Random Thoughts: Referendums, Greeks & Movember ?

This time last week the world heralded a resolution of the Greek and European financial mess, this week we welcome it back with our Greek friends deciding to have a referendum about the whole thing. Being from Quebec, the word referendum is a touchy word (anglophone Quebecer). This has caused the financial markets are in a mess again, and lots of talk about weird and wild scenarios if Greece rejects this new resolution to the problem. As I commented last week, I don’t think any of this is going to be resolved any time soon or in an easy way, but that is what makes talking about World Finances just so much fun.

Given I had a big “c” scare a few years back about my prostate, I am attempting to grow a mustache for Movember to show my support for those trying to prevent and cure prostate cancer. Mrs. C8j is not happy with it (and I believe it will be gone as of December 1st), but watch this site and I may post a few updated pictures of where I stand so far. For those of you going through this, you have my best wishes and hope for a clean bill of health soon!

An all-saints week brought a lot of personal case studies (and I didn’t even mention premium bonds, stay tuned for that next week):

• Ted had a very interesting video about how less stuff makes you happy with an interesting chat by Graham Hill
• With snow and Sunday’s best I got a little premature hoping for a recovery with the alleged solution in place for Greece.
• The Hallmarkification of Halloween prompted me to write Happy Halloween, What the…
• Didn’t get as many as I had hoped for my one liners of Financial Advice? Guess not a lot of Henny Youngmans in the financial World.
• PC Financial is trying hard to make my life interesting with account number changes and the ripple effect to my Quicken accounts too.
• Costco Gas: now this is interesting points out how the Ottawa gas market may get a little disruption with the new price hacker in town.

And thanks to those who added me on Twitter I am now over 940 folks who follow me, wow!

With the financial world attempting to tie itself into a Gordian Knot, the regular commentators have some interesting views this week as well:

• Preet kibitzes about whether 1 year Greek Bonds now over 200% – and is that a good deal?. All I can think of is beware of Greeks bearing gifts.
• Michael James has a friend who is wondering about taxing insurance settlements and whether it is legal in Canada.
• Canadian Capitalist asks does the BMO Canadian Dividend ETF (TSX:ZDV) change the dividend ETF landscape?, and I think it might, given they can ram it down their customers throats, while others have to try to sell through BMO’s systems?
• Ellen Roseman wants you to find out are you getting the Internet speed you pay for? and of course the answer is, that depends when you check, where you live and whether you are being sold a bill of goods.
• Our amigo My Own Advisor is highly recommending Elements of Investing a book by Ellis & Malkiel, a must have in his opinion.
• Boomer of Boomer and Echo wants to give us A Penny for my thoughts, not sure my thoughts are worth that much.
• Mike at Money.Smarts asks if you could buy a gold plated Government Pension, would you?, as a matter of fact, I did, is all I can say.
• Canadian Couch Potato continues discussions about ETFs and their growth and thus the dangers that can arise in a fast growing investment concept ETF Risks in Perspective: Leveraged ETFs

Carnivals this Week

I did make it into a few carnivals this week too:

• Tom over at Canadian Finance hosted the Canadian Carnival of Finance #60 which included my article Inflation on the rise in September in Canada

Other Bookkeeping

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Remember

“Money and women. They’re two of the strongest things in the world. The things you do for a woman you wouldn’t do for anything else. Same with money. ”

Author: Satchel Paige very true!