After seeing that Prince Andrew is jumping on the Self-Portrait bandwagon and someone else is having #Selfie Day, I do believe that fad has run its race and is done. It is a rather damning statement that we are into pictures of ourselves, seems the 21st Century is trying to out do the ME Century (20th Century).
The Quebec Election is just around the corner, and everyone eagerly anticipates what the Quebec voters will do. As a proud Quebec native, I cannot wait to witness how the rest of Canada will try to explain this election. Let’s not forget that Quebec surprised everyone with the Orange Tide in the last Federal election, and now we are left wondering what they will do Provincially. While some of us may have hoped for the Rhinoceros Party to make a comeback, regardless of the outcome, the rest of Canada will be left scratching their heads and thinking, “What were they thinking?”.
Ottawa has been embroiled in a heated controversy over the name of a football team mascot that bears a striking resemblance to the Acadia Axeman. The original name for the mascot was Big Joe Mufferaw, a nod to the classic Stompin’ Tom song (see video below), but it was later withdrawn. The mascot is now officially known as “Large Man with Axe,” although it is still commonly referred to as Big Joe. The name change was made due to the mispronunciation of a French Canadian name, and it has sparked a fierce debate among fans.
It was Autism awareness day on Wednesday, I didn’t write anything specific for it, since Autism Awareness is every day in the C8j homestead. I did post my previous rant about Autism & Advice, and it is important to understand that it looks like we have a generation which will include a lot of “different thinking” individuals, maybe we need to start thinking how this might work? I did wear Blue Underwear on the day, but I am not sure that counts as showing solidarity.
My Writings for Week Ending April 5th
Spring may finally have come back to Ottawa!
Inflation at 1.1%, That is Low for February
Low numbers from Stats Canada, yet prices keep going up, and I feel like I have less money, wonder if they take that into consideration?
Pay Day Loan Mortgages Revisited
A very ham-handed attempt at an April Fool’s joke, most folks read through it, wonder what someone might think of it if they read it on July 1st?
Tax Haiku
Yes, when I have nothing else to write and I have no ideas, I fall back on my Poetic roots. Having Welsh ancestry I just channel my inner Dylan Thomas (and drink myself into a stupor).
Long Distance Laptop Repair
Maybe it would have been better to just buy my daughters two computers at the start of school, and avoid having this problem?
Cornucopia Section
A veritable horn of plenty of interesting articles from the finance (and other categories) world:
- Author Michael Lewis was on CBS’ 60 Minutes and he made the statement That the Stock Market is Rigged, and the piece explained how high speed traders can get ahead of things, and profit from it. They use technologies weaknesses to their advantage, is that illegal is the question.
- What the heck is an ETF? No it is not Extra Terrestrial Farts (smart ass), but Mark from My Own Advisor gives us a quick run down with ETFs 101.
- The MIT Review used game theory on Bitcoin’s model and they Spy Weaknesses in Bitcoinâs Foundations we shall see if they are proven correct.
- Michael James started off with an April Fool’s post and the next day followed up with a real post More on CPP Changes conjecturing about how the system could be changed for the better.
- Time has a very interesting article about Why Millennials Would Choose a Root Canal Over Listening to a Banker , they hope for a bank free world? I just hope for a less rigged monetary system.
- What Could You Do With $5 A Day? Boomer and Echo give you a few ideas.
- The Blunt Bean Counter is getting optimistic that we will be able to retire so he gives us a Retirement Planning Spreadsheet , does it have a wish button?
- Quartz has a very interesting set of comparisons of The inexplicable prices in hotel minibars around the world, why is Water more expensive than Vodka in Zurich?
- Mark from 2nd Career Search gives us Some Observations on Toronto and Canada , from a former Montrealer a fair description.
- The Motley Fools gives us One-Sentence Financial Rules, and didn’t charge us $40 to read it!
- Kerry at Squawkfox asks Would you Buy H&M’s $99 Wedding Dress? Sure, does it come in a 44 tall? I think I could pull it off.
- Rewards Cards Canada points out Why Aeroplan Collectors Are Fed Up With Their Rewards Program, I know I am and I have been a member of Aeroplan since 1987!
- Barry at Money We Have gives us Calculating The Real Financial Cost Of An MBA, does anybody really want an MBA any more? Is it still relevant?
- It must be Spring Preet has woken up from his Blogging hibernation and gives us a commentary on how AdvisOrs could earn $1 Million more over their career by lowering costs for investors, WHAT?!?!? That is crazy talk Preet.
Mufferaw Joe
Only in Ottawa could you have a controversy about the name of a Football team’s mascot:
A New Monty Python Video
It is called the Silly Walk Song, however, the chorus is “Money is the root of evil”, so very topical too!
Random Thoughts for 2014
Lots of these kinds of Best of articles in 2014. Here is a list of them.
- Cuba, Rubles, Christmas and #BestThisWeek – getting close to Christmas but Ian McKellen can teach us about impulse control.
- Snow, Christmas, Enhanced and #BestThisWeek talk of more festive ideas, like how to save money at Christmas.
- A Gentleman, Day of Disability, Christmas, Rugby and #BestThisWeek noted the passing of Jean Beliveau and John Oliver’s views on Lotteries.
- Black Friday is Here, Advent, and #BestThisWeek speaks of the blessed Black Friday and associated sales but also includes a Fanfare for the Common Man.
- Lake Effect Snow, Web Cameras, Travel Insurance and #BestThisWeek November brings snow in Toronto, as we see, and other financial ideas.
- Asteroids, Tax Cuts, Lemurs and #BestThisWeek how many times has the Earth almost been hit by an asteroid? Too often to remember.
- Lame Ducks, Financial Literacy, Working for Free and #BestThisWeek lame duck leaders never really get that much done, no matter how they negotiate.
- Happy Halloween, Income Splitting and #BestThisWeek a wonderful financial time of the year is Halloween? Maybe income splitting is a better subject.
- Ottawa We Shall Remember, Bank of Canada and #BestThisWeek after a bad week in Ottawa, with senseless violence.
- Crashing Markets, Ebola, Low Loonie, Cheap Gas and #BestThisWeek even in 2014 the markets were a little volatile.
- Hockey, Turkey, Leaves, Carry On Bags and #theBestFin4TheWeek is it right that the hockey season starts before Thanksgiving?
- October, Hello Ebola, Give Blood and #theBestFin4TheWeek October arrived unexpectedly this week, almost unnoticed. As we have entered the final (calendar) quarter of the year 2014, it may be time to start considering a year-end review of your financial plans.
- Autumn , United Kingdom, Beer Money, and #theBestFin4TheWeek the colours in Ottawa during Autumn are truly spectacular.
- Pins, Alibaba , Apple Pay , Lecosse , and #theBestFin4TheWeek remember when Alibaba the IPO happened, those were heady days.
- Home Despot, iPhones, and #theBestFin4TheWeek
- Back to School, Tim Burger King, Knee Defenders and #theBestFin4TheWeek will the dutchie ever come back? I can only hope.
- Broken Humerus, Ebola, Anniversaries, Blood and #theBestFin4TheWeek remember when we thought Ebola was going to wipe us out?
- It is Done, Ice Bucket Challenge, Media Perceptions and #theBestFin4TheWeek
- WW1 Centenery, More Hacked Passwords and #theBestFin4TheWeek
- The Long Weekend with no Name, Defaults, and #BestFinancialForTheWeek
- Unmasking Super Heroes, Dogs of Summer and #BestOfFinancialForThisWeek
- All Stars, Al Stars and the #BestOfFinancialForWeek the world cup was a big thing in 2014 as was Bastille day too.
- Brazilian Defeats, Tour De Chunnel, and #BestOfFinancialForWeek you mean Brazil can lose at the world cup?
- Tennis, Racing, Inflation and #BestofFinancial Canada Day is the start of the summer for most Canadians, and financial stories too.
- The Stand, Football Biting, Naughty Banks and #BestofFinancial even in 2014 the banks were misbehaving with shenanigans.
- Elections, Dad’s Day, World Cup, Friday the 13th and #BestofFinancial somehow the Liberals won the 2014 Ontario Provincial Election
- No Rate Hike, Better Performance, Montreal Grand Prix and #Bestof-Financial back in 2014 we were worried about rates, but they were already pretty low.
- Elections, Farewell Knowlton, May Done, and #Bestof-Financial Knowlton Nash was the voice of news for Canada for a while.
- Internet Memory, Grand Prix of Monaco and #FreeFormFridays the Internet has memory?
- Time Off, Elections, Victoria Day and #FreeFormFridays Victoria Day is always a fun weekend.
- Frosts, Elections, Farley Mowat and #FreeFormFridays it does get cold in May!
- Rain, Budgets, Bloggers Meeting, May Day and #FreeFormFridays When financial bloggers meet what happens?
- Beware the Financial Jabberwock, Netflix Expansion, Model Trains, Backups and #FreeFormFridays a thematically odd article.
- Easter is Here and a Saturday #BestOf for the Weekend a time of renewal, new beginnings in life and financially as well.
- RIP Flaherty, Heartbleed, Tax Time, Quebec Elections and #FreeFormFridays the former finance minister did a lot of good for the economy.
- #Selfies, Quebec Election, Big Joe, Awareness, and #FreeFormFridays would Big Joe Mufferaw have been a good fit for the Redblacks? We’ll never know.
- Don Quixote, Tax Time, Cheap Mortgages and #FreeFormFridays gotta hate tax time.
- Spring Has Sprung, March Madness, Celebrity Blogger and #FreeFormFridays talking about Spring in March in Ottawa can be a bit early.
- Pi Day, March Break, Two Ferns, Snow and #FreeFormFridays given pi is infinite, how much pie can we expect?
- Quebec Elections, Eating Sugar, Suing Parents, Big Rocks and #FreeFormFridays those elections in Quebec are never dull.
- Saint David’s Day, Big Posts, RRSP Time, the Dating Game and #FreeFormFridays always a good time to put a Welsh Choir Clip in an article.
- Hockey Day, Tax & RRSP Time and #FreeFormFridays Hockey day in Canada? Well it does happen, right around RRSP time too.
- More Olympics, Budgets, Love Day and #FreeFormFridays Valentine’s Day: Celebrating Love and Dealing with Financial Whining.
- Olympics, Not Super Bowls, Creationism and #FreeFormFridays 2014 Olympics Opening Ceremonies and Soshi Stadium’s Doppleganger: The Super Bowl.
- Senators, Weak Loonie, Superb Owls and #FreeFormFridays Rugby is a Hooligan’s game played by a Gentleman.
- Polar Vorteces, Olympics, Mayors and #FreeFormFridays The Polar Vortex brings Winter in Canada. But don’t worry – -30C highs in Ottawa in January are normal.
- Giveaways, Oil tanks, Eagles and #FreeFormFriday Have you checked your oil tank if you heat with Oil? What will your insurance do if the tank ruptures?
- Truly Canadian Issues, Ultra HD TV, Car Loans and #FreeFormFriday Get your lock de-icer and unlock your Super Mailbox cubicle like I did – Canadian Tire to the rescue!
- Some #RandomThoughts from 2014 Some of the best of, best of posts on my random thoughts weekly post.
- CPP Reform, Snow, Christmas, Boxing day and #FreeFormFriday Did the CPP reform of 2013 fix much? Kind of, but Christmas was coming too.
A vote for a PQ is a vote for separatism. Madame Marois made that clear with her choice of a star candidate. It’s funny how the second separatism became the key election issue the PQ’s support dropped like a rock. I wrote a recent article you may find interesting about the economic impact of Quebec as nation. Let’s just say it’s not a pretty picture: http://www.ratesupermarket.ca/blog/economic-impact-independent-quebec/
Interesting, but as a former Quebecer nothing new either. The implications to the rest of Canada would be an interesting expose as well. Many Canadians paint a Canada without Quebec as a Utopia of sorts, I don’t agree, but hopefully we won’t have to find out either.
Thanks for including my ETFs 101 article.
I look forward to the RedBlacks games, hopefully no more mascot controversy. 🙂
Mark
Let’s go Rhino!!!
Absolument!!! For those who want to read more about the Rhino Party and it’s habitat http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Party (cue Hinterland’s Who’s Who music)
Yes, let’s see what happens with this election. It seems the PQ campaign has been all over the map but I can’t say I’m disappointed.
The whole Joe Mufferaw situation is just political-correctness-gone-crazy. I heard some season ticket holders were so fed up they were cancelling their tickets. Haven’t heard anything further from Jeff Hunt, but I guess he has no choice. I suppose one could argue that Stompin’ Tom had it wrong and no point in repeating the same mistake.
Thanks for the Monty Python vid.