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Come Tuesday

Summer's almost over. I hope you're enjoying your weekend but get ready. Come Tuesday, it's game on.

We stand at the edge. Prices have broken out but Cartel resistance is steep. The latest CoT shows their malicious intent. In gold, The Cartel net short position grew by over 32,000 contracts last week with the gross short position growing by over 10%! A huge, desperate move which has brought The Cartel net short position to its "worst" level since 2/28/12. Yikes! In fact, over the 8/14/12 - 8/28/12 time period, the price of paper gold rallied $68 and the total Gold Cartel net short position grew by 59,000 contracts. It looks like someone would very much prefer that gold not rise much further.

Though the Cartel selling in silver is just as prevalent, it is of a different stripe. For the reporting week, to supply the paper necessary to keep price in check, instead of adding shorts The Silver Cartel dumped longs. Of course the question is: Why? Are they selling into strength and booking profits? I suppose. But are they also remiss to add new shorts? Of course, it's impossible to say. What is possible to say though is that the CoT situation has only "deteriorated" in the days since, particularly Friday.

Finally, it is curious to see so much of the fresh shorting and selling that is coming from the smaller banks. Uncle Ted calls these banks the "raptors". The raptors treat the paper markets as their virtual jungle where they prey upon the specs by collusively following the moves of the bigger banks. In gold, the selling last week was almost evenly split between the big banks and the smaller banks. In silver, though, 90% of the selling came from the smaller banks, not JPM. Again, why? Is this just a one-week trend?

So next week is set up for some significant volatility.

  • All market participants are back from holiday.
  • The charts are undeniably bullish, meaning spec money should continue to roll in.
  • Prices are reaching into areas where I would expect some major Cartel short selling/resistance, i.e. $1725 and $33
  • After a week of rising prices, we get the August BLSBS on Friday. It's hard to imagine anything but a negative print being met with a major attempt to rig prices lower.

For now, here's where we sit.

And do you recall this chart from last week? Notice that gold spent 17 weeks above the range in 2011 and now it has completed 17 weeks below the range in 2012. Next week, does gold finally move back within the range?

Silver is at a similar crossroads.

So, get ready for a crazy and wild week. Though I certainly wouldn't fault a trader for booking a few profits, everyone else just needs to prepare for some volatility. Prices are truly headed much, much higher but not without the usual shenanigans.

See you Tuesday.

Mr. Fix's picture

First Again!!!

This makes my day, in a major way!

Happy days are coming soon,

our metals are finally, finally breaking out!

Got my popcorn, here to enjoy the show.

It's going be nice to be on the right side of this trade.

Best wishes to everyone, have a nice day.

Hillsie's picture

Número deux

Sweet work.

ReachWest's picture

Tiga -  Trois - Drei - Three ---- THURD!

Ready to go come Monday (or Tuesday) - I got my hush-puppies on!

Bollocks's picture

edit: bollocks!

Dagney Taggart's picture

I think the healthiest thing right now

is for gold to retest the breakout at 1630 and hold it for a week.

Mr. Fix's picture

Yes, that would be healthy,

but I don't care about health anymore,

I just want the wildest most spectacular explosion in the price imaginable, and

in fact, an unimaginably big fat explosion in price.

It's been too long,

although, you're probably right

will just sit through another pullback.

Dagney Taggart's picture

We would get a big fat explosion followed by a bigger implosion. We need to give an entry point to the idiot widow and trust fund baby crowd in the Hamptons returning from summer.

Mr. Fix's picture

@ Dag,

Just dreaming...............

Eric Original's picture

Doomsday Preppers marathon on

Doomsday Preppers marathon on NatGeo today.

top ten!

Paladex's picture

Federal Debt priced in gold

Trading in the metals markets is like playing  chess against a grand master ... Any move you make winds up being the wrong one. You might think that higher prices are a blow against TPTB, but look at it another way: over the last decade, the dollar has lost so much value vs. gold that the U.S. debt - measured in gold - is actually back to 1960s levels. Sir Charles at created a great chart that illustrates this.

Impressive, no?

145Bluesman's picture

To the guy's that like to be first.

I don't understand why that is such an accomplishment.

Do you guy's sit at your computer and constantly refresh the page in the hopes you will catch the new recent blog entry?

And without even reading the presentation you rush to submit the initial post And exclaim "first"?

To me there is something wrong with that picture.

No offense to you if you have some emotional or mental difficulties in life, as mental illness is not a joke. Again no offense to you's.

Mr. Fix's picture

@ 145Bluesman

None taken.

Stick around,

You'll get used to it.

¤'s picture

That was kind of toolish, lighten up maybe. Geez.

Roark's picture

Ritualized conduct that is simply odd, without being offensive, isnt a mental illness. Pointing fingers at mild non-conformists however, might be. :)

BTW: 14th!!!!

Short Stack's picture

It's just an ego thing.  No worries.

Short Stack's picture

Hey Dag,

I'd appreciate a little back-tracking on the prices so I can afford to buy even more too.

But hey, if it's to be, it's to be.   If it's not to be, smiley and just go with it.  And maybe tell the boss you want to be paid in metals from now on.

foxenburg's picture

Why does anyone want to be first? At anything. It's just a small personal challenge that some of us get amusement from. Why run a road race just to be first? What's the point? It seems, friend Bluesman, that you are the one with the problem as you let in annoy you. Which is even sillier than wanting to be first. Lighten up, and chuckle at out childishness. No offence, etc.

Mr. Fix's picture

@ DrkPurpleHaze

Dear Dark Purple Haze,

over the course of the past few weeks,

I have clicked on many of the links that you have posted here,

and have spent many joyful hours both reading useful and educational material,

and spending hours being educated and entertained on YouTube,

you seem to have a knack of knowing the answers to my questions before I ask them.

I just thought I would take a chance to thank you for your contributions to this site,

you have been become a very valuable resource for me.

foggyroad's picture

Gallup reported last month,(edit (April 2012)..) that – for the second year in a row – Americans said that gold is the safest long-term investment.   This  shows that Americans don’t trust the government.  Specifically, as Time Magazine points out:

Traditionally, gold has been a store of value when citizens do not trust their government politically or economically.

read more..
Bollocks's picture

I am pleased to announce that I'm mentally ill.

Thank god for that. I wouldn't want to be like "normal" people surprise.

145Bluesman's picture

thanks for the clarrity

Hey no reason for the personal attacks. Just asking the question. Didn't intent to damage pride or invoke hurt feelings. Like I said mental illness is a serious issue. sheesh.

So I get 1) It's a site ritual

And 2 Its about ego.

And DPH say's my question is "toolish"

Apparently refreshing the page constantly in the hopes of securing the coveted First is acceptable.

I am not annoyed by the described activity, just wondering about the mindset of the demographic.

It's all good.

Well thanks for clearing up the question.

ReachWest's picture

@ 145Bluesman

Proclaiming 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc is like a long honored (albeit silly and meaningless) tradition in Turdville. [Think of it like a secret handshake amongst Turdites.]

Gotta smile, at something - there sure ain't much in the ponzi economy or markets to grin at.

Edit to Add: And no - I don't sit around refreshing any pages in hopes of getting one of the top positions - just lucky enough to happen upon an open spot every once in a while.

¤'s picture

Fix / Blue

@ Fix...thanx, humbling stuff.

@Blue..disingenuous stuff. Have a nice day.

RaRaRasputin's picture

What inflation?

sarc on < Seems that the G20 can't ignore the deflation that abounds?! > sarc off

Price of essentials rises by 10 per cent

The G20 is under growing pressure to call an emergency food summit after the price of essentials jumped by ten per cent on average in July.

The World Bank report also warned that prices could continue to rise this year. "Negative factors – such as exporters pursuing panic policies, a severe El Nino, disappointing Southern hemisphere crops or strong rises in energy prices – could cause significant further grain price hikes," the report said.

The G20 said this week that it would check the US Department of Agriculture's updated crop forecast – due on 12 September – before deciding whether to call an emergency meeting.

145Bluesman's picture

I vow to now constantly

I vow to now constantly refresh the page so as to be one of the elete turdistans who proclaim to hold the coveted FIRST.

It's like a bar i once visited in Mexico. I asked the question "why do the guy's, one at a time, take turns going into the back room with the fat ugly lady with a big cold sore on her lip".

The little Mexican dude grinned and through his three rotten teeth and proclaimed. "Its tradition gringo"

RaRaRasputin's picture

Hmm - rising food inflation article today and then this article from yesterday  .......

Barclays makes £500m betting on food crisis

Barclays has made as much as half a billion pounds in two years from speculating on food staples such as wheat and soya, prompting allegations that banks are profiting handsomely from the global food crisis.

Barclays is the UK bank with the greatest involvement in food commodity trading and is one of the three biggest global players, along with the US banking giants Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, research from the World Development Movement points out.

Urban Roman's picture

So, I'm thinking of burning the dry powder in my checking account on Tuesday, since I have obviously missed the bottom a while back there...

Will there be a little dip some time this week?

Or is this the long-anticipated rocket ride to the moon?

And, what to get? ASEs, generic rounds (I like the ones with the Liberty bell), Libtards, Philharmonics? Browse the ebay lists? Or maybe a 100-Oz doorstop?

145Bluesman's picture

@Blue..disingenuous stuff. Have a nice day."

Dude I just asked a question, and you attack me twice. I have heard the same question posed here many times since day one.

Put me on ignore if you can't handle it. But I will continue to read your stuff with interest.

Short Stack's picture

Someone post earlier about Doomsday Preppers/Nat Geo ch.

Some duffus on the Preppers said he wouldn't give you a can of beans for an ounce of gold.

That he wouldn't know the difference between 24k. and 14k.  Whether it was solid gold or gold plated.

Amazing to me that some people are interested in learning how to farm, raise animals, etc.  Yet only show interest in how to economically barter a chicken for a bag of spuds.

In the prepper  game, it's not what you know, but what you should know but don't bother to learn that's going to be your undoing.

Dagney Taggart's picture

Bluesman has been told the same thing by 5 (oops 4) different people. It's time to move on.

Edit: Why does this pack phenomena happen? What's the saying? Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. It you aren't saying something new, please don't say it.

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Follow us on

Phantom Halo (2015)

Phantom Halo poster
Theatrical Performance
Domestic Box Office $0Details
Further financial details...

  1. Summary
  2. News
  3. Box Office
  4. Video Sales
  5. Full Financials
  6. Cast & Crew
  7. Trailer

Brothers Samuel and Beckett Emerson are barely scraping by. Their father, Warren, continues to gamble and drink away any money they bring home. With all the havoc that is constantly going on in their lives, the family members each find solace in his own way, through Shakespeare, comic books and impossible love affairs. Beckett seizes the opportunity to make some easy money by counterfeiting in hopes of repaying his father's debts. When Beckett's plan goes awry, the family must decide what's most important or pay the ultimate price.

Movie Details

Domestic Releases: June 19th, 2015 (Limited) by ARC Entertainment
Video Release: June 16th, 2015 by ARC Entertainment Video
MPAA Rating: R for violence, language and brief sexuality.
(Rating bulletin 2374, 5/20/2015)
Running Time: 87 minutes
Comparisons: Create your own comparison chart…
Keywords: Heist, Gambling, Addiction, Dysfunctional Family, Actors Making Their Directorial Debut, Early / Simultaneous Video on Demand release
Source:Original Screenplay
Production Method:Live Action
Creative Type:Contemporary Fiction
Production Companies: Station 8 Films, Optimism Entertainment
Production Countries: United States

   Beckett Emerson
   Samuel Emerson
Sebastian Roche    Warren Emerson
Jordan Dunn    Little Larry
Tobin Bell    Smashmouth
   Ms. Rose
Clare Grant    Carlene
Malieek W. Straughter    Rizo
Jeff Seymour    Adam
Shawn Woods    Mr. Shee

Production and Technical Credits

Screenwriter    Antonia Bogdanovich
Screenwriter    Anne Feffron
Producer    William Blaylock
Producer    Brian Espinosa
Producer    Gabriella Revilla Lugo*
Executive Producer    Peter Bogdanovich
Director of Photography    Gavin Kelly
Editor    David Moritz
Editor    Javier Alvarez
Composer    Jason Lazarus

Limited and VOD Releases: To Infinity and Polar Bears!

June 19th, 2015

Infinitely Polar Bear

While there are a huge number of limited releases on this week's chart, almost none of them have a real shot at mainstream success. There are two films that at least have a legitimate chance at expanding significantly: Infinitely Polar Bear and The Overnight. There are also a number of documentaries and foreign-language films that could do well in limited release, but they won't expand enough to earn significant amounts. More...

Weekend Box Office Performance

Daily Box Office Performance

Weekly Box Office Performance

Full financial estimates for this film, including domestic and international box office, video sales, video rentals, TV and ancillary revenue are available through our research services. For more information, please contact us at

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Just off the M56 and not far from the West Coast mainline, Premier Inn Runcorn is a handy base whether you're travelling for business or enjoying a holiday. For dance music fans it's just up the road from the Creamfields festival held over the Summer Bank Holiday in August. If you're into the races, Aintree, Haydock and Chester are all close by; Chester Zoo is only a short drive away. After a busy day return to the hotel's restaurant and comfy beds.

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In a chilling demonstration of people-power, anti-Japanese riots exposed Beijing's vulnerability in a crisis.

Although the worst of tensions between China and Japan seem to be behind us for now, the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands fracas continues to rock the two countries' relations with no easy solution in sight. I happened to be in Beijing for a conference during that mid-September week in which protests and violence across China crescendoed (surprisingly, the Chinese hosts did not cancel the meetings), and the ugliness of Chinese nationalism was on full display. It was the week that included September 18, an infamous date seared into most Chinese memories as the day that Japan invaded Manchuria 81 years ago. To be frank, as the date approached, I had some personal trepidations because I am often mistaken for Japanese in China.

But the dramatic few days of nationalistic outbursts gave way to calmer temperaments with a sort of efficiency that led many to believe the government orchestrated the protests. I'd quibble with that characterization because much of the nationalism, even if it wasn't manifested violently, was genuine and potentially dangerous. In retrospect, I thought sharing several pictures and stories, including a bizarre incident that involved me personally, can provide a fuller range of Chinese nationalism.

Courtesy of the Ministry of Tofu, a desperate and terrified woman is caught in a mob of anti-Japan protesters because she was driving a Japanese branded vehicle. Needless to say, the image quickly went viral on Weibo and immediately galvanized condemnation of the protesters' mob mentality. One commenter angrily wrote:

They are so damn worse than beasts. The car was smashed anyway, despite the female car owner's repeated pleading. In the chaos, her child was also this the so-called anti-Japanese nationalism? Cry, cry.

The usually acerbic-tongued Han Han, Chinese blogger extraordinaire, also inveighed against the outright violence and destruction of property:

No one who has bought a Japanese car thought they were supporting Japan's violation of China's territory; they just wanted an economical, fuel efficient car with easy upkeep...I suggest that when media organizations cover news about Chinese people seriously violating one another's rights, that they keep the word 'patriotism' out of it. How is this loving your country?

Han Han's sentiments were shared by other Chinese, particularly among a middle class that is more conscious of property rights and would prefer to protect their Toyotas and Hondas. Such was the case for one clever Beijinger, shown in the photo below (courtesy of Chris Janiec, an American who teaches at China Foreign Affairs University and part of my delegation):

An ostensible Chinese flag decal is slapped over the Toyota logo, even though the car was manufactured in southern China. But what struck me was the large bumper sticker with white characters stretched across the bumper. It says: "The owner of this vehicle bought it before Japan's base crimes. But from now on, will boycott Japanese products!" In other words, this was a plea to not smash his car by appealing to righteous patriotism -- we can protest the Japanese but still protect our property! Such pragmatic patriotism was common among the Chinese middle class, many of whom were unnerved by scenes of store burnings and topsy turvy Japanese cars in the street. By then, even the official CCTV has changed its tune. In virtually every newscast I saw, the message was uniformly "rational patriotism" (理性的爱国), a clear reflection of the fear at the top that these demonstrations may spin out of control.

In one instance, it did almost spiral out of control, when anti-Japanese sentiment was momentarily redirected to the United States. The now well-known incident of a protest mob attacking Ambassador Gary Locke's car as it was pulling out of the embassy (see video below):

What took place was that a rowdy group of protestors were walking from the Japanese embassy, a short distance from the US embassy, only to encounter Gary Locke's vehicle and surrounded it. Although this clip doesn't seem to be the extended version, a longer clip shows a contingent of security forces that materializes in about 1:30 minutes to disperse the crowd and keep the peace. As we all know now, the car escaped unscathed, though it could have been worse.

Throughout that day, I had heard various bits about this attack, but had little time to read the detailed reporting. And little did I know that I was about to enter into a bizarre situation the next night that brought me close to the attack incident.

I was heading to a function that evening, along with a few young westerners who were studying and working in Beijing. As many people have noted, flagging down a Beijing cab is now next to impossible. That night was no different, as we had no luck for 30 minutes and was already late. Then a small, black hatchback pulled up to the curb, the driver asking us if we needed a ride. I negotiated a 20 yuan fare and all decided that it was worth it since no cab was in sight. These private "cab" rides were relatively common in China, and neither of us thought twice about it.

Yet as soon as the car pulled away, I noticed there was something odd about the driver. Not only did his eyes seem to be glazed over, he was flooring the hatchback that felt like it would disintegrate if I kicked it. He then turns to us.

Driver: Are you guys Americans?

Us: Yeah.

Driver: So did you hear about the attack on your ambassador 骆家辉 (Luo Jiahui, Locke's Chinese name) earlier today?

Me: Yeah.

Driver: I was the attacker. But the car was very well made, I couldn't do much damage to it. (pause) You can check it out, they said they have my picture on the Internet now. Do you think I'll have trouble getting a visa to the US in the future?

Something seemed terribly wrong here, and I was rendered speechless. Was he mentally unstable or telling the truth? But that was irrelevant, we seemed to have been picked up by a criminal who tried to damage our ambassador's car. My mind raced, we needed to get out of the car. But the tiny jalopy continued to barrel down the wide Beijing boulevard, and I soon noticed that he was not taking us to our destination. There was little I could do but to repeatedly insist that he pull over. To my surprise, after no apparent response after several prods to stop, he eventually did. I threw some RMBs at him and we scurried out.

Relief. But in my haste, I neglected to take a photo of the vehicle to send to authorities.

Needless to say, I do not wish to ever be caught amid Chinese nationalism. The Chinese government itself understands that all too well, and has so far succeeded in taming the brush fires before they become a sweeping conflagration. No one wants to imagine what may happen if they are no longer able to.


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The Minimum Legal Working Age in New York

What to Know Before Starting a Job Search

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If you live in New York and are considering getting your first job, you need to find out what the minimum legal working age in your state is. Are you eligible to work there? If so, you can start saving for school or college expenses, a vehicle, clothing or other items young people generally need. And don't forget to set aside some money to have fun, if possible.

How Old You Must Be to Work in New York

Both federal child labor laws and New York state law agree that the minimum age to work is 14 (with some exceptions).

 However, child labor laws in each state may also indicate the minimum age to work and which permits are needed. When there is a conflict between federal and state laws, the more stringent law will apply.

Children younger than 14 may work in some capacities, however. Child labor laws do not restrict them from working on a family farm or in a family business. Young juveniles may also complete household chores or yard work (without power-driven tools) for pay or work in the entertainment industry, as babysitters or on paper routes. That should be good news for tweens and children hoping to earn some extra cash.

Before youth begin their jobs, it is important to review the rules and restrictions surrounding child labor laws, especially if they want to work in more official capacities as they age.

Certificates for Work

New York state law requires child employment certificates for youth under age 18.

 Employment certificates are provided by the school for most juveniles, but child performers must go to the Labor Department for their certificates. In the Empire State, working papers are different colors based on age group. Also, youth younger than 18 will be provided with an age certificate by request, however, it is not required under New York state law.

What Hours Teens Can Work

Although teens ages 14-15 can work in a variety of jobs, including in offices, restaurants, grocery stores and hospitals, the hours they work are limited. Youth this age can't work more than three hours in a school day, 18 hours in a school week, eight hours on a non-school day or 40 hours during a non-school week.

Additionally, these teens must work hours that fall between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. (except from June 1 through Labor Day, when working hours extend to 9 p.m.) Teens ages 16-17 may work up to four hours on school days, eight hours on non-school days and 28 hours during school weeks. Neither group may work more than six days in a row. When school is out, older teens may work up to 48 hours between the hours of 6 a.m. to midnight (during the school year they work until 10 p.m.).

Teens of all ages may not work in hazardous occupations that might cause serious bodily harm, death or adverse health effects.

For more information on the minimum age to work in New York and how to obtain employment certificates, visit the New York State Labor Website.


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Restaurants and cuisines

If you want to eat good food, you will need to know which food is good. We don’t mean if you are eating organic or not. The thing is you need to have a good meal with all those nutrients that are necessary for your body. If you haven’t eaten an exotic meal or cuisine, […]

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Comedies and everything about them

Comedies are probably the only genre where nothing has changed. The comedy and the types of comedy have changed, but the reason for making a comedy remains the same. It doesn’t matter if you have a good scene like beautiful landscapes or you need some good computer visual effects. All that matters is you need […]

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Action movies today

We all remember the good old times when movies were made with quality. We all remember a bunch of action movies that were filmed in the best locations in the world and even those exotic places that take your breath away. Unfortunately, movies that are mad nowadays are usually not that great. Let’s face it; […]

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The most interesting things about movies

We all know that movies had become a very delicate art. We remember the good old days when movies had different scenes and a lot of budgets was given to create a great name. Today, it seems like the directors or even writers of scripts are out of ideas. The thing is, when you watch […]

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Guyutes OKC – Restaurant with Elevated Street Food Menus, Rooftop Patio, Great Music

Guyutes OKC

Guyutes OKC – Brief Overview of the Restaurant: This is a relatively new restaurant that’s situated in the Uptown 23rd District of Oklahoma City. This popular eatery serves a bunch of classic American detectable delights. This food outlet features a unique roof-top patio arrangement along with a laid back atmosphere. If you are someone who […]

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Shop Ruche Giveaway!

I hope you guys made it through the beginning of the week! It's Wednesday! We're halfway to the weekend! To help you guys make it to the weekend (and a holiday weekend for those of you in the U.S. of A!), I have a giveaway for y'all!
One of my lovely and long time sponsors, Ruche, is offering this gorgeous nautical woven bag to one lucky reader. I imagine this bag would be absolutely perfect for a weekend at the beach, filled with a beach towel, sunglasses, snacks, and some summer reading material.

To enter to win this bag, leave a comment on this post with the following:

- Tell me what you'd wear with this bag on your trip to the beach or summer weekend party!

- A way to get in contact with you.

The giveaway will be open from now until Monday, July 5 at 9 pm akst (10 pm pst). One entry per person. Open to international entries.


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The Globe and Mail

Exchange-traded funds open up new possibilities

The arrival of exchange-traded funds has opened up new possibilities in this asset class.

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There was a time when bond investing was simple, low risk and predictable. An investor would buy some Canadian federal and provincial government bonds – maybe a quality corporate bond or two – sock them away, collect the interest payments until maturity, and then repeat. In today's world of financially engineered products, bonds are charting new territory in terms of complexity, safety, return rate and special features.

The arrival of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), in particular, has opened up new possibilities in this asset class. There are several innovative categories of bond-based ETFs now trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

1.Canadian Corporate Bond Ladders

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In the current low interest rate world, investors are reaching for yield by climbing the risk ladder and buying corporate bonds. In anticipation of rising interest rates, they also want bonds with short maturities. Several ETFs, which are based on a one- to five-year ladder of investment grade Canadian corporate bonds, fit this bill:

-BMO Short Corporate Bond Index ETF

-Claymore 1-5 Yr Laddered Corporate Bond ETF

-iShares DEX Short Term Corporate Universe + Maple Bond Index Fund

-PowerShares 1-5 Year Laddered Investment Grade Corporate Bond Index ETF .

The relatively new iShares fund (launched in September) has added a foreign twist and additional diversification by also investing in maple bonds. The latter are Canadian dollar denominated bonds issued in Canada by foreign companies.

2.U.S. Corporate Bonds

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The United States is home to many successful companies, including those owning such iconic global brands as Apple, Coca-Cola, GE and Procter & Gamble. Its huge U.S. corporate bond market is fertile ground for Canadians seeking quality corporate bonds to add diversification to their bond portfolios. The iShares U.S. IG Corporate Bond CAD-Hedged Index Fund makes it simple to access these bonds without the currency exchange risk.

3.Bonds from emerging Market Countries

Emerging market countries issue bonds to fund the infrastructure and services their expanding economies demand. Canadians who want to own these bonds to diversify their portfolios can choose from two funds, both hedged to the Canadian dollar.

-BMO Emerging Markets Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF

-iShares J.P. Morgan USD Emerging Markets Bond Index Fund (CAD-Hedged) .

4.High Yield Bonds

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High yield bonds. What an enticing name! Who wouldn't want to own some? Scratch below the surface, however, and you discover high-risk, non-investment grade bonds issued by companies that might well default on their debt. The investing premise is that some bonds will fail, but the high interest paid by the remaining bonds will provide a decent return.

The competition in this category among Canadian ETF issuers is robust; something to do with the name, probably. While only one ETF targets the Canadian high-yield corporate bond market, the iShares DEX HYBrid Bond Index Fund , several more focus on the huge American market:

•BMO High Yield US Corporate Bond Hedged to CAD Index ETF

•Claymore Advantaged High Yield Bond ETF , CAD-hedged

•Claymore Advantaged Short Duration High Income ETF, CAD-hedged and unhedged versions are available

•iShares U.S. High Yield Bond CAD-Hedged Index Fund

•PowerShares Fundamental High Yield Corporate Bond (CAD-Hedged) ETF .

5.Convertible Bonds

The Claymore Advantaged Convertible Bond ETF , which was just launched in June, invests in an index of convertible bonds from Canadian issuers. These bonds pay bond-like interest and offer the chance for additional profit if the issuer's stock price rises.

6.Tax-efficient Bond ETFs

Claymore Advantaged Canadian Bond ETF invests in Canadian government and corporate investment grade bonds with a tax-efficient difference. It uses a Forward Agreement with a Canadian bank to re-characterize highly-taxed interest income as lower-taxed return of capital and capital gains. The other Claymore Advantaged ETFs mentioned above use similar strategies.

These ETFs are suited to non-registered accounts where the tax benefits can be realized.

7.Target date maturity bonds

The two Canadian banks in the ETF business, Royal Bank of Canada and Bank of Montreal, each offer a series of Target Date Maturity Bond ETFs. These ETFs seek to track the performance of a portfolio of Canadian corporate bonds with an average term to maturity equal to a specified date. These ETFs are designed for investors, such as retirees, who want their capital returned on the specified date.

8.ETFs that bet on bond price changes

ETFs that speculate on the daily ebb and flow of bond prices are tailor-made for day traders. The objective of the Claymore Inverse 10-Year Government Bond ETF is to deliver the inverse of the daily return of its namesake bond on a non-leveraged basis. The Horizons BetaPro U.S. 30-Year Bond Bull Plus ETF , and Bond Bear Plus ETF seek to return 200 per cent of the daily (Bull Plus) or the inverse daily (Bear Plus) performance of the U.S. 30-Year Bond futures contract for the next delivery month. Both are Canadian dollar hedged and employ leverage.

These three ETFs are highly speculative funds based on the daily performance of the underlying bonds and are not buy-and-hold investments.

Several of the bond-based ETFs discussed in this article are relatively recent additions to the Canadian ETF universe, and have no track record. Only time will tell if they can deliver on their advertised mandates.

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Food regulations put small vendors in a pickle Add to ...

Before Bowen Island beekeeper Stuart Cole could sell 25 bars of honey-infused hazelnut nougat at a local festival, he had to tell the health authority exactly how and where it was made and list the ingredients down to the nut.

Then he had to cart his baking supplies to the local school's FoodSafe-certified kitchen to make his supply for the festival.

All that just to sell enough nougat to break even at BowFeast, an annual three-hour community festival celebrating food produced on Bowen Island.

But at least he wasn't selling jam. That would require a lab test to make sure bacteria wasn't festering in it.

"I have respect for what the health inspectors do. To me it's a question of the scale and application of regulations," Mr. Cole said. Other vendors were not so understanding.

Five farmers pulled out of the Aug. 14 event after a health inspector wanted to test jams. All other vendors had to fill out a detailed form on their products.

"Why do we have to fill out a form to sell what we pull out of the ground?" said Suzan Philippe, who had to wrap her lettuce in plastic bags. "I think it was a deterrent for a lot of people. I don't think I'll do it again next year."

The rules have festival organizer Michelle Pentz Glave fearing it may become impossible to separate the state from church bake sales and community festivals.

"It's getting into the realm of the absurd," she said. "This is kids selling chocolate cookies and a few grandmas selling their jam."

The law sees it differently, however. Temporary food markets, from farmers' markets to bake sales, are governed by provincial food safety regulations enforced by local health authorities.

"You are selling [food]in a public place and you have a responsibility of minimum due diligence," said Sion Shyng, a food safety specialist with the BC Centre for Disease Control. "The guidelines are there to add that consistency while a minimum level of protection is offered for public health."

Anyone selling low-risk, home-prepared items, including baked goods, dried fruit, fresh produce, fudge or honey in a public place has to fill out a form listing the ingredients, the preparation process, how and where it was packaged, and a sample of the product label.

Health inspectors can then test the recipes to ensure the pH levels and water content are low enough to prevent food-borne diseases such as salmonella and E. coli. After the recipe is tested once, it can be used in perpetuity as long as it isn't changed.

Some high-risk home-prepared items are banned from markets, including baked beans, cabbage rolls, guacamole, garlic spread, fish, juice and humus.

Mr. Shyng and Vancouver Coastal Health said very few samples fail the lab test, but they could not produce numbers.

For Ms. Pentz Glave, the stringency of the regulations stands in ironic contrast with one of the eat-local movement's goals: establishing non-commercial food sources.

"We are starting to see the first friction between these two systems - the need for keeping us safe and the need for neighbour-to-neighbour, small-scale, kind of nimble approaches that are going to allow this local-eating revolution to happen."

The conflict could be solved with more scale-appropriate safety measures, she said.

"They have a one-size-fits-all regulation and it just doesn't work for us," Ms. Pentz Glave said, adding that it would be more appropriate to invest in education for small-time vendors. After that, it should be up to buyers to decide.

"Let's make the people make their own choice," she said. "Let's just make sure that we have good public education so the knowledge is there to have food-safe practices."

The provincial disease control authority disputes that logic.

"Why would one accept a higher or lower risk just because it's a different location?" Mr. Shyng said.

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Mike Del Grande says a motion that took aim at the budget process was a vote of no confidence against him. Del Grande would soon after resign his post as Toronto’s budget chief. (J.P. Moczulski For The Globe and Mail)
Mike Del Grande says a motion that took aim at the budget process was a vote of no confidence against him. Del Grande would soon after resign his post as Toronto’s budget chief. (J.P. Moczulski For The Globe and Mail)

Del Grande resignation mars Ford’s budget celebration Add to ...

Mayor Rob Ford marked the passing of his budget flanked by supporters, but noticeably absent was Mike Del Grande, a loyal lieutenant in the mayor’s cost-cutting battle. Just moments earlier as Mr. Ford left the council chamber, Mr. Del Grande handed him his resignation letter, stepping down as budget chair.

“I just thought that it was time,” explained the Scarborough councillor, who said he had his letter with him in the council chamber. “Just in case.”

The final straw, he said, was not the new spending approved by council but another motion that took aim at the way the budget was prepared. Mr. Del Grande said the motion that passed 25-20 was a vote of no confidence against him.

In a process he had worked long hours to shepherd, “I thought, you know what, that’s that. I saw it as a definite message. I don’t think it’s fair to be vilified.” Mr. Del Grande said he stands by his accomplishments as the head of the budget committee for the past two years. “I don’t think we would have got here if I had not done the things I did.”

Last month, Mr. Del Grande threatened to resign if councillors tried to add millions in additional spending to the budget. "If at the end of the day council wants to blow 5, 10, 20, 50-million dollars that’s them,” he told reporters at the time. “I tell you guaranteed – guaranteed – they won’t have me as budget chair. I have no interest under that scenario."

In a statement late Wednesday night Mr. Ford said: "On behalf of every Toronto taxpayer, I'd like to thank Councillor Mike Del Grande for two years' service, and three city budgets, as budget chief. He has been a key leader on my team, helping Toronto turn the corner and achieve the sustainable budget we passed Wednesday. I look forward to the contribution he will make as a member of the Toronto Police Services Board." Mr. Del Grande was appointed by council to the board late last year.

Earlier Wednesday, Councillor Doug Ford boasted that a Little Italy lunch event after the budget passed, which included councillors of all stripes, was proof of his brother’s ability to get along with everyone.

The city’s $9.4-billion fiscal plan received council approval Wednesday after $12-million in new spending was added, including an extra $3.1-million for the city’s fire service – a compromise that received the mayor’s endorsement after some heated discussions.

The mayor’s summation of the final budget: “It could have been a lot worse,” he told reporters.

Also missing from the lunch, along with Mr. Del Grande, was Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong, who criticized the mayor for breaking ranks Tuesday to support a faint-hope effort to freeze property taxes. Some of the mayor’s usual supporters also voted against the compromise on fire services, including deputy mayor Doug Holyday and Mr. Del Grande.

As Mr. Ford waits for the verdict in his appeal hearing that will determine whether he remains in office, the 2013 budget debate has shown divisions within his own team, even as his supporters use it as an example of how the mayor has learned to compromise.

“We fended them off. They are like piranha,” said Mr. Ford, recounting councillors’ efforts to push through about $50-million in new funding during the two days of debate. “You know what, we got away unscathed.”

Not quite. Mr. Del Grande ended up being a casualty.

Mr. Del Grande, still smarting from the mayor’s decision to back a tax-freeze motion in contradiction of his own budget, said, “I just didn’t have my heart in it,” when asked why he skipped the mayor’s media event.

“It’s kind of hard and I don’t think the mayor gets it when he votes for zero per cent,” he said. “I thought it was a mistake. I don’t think he understands that. I don’t think he has the capacity to understand that. I don’t think he understands when you say you support the budget and tell everybody to support the budget, you don’t do something like that.”

Far from a show of unity, Councillor Joe Mihevc – who was also at the lunch – said the budget has revealed the divisions in the mayor’s camp. “They’ve shown themselves to lack solidarity, lack vision, lack leadership,” said Mr. Mihevc, who spearheaded the addition of $1.16-million in new funding for student nutrition programs. “I think they are ready to throw him under the bus.”

The mayor said this year’s budget is a document on which he would “most definitely” campaign if he is kicked out of office and council opts to call a by-election. “I am going to put my name forward regardless of what happens and I welcome all oncomers,” he said. “I will look forward to the debates and I will look forward to going to the voters and asking them for their vote in the next election and I feel very, very confident that I will be successful.”

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Cinnamon Buttermilk Pie

  • Cinnamon Buttermilk Pie

    Pumpkin pie. Pecan pie.  Sweet potato pie.  I’m sure those would be included in the top answers for Thanksgiving pies on an episode of Family Feud.  However, in my personal ranking system, custard pie would be number one.

    Custard pie was something we always had during the holidays.  If you search for “Filipino egg pie,” you’ll get an idea of the kind of custard pies I loved as a kid.  I grew up eating many, many (probably way too many) slices of egg custard pie.  It’s traditionally made with evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, and sometimes a little calamansi juice/zest to brighten it up.  To make this pie more suited for traditional Thanksgiving flavors, I swapped in cinnamon for calamansi and buttermilk for evaporated milk.  The resulting cinnamon buttermilk pie is magical.

    Cinnamon Buttermilk Pie

    I love the sugary crust that forms at the surface of the pie.  It protects and encases the silky, creamy pie filling.  The tangy buttermilk ensures that this pie isn’t too sweet.  The burst of cinnamon with each bite screams autumn and sweaters and warm mugs of tea.  I like to serve this pie with a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a sprinkling of nutmeg-cinnamon sugar.   It may not be exactly like the egg custard pies I ate as a kid, but it’s just as delicious and comforting.

    Easy Pie Crust

    Desserts don’t need to be complicated to be delicious or unforgettable.  This cinnamon buttermilk pie proves that.  The filling can’t be any easier to make.  You simply whisk all the ingredients together and pour it into the pie shell.  Yes, it’s THAT easy.

    Cinnamon Buttermilk Pie

    The hardest part about pie making isn’t making the dough from scratch, it’s waiting for the darn pie to cool.  Practice patience and allow the pie to cool to room temperature to ensure nice clean slices.  Once the pie has cooled, go ahead and eat as many slices as you want!

    Cinnamon Buttermilk Pie

    Yield: one 9-inch pie

    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 large yolk
    • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
    • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tsp ground cinnamon

    Pie Dough:

    • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
    • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
    • 8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, chilled
    • 2-3 Tbsp water, ice cold
    • 1 large yolk

    1. Prepare pie dough.
    2. Roll dough on a lightly floured work surface.  Roll to about 10-inches in diameter and about 1/4-inch in thickness.  Place pie plate upside down over the rolled dough to make sure it is the correct size.
    3. Transfer dough to pie plate and firmly press into the bottom and sides of plate.  Trim excess dough leaving about 1/2-inch overhang all around.  Fold overhang into the pie and flute the edges with a fork, or crimp with your fingers.  Cover pie dough with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator while you prepare filling.
    4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, yolk and brown sugar until smooth.  Add buttermilk, melted butter, flour, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Whisk until combined.  Pour mixture into prepared pie shell.
    5. Bake for 40-50 minutes until center of pie is set and no longer jiggly.  Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature on wire rack.  Alternatively, store pie in fridge to cool faster.  Serve with whipped cream.

    Pie Dough:

    1. Pulse together flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor.  Add cold butter a couple cubes at a time with the food processor running.  Stop the machine once mixture is crumbly and like coarse sand in texture.
    2. Add 2 tablespoons of water and yolk.  Pulse for a couple seconds until dough begins to come together.  If dough is too dry, add another tablespoon of water.  Remove dough from machine and finish kneading on a lightly floured surface.
    3. Flatten dough into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes.

    The Little Epicurean

    Cinnamon Buttermilk Pie

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    That is one beautiful pie girl!

    Lindsey | Cafe Johnsonia

    Yes, yes, YES! A thousand times yes to this pie!

      Maryanne Cabrera

      Yay!!! I was afraid people would be afraid of the buttermilk! :)

    Sarah @ SnixyKitchen

    Your pie dough looks PERFECT. I literally scrolled down to see if you used a store-bought crust because it looked THAT perfect. I’ve never had a pie like this, but I’d like a slice, please:)

      Maryanne Cabrera

      Thanks for reminding me about the pie shell! I totally forgot to upload that photo. One slice?! I’m giving you two ;)

    Sarah | Broma Bakery

    Oh yes, oh yes. Teach me your pie crust skills, yours looks like perfection!

    Andrea @ Cooking with Mamma C

    I know I would love this pie! I like the sound of your pie crust recipe too so am pinning for later. It looks like perfection.

    Carla (@charliesue)

    What a neat idea! I <3 cinnamon and simple pies- I'd love to try this one!

    Hello. I know this post is a bit old, but I found it looking for
    cinnamon pie. I made it tonight, and after the agonizing cooling period, just inhaled a slice. It tasted great- but I’m not sure if it came out correctly. Two quite distinct layers formed during baking- an eggy bottom one, and cinnamonny on top. It’s hard to tell if yours are like that from the photos. Thanks!

      Maryanne Cabrera

      Hi Meghan! Thanks for trying out the recipe. yes, the layers do separate a little during baking.


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High Tech, Media & Telecom- Knowledge Specialist, Software

  • Bachelor's degree; Advanced degree preferred
  • 5-7 years of experience with a Software Company in a business function or leading market/industry research firm
  • Demonstrated experience in the Software industry (for instance, strategy, business development, marketing and sales), with a deep understanding of industry drivers, economics, trends and key players. In addition, knowledge of industry specific knowledge sources and databases is an asset
  • Evidence of strong drive and project leadership including, but not limited to, development of tools, capabilities, publications or people leadership
  • Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word
  • Strategic mindset with a focus on problem solving
  • Strong multitasking and project management abilities, service-oriented personality, stress resistant and intellectual curiosity with an investigative mind
  • Teamwork and collaborative nature
  • Ability to manage multiple relationships (often with senior leadership), projects, expectations and time
  • Superior numerical, analytical and financial skills
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and oral, in English; other languages will be highly appreciated
  • Self-starter with the ability to deal with ambiguity

Who You'll Work With

You will be located in McKinsey's North American Knowledge Network in Waltham, MA.

You'll be part of our global knowledge network, which includes more than 1,800 knowledge professionals who work alongside our consultants and clients to generate distinctive insights and proprietary knowledge. You will work with this group to help develop, codify, sanitize, and manage our global knowledge portal, which includes more than 50,000 documents that form the backbone of our firm's knowledge management.

Software is a core knowledge area for McKinsey's Global TMT (High Tech, Media and Telecom) practice and is a priority service line for further investment. You will work closely with our global virtual TMT knowledge network team consisting of ~60 analysts from across the globe.

What You'll Do

You will work with or lead McKinsey consulting teams to deliver significant, measurable, and unique impact to clients on questions related to the Software sector through targeted information, specialized analysis and client ready documents.

You'll be a leading contributor to the practice's knowledge development efforts, including identifying knowledge gaps, designing and innovating new tools and capabilities and authoring sector specific reports. You will work with consultant and practice leaders to enhance and develop the practice's current awareness of developments in the Software domain. Acting as critical thought partner for consultants, you will be recognized as a source of authority on area(s) of expertise.

You will perform statistical analyses and financial calculations and prepare and present written and visual materials based on analysis to peers and senior leadership. You will coach and mentor junior team colleagues on your area of expertise.

You will be working in a virtual team environment, collaborating with Software analysts globally and in doing so, you will develop a deep understanding of knowledge assets and be seen as an authority on Software trends, proprietary third party research and tools.

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Danielle B.

Danielle is one of the leaders of McKinsey’s business with retail and consumer clients. She oversees client projects and helps her teams and her clients utilize McKinsey’s resources.

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Fope helps lead a small team that works for McKinsey clients, helping them address business challenges and strategic questions. Though based in the NYC office, she travels frequently so she can be in-person with her clients.

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x Abu Dhabi, UAEWednesday 17 January 2018

Lottery fever sweeps through Turkey

Frenzy for tickets after Dh113 million jackpot accumulates because no one has had the six lucky numbers for the past 12 weeks.

People play Super Lottery in front of Nimet Abla's shop in the Eminunu district of Istanbul this week.
People play Super Lottery in front of Nimet Abla's shop in the Eminunu district of Istanbul this week.

ISTANBUL // Abdullah Cavus knows exactly what to do when and if he gets the good news. "If I win, I am going to get up and leave all this straight away," Mr Cavus, a shoeshine man in Turkey's metropolis, Istanbul, said yesterday as he pointed to the portable shoeshine stand in front of him. "I will buy a house and give the rest of the money to the poor." Mr Cavus's stand in front of the historic New Mosque in Istanbul's old town is only steps away from Nimet Abla's shop, the city's most famous place to buy lottery tickets. Nimet Abla, or Sister Nimet, is where Mr Cavus bought the lottery ticket he hopes will make him rich.

With a record jackpot of an estimated 55 million lira (Dh113m), today's draw of Turkey's state lottery, "Super Loto", has attracted crowds of customers at Nimet Abla and lottery shops around the country. As the effects of the global economic crisis start to bite and unemployment shoots up, Turks from all walks of life regard a lottery coupon for six lira as their ticket to happiness. The state lottery is one of the few legal ways to gamble in Turkey, where casinos have been banned since the 1990s. According to the latest available figures, Turks spent about six billion lira on lottery tickets between 2002 and 2007. Of that sum, 2.6bn lira were returned as winnings.

While many people bet on horse races and on football matches on a regular basis, nothing compares to the craze the weekly drawing of the Super Loto has triggered. "About 6,000 people come here every day," said Hasan Egri, a clerk working at Nimet Abla since 1994. "I have never seen busier times." As he spoke, two policemen stopped their patrol car in front of Nimet Abla and got out to buy their coupons.

Customers can either fill in their ticket on their own, choosing six numbers in a field of 54, or have a computer generate a combination for them. Most prefer the latter, because they hope Sister Nimet will bring them luck. The shop, a small building with a window front that customers walk up to to buy their tickets, bears the name of Melek Nimet Ozden, who founded it with her husband in 1928 and who quickly acquired a reputation of bringing luck to people who bought their lottery there. She died in 1978, but her fame lives on. As customers lined up in front of the small shop yesterday, pictures in the shop showed Nimet Ozden surrounded by bills of cash, handing out money.

"I have been playing every now and then, whenever the jackpot was high," said Hulya Hamsioglu, 52, who bought a ticket at Nimet Abla. If she wins the big prize, she wants to buy a house, see the world and support her relatives, plans that reflected the dreams of many who were waiting in front of the shop. "I also want to build a school and give grants to students," Mr Hamsioglu said. Not everyone has decided what to do with their hoped-for millions. "I will think about it when I have the money," said Ramazan Yurtsever, 40, a crane operator. Several said they played for the first time this week.

The 55m lira in the jackpot has been piling up because no one has had the six lucky numbers for 12 weeks now. The Hurriyet daily yesterday quoted an unnamed official of the state lottery as saying that the jackpot could be even higher next week if no one succeeds in today's drawing. Some experts have warned the potential winner of dangers that come with a stash of money that is so big that "even the interest will make you rich", as one newspaper put it.

"This amount [of money] destroys a person whose moral values are not well grounded," the daily newspaper Milliyet quoted the psychologist Yalcin Kirecci as saying. Another expert, Arif Verimli of Istanbul's Yeditepe University, advised the winner should not make a decision about what to do with the money for the first 40 to 60 days after winning. While the hopeful formed queues in front of Nimet Abla, some Turks said they did not feel the temptation of becoming rich overnight. "I am not playing because the chances of winning are low. It is like throwing your money away," said a lawyer, Eyup Yasar Gumus, at a table outside a cafe near Nimet Abla's shop. He said the crowds outside places like Nimet Abla were not only gathering because of the big jackpot, but also because of the bleak economic situation and growing unemployment. "The crisis has been having an effect; unemployment is rising, so people see the lottery as a door of hope," he said.

That is certainly true for Mr Cavus, the shoeshine man who has to put three children through school with his meagre income. "Everybody is gambling; everyone wants to have the money," he said. tseibert@thenational.ae


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Author’s book gives insight into behaviour

Rita Leaman with her book.Picture Richard Ponter 134331
Rita Leaman with her book.Picture Richard Ponter 134331

A Scarborough woman has published her first book which looks at the issue of why adults sometimes behave like children.

Rita Leaman, of Scalby, has written the book, titled “Are You Chasing Rainbows?”, under the pen name of Alison R Russell.

Following more than a decade as a psychotherapist with her own practice in York, Rita became passionate about the role of emotional maturity in mental health problems.

She turned her attention to developing the subject, using her previous working experience in childcare and retailing.

Rita, 64, explained: “I had the idea for the book in 2006 and I’ve been working on it since then.

“It was this time last year that I sat down and started to write it. I didn’t want to get to 70 having not done it!”

She added that bringing together her experience as a nursery nurse and psychotherapist was invaluable in getting the book together.

Rita explained: “I was seeing people who were trying to get something they never had as a child, or thought they’d never had as a child.

“It was an illusion. People were wasting years and becoming emotionally and mentally unwell.”

She adds that the book doesn’t tell you what to do about it, but makes you think about what you could do.

The book, priced at £11.99, is available at all bookshops and on Kindle.


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The helicopter pilot trainer: ‘rare accidents attract attention’

Of all the careers available, aviation is the most regulated. The pilot has to do stringent training, then ground and flying examinations. This licence must be revalidated every year on every type of helicopter.

Pilots must also have regular medical checks. The machine itself is regularly tested while in construction and afterwards. For some machines, this means that they will have an hour of inspection for every five hours flown.

Compare that with the maintenance on the average car and you will see how unlikely it is that a part will fail on a helicopter.

The heliroutes over London are also highly regulated. They must fit between airliners flying into Heathrow above, and the life of London below.

Only helicopters with two engines may fly…

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Nyiragongo Hike, Virunga National Park, DRC

Tips + Takeaways: Recapping a Month in Africa

Highlights from the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda and South Africa

Countries: 4
Days of Travel: 28
Hotels/Camps in Africa: 11
Transport Used:
Planes, Trains, Rental Car,
Armored Vehicles, Legs, Bicycles, Trams
Miles Traveled (to/from Anguilla):

One Month in Africa: Itinerary + Planning Tips

Somehow it’s been over two months since we left on our journey through Africa, and I’m finally getting a chance to recap our adventures from start to finish. We went into the planning phase using insight from a tour operator and lots of knowledge that we had gathered through researching Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa and Virunga National Park online. As I’ve shared before, the trip initially stemmed from a deep-seated desire to visit the Congo. Using that as an anchor, we built out our trip, piece by piece until it eventually occupied nearly a month, with eleven hotels and over 30,000 miles traveled.

The journey was one for the books, there’s no doubt about that, but as always travel has unexpected moments and unplanned highlights. Going in, I was most excited about the DRC, followed by South Africa, Rwanda and then Uganda. Scott had similar views but was initially more intrigued with Uganda than Rwanda. We went in with absolutely open minds, excited to explore and experience and develop our own thoughts on each nation.

Here I’m sharing my recap of our month-long journey, including highlights, takeaways, and what I would do differently after having experienced each aspect.

Chimp Trekking in Rwanda - The Wanderlust Effect

Rwanda exceeded my expectations. It’s clean, it’s friendly, and it’s naturally stunning. Perhaps most notably, it’s a country of rules, of contrasts and surprises, and much of that has to do with its very recent traumatic history revolving around the genocide in 1994. Just over twenty years later, Rwanda seems to be a wholly different place than it was then. Booking our flights into Kigali, we started our trip with four days in Rwanda, split between Rwanda’s capital city and Nyungwe Forest National Park.

DAY 1: KIGALI, RWANDA // After an overnight layover in Doha, we landed in Kigali in the early afternoon and hit the ground running. Even before going to our hotel we headed to the Genocide Museum, a must for any visitor in Rwanda. The museum is incredibly well done, and time inside is incredibly impactful and emotional. We overnighted in the iconic Hotel Mille Collines, the hotel that gave birth to the movie Hotel Rwanda.

DAY 2 – 4: NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK // We had our morning wake up call in Kigali and then immediately made our way to Nyungwe Forest National Park, nearly a six-hour drive west from Kigali’s capital. We chose to do this as we were heading into the DRC and Nyungwe worked into our plans directionally (more or less). We spent two nights and 2 1/2 days at Nyungwe Forest Lodge, a stunning property located amidst the stunning tea plantations, and used the lodge as a base for chimp trekking and exploring the forest.

HIGHLIGHTS, TIPS AND TAKEAWAYS // We felt cut short at Nyungwe Forest Lodge. The place is a dream and we simply didn’t have time to enjoy it. We felt like chimp trekking was a rite of passage when spending time in East Africa so we planned chimp trekking excursions in both Rwanda and Uganda so we could see primates in different locales. If we were to go back, I would skimp the chimp trekking. We spent 9 hours trekking for 13+ miles and didn’t see a chimp (read more about our fruitless chimp trekking in Rwanda). When we spoke with a manager at the hotel, they explained that most of the chimps in the area aren’t habituated which means that the chances of seeing them are extremely slim. If we were to return, I would probably add on a tea plantation tour in lieu of the chimp trekking experience, and plan in buffer time to take in the utter natural beauty of the lodge and its surroundings. It’s a five-star property through and through.

NIGHT 4: THE NIGHT THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN // Day four should have been a stunning journey crossing Lake Kivu followed by our first night in the DRC, but instead ended up being a crazy near-death experience culminating in a rescue by the Rwandan military. It was a horrifying experience that left us with a good story to tell (glass half full?). We ultimately ended up spending the night at Cormoran Lodge, a rustic-chic lodge in Kibuye.

Our night four is the perfect example of unexpected travel experiences. Whenever I’m participating in a round-up of ‘travel tips’, my ultimate piece of travel advice is to be flexible since there are always things that come up to alter your perfect plans. That day on Lake Kivu tested me and my whole ‘go with the flow’ mentality, but we made it through and ended up having a great experience beyond that incident.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Takeaways from One Month in Africa

For most people, the DRC conjures up images of poverty, of violence and unrest, of instability, of rebel groups and corruption. Rarely does the idea of the Democratic Republic of Congo evoke images of majestic volcanoes, of verdant virgin jungle, of warm and engaging Congolese, or of lodges set within the confines of Virunga, Africa’s oldest national park. Not to sugarcoat anything, the bad certainly exists in the Congo, but for me it’s immensely overshadowed by good.

For those that haven’t been to the DRC and have only read about it through media headlines, it seems intimidating. Scary even. For me, the memories are some of the greatest travel highlights of my life. We spent days surrounded by baby gorillas and silverbacks, spent a night gazing into the depths of the earth at the world’s largest lava lake, and visited the world’s only gorilla orphanage. But it goes so far beyond those highlights: it’s the nights sleeping at a campsite – just Scott and I – and waking up to a table for two facing Mt. Mikeno (with the world’s best French toast, I might add). It’s evenings around the campfire at Mikeno Lodge, hearing tales of expats living in the DRC who’ve traveled to hell and back on missions saving people and wildlife. It’s the camaraderie with other travelers and locals, sitting at the top of the volcano thawing our faces, hands and shoes by hot coals. It’s meeting people like Emmanuel de Merode and Andre in person (you’ll recognize them from the documentary, Virunga), people who inspire others to be their best self in the face of adversity. That was my experience in the Congo, because for all of the bad (little of which we saw), there was still so much good.

DAY 5 – 6: BUKIMA TENTED CAMP // We spent our first two nights in the DRC based at Bukima Tented Camp and Ranger Post, a campsite that used to be the base for primate researchers in the area. The campsite was basic but perfect, and it acted as the meeting point for those headed out on gorilla treks. We spent two days gorilla trekking in the Congo for the ultimate wildlife experience, and woke up to the most spectacular views imaginable. Scott and I both really enjoyed the camp but we did hear rumblings from others – some couples and some individuals – who found it a bit too off-the-radar. There’s no electricity in rooms, no internet, etc., etc., but there are some cool activities available nearby (available with an armed ranger escort) and it’s the perfect opportunity to seriously unwind and catch up on some reading.

DAY 7: MIKENO LODGE // After our second gorilla trek, we headed to Mikeno Lodge where we spent the afternoon enjoying our perfect little cottage in the jungle. Mikeno is magical, and it’s shockingly comfortable and luxurious considering it’s location in the middle of Virunga National Park. The lodge is within the ranger’s base so we felt totally safe and were able to enjoy a number of activities nearby.

DAY 8: NYIRAGONGO // With an early morning wake up call, we begun day one of a two-day experience hiking Mt. Nyiragongo. We trekked in hail and rain (not ideal) and it took us about five hours to reach the top. It’s a difficult hike but it’s doable for anyone that’s reasonably fit. (Read more about the difficulty and the Mt. Nyiragongo hike.) We spent the night at the top in A-frame huts that were constructed by rangers who make the trek multiple times per week.

DAY 9: MIKENO LODGE // We made it down from Mt. Nyiragongo in less than three hours and had the entire afternoon to spent at Mikeno Lodge. We were ready for some R&R after a few days of trekking and sadly missed out on visiting the Congohounds and the women’s co-op.

HIGHLIGHTS, TIPS + TAKEAWAYS: I could have spent more time in the DRC, and in fact wish I would have had one more day at Mikeno Lodge to get in some of those interesting activities that offer more of a focus on the human faces of the Congo. If you’re visiting, it’s worth attempting to coordinate a bit of this in advance. The manager at Mikeno is incredibly well versed in all offerings nearby and what may make sense based on your itinerary but it’s worth having a fairly strong sense of what most intrigues you so you can help make those ideas a reality.

The DRC as a whole was a highlight for me and far surpassed my high expectations, but the absolute highlight of the DRC and our entire trip as a whole was gorilla trekking. Going in, it was what I was most excited about and it didn’t disappoint. I would absolutely return to the Congo and would 100% go gorilla trekking again on a future trip.

Also worth noting, we were shocked by the weather in Virunga National Park. In September we were at the beginning of their rainy season and were startled by the cool weather. Much of the area we traversed was at high elevation so days were crisp and nights were downright cold.

Safari in Uganda

I’m not sure why Uganda didn’t hold the same allure for me as our other destinations in Africa but it didn’t, and while it was a great experience it didn’t captivate me in the same ways that the DRC or South Africa (below) did. That being said, we had a great experience in Uganda and had an incredible driver guide who became a friend during the time we spent there.

DAY 10 – 13: SAFARI IN QUEEN ELIZABETH NP // Our focus in Uganda was on more traditional game drives for a contrast to our primate experiences. Uganda’s climate and landscape was altogether different from what we’d seen at the beginning of our time in East Africa. We spent three days in Queen Elizabeth NP at Kasenyi Safari Camp where we went on two days of game drives (major successes on both accounts), a boat trip on the Kazinga Channel, and spent a third day chimp tracking in Uganda (not so major success).

DAY 14 – 15: LAKE BUNYONYI // We spent one night (two days) at Birdnest Lodge at Lake Bunyonyi before saying goodbye to East Africa and heading to our final leg in South Africa. Lake Bunyonyi ended up being a highlight for a reason totally different from what I had anticipated. We scheduled a boat tour on the lake involving a stop at Bwama Island, a former leper colony turned school compound where marginalized groups are the focus. The experience was inspiring and reignited my love of international development-related work, and was absolutely unexpected in every way. Our weather was decent – not great – which hindered our ability to really take in the beauty of Lake Bunyonyi but it was easy to see how it could be really spectacular in great conditions. One night there was perfect for us; two would be the most I would spend there.

HIGHLIGHTS, TIPS + TAKEAWAYS: I might be writing something entirely different now had our game drives not been so successful so quickly. Within a couple of drives, we saw lions, a leopard, water buffalo, kob, crocodiles, hippos, a hyena, elephants, warthogs and more. With that being the case, we felt like we had too much time allocated to Queen Elizabeth National Park, at least in the way we fashioned it. If I were to go back and do it again, I would take one of those days and allocate it to a different part of QENP, namely where tree climbing lions are found so we could go on game drives with a different focus. We did our chimp trek in the Kalinzu Forest where chimps are common but not nearly as prevalent as they are in Kibale, the mecca for chimpanzee trekking. If I were to return to Uganda with hopes of seeing chimps, I would skip Kalinzu and make the effort to go to Kibale where there’s a better chance of having an encounter.

Lastly, in evaluating our East Africa itinerary as a whole, I would flip it and make a couple of minor adjustments: I’d start in Uganda, move into the DRC (ideally with one extra day), and end in Rwanda where I would add an extra day for some final R&R at Nyungwe Forest Lodge.  Generally speaking, I think we had a solid itinerary for visiting the areas that we did considering the time that we had available. With a couple of modifications, it could be a perfect East Africa itinerary when looking to visit the DRC, Rwanda and Uganda.

ICYMI: Milton, our guide, shared his insights on itinerary planning and highlights in Uganda for visitors.

South Africa

Takeaways from a Month in Africa

South Africa was our counterpoint to East Africa, a bit of finesse after a rugged couple of weeks, and a bit of fancy after living in sports bras and workout pants. I had long wanted to visit South Africa, and while it was still a long way from East Africa, we figured it was close enough to add on to the trip. From Kigali we flew to Johannesburg via Addis Ababa which totaled about 12 hours of travel time (for the record, Ethiopian Airways left a lot to be desired).

Out of all of the places we visited, I’d be most likely to revisit South Africa again and again. There’s an ease about it; a cultural familiarity for many Westerners that makes it more simple to navigate. It’s different enough to be exciting but similar enough to make it approachable. Plus there’s amazing value to be had for those that operate on the USD or EUR considering the exchange rate of the rand. All things considered, it’s a pretty perfect destination for a variety of travelers.

“South Africa is different enough to be exciting but similar enough to make it approachable.”

DAY 16: TRAVEL DAY // Journey from Kigali to Johannesburg via Addis Ababa on Ethiopian Airways (other routes are available through South Africa Airways, and flights may also be available to Cape Town). We have an afternoon and evening in Johannesburg where we got to take in a bit of the weekend vibes in the CBD. We overnighted in Pretoria, near Johannesburg, where we stayed at the Protea Hotel.

DAY 17 – 18: THE BLUE TRAIN // After an evening in Jo’burg, we headed out for a 27-hour journey aboard the Blue Train, South Africa’s premier luxury train that takes passengers from Pretoria to Cape Town on a scenic, old-world excursion. Read about our experience on The Blue Train – it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a must for any rail lover!

DAY 18 – 20: HERMANUS // We started our time in South Africa by renting a car in Cape Town after getting off The Blue Train and making our way to Hermanus, a coastal town famed for its whale watching. In retrospect, I would have added on another day to able to enjoy the Birkenhead House experience even more. Belmond’s Hotel das Cataratas at Iguassu Falls won the award for my favorite hotel in the world but the gold now goes to Birkenhead House which embodied perfection from start to finish. Read about, or rather see, photographic proof that you should visit Hermanus.

DAY 20 – 24: CAPE TOWN // I was most intrigued by Cape Town going in to our time in South Africa, and the city is definitely a stunner. It reminded me of Rio meets San Francisco in many ways with its gorgeous beach and mountain landscape, and a laid back city vibe that’s approachable and livable. I felt like we had a great amount of time in Cape Town as first-timers. There’s still plenty that I would like to do on a return trip, but I didn’t feel short-changed with just four days. Read about my perfect day in Cape Town for any traveler.

DAY 24 – 27: CAPE WINELANDS // I’ve never met a wine region that I didn’t like, but Stellenbosch and Franschhoek brought some gorgeous landscapes and unique experiences to the table. Between a Segway tour at Spier Wine Farm to a custom wine blending at Middelvlei Wine Farm, we packed days with great wines and engaging activities. To be honest, South African wines aren’t generally my favorite, but I absolutely loved the Cape Winelands. We based ourselves at Akademie Guest House in Franschhoek but spent a day wine tasting in Stellenbosch during the trip from Cape Town to Franschhoek. In Franschhoek we went wine tasting on the Franschhoek Wine Tram and explored the area on bicycles. You could easily spend a week in the Winelands but I found three days to be the perfect balance, and we were very happy with the choice of basing ourselves in Franschhoek which exuded all kinds of charm.

Read more about our time in the Cape Winelands.

DAY 28: DEPARTURE // The long way home on Qatar Airways from Cape Town to Anguilla via Doha, Miami and St. Maarten. Thank goodness we upgraded using points!

HIGHLIGHTS, TIPS + TAKEAWAYS: For the time we had in South Africa and the destinations we chose within the country, I think we allocated an appropriate amount of time. As I mentioned above, I wish we would have had an extra night in Hermanus to enjoy the pampering and views, but I could have happily spent a lifetime there so that’s not totally fair. Our four days in Cape Town and three days in the Winelands felt like the right amount of time in the context of our entire itinerary. One of the biggest shocks for me from our trip to South Africa was that Cape Town was actually not the highlight for me. I loved Cape Town, don’t get me wrong, but I think I was much more wowed by the charm and beauty of Franschhoek and the quaintness of some of the country’s smaller towns (Hermanus for one, but also places like Kalk Bay). On a return trip to South Africa, I would probably include a larger spattering of smaller towns to get a feel for their different personalities and offerings.

One other point to touch on: we didn’t do a South African safari since we had spent some much time delving into wildlife experiences in East Africa. If we were to return to South Africa, I would probably carve out a few days for Kruger National Park which is acclaimed not just in SA but in the whole of Africa for its exceptional safari offerings. For this particular trip, I think we experienced the parts of South Africa we were looking for: beachside R&R, city vibes, wine tasting, great food + a more cosmopolitan African experience. One of the beautiful things about South Africa, perhaps more so than any other African country, is that it can be many things. There’s a world of experiences available for all tastes and budgets, whether you’re interested in shark diving, hiking, safaris, wine tasting, culture and history, or scenic drives. As I mentioned at the start, while I think I was more deeply touched by our experience in the DRC, South Africa is a place that I would return to in a heartbeat. They’re not comparable experiences in the slightest and I’m grateful for that. We were hoping to build an itinerary of varied experiences and contrasting travels, and I think we succeeded in doing that. While there may have been some minor changes to our timeline, I was very happy with our trip overall and also very happy with the total amount of time that we had. I was sad to leave South Africa (aren’t we always sad at the end of any trip?) but I felt fulfilled. I felt ready. In light of the time and budget we had set aside, I left feeling as though we’d done what we set out to do and left with the incredible memories we had hoped for.

Takeaways from a Month in Africa

In terms of itinerary planning, I think you can also look at our month in Africa as two separate trips for planning purposes: the first part being an adventurous journey in East Africa, and the second part being the more relaxing South African component. If you only have two weeks available, you would likely be best suited to do either South Africa (possibly including a safari there) or East Africa with a very regional focus (e.g. Virunga National Park and Uganda). It’s very tempting to spread yourself too thin and see as much as humanly possible but we tried to strike a balance of being on the go, and still allowing ourselves to enjoy the experiential opportunities available in each area. Mission accomplished. 🌍

How would you spend a month in Africa?

Shannon Kircher, The Wanderlust Effect

More about Shannon Kircher

Shannon Kircher is the founder and editor of The Wanderlust Effect, formerly The Traveling Scholar. Founded in 2009, she has continued to document her international escapes as an expat in Europe and the Caribbean. She is a former resident of London and San Francisco and now calls the island of Anguilla home. In addition to The Wanderlust Effect, Shannon is the Director of Marketing for the Frangipani Beach Resort and is on the Board of Directors of the Omololu International School in Anguilla.


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Hang Gliding in Rio de janeiro, Brazil

VIDEO: Hang Gliding in Rio de Janeiro

Hang Gliding in Rio with Quem Fly

You’ll recall that I posted photos and my experience hang gliding with Marcos Sempayo of Quem Fly about a week ago, but I was still working on what I was going to do with editing the video. After a few days of realizing that my video editing skills are not the greatest, I gave up on making this into something fancy (I had big dreams here!), and simply deferred to YouTube.

Below you can see a clipped version of my experience hang gliding in Rio, sailing over the Tijuca Forest + a gorgeous stretch of beach. It was an absolute dream.

Also, there were a few moments during the video that we took photos so you’ll see us randomly stick our arms out (Christ the Redeemer style), smile for a few moments looking into the camera, and give the GoPros a good ol’ carioca thumbs up. It’s kind of goofy to watch but it was also such a fabulous memory that I couldn’t help but share!

Have you been hang gliding? Did you find it frightening or exhilarating?

Shannon Kircher

More about Shannon Kircher

Shannon Kircher is the founder and editor of The Wanderlust Effect, formerly The Traveling Scholar. Founded in 2009, she has continued to document her international escapes as an expat in Europe and the Caribbean. She is a former resident of London and San Francisco and now calls the island of Anguilla home. In addition to The Wanderlust Effect, Shannon is the Director of Marketing for the Frangipani Beach Resort and is on the Board of Directors of the Omololu International School in Anguilla.


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Home / News / Showtime Renews ‘Shameless’ for Season 9

Showtime Renews ‘Shameless’ for Season 9

The Gallaghers are coming back for Season 9 of Shameless on Showtime!

The announcement made earlier today by David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc., comes off the news of Shameless’s Season 8 premiere delivering 50 percent year-over-year growth.

“As challenging as it can be for any show simply to maintain viewers in the current TV landscape, Shameless is adding them in droves,” Nevins said in a statement. “But it’s no mystery why. The series’ reputation for rich and resonant characters and for deep – and deeply twisted – comedy has drawn not only faithful longtime viewers, but a steadily growing audience. And creatively, the season that kicked off this past Sunday is stronger than ever.”

“We are so grateful to SHOWTIME for giving us the opportunity to continue making Shameless,” said series executive producer and showrunner John Wells. “It’s a labor of love (and a blast) for all of us.”

Season eight finds the Gallaghers on an upswing – Frank (Macy) comes out of a drug-induced haze and decides it’s finally time to be a contributing member of society. Fiona (Rossum) faces hard decisions when she discovers her success as a landlord might mean someone else’s misfortune. Lip (Jeremy Allen White) struggles with unexpected sacrifices he must make to stay sober, while Ian (Cameron Monaghan) takes up a cause in hopes of getting back with Trevor (Elliot Fletcher). Debbie (Emma Kenney) builds her future at welding school while juggling life as a single working mom, as Carl (Ethan Cutkosky) gets creative finding tuition money after he loses his scholarship. Meanwhile, Liam (Christian Isaiah) discovers just how different the Gallaghers are from the families of his rich classmates as Frank schools him on “sticking it to the man.” Kev (Steve Howey) and V (Shanola Hampton) have to find a way to deal with Svetlana (Isidora Goreshter) after she steals their bar, The Alibi.

About Bilal Mian

Bilal is the Editor-in-Chief of The Workprint. Follow him on Twitter @Bilal_Mian.

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Thinkful mentor

David Choi

Since the NBA didn't work out, I've been trying out this programming thing. I've been working on building full stack applications for the past 6 years, mostly through JavaScript. Lately I have been integrating back end services and building admin dashboards using Angular, TypeScript, and Sass.

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Propane Tank Gauge

Does anyone know where I could get a gauge for a propane tank? I have seen one in one catalog, but it looked cheap. I can't find one at local hardware stores.

Does anyone have a suggestion on what brand or type is the best to buy? Never bought one or know of anyone that has a gauge, so I didn't want to waste my money.

A. Spruce
Re: Propane Tank Gauge

Most of the cheap gauges use pressure or temperature to indicate gas level within, neither is an accurate method of guesstimation. There is a scale designed for BBQ tanks that is supposed to be very accurate in guesstimating the gas level.

Assuming this tank is in a BBQ, what I normally do is check the tank in advance of the meal I intend to cook by lifting and shaking gently. I can tell by the weight and the sound of the slosh if there will be enough for the cooking period I need. If you do much BBQing at all, having a second tank on hand is a good thing, that way you don't have to worry about running out of gas at all, you just swap the tanks, then get the empty filled as soon as possible.

If the tank in question is for home heating purposes, you can guesstimate your usage by multiplying the tank size (in gallons ) times the BTU rating of propane (approx. 90,000 btu/gallon ) and divide by the BTU rating of your furnace per hour. There may be a gauge for fuel tanks, check with your provider.

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