Juggling Dynamite

Addiction is a form of mental illness, and watching talented, decent people self-destruct and succumb to mental illness is very sad. PSH did a lengthy interview with 60 Minutes in 2006 discussing his early struggles with addiction here.

Fortunately he did get help in rehab and survived to see many of his dreams come true. Here he was at the 2006 Oscars receiving best actor for Capote and thanking his mom for her support and dedication as a single parent. Here is a direct link.

Just last month I stumbled upon the movie “Thanks for sharing” (on Rogers on Demand) which I thought offers a very mature, insightful, hopeful but realistic look at the reality of addiction in all its various forms. Here is the trailer.

Canadian banks have been one of the most egregiously over-valued sectors on QE-hype the past couple of years. Their much overdue price correction is now gaining momentum. Sadly, Canadian investors have never been more overweight both in individual stocks and mutual funds focused on financials, but also in broad market funds and ETFs that replicate the TSX index–today 37% concentrated in financials. Modest dividends of 3 to 5% will once more prove insufficient suave for the ravage of capital losses.

Terence Burnham, a finance professor at Chapman University, and author of the excellent book “Mean Markets and Lizard Brains” discusses banking risks, saying “The Fed’s instability is linked to both the emerging markets and Bank of America’s balance sheet.” Here is a direct video link.