Search found 858 matches

by Shine
04 Dec 2013 01:06
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Charity Recommendations
Replies: 71
Views: 2567

Re: Charity Recommendations

I'm looking to do a little charitable giving this holiday season. Can anyone recommend a good / their favorite charity? I contribute regularly to MCC as well as supporting kids through the Christian Children's Fund of Canada and Plan Canada. With respect to the latter two, I recently learned, in discussions with both, that they take 20% of every dollar I donate in administration fees...even from the gifts I send the kids and their families for Christmas and Easter. There is controversy surrounding the "Charity Industry". I will continue to support the kids I currently sponsor however I am thinking I may try to focus new contributions to my local community through the neighbourhood church and other agencies that assist people in m...
by Shine
26 Nov 2013 02:01
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Cellphone for U.S. travel
Replies: 59
Views: 1135

Re: Cellphone for U.S. travel

On Lang & O'Leary today this gentleman was interviewed - I didn't watch the entire interview because other events were at play but one may be able to see the interview on the L&O Web site.

Basic roaming service starts at $3.00 per day with additional costs to increase data - I rarely travel to the US but this might interest some of you and is also an interesting niche company.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/roam-mo ... -1.2439818
by Shine
19 Oct 2013 02:19
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Canadian Index Portfolios
Replies: 44
Views: 2780

Re: Canadian Index Portfolios

In the G&M today Ian McGugan had an article "Scouring for ETFs that mix growth, value".

What struck me was the wide spread on YTD total returns - a range from 31% for First Asset Morningstar Canada Value (FXM-T) to just under 6% on I Shares (XMD-T) plus a few in negative return. There is also a wide variation in management fees across the ETF rankings he provides.

Perhaps selecting an ETF has now been pushed into the realm of stock picking?
by Shine
17 Oct 2013 02:15
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Beer in Tronna (2013)
Replies: 41
Views: 1236

Re: Beer in Tronna (2013)

[quote=" Wages of sin and all that good stuff.[/quote]

Always wondered if those wages are "minimum"?

Glad to hear you all had a good evening.
by Shine
25 Sep 2013 00:36
Forum: Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind
Topic: Long term care
Replies: 147
Views: 13088

Re: Long term care

I find it curious that there are politicians who fully support capital punishment, yet are afraid of allowing death with dignity.
by Shine
03 Sep 2013 23:27
Forum: Financial News, Policy and Economics
Topic: Clippings 2013
Replies: 451
Views: 28077

Re: Clippings 2013

Andrew Coyne in the National Post argues that, in Canada, growing inequality is not the problem many believe it is. He has a number of charts showing that inequality did indeed grow rapidly during the 1980s and 1990s, but that it has effectively stopped getting bigger since about 2000. The most meaningful measure of inequality for me is the Gini coefficient, summarizing what per cent of the population gets what per cent of the total income. Here are historic Gini coefficients for Canada na0903_coyne_7-jpg.jpg So why are we so worried about growing inequality now, when it isn't growing, and we didn't seem to care in the 1980s and 1990s, when it really was growing? Maybe we are too exposed to U.S. media, where inequality is still increasing....
by Shine
27 Aug 2013 00:17
Forum: Taxing Situations
Topic: BMOIL adjusting ACB cost wrt ROC in TFSA?
Replies: 7
Views: 1637

Re: BMOIL adjusting ACB cost wrt ROC in TFSA?

Regarding ACB in a TFSA - I don't understand why this is an issue. After all it is a tax free savings account and from my perspective the cost base is irrelevant. One can buy and trade securities within a TFSA, well, tax free.

Is there something I am missing?
by Shine
25 Aug 2013 01:56
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Spectrum auction / new entrants / broadband for all
Replies: 102
Views: 5223

Re: Spectrum auction / new entrants / broadband for all

BTW, Shaw's decision to avoid the wireless sector is looking like a smart move.
I don't think Shaw can afford to play in the game.
by Shine
24 Aug 2013 23:37
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Spectrum auction / new entrants / broadband for all
Replies: 102
Views: 5223

Re: Spectrum auction / new entrants / broadband for all

This is all blather. If the current administration wants to provide savings to consumers, then regulate the industry period and put an end to this recurrent drama.

If regulation is good for pipelines and utilities, which have capital costs similar to telecom - why not regulation for telecoms rather than pimp the illusion of creating a "free market" advantage for consumers?

I tbink the current administration is intervening into the market for political reasons rather than to advance a free market in telecom or bring any measurable benefit to consumers.

Anyway Verizon may well find the ROI worse than inadequate.

Then there is Hillier:

http://o.canada.com/2013/08/22/rick-hil ... nada-last/
by Shine
30 Jul 2013 00:54
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: TC Energy formerly TransCanada (Symbol-TRP)
Replies: 453
Views: 80648

Re: TransCanada (Symbol-TRP)

I suggest there will be no decision regarding Keystone from the Obama administration until after the 2014 mid terms - everything is politics regardless of the benefit to the economy and regardless if one is Democrat or a Republican. That is the tragedy for the USA.

Their politicians are more concerned with bitch-slapping each other rather than enacting beneficial legislation - actually they are incapable of enacting any legislation whatsoever.
by Shine
08 Jul 2013 00:13
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Container gardening
Replies: 34
Views: 763

Re: Container gardening

Something interesting in Vancouver,

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... ouver.html
by Shine
07 Jul 2013 01:12
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Good and/or Underrated Movies and TV shows
Replies: 2489
Views: 97892

Re: Good and/or Underrated Movies and TV shows

tedster wrote:AAARGH, I recorded the Debt with Helen Mirren. Instead of recording the entire 2 hours, it cut off at 1hr 55 min. So I do not know if she survived or died, and if the criminal was exposed. I also do not know if I should blame the PVR, or the Source.
The ending was ambiguous to me. The narrative cuts back in forth in time were not well edited, in my opinion, however my perception is that the doctor was killed via an injection in his neck while the character played by Mirren was severely injured from stab wounds yet was able to limp away from the hospital.
by Shine
19 Jun 2013 00:06
Forum: Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind
Topic: Public vs Private Pension - Envy and Debate
Replies: 906
Views: 66766

Re: Public vs Private Pension - Envy and Debate

WRT certain pension plans, survivor benefits are part of the federal programs. In some cases up to 50% of the pensioner's benefits are extended to the spouse of the deceased.

Would you want the widow, or children, of a Canadian soldier killed in Afghanistan to not receive half of her husband's pension and family benefits? Or penalized for collecting such benefits?
by Shine
12 Jun 2013 00:52
Forum: Retirement, Pensions and Peace of Mind
Topic: Public vs Private Pension - Envy and Debate
Replies: 906
Views: 66766

Re: Public vs Private Pension - Envy and Debate

What is not addressed in this discussion is the number of years a public servant draws a pension. I recall a friend who was in the federal public service - now deceased - telling me that the average number of years a public servant collected their pension was about six years. This was in the early 1990's. He lived only eight years after retirement.

Granted people now lead healthier lifestyles and life expectancy is greater now however I think the "gold plated" pension debate should be tempered with statistics on the mortality of those collecting those pensions.
by Shine
11 Jun 2013 00:46
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Investing if inflation is coming
Replies: 104
Views: 10842

Re: Investing if inflation is coming

Fair comments from all. I did not intend to solicit a forecast.


Thanks.
by Shine
10 Jun 2013 00:39
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Investing if inflation is coming
Replies: 104
Views: 10842

Re: Investing if inflation is coming

ghariton wrote:
Shine wrote:With all the hints at rising interest rates, increasing mortgage rates, and inflation looming, any thoughts on why have RRB's ETF's have dropped between 5% and 7% in the past few months?
Interest rates are increasing much more quickly than increases in anticipated inflation.

The difference in yield between nominal government bonds and RRBs has hardly changed at all. That means that the increase we see is in real rates, which does lead to lower RRB prices.

George

Thanks for that insight George.

I wonder whose foot is on the gas and whose foot is on the brakes?

Your comments suggest to me - in my understanding - that the drop in RRB prices might present an opportunity here and that inflation could be aggressive should it arrive.
by Shine
09 Jun 2013 22:36
Forum: Financial Planning and Building Portfolios
Topic: Investing if inflation is coming
Replies: 104
Views: 10842

Re: Investing if inflation is coming

With all the hints at rising interest rates, increasing mortgage rates, and inflation looming, any thoughts on why have RRB's ETF's have dropped between 5% and 7% in the past few months?
by Shine
01 Jun 2013 23:42
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Container gardening
Replies: 34
Views: 763

Re: Container gardening

This may interest gardeners...

Cheers

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-c ... -farm.html
by Shine
31 May 2013 00:41
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: BMO Investorline
Replies: 1278
Views: 198072

Re: BMO Investorline

Right above the list of Investorline's top GIC rates is the link to "Looking for an alternative for your cash?" which takes you to the list of HISA accounts you can park your money. You don't use the Mutual Funds menu to make a deposit at all. . My first 'trade' at BMOIL..... AAT770. I would have never found this without your guidance! :thumbsup: Today I bought a GIC in my registered account, planning to cover the cost with a withdrawal from the AAT770 account. Before I got around to that, BMOIL phoned me to say they could not process the GIC transaction until I had freed up enough money to pay for it. Both transactions close tomorrow so I didn't see what the big deal was but they stayed on the line until I sold enough of the fun...
by Shine
11 May 2013 00:52
Forum: Stocks, Bonds, ETFs, Funds, REITS and More
Topic: Dividend and Distribution Hikes 2013
Replies: 302
Views: 38554

Re: Dividend and Distribution Hikes 2013

Melcor - MRD - announced a 0.2 cent quarterly dividend increase and a special dividend of $0.50. Thinly traded company however the company has been very kind to me over the past decade. They recently issued a REIT of western Canadian properties as well ,however the growth of REIT issues across many companies concerns me somewhat and I have sold half of my REIT holdings in XRE but continue to hold Artis.

With L and Canadian Tire spinning out REITs I think maybe the end for REITs is nigh.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-in ... 0872906001
by Shine
16 Apr 2013 01:08
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Change of strategy to preserve capital?
Replies: 18
Views: 1543

Re: Change of strategy to preserve capital?

Thank you for the links Bruce.

Obviously diamonds contained much more value in the 1930's in Europe for extreme reasons during that period.

In 2013, precious metals, rare earths, and commodities trade daily - but do diamonds do so as well? If so, where is the market?

Are you suggesting it is only a consumer driven market and a one karat diamond might sell for more in Hong Kong that it would sell for in Antwerp or New York?

How could I explain that to Lawrence Olivier while he is drilling my teeth - "is it safe?" :wink:
by Shine
15 Apr 2013 03:27
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Change of strategy to preserve capital?
Replies: 18
Views: 1543

Re: Change of strategy to preserve capital?

ghariton wrote: "The practice in my family was to hold U.S. dollars. I believe that was widespread among middle-class circles in Romania at that time. If you were caught, you could be shot. When we left in 1947, my mother had an ingenious hiding place for her gold bracelet, which had to be left behind. She wore it on her wrist." I can't fathom how your family managed to attain U.S. dollars at that time - perhaps through the black market or some equivalent venue? Regardless - good for your family and your mother. I mean no disrespect whatsoever. I wasn't even born at that time. Gold was abandoned as a backstop to currency many years ago, however I remain puzzled how diamonds retain their value in 2013? To what are diamonds marked? ...
by Shine
15 Apr 2013 01:11
Forum: Under the Mattress: Protecting Your Money
Topic: Change of strategy to preserve capital?
Replies: 18
Views: 1543

Re: Change of strategy to preserve capital?

Odd discussion - if the Canadian banks and CDIC fail there certainly would be far more important issues of concern. However the discussion made me think about Europe -1933 to 1945, under the horror of the National Socialist regime, when many individuals and families, and of various ethnicity, converted their wealth into diamonds - mostly for secreting the assets and the portability thereof as I understand. (I mention this with respect and compassion for those who were affected during that period and sincerely hope this does not offend any members of this Forum). That given, I wonder how diamonds hold their value and are they a hedge against inflation? Just a curiosity to me today, but how are diamonds valued in the market - to what standard...
by Shine
03 Apr 2013 00:47
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Computer problems
Replies: 2750
Views: 79493

Re: Computer problems

Peculiar_Investor wrote:
Bylo Selhi wrote:User Control Panel -> Profile -> Edit account settings...
FWIW, the link for that is http://www.financialwisdomforum.org/for ... eg_details

Thank you both - that worked.

Cheers
by Shine
02 Apr 2013 01:54
Forum: Community Centre
Topic: Computer problems
Replies: 2750
Views: 79493

Re: Computer problems

I seem to keep losing my registered name and password for FWF and a few other sites. Some register problems with my aging computer I suspect.

So I requested a new password for FWF and received a new password, however I would like to change the complex password issued to one that I can remember - how do I accomplish that?

Thanks