Weekend Reading: Flashback Edition

“You need to get down here right away! There’s been a plane crash and the pilot had to eject.” I’ll never forget that day – July 23rd, 2010 – when Captain Brian Bews and his CF-18 Hornet crashed during a practice run at the Lethbridge Airport leading up to the Alberta International Air Show. As acting President of the Lethbridge Air Show Association it was my job to face the media, explain what happened, and whether or not the show would go on as planned.

The incident drew attention worldwide, mainly due to the incredible video footage and photos that were captured that morning. The spectacular crash and ejection happened during “media day” when all the local reporters were out taking rides and checking out the planes up close. That allowed local Lethbridge Herald photographer Ian Martens to capture this stunning photo:

Why the flashback? Maclean’s recently caught up with Bews, who is now stationed at CFB Moose Jaw where he trains the next generation of fighter pilots. It seems fitting that among his instructor duties is the ejection seat training course!

This Week’s Recap

November is Financial Literacy Month and with that in mind you can expect to see a lot of FinLit-inspired content here over the next several weeks. Please encourage your friends and family to stop by and take a look around. Do also check out the #FLM2016 hashtag on Twitter for more articles and stories on improving our financial literacy.

On Monday I went on a rant over CIBC overcharging its customers and “volunteering” to repay millions to some 80,000 customers.

On Wednesday Marie attempts to unpack your professionally managed portfolio to see if investors are getting any value.

And on Friday we had a guest post from Brett at Simplifying Finance about whether value investing can protect you in volatile markets.

Weekend Reading:

Real Estate agents are caught breaking the rules on Marketplace’s hidden camera.

Things are more transparent in Australia, where homebuyers openly bid in an auction. The result? Fewer Australians use real estate agents because they have access to more information, including the free real estate website, realestate.com.au.

Back to Maclean’s where Andrew Hepburn argues that Canada’s housing bubble makes America’s look tiny.

Why financial literacy education is mostly ineffectual debt-shaming:

“Financial literacy education tries to remove that last obstacle, self-discipline, by lecturing people about the virtues of managing money and debt wisely. But, for the most part, it does not work.”

Everything you need to know about the LIRA: The RRSP’s less flexible cousin.

Des Odjick on how NOT to choose between a TFSA and an RRSP.

The basics of ETFs and why most investors should be buying them.

Michael James explores some faulty investment assumptions that basically boils down to making things more complicated than they need to be.

Financial Uproar shares five lessons learned writing about money for the last six years.

Do you clip Koopons or Cyoopons? What’s the right way to pronounce coupon?

Wealthing Like Rabbits author Robert Brown talks about the perils of lifestyle creep.

With that warning in mind, My Own Advisor Mark Seed is embracing his inner minimalist.

Rob Carricks talks about one of the biggest financial challenges when it comes to aging, and that’s whether you’ve saved enough for your health.

What’s the most important retirement planning decision that we don’t get to make? Leaving the workforce on a date we choose.

The Vanguard blog shares how to create a dynamic and sustainable retirement spending plan.

Finally, can major junior hockey teams afford to pay their players? We’re about to find out after a judge ordered the teams to open up their books.

Have a great weekend, everyone!