News

When I came across a quote by Peter Lynch on how passive fund investors were making a mistake, I had two choices: to sweep his comments under the rug or evaluate the validity of them. In the article below, we will look at: Lynch’s argument My researched reasons for preferring passive investing. The role of confirmation bias and how it can hurt or help investors. The results of a careful analysis of the performance of Mr. Lynch’s preferred funds Finally, a few conclusions. The takeaway: Outperforming MFs do exist but their taxable distributions are a larger drag than expected. We’re...

Sarah Jay’s collection of sustainable and locally made styles had a bit of a brutal beginning. “Early in my career, I had an existential crisis,” admits the Toronto-based celebrity stylist, eco activist and conceiver of the documentary Toxic Beauty. “I just felt like I was drowning in excess. I loved fashion, but I was concerned about where our clothing was coming from and how it was being disposed of.” Al Gore’s 2006 documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, is partially to blame for Jay’s self-reflection. “That film really fact-checked me and opened my mind, but it also coincided with the worsening of...

  . . Children know themselves better than we give them credit for. Matthew knew at a young age that he wasn’t a girl and it just took a gentle assist from his mom to realize that he was a boy. When Marcella’s trans daughter expressed an interest in wearing dresses, she didn’t hesitate to demonstrate love and support. But when the local bully decided to pick on her daughter on the way to school, the other neighborhood kids came to the rescue – pushing back against the bully’s comments and inspiring Marcella in the process. In this episode, Phil...

It seems like forever ago I wrote out my list of baby registry must haves (because it was!). Now that I’ve been raising a toddler, it seems only only right that I follow up with my list of Toddler must haves. These are some items that have either worked for us or that I can’t live without. However, when it comes to toddlers there are a million items in any one category. I’m usually a less-is-more person so I’m sure there are plenty of items and options out there I haven’t included or explored. Use this list as a starting...

Orchid hunting is always a thrill, sometimes with a hint of magic. Their dust-like seeds, carried on the wind, mean that these charismatic wildflowers can appear almost anywhere, usually growing on calcareous soils, grassland meadows and disused landscapes. There are a staggering 28,000 species of orchid worldwide, and between 52 and 57 native species of orchid in the UK (numbers vary from source to source). Speaking very broadly, orchids flower from mid-spring through to late-summer, though specific flowering times and durations vary from species to species. This identification guide explores 15 of the more widely distributed UK species, from the early purple...