Black Friday is Here, Advent, and #BestThisWeek
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.
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Random Thoughts
Lake Effect Snow, Web Cameras, Travel Insurance and #BestThisWeek
We got to see what Lake Effect Snow means with some vivid photos of Buffalo getting buried by 7 feet of snow. They are getting more snow today. This is why I am happy that Ottawa only has a river running through it. The worst part of this is that it might rain in Buffalo putting all roofs in the area in peril (7 feet of heavy wet snow is not what anyhow is designed to support).
Enjoy your web cams and such? The laptop I am typing on has one pointed right at me, but evidently our Russian hacking friends have sites from hacked cameras that folks can go and check. You know how to fix this (aside from having good anti-virus and security), cover the camera up with a piece of paper and tape, or point your web cams elsewhere when you aren’t using it.
A couple in Alberta learned just how expensive medical costs are in the US, when their bundle of joy showed up 9 weeks prematurely, and they are now stuck with an almost $900K bill, that their insurance provider (Blue Cross) refuses to pay. Travel insurance is always a tricky world, always be sure you are covered
My Writings for Week Ending November 21st
Winter has come with snow and all of that, but luckily this is Ottawa, so it is supposed to rain on Monday. Note that I am experimenting with a new grading system for comments (so far I only have Gold Stars, but I will be looking to expand that capability very soon).
- Monday I asked the same question I asked a few years ago What is Financial Literacy (2014 Edition)? Any time I can quote John Lydon (especially in his guise as Johnny Rotten) is a good day for me
- Whimsy took over my keyboard and thus we have Great Possible Financial Book Titles, a few good commenters left their ideas, as well.
- As I’ve said many times I am one of the luckiest bastards on God’s Green Earth, and in my archives I wrote about yet another example of my luck with Sometimes It’s Better to Be Lucky.
Asteroids, Tax Cuts, Lemurs and #BestThisWeek
We land on an asteroid, tax cuts may be coming and other important things from November 2014
Hockey, Turkey, Leaves, Carry On Bags and #theBestFin4TheWeek
As a strong and decisive individual, I find it quite perplexing to choose what sports to watch during these times. The hockey season has already begun, and the games are on Rogers even before Thanksgiving. Should I indulge in CFL or NFL football, baseball playoffs, hockey, lacrosse, UFC, WWE, or perhaps something unconventional like accountant death cell matches, nude actuarial hopscotch, lawn bowling, or urban tidily winks? I have so many choices, and I am confident that I will make the right decision.
Thanksgiving weekend, is a time for all of us to celebrate the bountiful harvest, and our families, and slaughter as many turkeys as possible.
The leaves are changing colours (the Leafs are still blue, happily for the Blunt Bean Counter), and we get to enjoy Mother Natures’ own fireworks display of amazing colours this weekend as well.
Luckily Air Canada can put a damper on all of this, by imposing a tariff on carry-on luggage, thus causing people to be even weirder while travelling. Wait until you are sitting next to a family travelling, where each of them are wearing 4 change of clothing (one on top of the other) on the plane, that is going to make for a very fun time. I even have a new name for this new Canadian cultural anomaly, layer packing (you heard it here first).
Canadian Blood Services really needs donors. If you haven’t given it lately, time to drop by. The blood supply is dangerously low!
My Writings for Week Ending October 10th
Turkeys have died by the hundreds of thousands for you to enjoy a lovely turkey dinner, some would view this carnage as barbaric, I have no such qualms with this aviary genocide.
- Are spousal RRSPs really still needed, I asked that question with Pensions and Spousal RRSPs, but I also forget to factor in the TFSA and how it changes things as well.
- I read over a few of my old Nortel lay off posts and came up with Nortel : What is Left, after reading about two bankruptcy judges holding the fate of a lot of money in their hands.
- Does the government really hate Single Income Families? That’s a heavy-handed statement, however, Splitting Income for Single Income Families could be a good thing, for some families.
- Rob Carrick mentioned my RESP from Start to Spend in his latest Carrick on Money, nice reader bump for that.
- 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
It’s currently autumn here in Ottawa and I’m excited to see the leaves changing color and feel the chill in the air. The Members of Parliament have returned to work for their 20-day session before Christmas and I’m sure there’s a lot of activity going on down on Rideau Street, with repairs being carried out on the Houses of Parliament and other buildings. However, what happens in the House of Commons remains a mystery to me. Fortunately, we also have a municipal election coming up and my lookalike Jim Watson is expected to win re-election, but I must admit, I’m not too fazed by that. I know that I need to lose some weight if I want to be mistaken for him again, along with shaving off my beard, but that’s not going to stop me from trying!
from Canadian Tire
The United Kingdom remained together, but what will this mean in terms of powers given to Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands? Should be an exciting bit of Political Flim Flammery, as what keeps happening with Quebec Sovereignty. Stay tuned; I am sure that will also get back on the front burner.
The Ottawa Senators sold the naming rights to Canadian Tire for the arena in Kanata, and then the Sens made a tremendous announcement this week. At the Canadian Tire Center (during the exhibition season at least), you will be able to pay for your concessions (including beer) with Canadian Tire Money! Suddenly Sandy McTire can buy me a brew for all the stuff I have bought at his store. In celebration, the Sens beat the Leafs twice, causing Leaf Nation to explode in a flurry of finger-pointing.
My Writings for Week Ending September 26th
Autumn is in the air, which means leaving and figuring out how to get my car back into my garage.
- Inflation is supposedly running at 2.1 %, according to Stats Canada, but if you read between the lines, there are some things that are sky rocketing in price, that will affect your life a lot more.
- For those who enjoy the titillating stories about naughty photos of folks in Hollywood, remember If They Can Get Celebrity Nude Photos, what else can they get? Maybe it’s time to figure out who “They” are?
- If you are a big fan of the Tap and Pay world you will be happy to read about NFC and Android Phones for Payment, it just makes me more paranoid.
- For those curious, I am reading The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism (amazon link) a very good book if your life is touched by someone with Autism. In my car I am listening to A Game of Thrones: A Song of Ice and Fire: Book One (amazon link) but it is taking a while to get through it all.
