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. Hockey still going near the end of June is pushing it a bit hard (that is almost NFL Football season!).
The Turban Troubles in Quebec is very confusing to me. I haven’t read why exactly the Turban and its various versions are not allowed in Soccer. Luckily the media has whipped the whole thing into a giant frothy confused frappe of accusations and silliness. If it wasn’t for the media we’d have nothing to argue about (yes I am being a little facetious (or maybe sarcastic) there).
Given all the hub bub about privacy lately, I have noted that insurance companies in Canada are now offering “discounts” for folks that install tracking devices to show how safe a driver they are. I will not do this because I am a “good” driver, but I am not a “perfect” driver (i.e. I may be in a rush occasionally and go above the speed limit (without knowing of course)). I wonder if anyone has installed this device and had their rates go up? Oh and the privacy issue, now your insurance company knows pretty much where you have gone and where you go (do you think that information might be worth something on the open market?).
Another place this information is amassed is from your GPS, when you do a map upgrade and it asks, “Can we collect data from your device for testing?”, your answer should be, NO!, unless you want your comings and goings available on the free market (just a helpful FYI).
My Weekly Recap
Great grass growing weather in Ottawa this week, luckily my front yard doesn’t have grass, it has weeds, and various other green looking plants (that are not grass):
My Writings for Week Ending June 14th
Stephen Harper has a Sense of Humor? See Video at end of this Post for more details
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Best of: Debt IS like fat!I am putting a lot of fat back on (I am fighting it though), as I am building up debt again too, it’s a life long battle for both! |
More Jobs for May in CanadaSome good news from Stats Canada, but the lost generation still needs to find more work. |
Tuition and Inflation are in No Way RelatedThe cost of a post-secondary education continues to out strip inflation (not as bad as 10 years ago, thought). |
What to Do with a Bonus ?No I am not suggesting you get a tattoo with your bonus, don’t be so literal! If in doubt send ME the money. |
Pension or LIRA? A decision (redux)As usual all the best decisions in my life were just me being incredibly lucky. |
Links for the Week
Turkey is starting to turn into a bit of a mess, and very bad flooding in Europe. Does your home insurance cover flooding? Better go check:
Top Stories of the Week of June 14th
Yet Another Superman movie Opens This Weekend, Hooray?!?
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Why Spend Your Energy Being Frugal? Just Tax Plan!The BBC seems to be ranting about making money by not getting a big tax refund, read on to find out. |
Banks raise mortgage ratesCanadian Mortgage News points out that even though the Bank of Canada has not raised their rates, the Big Banks in Canada are raising their Mortgage Rates. |
Employer Bankrupt? Try the Wage Earner Protection Program!Million Dollar Journey talks about something I wasn’t aware of this, if it had been around when Nortel went under, it might have protected a lot of folks who never got their severance packages. |
May 2013 Dividend Income UpdateMark at My Own Advisor fills us in on how his dividend based investment plan is going, I don’t have the nerve to speak of the train wreck that is my investments. |
It’s Time to Ban Advisor CommissionsThe Canadian Couch Potato points out that Advisors making money off Mutual Fund sales makes the whole system not work well. |
Rescue Your Wet Cell PhoneGail Vaz-Oxlade goes all techy with hints on how to rescue you wet cell phone. Me I have a LifeProof case, so my phone floats. |
How Much Can We Take from our RRSPs for Our House? How the Home Buyers Plan Numbers WorkFrequent commenter Bet Crooks give us another useful “How To” post. |
Is It Time To Say Goodbye To Dividend Investing?Not sure that Robb from Boomer and Echo would get along with Mark from My Own Advisor. |
Anchoring and Income TaxesLast week Michael James complained about getting a pay raise, this week he seems to be complaining about getting a bonus? |
Make 2013 the Year You Own a TFSAYoung and Thrifty suggests that this year may be the year you start doing something about your TFSA. |
Retirement is all about freedom; or is it?Jim Yih wonders what retirement is really about, me I am not sure, but I hope it’s fun (given it isn’t soon). |
School District To Pay Science Teachers More Than English TeachersPopular Science talks about a school district that rightly pays science teachers more than english teachers, which works for me. |
Our PM has a Sense of Humor? Don’t tell PSAC!
This is the unabridged version of Harper practicing his acceptance speech and doing some impersonations of previous PM’s. Note he is practicing his “acceptance” speech.
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.
The Turban Troubles in Quebec indeed…at least FIFA made the right call.
Thanks for the mention. Have a great weekend!
Mark
Thank goodness for the Stanley Cup, the turban scandal, and even the unfortunate police incident for the CBC in Turkey. I don’t think I could stand it if it was Mike Duffy and Rob Ford ALL THE TIME.
In other weekend news, Hazel hears today if she’s in or out. Talk about early retirement: she might get forced out at 92! (Of course if they push her out and leave Rob Ford in, I will know there really is no logic in our legal systems.)
Thanks, too, for the kindly mention.
Complaining about raises and bonuses — maybe I just don’t like change 🙂
As someone mentioned, if you don’t want the money, send it to me!