To say the entire Senators Expenses Event is more ridiculous than a Christmas Panto (usually an excuse for men to dress up as women (no I am not writing about the senate with that one (or am I?))). We have differing reports, we have misstatements about how loans are paid off, and we have two folks who were previously “highly respected” members of the media now being accused of being spend-thrifts with the public’s money. All in all a very entertaining brand of political fun and games. I look forward to see what weird turn in the road may be coming next? If Harper nominates a Pantomime Horse to be a Senator, his ascent to “Full on Caligula” will be complete.
Unfortunately the Ottawa Senators hockey club seems to be heading in the same direction as the aforementioned Senators, oh dear, that was a butt whuppin on Wednesday.
In Oklahoma we saw the shear power of nature and it’s ability to obliterate all man made things in an instant. My thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the survivors after this horrific weather event.
In Montreal there was a boil water order for more than half the island proper (including my family that still lives there). Nice to see that a City of over a million has a single point of failure in their water distribution system. Luckily there are no issues with any other parts of the infrastructure in Montreal (just drive really fast under most overpasses).
My Weekly Recap
I was hoping to get a quick loan from the PMO just to tide me over until my next pay, however, that didn’t happen:
My Writings for Week Ending May 24th
This is the May 2-4 weekend, but it’s not a long weekend?
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Best of: Rule of 72Want to know how fast your investments will take to double? It is not as hard as you think. |
Happy Victoria DayI trust we all did have a good Victoria Day? I did, it was just over to quickly. |
Inflation at 0.4 % For April in CanadaInflation is lower, because of gas prices? Seems to be a bit of a repetitive message these days, but that may change next month. |
And the Horse You Rode in OnThe full expression is not to be discussed in polite circles, but it is very appropriate to how I felt after dealing with Rogers. |
How To: Mortgage ScheduleIt isn’t that hard to figure out how much your mortgage payments are going against the principle in your loan payments. |
Links for the Week
My site continues to be a site under attack from many different forces on the Internet, so far no one has penetrated my defences yet, but if you come here one day and find the site has turned into a site selling Pay Day Loans, you’ll know something is not very right (over 1000 attack commands a day so far):
Top Stories of the Week of May 24thShould we Bring Up Climate Change and the Power of Nature?
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Should You Discuss Your Salary with Friends, Co-Workers or Family?The BBC brings us an interesting question. When I grew up my Father and Mother never talked to me about money, but is that the right thing? |
Target Canada or Target USA: which is cheaper?Krystal Yee does a quick comparison for us to see whether we as Canadians are paying more (as usual) as our cousins down south.
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What Salamanders Could Teach Scientists About Growing Human LimbsPopular Science got my attention with this interesting article into the possible regrowing of lost limbs in humans. This would be wild if the process was understood, and then open some very interesting ethical questions. |
Canada’s Top Performing Companies 2013Looking to invest in Canadian Stocks, well My Own Advisor gives a quick overview of some companies you might want to look at.
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Reasons for Caution in Comparing Real Estate Returns with StocksI can barely figure out how much money I make or lose on the stock market, comparing it to Real Estate would be a level of complexity I wouldn’t want to attempt. Welcome back Canadian Capitalist! |
Should Pitchers Wear Helmets? They Already Did.Keith Olbermann writes about the dangers in baseball that pitchers face every day. Speaking as a former pitcher I should have worn a helmet as I got “dinged” more than once on the mound. |
How on Earth Do You Decide WHEN to Sell your Shares of a Successful Stock?Frequent commenter Bet Crooks gives us a quick run down on when and how to bail on a big money maker if you hold stocks in your portfolio. |
3 Ways You’re Wasting Money at The BankGail Vaz-Oxlade gives us a simple list of where you might be losing (or wasting) money at the bank. |
Disagreement over Investing in BondsMichael James attempts to clear up some confusion about the possible dangers of investing in Bonds over the next little while. |
Too Young to Retire!Another frequent commenter Krant Cents asks the question can you be too young to retire? Depends on what you call retire I suppose. |
Boy Scouts Will Allow Gay MemberAn interesting decision by the Boy Scouts of America. I think it’s a decision of inclusion that may help them resume an important role in developing children. Welcome to the 21st century guys. |
Forget about lattes. How much is your booze habit costing you?Preet asks this question, which I represent, just because I want a bottle in front of me, does not mean I have an issue with buying booze. |
Fun Video Nothing to Do with Money
I love the cheering for the young lad, this is how all parents should be at all sporting events:
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.
Loved the video. Thanks for the mention.
Thanks for the links, I am in good company.
Sorry to hear your site is being strafed. Maybe you should call Scottie and ask him to beam the perpetrators into a wall.
And many thanks for the link!
Thanks for the mention BCM. Enjoy the Sens game, might be the last this season, and for Alfie ;(
Mark
Just means I can start watching the Jays for the summer, just hope it stops raining….