Parsad

Thing is, he goes for these small, quick wins...just like he makes money the same way...gambler's mentality! Doesn't solve anything long-term, at least not significantly different than his predecessors (except Southern border...he did definitely fix that), but he makes it look like a win. Then moves on to the next thing to turn into chaos, TACO, settle or ease the atmosphere, call it another win. Like he's stopped 8 wars so far...don't cha know! Cheers!

Yup! But he is funny when not being an asshole! Cheers!

No comment on regime change...but according to Trump...no nukes going forward and they are supposed to talk tomorrow. Have not heard from the other side yet. It may be good that one liar is out lying the other liar here! Cheers!

I think most people prefer double D's...we're talking about boobs right? His interviews are hilarious! He's even taking shots at NewsMax and saying "I can't believe I'm talking to CNN!" Cheers!

Prem lives an extremely modest life relative to his level of wealth. If he lost 90%, it would have almost zero effect on him or his family's lifestyle. Ask yourself how your lifestyle would change if you lost 1/3? If it is something that would be detrimental to you and your family, or you would have trouble sleeping, then you may want to adjust that allocation. This doesn't just apply to FFH...but any investment relative to your net worth. Similarly to you, FFH makes up about 25% of my portfolio...I sleep very well at night! Cheers!

It was a little of both...he TACO'ed, but there were also some back channel messages through Turkey and Egypt apparently to measure the temperature for any negotiations. No deal or actual productive talks...but it looks like talks may begin at some point. Cheers!

SNL UK launched this weekend. Far funnier than the U.S. version which has a weaker, younger cast with less creative writing! Cheers!

We have a lot of Canadian members on here that wanted something a bit more concentrated on Canada. This thread is to discuss investing, economics, entrepreneurship, trade and finance in Canada...if you must discuss anything politically-related to Canada, please keep political issues focused on those items. Cheers!

I'll start one. Cheers!

That Jericho development is going to be pretty dense as well. The density of many of these projects getting approved...aboriginal and non-aboriginal...in non-Sky Train station areas is what is more disturbing to me. I could understand that density on the opposite side...the Molson's brewery, but that inlet side should not have that many towers or as high as they are. It's an eyesore heading West on the Burrard Bridge and takes away from the magnificent view walking over the Burrard Bridge. I grew up in Kitsilano...could not imagine living there now. Much prefer White Rock/South Surrey area now! Cheers!

Thank you! What were you saying about the war? Cheers!

OOHHHH...nope, nope, nope...please don't start on climate change! You can complain all you want about the lobbyists, wasted money, cost of clean energy, etc. But please don't do a fucking denial like with vaccines and science! Have no idea again how anyone with any rudimentary understanding of science can deny climate change. Even the biggest moron in the world has no foot to stand on here. Yes, there are geological changes that also affect climate, but humanity has had a massive influence...no different than our behavior in playing with monetary and fiscal policy...we don't know the full damage of what we do. If you can't save this planet, what the hell are we doing looking for another one to try and inhabit...it would take far more work, money, time and sacrifice to do that! So go back to Trump and the war. Cheers!

They are required to follow all of the same building guidelines in terms of structure, construction, etc. They aren't taking shortcuts on the actual construction. It's the extensive permitting process and approval timelines that they don't have to go through...that process is also being reviewed for approval and applied to other developers as well. The permitting and approval process in BC is very onerous in most cities. Many of Vancouver's suburbs are separate jurisdictions and each has their own timeline and process...which drags out basic building permits and approvals for up to 2 years in some places...usually 6 months plus for the most part depending on the city and project...but it is all over the place. Carrying costs, permitting/legal costs/etc all add to the cost of development and lead to higher than necessary retail/market prices for homes in BC. Speeding up this process is something all developers would like to see. Cheers!

Our universe is much smaller than his. When markets are down 7-10% like they are now...some stocks we can buy are down 30-40%...whereas they would be far too tiny for him to even buy 100% of. Everything I've bought in the last month is down at least 20%...a couple are down 50%! Cheers!

Yes, that is the main concern right now...the uncertainty until settlements. Many want the government to amend/repeal the current DRIPA (Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People) that was adopted by this current Premier when he was Attorney General. That may create other lawsuits by the aboriginal and more problems. Yes, that is happening...the first three towers are nearly complete. But it was a aboriginal/private enterprise. The original developer ran into financial difficulties and a pension fund came in and bought them out. It's no different than any other public/private or private/private project. Just aboriginal groups are involved as one of the main partners. I can't speak about the price for soft-wood lumber...nothing has been disclosed like that, nor have I seen any investigative articles suggesting that. You hear about private businesses doing stupid things, I wouldn't be surprised if some aboriginal groups are doing the same. In terms of the current government...depends on which party is in power. The NDP are hard-core, left-wing liberals...they have power. If the Liberals (not really) or Conservatives get power, the government moves centre-right or hard-right and policies/agendas change. Right now, it doesn't look good at all for the NDP...this Premier is polling as low as Trump! Problem is he just got elected a year ago and the next Provincial election isn't until October 2028! He's also running massive spending deficits which are devastating for the province. The only way to remove him would be a non-confidence vote by the BC Parliament or his own NDP members. Highly unlikely to happen! They have stakes in public mineral/resource companies that are listed...but haven't listed anything solely by themselves yet that I have noticed. I might not just be aware of it, since I don't invest in the resource space much. Most of their projects are aboriginal/private or aboriginal/public projects...primarily housing related, pipeline/resource, etc. Lately though, different aboriginal groups have taken a page from their American brethren and bought up 8 large casinos around British Columbia from Great Canadian Casinos. All in rapid succession! Collectively, they may be the largest casino operators in Canada now! Cheers!

In all honesty, I don't think Thiel is completely wrong here either. I 100% believe that generational wealth is one of the worst sins committed by the rich, but foundational giving is also not always effective. In many cases, it tends to be massive small donations with very insignificant net results at the end...feed a man a fish. Now if they make concentrated bets in effective programs/research/etc, then the net result may be more effective. Last year here in Vancouver, 11 people were killed by a mentally unstable driver at the Filipino "Lapu Lapu Day" festival. Dozens were injured severely as well! $1.5M was donated to United Way with much of it to go to victims. So far less than $70K has reached the actual victims. Over $400K was donated to 40+ different other organizations. Over $40K was donated just on a dozen "healing circles" within those 40+ organizations...what the eff?! Healing circles! Really! And that's just a miniscule portion of the money that flows through non-profits like United Way and so many more. I'm 100% behind the Giving Pledge...I just hope the way they utilize the funds is far more effective than the traditional methods of non-profit giving. It's a unique pledge, hopefully the outcomes are unique as well! On another note...the sheer amount of damage Gates has done on a personal/business/philanthropic level now because of his association with Epstein is completely stunning! One of the greatest collapses of reputation and the repercussions from it...just crazy. The ripples keep drifting across the lake! Cheers!

While I hold large amounts of cash in my trading accounts when I can't find anything, I'm generally heavily invested in any crisis. For example, I had 60% cash in my trading account a month ago...it is 90% invested now. My other non-trading/tax-sheltered accounts had maybe 30% cash...they have about 10% now. And if prices fall further, I will sell more expensive assets to buy cheaper assets. So the behavior is not incongruous to what Buffett says...just the timing of when I find opportunity and put capital to work. I don't just hold an asset regardless of valuation in the trading accounts. This is the fallacy of people who hold cash...that they never put it to work. That's the opposite of what I do. Cheers!

There may be hope for all us after all! Except when it's US versus Canada! Cheers!

The people whose land the Cowichan ruling in the Richmond area directly affected are very worried. Even banks are putting in caveats in mortgage renewals, appraisers are putting valuation qualifications in their reports, etc, on those pieces of private property. BC is one of the few, if not only province, that never put treaties into place decades ago. Ontario, Quebec, etc don't have this problem. These land claims should have been settled under treaties a long time ago. Instead the aboriginal nations have rightful claims against lands in BC. At the same time, they also know that will never work. They cannot go after private property in city/populated regions. They are going to go after other large open land seeking extensive fishing, mineral, property rights to control that land with minimal provincial influence. They will probably also get ownership of some city/populated land controlled/owned by the province. At the end of the day, they will get a nice fat settlement/land/rights to help their nations, while doing the least damage possible on private property rights. This has how previous BC settlements have been made. That being said, the ruling is powerful. It could remain in court for decades again if the province decides to fight it. But this current provincial administration is very aboriginal friendly, and will probably put amendments in any settlement agreement into place to protect private property rights, while giving an overall really fat settlement in other areas. Overall, most people other than the immediately affected and the political parties aren't panicking over it. But with nothing settled yet, real estate involved (banks, mortgages, appraisers, legal) are making some changes in behavior/documentation. The aboriginal nations in BC are very well-organized and well=funded now. They have the means to fight through the legal system, have access to both large amounts of private/public capital for projects, development, etc and have powerful resource rights. No teepee on reservations any longer...aboriginal groups have learned very well about capitalism, public/private partnerships, private equity, etc. They want what is coming to them, settle this and move forward...that is the same thing non-aboriginals want as well, protecting their homes, businesses, cottages, etc. It would make sense to come to a reasonable compromise, settle these things and get them out of everyone's hands where if the wrong person decides to make hay, it could get ugly in the future. Better everyone walks away happy and a little bit unhappy in a nice negotiated settlement. Cheers!

https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/iran-war-us-israel-trump-03-21-26 Trump threatening to blow up Iran's power plants in next 48 hours. Also sending ICE Agents to airports. This guy likes to take big fucking risks! Major gambler...big risks...big bets...big successes...big blowups! That last one worries me! Cheers!

Ah...Iraq taking over Kuwait! Two days! Cheers!

Yes, it would actually probably flip votes. But he cannot do it without ground troops going in. Some of the old school GOP would flip out and more Americans would be against it. And even if troops went in, they would then be there for years until elections are done, new leadership installed, rebuilding of infrastructure, etc. What he needed was a quick, clean victory with regime change using firepower and pressure...a bold win...fast and easy! There is nothing easy about this. Cheers!

Greg...that is something you and I agree 110% on! Cheers!

It's been good...but far from flawless. Otherwise, it would have been over after the first "mission accomplished", then after the "first day" after Trump said they won, and almost certainly by now considering how much U.S. "firepower" is doing based on your opinion. Yet, none of those three scenarios have proven a winner yet! Cheers!

That would be a self-inflicted wound to the U.S. as well, as gas prices globally would go further through the roof. There is no real victor here except some sort of peaceful resolution to keep oil flowing, the Strait open and open inspections of Iran's nuclear facilities. I think regime change will be difficult without Trump cutting his own throat before mid-terms because they are entrenched and targeted bombs won't do it. That's also why he has to keep some sort of leash on Bibi now too because Bibi wants to go for the jugular...but that can't happen! Cheers!