Dividend Dates ExplainedThe Canadian Couch Potato attempts to clear up this confusing topic. |
Travel TravailsWhat does a hard working tax lawyer do after tax season? A fun vacation, I guess, but BBC points out even travel can be problematic. |
Stock market gains come from few top performersLarry Swedroe points out that only a handful of stocks are accounting for all those great grains in the stock market. |
8 Signs That Girl You Met On The Internet Is FakeFor those of you looking for love in all the wrong places, Popular Science gives you this helpful article, so you don’t end up like a certain former Notre Dame linebacker. |
If the buck stops at the taxpayer, CMHC needs a renovationPreet wonders (in the Globe) about whether the CMHC has outlived it’s usefulness (or maybe it just needs a complete overhaul). |
Fun Model Train Presentation
My son enjoyed this show, and this presentation shows how much work goes into setting up a Model Train Expo:
Other Mother’s Day
- Plenty of Money talk on Mother’s day back in 2018.
- What do RDSP’s have to do with Mother’s Day? Well in 2017 it had something to do with it.
- OK everybody take a Valium? On Mother’s Day 2015
- In 2014 it was a happier Mother’s Day to be had
- Long Distance calls and Mother’s Day? Yes they are related back in 2007
- How much to pay for a Mother’s services, a lot more than you might think in 2008.
- Mother’s Day and hens? Back in 2009 this happened.
- Model Trains and Mother’s Day, what the deuce?
- The Grandma in Giles is the atypical Mother in my books.
Best of 2013
Some of the best of posts from 2013
- CPP Reform, Snow, Christmas, Boxing day and #FreeFormFriday Did the CPP reform of 2013 fix much? Kind of, but Christmas was coming too.
- No Verizon, Microsoft Phones, NFL Kick Off and Friday #ShoutOuts Verizon won’t enter the Canadian wireless market, meaning Mobilicity may disappear and consumers will pay ridiculous monthly charges. Learn why with this blog post!
- Mandela gone, Canada “Post”, Gail on the Shelf and #FreeFormFriday Nelson Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013, after a long illness.
- Christmas is Coming, Christmas Lay Offs, Electric Fees, Commie Pope and #FreeFormFriday Celebrate Christmas with more online shopping – BMO and many other companies announce layoffs during the Holiday season.
- Giveaways, Vacations, No Sun and Friday #ShoutOuts Win a software worth almost $100 and go on the vacation of your dreams! Enter my intelligence test and get the chance to take the trip of a lifetime. #vacation
- Stock Frauds, Senate Expenses, Twitter wrong and Friday #ShoutOuts Canadians beware of stock fraud? U.S. Justice department investigates alleged penny stock swindler. Senator Pam Wallen scrutinized for spending. Find out more about the scam!
- Black November, Bitcoins, Tablets, Unloseable Lottery and #FreeFormFriday So Black Friday is upon us, however, it seems to be losing a lot of it’s “thunder” thanks to the “sales” starting earlier.
- Mad Dog, English Men, I’m OK and #Shoutouts Maurice Mad Dog Vachon was a tough son of a gun, but did he have a financial impact too? Read on to find out.
- Toronto Circus, Prince Charles Retires, More Word Puzzles and Friday #ShoutOuts This whole Toronto thing really is just a reality TV show gone off the rails, isn’t it? The three-ring circus that is unfolding in the media
- Identifiable, the Iron Sheik, Remembrance Day, More Word Puzzles and Friday #ShoutOuts So my concerns that if I put my natural face on my Social Media accounts were just paranoia.
- Incestuous Bloggers, Word Puzzles, RDSP Menu, All Saints Day and Friday #ShoutOuts Sometimes blogs become a little closed in and don’t recognize new folks and we become incestuous bloggers.
- Senate Fun, Apocalypse Averted, Asteroids and Friday #ShoutOuts News Canadians can’t ignore: investigate the scandal and discover if the Harper Government’s demise is near!
- Kicking the Can, Throne Speech, Windows 8.1 and Friday #ShoutOuts Seems our friends down south had so much fun with almost upending the world economy, they’d like to try to do it again in January.
- Government #Defaults, Fake Reviews, Turkey Time, Fall Colours and Friday #ShoutOuts Given that for some odd reason shutting the government down wasn’t enough our friends down south are now attempting to disrupt or possibly completely f*ck the world economy by defaulting in a few days.
- Government Shutdowns, Hockey Returns, New iPhone and Friday #ShoutOuts Explore the debate surrounding the US government’s shutdown with insight into potential resolutions outside of the standard back pay for civil servants.
- Financial Bloggers, 35 Million Strong, Odd CRA Cheques and Friday #ShoutOuts I had a very good time at CPFC13 where I got to moderate a panel of Investing Smart folks, and I learned a great deal from a few outstanding presenters,
- A Better Friday and #CPFC13 Not a regular Friday after this week and my preparations for the coming weekend, I didn’t really get enough time to put together my regular Friday Random Thoughts, but here is a shortened version.
- Friday the 13th, Private Royal Mail, Canadian 1% and Friday #ShoutOuts Watch out for bad things on Fridays – it’s Friday the 13th! Don’t subscribe to the concept? Tuesday is the most evil day. September 11th was a Tuesday! Don’t forget about ladders and black cats either. UK privatizing the Royal Mail? A price tag of £3B pounds!
- King Louis, Braun Follies, Lice and Friday #ShoutOuts Greetings and Happy Birthday to Prince George Louis Alexander Windsor (and future King of Canada), welcome to the media “sh*te storm” that will be your life.
- Loose Money, Faster Sites, the Heat is On and Friday #ShoutOuts The new Bank of Canada Governor announced on Wednesday no change in the interest rates for now, with the overnight rate continuing at 1%.
- Floods, Explosions, See Thru Lu Lu’s and Friday #ShoutOuts Looks like the Engineer is now being “thrown under the train” as it were (i.e. the finger of blame is being pointed at him by his CEO).
- Egypt, July 4th, Sweltering Summer, Alfie and Friday #ShoutOuts Interesting how the Egyptian military throwing out an allegedly democratically elected President is being hailed as a great democratic change.
- Canada Day, 4th of July, Flooding and Some Random Thoughts A hard week in 2013 for my family with the passing of my Mother-in-law to Cancer. One day that disease will be done.
- Fathers, Corruption, Horton’s Hedgings and Friday #ShoutOuts Hopefully everyone enjoyed Father’s Day, I know I did, very nice day, lovely meal and some peace and quiet.
- Stanley Cup, Turbans, Car Tracking and Friday #ShoutOuts The Stanley Cup finals have started, and hopefully all the games aren’t going to go that late into the night, or I will need to start working the night shift at work.
- Baseball “Cheats”, D-Day, Fun with Fiji and Friday #ShoutOuts It seems baseball is embroiled with yet another “performance enhancing drugs” scandal with a few very well-known names being implicated by yet another “wellness clinic”. Are the accusations true?
- Obliterating Rock, Floods, Senators and Friday #ShoutOuts If you are reading this after 4:35 PM May 31, 2013 I guess we survived another close fly by of a “Civilization Killer” lump of Rock.
- Senators, Twisters, Water and Friday #ShoutOuts To say the entire Senators Expenses Event is more ridiculous than a Christmas Panto (usually an excuse for men to dress up as women
- Mothers, Hab Nots, Trains, and Friday #ShoutOuts What does a Walrus, Model Trains and Mother’s Day have to do with each other? Not that much but more financial stories too.
- Taxes Done, Drones, Playoffs and Friday #ShoutOuts Hope your taxes were in on Tuesday, because if not, you might be in trouble (especially if you are part of the $29 Billion dollars still owed to the government in Taxes).
- Disk Crashes, Daffodils, Password Trappers and Friday #ShoutOuts High Tech always proves that it is much like Mother Nature, in that, you should never ignore it or take it for granted, because things can change very quickly at the most inopportune times.
- Loose Money, Trudeau-mania II, Nut Bags and Friday #ShoutOuts If you missed it on Wednesday the Bank of Canada continued to keep their key overnight rate at 1%.
- Snowmaegedon, the Masters, Windows and Friday #ShoutOuts Today, we are experiencing a late version of winter, with a nasty snow/ice/rain storm that proves that just when you think it is Spring, you might be mistaken.
- Final Four, Dark Matter, Tax Time and Friday #ShoutOuts The NCAA Men’s basketball Final Four is this weekend, and my bracket is completely shot.
- Budgets, Dark Side of the Moon, Eight Years Later, Palm Sunday and Friday #ShoutOuts Minister Flaherty gave us a very vague budget (2013) yesterday. For Hockey Moms, reasons to rejoice, given tarifs on Hockey equipment, Golf Clubs, Baby Clothes and a few other things are now gone.
- Pope Picked, Pi Day, St. Patty’s Day and Phriday #ShoutOuts Seems our Catholic brethren have chosen a new Pope (Francis) this week, thus ending one of the greatest talent hunts of the year.
- Thanks Stompin Tom, Loose Money Continues, Tax Time, Pope Picking and Friday #Shoutouts Stompin’ Tom Connors a true Canadian treasure has left us, and I for one am sad to hear it.
- St David’s Day, Snow, RRSP Season Over, Tax Time and Friday #Shoutouts Happy Saint David’s Day to all my Welsh brethren today.
- RRSP Time, Winners, Tax Time, Short Weeks and Friday #Shoutouts Yes, it’s that magical time when your Savings Institution pressures you to top up your RRSP account so you can take full advantage of the savings on your taxes.
- Lent , Pope Out, the Senate, RRSP Time and Friday #Shoutouts Lent is finally upon us, have you started making your plans? No? Me neither, I just haven’t had a heck of a lot of time to think about this kind of stuff.
- Lent , Pancake Tuesday, and Love Day Soon and Friday #Shoutouts For those of you unaware, Lent begins next Wednesday (Ash Wednesday) February 13th, so here is yet another chance to restart (or start) your financial plans for the coming year.
- Groundhog Day, Farewell Penny, No Vine and Friday #Shoutouts Tomorrow is Groundhog Day, so then we shall see how well a ground hog can prognosticate the weather (about as well as I can prognosticate financial stuff is my guess).
- Loose Money Continues, Polar Temps, More Info Lost and Friday #Shoutouts Wednesday our friends from the Bank of Canada kept their loose money policies in place.
- Hockey, Armstrong, Idle Folk, Lost Loans and Friday #ShoutOuts What happened the week of January 18th in 2013? Some NHL stuff, but a lot of interesting financial stuff too!
- Drop the Puck, Death Pills, Strikes and Friday #Shoutouts For those die hard NHL fans (like me) there will be hockey soon.
- Bye and Thanks for all the Fish, CBC Questions, Holiday Hours and Friday #Shoutouts Well it has been fun, but I guess it all had to end some time, it’s been a good run.
Thanks for the mention. Go #teamwalrus 🙂
I’m sure that being a real estate agent is challenging, but I’m more concerned with whose interests they serve.
Agreed, making $20K on a sale where all you did was plunk down a sign is not very fair.