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How to spot weasel words that can sink your portfolio
Let’s face it — the last thing most investors want to do is read a bulky 200-page annual report. Sure, you might flip through a few pages, but most shareholders have never read a report from front to back. However, a new study shows that certain phrases in corporate filings can provide important warnings about trouble ahead. Looking for these phrases — something that is much easier to do...
Winners & Losers 2009: Comebacks & flameouts
Nominated for a 2010 National Magazine Award in the Best Editorial Package category
We were too quick to write off some of these embattled icons, but others crashed hard.
The comebacks
1. Michael McCain
Last year’s listeria outbreak could have ended Maple Leaf Foods CEO Michael McCain’s decade-long career at the company. But instead of hiding behind his lawyers, McCain faced the press and expressed...
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Mortgages: Befriend your bank
It’s been a busy year for Dan Mass, a Calgary-based broker with Canada First Mortgage. Besides his usual workload, he’s had to deal with a number of clients who have either had their homes foreclosed or have concerns that they won’t be able to pay their mortgage bills. “We’ve seen defaults rise this year for sure,” he says.
While Canada isn’t facing U.S.-style delinquency rates—the...
Keeping your portfolio from tumbling as the loonie climbs
When the Canadian dollar reached parity with the greenback in September 2007, U.S. border crossings were jammed. Deal-seeking Canadians braved four-hour waits just to get 20 bucks off a pair of Banana Republic khakis — and who could blame them? The last time the currencies were equal was in 1976. But, while giddy consumers ransacked U.S. malls, many Canadian investors watched in horror as their portfolio...
Joel Plaskett tops list of Canada’s finest of 2009
With just a couple weeks left in the year, every music fan is likely busy compiling a list of the decade’s best records. But we can’t forget how good 2009 has been. There was Sonic Youth’s infectious The Eternal, La Roux’s electro pop debut, Grizzly Bear’s harmony laden folk on Veckatimst and the list goes on. But five Canadian records really stood out. Not only are these better than many...
Neil Young — Dreamin' Man
Neil Young
Album: Dreamin’ Man
Label: Reprise/Warner
Rating: ****
Winnipeg-raised Neil Young can’t do anything wrong, even when he releases his least exciting live album to date. Dreamin Man was recorded in 1992 and features every song off Harvest Moon. In terms of the singer-songwriters’ live discs, it’s not as thrilling as Live at Massey Hall or Live at the Fillmore East, but it’s still...
Tags: Music reviews, Neil Young
Gucci Mane — The State vs. Radic Davis
Gucci Mane
Album: The State vs. Radric Davis
Label: Warner
Rating: *** 1/2
As we all know too well, being a rap star doesn’t preclude one from a jail sentence. While Gucci Mane did beat a murder charge, he’s now back in prison for violating parole. Luckily, he can stay in the spotlight with his new, and damn good, album. The appropriately titled The State vs. Radric Davis (his given name) is a...
Tags: Gucci Mane, Music reviews
Bryan Borzykowski is a Toronto-based web and print writer, editor and blogger working mainly for business and entertainment publications. He regularly contributes to Canadian Business magazine, writes Metro Canada's weekly Audio Files music column and shares personal finance tips on Rogers TV's Daytime Toronto. He's also written for Maclean's, MoneySense, PROFIT, Chatelaine, Hello Canada, MSN Tech, Yahoo Finance and the National Post. He was recently nominated for five National Magazine Awards, winning one in an online category.
