Investment Tips With Jegger

 

I fell into this sort of thing by accident, out of panic that the pandemic was going to sink the economy, my savings, and more. I decided I needed to at least try to fight back. I was successful, so now I want to share what I've learned to you.

When the coronavirus hit in early March, I saw my existing RRSP savings account drop by over 25%, which sent some real panic down my spine and sprung me into action to see if there was anything I could do about it. After meeting with my bank, there really wasn’t. they basically put me at ease and told me it should bounce back, which is still hasn’t quite, but is getting there.

I examined my RRSP portfolio and took notice of what segments were down the most, and then started researching ways that I could seize an opportunity out of this massive panic drop. That’s what I want to share with you, because so far I’ve been successful in doing so.

 

I decided to open up a trading account within my TFSA (tax free savings account). A TFSA limit in Canada is now up to $66000 you can deposit and the government cannot touch it with their grubby tax hands. Now, I don’t have $66000, but I had a little bit saved up not working for me that I decided to start down this route, and I’m here to encourage you to do the same.

Find a platform to start a self directed trading account within your TFSA using a bank or private trading firm like Questrade, TD waterhouse, BMO investorline etc.

Trades typically cost anywhere from $5 to $10 each so its manageable if you have a few hundred or thousand dollars to invest in something.

The next step is to find industries or business models that are sound, but are in a decline due to the ongoing pandemic OR that are just starting to blossom due to the pandemic. In this post im only going to talk about TSX (Toronto stock exchange) because that’s all I dabbled in.

In March, I found the industry that was in the dumps the most was the energy industry. Almost overnight, multi-billion dollar oil and gas companies like Cenovus, Husky, Suncor, Vermillion etc. all took a hit to the tune of about 70%. The energy giants are closely followed behind the smaller energy companies like Peyto, Painted Pony, Baytex, Gran Tiera.

The first thought I had was “is this a sinking ship?” which I knew it was not. We still use gasoline and drill oil throughout Canada, and pipelines for energy export and still going to take place while the country tries for an economic recovery.

I decided the low-end energy sector was a sound place to invest of 35% of my portfolio. The stocks are still not even half way back to where they were, but forecasts on future global demands indicate that they will eventually rise up to higher levels than they were pre-covid, so there's still time to get in while the getting is good. Plus, despite protests and objections, pipelines will still get built. The Canadian energy sector is one of the most environmentally conscious in the world, so its in good hands to be succesful. I bought many of them in March and experienced an over 100% increase in value by May, so I doubled my money in some cases.

Here’s some of the stocks I bought into in march that are winners so far for me.

Peyto Exploration and Development Corp (TSX:PEY): bought in march for $1.56 per share, now worth $3.08 as I write this, and has had an all time high of $42 per share.

Cenovus Energy Inc (TSX:CVE): bought in may at $4.08, now worth $6.35 as I write this, and has a pre-Covid fluctuation of about $14-$15 dollars per, so theres still room to grow.

Baytex Energy (TSX:BTE): bought in April at $.29 per share, now worth $.68 and rising consistently

Painted Pony Energy (TSX:PONY): bought in march at $.28 per share, now worth $.68

Crescent Point Energy (TSX:CPG): bought in june at $.2.04, now worth $2.40

 

Next segment of my investment was into the bank stocks. These ones tend to trade around the higher cost per share, but they are also the ones you hang onto for long periods of time. We call these “blue chip” stocks because they make you money just by having them by providing you with a healthy dividend. A dividend is the kickback that a stock gives you for investing into them, a sort of profit sharing program. Banks in Canada are historically resilient, and offer usually about a 4-6% dividend per share compounded quarterly. Which means, if you own $100000 in bank stocks, you’re going to get $4-6000 per year just for having it. That’s an interest rate we can all get behind. Canadian Banks took a large hit when corona hit but are on the steady incline back to normal. They may fluctuate a bit and you may go up and down like a new bride’s pajamas for a while, but they are fairly safe bets for a long term holding. Think of it this way – if a bank stock collapses, that means everyone that has their money is that bank, their mortgage with that bank is completely fucked. If that does happens, you’ll see blood in the streets so it’s a good bet to invest with a bank.

The higher cost blue chip banks are TD, RBC, BMO. The ones that cost a bit less are Canadian Western Bank (CWB) and Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS). These stocks still have about a 20-30% rise potential to get back to where they were pre covid, but they most likely will, so get in while you can, and start enjoying the dividend to reinvest as you see fit.

I made my portfolio about 45% bank stocks because that way if everything else is a loser, I'll at least be able to claw black with my blue chips eventually.

Thirdly, I invested about 10% into REIT markets, which stand for Real Estate Investment Trust. These are large companies that typically invest in owning large scale income producing real estate like office buildings, apartments, dorms, care homes etc. COVID has shown some of these to be losers because now more than ever we are working from home so office buildings have lost some of their value. The REITs that invested all their eggs in the office building basket, are down and I cant see them coming back anytime soon, because first they need to reinvest into residential, retail or warehouse space to bring the demand back and regain a steady revenue stream (balance sheet)

REITS also typically offer a dividend to shareholders, some even monthly, as sort of a rent payment for allowing them to have so many dollars to invest further. The one I bought into was called H&R investments, which is now up %11 from when I bought it in June, but you can take your pick of the litter if you’re willing to do research on one of their business models you think sounds like it’ll work.

And finally, with the last part of my portfolio around %15, choose things that have prospered from Covid. Industries that have formed from there being a pandemic, and that will emerge as it fades away. These are things like online retailers (which are usually way too expensive to invest in), pharmaceuticals which may have contracts to search for a vaccine, research and development firms, and healthcare stocks. You can do your research on these and take your pick on which one seems to peak your interest.

The stock I chose for this is called Well Health Technologies TSX:WELL. This company is one of the leading startup technology companies that helps you make an online doctors appointment via video conference, and store medical data in a web based secure cloud software. This one could be the next big one as articles I've read on it suggest you could turn $1000 into $35000 within a few years. I bought it 2 weeks ago at $3.25 per share and its already at $4.92 per share with limited downward turns during market hours.

 

Obviously, with stocks there are always risks and if I was writing this in February and giving all my recommendations and you followed suit, you’d be way down now because there was a pandemic. BUT, overall the markets haven’t even clawed half way back to where they were, which they presumably eventually will as history has shown us. So this may be a good time to start a trading account of your own, take your investment destiny into your own hands by treating it like a sort of game. Research companies like you creep Instagram, and before you know it you’ll have some idea about market climate. Try to predict dips and sell before they happen. Then re-buy once they’ve fallen and enjoy the profits from watching them rise back up.

If the pandemic has hit you hard in your bank investments then you’ve probably come to the realization that the bank doesn’t give a shit about the company RRSP you’ve got set up or the mutual fund hit that your few thousand dollar investment has taken, so why not take the bull by the horns and do what you can to turn your 1, 5, 10 or however many thousand dollars you can into something much, much bigger. 

I didn’t have much to invest in the first place, because I’m not a wealthy man, but what I was able to invest has increased an overall 50% by being involved and doing the research myself, my goal is to keep this up and repeat until I get old because no matter what is going on in the world, there is always money to be made. There is always money in the Banana Stand. 

These are uncertain times, and a lot of people are struggling to make ends meet. I get that, I sympathize with that and I don’t want that to happen to me. The best chance I have of that is to try and think like I’m Warren Buffett on a microscopic scale. History has shown us that in situations like this usually the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, so why don’t us poor folks start faking it till we make it?

I only wrote this to try and help you succeed and to possibly spark in interest in you to learn the market yourself, learn how it works and then try and see if you can make it work for you.

If I have peaked your interest and you’d like to discuss further, please message me, I'd love to hear how you’ve succeeded or try and help you get on the path to do so! 

 

Here’s to a prosperous future for you and yours!

Stay safe out there,

Jegger

Eat Tacos Every Tuesday (at least)

The weekend doesn't have to be the only part of the week that you look forward to!

Taco Tuesday provides the perfect rebound from the soul-crushing start of another work week. Tuesday can turn into your day of the week where you can have fun with your friends, go out on the town and explore new places, all because of tacos.

If that wasn't influencing enough, maybe I can give some quick reasons why no matter what, you should get a taco today. 

Schedule your business lunch meetings for Tuesdays when possible. Taking a client for a consultation at a taco selling location shows that you’re

a) very conscious of multiculturalism (you have a diversified market outlook) 

b) make cost effective, yet quality spending decisions 

c) know your community and have networked effectively enough to find the perfect taco you’re looking for fast and efficiently. Boom. Deal closed.

You can take a gal for a first date to Taco Tuesday and be in the clear even if she’s

-allergic to gluten

-lactose intolerant

-a vegan

-only eats meat

-a total bottomless pit (still won’t cost you much)

-only eats seafood

Because there is a taco option for all of those things.

She’ll be impressed that you’re so in tune with her needs and considerate, maybe she’ll let you eat her taco

Sex is best on a Tuesday because even if it was bad, or no matter what time you finish, you know there is a place open nearby that has cheap tacos.

Tacos can cure a bad day! What if you have a lot on your mind and want to meet a friend and TACO bout it? Don’t you wish you were full of tacos rather than emotions? Well Taco Tuesday provides the perfect opportunity to eat your feelings without much consequence because….

Tacos can be good for you! Some taco options have 0g of fat! So you don’t need to worry about becoming a fatty.

 

Tacos make you excited for what’s to come! Even if you get overexcited about your soon to be voyage to flavor country and crush your taco and it falls all over the place. Boom! No biggie! Now you’ve got taco salad.

You will never get bored of tacos because there are over 200 documented, and very different recipes for tacos.

 

You can enjoy Taco Tuesday at any time of the day regardless of your schedule because breakfast tacos are a thing.

 

So Happy Taco Tuesday to everyone! Here are some local places to eat tacos if you’re reading from my area (Vancouver/lowermainland BC)

BEST VANCOUVER TACOS

BEST SURREY TACOS 

If you’re somewhere else in the world, don’t be a lazy sack and google it.

Arriba!

-Jegger

2016: How To Have A Prosperous New Year

 This isn’t going to be a ‘New Year, New Me’ post, because in all honesty, that’s bullshit. If you sucked last year and thought a day on a calendar would serve as a pivot point to change that,  I can almost guarantee you still suck just as hard, if not worse.

I’ve taken the entire year off writing on my page, so this post will contain a few big words, a few open topics, and an invitation to collaborate. The ones going forward I will add comedy to, but this one not so much.
I’ve stewed about some things I’ve seen over the year. Noticed a slow shift in our society at an interpersonal level, maybe I just wasn’t paying attention before.

Here’s 3 things I want to see in the New Year to get us on track. I understand I’m nobody’s moral authority and will likely not hit home with many, I think it’s important to express yourself to resonate the change you wish to see in the world.

Please read and enjoy, share if you agree.


Create a Legacy, Not Temporarily Self-Validating Content

Not many people keep a photo album on their coffee table anymore, mainly because we all choose to narrate our lives instantly on the web. I do it, you do it, we do it. But have you ever been disappointed by the amount of ‘likes’ or interaction something in your life that you made internet worthy may get? I have made jokes that people didn’t give me a blue thumb for and then deleted them, and I’ve witnessed people post photos and then delete them because I guess it didn’t get the attention and validation that they wanted…..no, maybe wanted isn’t the right word.… NEEDED.
We need to realize that that need is totally made up. That disappointment is unnecessary and can become damning to your growth. When you get the validation you want, you’re happy. But that has got to be the most phony sense of happiness ever. Your self-worth is something that needs to be a driving force within yourself. When it becomes small part within yourself and a larger part based on the validation and attention from others, where do you ever grow? You grow based on your audience, because that’s where your reinforcement is coming from.
That creates this up-at-dawn, pride-swallowing siege upon yourself.
While you may be at a happy point of your reinforcement from strangers, it’ll fade. You will ride a high that is rooted in gloating, narcissism, and attention-seeking. But what goes up, must come down. It will be a tough ride down when your audience realizes that your life isn’t that interesting.
It’s not productive to show off what you have for validation, all that seems to be shooting for is the envy or jealousy of others.
It’s not productive to use your babies or kids as bait to fish for likes, once your kid’s likes start to fade, will you think less of them?
It’s not productive to feel the need to tell people you’re having a lazy day at home
It’s not productive to think people have a need or are deserving to see you when you are at your most normal.

It is productive to show the world what you love, who you love, what inspires you and the journey of your life through milestones. But in my opinion it should never serve as a NEED.
For when it serves as a need, you would find it cutting should a stranger say to your face, “I Don’t Care.”  But in reality, why should they?

Do you for you and let your drive forward come from within rather than be self-sustained from the outside.



Ditch Small Talk. Embrace Conversation.  

Talk to people in person more. Debate. Learn. Tell stories. Express your imagination, and Vocalize your dreams. Find challenge in the views of others and actively seek to be stimulated.
If your only learning points come from your digital social self, you will become one dimensional, predictable, and even restless. You must realize that your digital self is one that has been created by you, and therefore presents itself to you as an algorithm of things that are custom fitted to keep you in your comfort zone. Step outside of your comfort zone. Listen to what’s on other people’s minds more than just reading what the digital world decides should be on yours.
Find out a more in depth perspective of what is on your loved one’s mind. Hear them out and try and relate.
Share jokes, make jokes. Find out people’s feelings that make up the parts of them that inspire you.

Thoughts become things, I know that much is true. The beauty of life is that there is no end to thoughts, they can lift you up or destroy you. Thoughts do and will become a self-fulfilling prophecy the more you express them. Strive for hearing thoughts, enrich your life with the genuine feelings of others, the intimacy that comes with human expression and the strength that grows intellectually from back and forth human interaction.



Be For Your Beliefs, But Never Against Someone Else’s

This year has been a special doozy for the detachment of people based on their ideas. So many free people have never been more divided, never felt more attacked for feeling or believing a certain way.
Let’s take this year’s refugee crisis for example. Both sides of this argument have legitimate concerns. The right wants to stay safe and understands the possibility of people who hate them acting as a refugee and being a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I’ve seen so many people on the opposite side of those views label them a ‘Bigot’ or a ‘Racist’ just as a means to silence them.
The left wants to help the refugees in mass and doesn’t think that anything bad can happen. The people on the other side are quick to point out how sorry they’ll be and how their over-tolerance of intolerance will get them oppressed in the long run.

What we don’t see is a united people, who have their opinions without attacking others. Collaboration on issues is what solves them. Division on issues gives us fucking Donald Trump and others like him. People who capitalize leadership based on the exclusion of groups, and then grow that excluded group to in turn exclude those who originally excluded them.

Unification in this world on the grounds of humanity and collective evolution are the key to us surviving another year without slipping into chaos. Separation based on any isolating view will not get us to where we need to be to stay alive, and it certainly won’t let us achieve what we are all wishing towards others today: health, happiness, and prosperity to all. Once you separate our religious, nationalistic, and self-benefiting tendencies you will realize the earth is one single organism – and an organism at war with itself is doomed.




To close, I want to wish you all the best for the new year. May your lives grow, your families stay healthy and your relationships become more meaningful than ever. I hope you will make a resolution to wonder and learn more, worry less and feel strongest when you’re standing tall and certain.

God Bless you and your families, and may we all succeed and gain the courage to allow our thoughts to become the things we know live inside of us.


-Jegger

New Year, Same You: Happy New Year!

A date on the calendar should have no effect on how you reflect on yourself in the moment. If you’re not happy at this very moment, the clock striking 12 isn't going to change that just because you like to think it’s a magical clean slate.  Be Zen, simplify, and stay positive in the moment. Living your present based on the past will make you depressed, and living worried about the future will make you have anxiety.

Wherever you are now is exactly where you’re supposed to be.  There is no timeline imposed on you by others that dictates where you should be in your life right now, those are your own choices so breathe in and exhale, and above all be grateful that you can do so.

Whether you've just endured the holidays under the scrutiny of a large, nosy family asking awkwardly as to why you’re still single; or you've welcomed a newborn with your spouse to celebrate in their first Christmas, good for you.

If you view relationships a necessity as important as breathing because you’re with someone you simply couldn't be without; or you view that whole emotion as just an equation of lust+jealousy= love and see dating as just a really expensive way to slowly watch someone like you less and less. So you prefer to be alone and free, good for you.

If you've worked really hard and made strides to advance in society and become self-sufficient and stable; or you've not had to worry about these things and you are able to sleep till 10 and you’re main goal has been Netflix marathons and levelling up in your video game, good for you.

You get the point; my New Year’s wish for all of you is simply to have a fire within your belly that burns every single moment and can’t be put out, regardless of any dark clouds that may pour on it. I hope the future year is a time to face and conquer your fears, learn lessons through pain, and always make memories that will never fade away.  Never lose your wild heart and listen to it above all else.

“May the best of your todays, be the worst of your tomorrows, but we ain’t even thinkin’ that far, you know what I mean?” – Jay Z

I wish you peace, love and happiness in whatever 2015 brings and may God bless you all.

-Jegger 

8 Things You're Hopefully Starting to Realize

1. You Like Some Stuff That Would Have Been Lame to Old You.

When you go full adult you at least start to feel like you've developed opinions on your own, they’re meaningful  to you and that’s all that matters. If trendiness and fitting in with people that have absolutely no effect on your life still actually matter to you, you’re stuck, bro.

We all still get influenced into our opinions no doubt, but at this stage in your life you should actually think on stuff and agree with it. Personally, I can’t remember the last time I developed an opinion that I didn't learn from Whoopi on the View.




2. Learning Shit is Actually Fun Now.

Once the stage in your life has passed where learning for school or something is obligatory, acquiring new skills and learning new things is actually really enjoyable.
If reality TV and other mind numbing wastes of time still top your spare time, you’re falling behind because soon enough you’re not going to be able to contribute to anyone that can contribute to you. There’s only so much stimulation your peers can give you having heated debates about “what the hell Kourtney’s problem was” last week on the Kardashians.
Learn to cook, learn to build, read about things, watch Jeopardy, learn a language, get stronger, take up a sport, watch the news, meditate, masturbate, alleviate.
Someone quickly teach me karate. Come on, chop chop.




3. Give Up On Small Talk. Embrace Conversation. 


4. Your Friends Should Make You Better at This Point in Your Life.

At this point in life, being popular is stupid. School’s done, cliques have branched out, and being able to park out front of a club or bypass a line isn't really as impressive as it used to be.
Your group of friends most likely should have thinned a little or at least diversified to add some new exciting, valuable homies. That guy from your old group of buddies that nobody fuckin liked, is gone now because well, nobody fuckin likes them. The limited time you have to actually spend with friends outside of  life's other obligations should be rewarding. You should be able to consistently learn from and teach your friends. Even when you just sit around get high and play video games with them, there should be some substance. If hanging with your friends EVER seems to drag on or seem like a chore – you need new friends, bro.


5. Being Cool Still Sorta Matters, But Not Really Because You Know You’re Not As Cool As You Used To Be.

As much as we try to stay trendy and up to date, we’re not. At 26 years old, I know what the Schmoney Dance is but don’t do it when someone says “about a week ago”. I can’t decide if I’m a Directioner or a Belieber. I can’t ever work into my vocabulary the term “Bye Felicia”. It’s very rare I am motivated to do something even if its “for the vine”.
If being really cool and worrying about what other people think still really matters to you, I bet you have a tribal tattoo. At this point self-actualization is cool. Being aware of surroundings is cool. You should know by now that even the “cool” side of the pillow has some of the same insecurities you do, and that’s fine. Its really a paradox – whats cooler? Getting on TV at a sporting event holding up a neat sign you made, or being an adult that spent 3 hours making and enjoying making a neat sign?



6. Being A Dick Isn’t Fun Like It Used To Be.

It used to be fun to be an asshole, to display some sort of arrogance that you are (or think you are) the cat’s ass. Now, being nice and going out of your way to do good for others is the new talking shit. You should want to give some change to the homeless guy now without him having to light his beard on fire for it, because he has it worse than you and you want your fellow man to be picked up. Being in fist-fights isn't a fun adventure like it used to be. Now, you’re either going to hurt someone, get hurt, or be arrested which all really don’t help the path you’re on. Being a jerk to a girl because you think she likes it doesn't work like it used to, it actually just hurts her feelings and makes her think you’re a dick, which you are, bro.
People’s feelings and well-being should concern you these days. If you’re not making the people’s lives around you better, you’re not making your own life what it could be.



7. Your Relationships With The Opposite Sex Should Be Getting Deep(er).

When it comes to sex, it’s fun. But it’s not what it used to be where just getting it in and getting out was the goal. Nowadays it feels best to understand someone and to be understood. “She gets me. I get her.” Isn’t that really the magic phrase? Beauty is still beauty, but it’s so much more appealing when they’re smart and funny. I’ve realized that real love makes you wake up every day and want to be a better man. But maybe real love also gives you an unspoken permission and approval to be just the man you are.



8. You Can Do Whatever You Want.

There’s not really any defined rules anymore to what you can and can’t do. Want to drink ten beers on a Tuesday and pass out naked on the floor? OK! Want to buy a new car and drive to Vegas just for fun? OK! Want to get a neck tattoo? OK! Want to study ancient Chinese text and search for enlightenment! OK!
Do you, don’t lie to yourself, don’t sell yourself short.



Just be better every day, how you define a better you is your call, but if you don’t then you’re falling behind, bro.

good to be back writing on here, like and share how you will.

Like Jerry Springer always says after his Final Thought "Until next time, take care of yourself, and each other"

-Jegger

Raised Awareness

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is a fantastic thing – it’s raised a ton of money for ALS, which is a disease that hits very close to home with me and many people globally. The true phenomenon of this challenge, is how everyone from celebrities, politicians, athletes, and even you and I have been able to connect and raise awareness. The fact that this sort of awareness is possible shows the power we all have as a common family of people to unite with one another for a cause.

I hope the term “raise awareness” isn’t overshadowed by the simple novelty of getting your friends to dump cold water on their head and say a few swear words on camera. If that’s really all it has done for you being nominated, then “awareness” has not really been raised, and you are just seeking to fit in among the fads on the internet.

Awareness is truly raised if a cold bucket of water will continually motivate you to volunteer your time to help people ailing from disease, to give a little extra to charities that help combat these diseases, or even to just be more compassionate to people undergoing a life changing struggle. That’s what fuckin awareness is, folks. 

Also, the world’s pretty dire right now at this present time. Let’s spread some awareness around the board here, because to be well-informed, compassionate, and to possess a well thought out thesis on things, is to be a citizen of the world who is “aware”.

Here are a few more bucket challenges with a small non-opinionated stance to briefly help you become more “aware” before diving back in to the trendiness of ice-water dumping.  If we all connect and start discussion about issues like these, in the same way that is currently thriving to put an end to ALS, we're going live in a truly more aware world.

1.            #FireHoseChallenge

On August 9, a Ferguson Police officer gunned down an unarmed 18 year old (black) teenager, Michael Brown while he had his hands up in surrender. Brown was shot 6 times; twice in the head. The population of Ferguson is 2/3rds black, while there are only a microscopic proportion of black officers serving on the entire police force there. Protests and riots erupted upon the death of Brown and police responded with a militarization that should have most freedom loving people shitting their pants. All roads were blocked entering the city by police tanks and armoured vehicles. Protesters were treated with tear-gas, fire-hoses, and German Shepherds by a police force decked out in camo fatigues and assault weapons that looked like they were ready to invade Afghanistan, not serve and protect.  Protests still on as we speak.

So, spray down a friend with a high pressure hose to raise awareness for racial equality and the militarization of local police!

chrisinmaryville.net 

2.            #BowlCutsForEbola

One of the worst and most mysterious diseases known to mankind has re-emerged in several (3rd world) West African countries. Ebola is an extremely contagious and extremely painful disease that basically causes your insides to feel like they are being doused in acid until you eventually hemorrhage out of your eyes, dying from a tormenting ordeal with internal bleeding. The most recent strand of the disease has shown a resiliency to even be spread through airborne means, not through contact alone, which makes a rapid pandemic spread very possible through air travel if a vaccine/cure isn’t found soon.  Despite the World Health Organization’s effort to quarantine the outbreak, several victims have been flown to the USA for experimental treatment and patients in Southeast Asia have shown symptoms that they may have contracted the disease as well.

So challenge your friends to get a bowl cut to raise awareness for finding a cure to one of the deadliest and dangerous diseases known to man!

hausa.rfi.fr

3.            #ISISBucketChallenge

ISIS is an extremely organized, intelligent, and brutally violent group of Jihadi group currently recruiting globally to attract Muslims to come to their currently occupied conquered lands and live as a nation-free Muslim while imposing Sharia Law, which is pretty f’d up. They have easily taken over, pillaged and are governing about 1/3^rd of war-torn Iraq, and large portions of the equally unstable Syria.

ISIS is a Sunni Muslim group who basically will give a quick and merciless death to anyone who is not a Sunni. Shia Muslims, Kurds and Christians are all being persecuted and beheaded with complete disregard for a human being’s right to live.

ISIS have seized oil producing regions and other exportable industries in their conquered lands and are estimated to have a current net worth of 2 billion dollars with about 80,000 total members worldwide. 

These Jihadis are using social media and propaganda to recruit and radicalize Muslims to fight to establish and keep a Muslim autonomous Sharia Law region, and it is working at an alarming rate. It is estimated that there are twice as many British Muslims who have left to fight alongside ISIS than there currently are serving in the British Armed Forces.

If you don’t think this concerns you yet – realize that ISIS has vowed to raise its flag over western nations and kill everyone in them who opposes them. American journalist James Foley was recently beheaded on film by a suspected British Jihadi who on the tape vowed more violence in the near future.

So challenge a friend to dump a bucket of crude oil over their head to help raise awareness to the world being on the brink of the largest theological conflict since the great crusades!

mirror.co.uk

4.            #UnibrowsForUkraine  

In a conflict that started from protests against government corruption in the capital city of Kiev, came conflicts of autonomy from Eastern Ukraine after the pro-Russian president was ousted and exiled. Many cities in the eastern regions of Ukraine are made up of a majority of ethnic Russians because of the many different borders that have been imposed in the past, stemming from even pre-soviet days.

In response to this shift in political power, Russian President Vladimir Putin started arming and funding Russian separatist groups in an attempt to grab more direct influence in Ukraine.

Starting with the mostly unopposed annexation of Crimea, Putin moved a fleet of warships to its port and banished every Ukrainian public servant out of the area.  In the following months after the annexation, several factions emerged claiming independence as well from the newly formed, west backed Ukrainian government. The most predominant, militant, and most heavily Russian backed of these groups is known as the DNR or Donetsk People’s Republic who took a brief hold of the eastern cities of Donetsk and Lugansk and is fighting with the Ukrainian military to this very day.

How does this affect you?  A commercial plane has been shot down over the conflict zone, economic sanctions and alliances have been created in a very cold war fashion, and this sociopolitical game of checkers creates a powder-keg divide between western nations and the rest of the world.

So get your friends to grow a unibrow to help raise awareness to the plight of restoring peace, liberty and stability to the people of the Ukraine.

ibtimes.co.uk

5.            #GolfingForGaza

Hands down the most complicated and ongoing conflict in the entire world is the Israel-Palestinian war that seems to never end. Israel is heavily technologically and militarily backed by the USA and as a result boasts the world’s 34^th largest military force - all in a country not even close to as big as Vancouver Island. Makes sense when you consider every one of its neighbours wants to see them wiped off the face of the earth.  Palestinians are basically held captive and helpless in the Palestinian ran areas to prevent them from arming themselves and spurring a violent uprising.  Therefore, Palestinians  can’t flee the conflict because there’s no way out.

The problem is that Hamas, a terrorist organization, is the predominant governing party in the region and will not budge in futile acts of violence towards Israel. As a response, Israel’s army enters areas of the attack and brutally cracks down, while killing civilians along the way. No one is right in the conflict, but everyone thinks they are.

So challenge your friends to a game of golf to help raise awareness of the ongoing brutal violence and hatred happening in the Gaza region right now!

independent.co.uk

The ALS ice bucket challenge shows regardless of where the media chooses to focus its attention, we can all connect to gain an understanding of the issues that go on around us.

I don’t mean for my #hashtags to come off as crass or insensitive, or even to make light of the other issues; I just want to illustrate that the connectivity is possible.

Maybe this ice bucket challenge is the wakeup we all need as to “spreading awareness”. Once we beat this disease, imagine what else we can do once we are all “aware”. 

Guest Contribution #6: 2014 Pacific Northwest Supra Nationals

Guest Contribution #6 comes from my pal Daryl, a car guy. If you're a gearhead like he is, he's definitely worth a follow or a network. Check it!


Twitter: @TurboJayhall
Instagram: @turbo_jayhall

Some people would look at us and dismiss us as nothing but no good trouble makers, street racers, no good hooligans.  Well in some cases that might not be far off, but as always there are two sides to each story.  I’m going to back up to last week and tell you all a little about my weekend before I get to my point.

Friday morning at 9:30 I am waiting at the trailer rental company’s parking lot for them to open so I can get my rented flat deck home to load my car up and hit the road.  I am heading south of my home country and province to spend the weekend in Portland Oregon for the 2014 Pacific Northwest Supra Nationals.  A yearly event that brings people from all walks of life together because of our love for old Toyotas.  Just a quick history lesson, Toyota made the Celica Supra from 1978-1986 when they split the Celica and the Supra into separate cars and the Supra was continued for sale in North America until 1998.  Points being that these are not a car that is still in production.  So I get my car loaded up and I hit the border, wave my nexus pass, talk to the officer for a minute then I am off to meet my friend Cory who lives in the town directly across the 49th parallel.  I told him the shell station on the wrong street  but after about 5 minutes I went to the right station, met up with him, and  we were headed south on the I-5 trying to catch up with the rest of the Canadian caravan.  We ended up meeting them at a fuel stop and it was time for a quick lunch so we found a pizza place with a buffet. Perfect. 

We stuff ourselves full of pizza and as we get back to the parking lot we find that someone had hit Mihir's car and literally tore half the bumper off the ground and left it lying on the ground.  To our surprise there was a note with an apology and a phone number on it.  Mihir was rightfully heated and wanted to tell this guy what he thought of his apology, keep in mind these cars are our pride and joy with countless hours of work and thought put into them.  I knew that wasn't the way to go so I borrowed Cory's phone and gave this guy a call.  He couldn't have been a better guy, had all his insurance information for us and he even offered to come back and help us get the car roadworthy, as he saw that we were from out of state and didn't want to leave us high and dry.  His simple gesture was so much more than just a note; he also left an impression on our hearts.  Seriously he fucked up, then stepped up to the plate and took responsibility for his mistake, a real man.  Luckily in my truck I had every tool I owned including drills and an assortment of different bits and we were able to jerry rig the bumper up where it belonged and carry on our way.  Mind you we had to wait for the sheriff to show up, document that it happened and gave us an incident report for our insurance purposes.  By the way, the sheriff was cool as fuck.  Once we finished up with the business end of our encounter he returned from his cruiser with his Iphone and showed us his Audi.  So naturally him being a car guy we stood around and talked cars for a bit (while listening very closely to his dispatcher on his radio of course)

So we hit the road and got stuck in some really bad gridlock, which was not good because now Cory's electric cooling fans have decided to stop working.  So we pull over, and luckily I had all my tools and hardware to re wire his electric fans on the side of the 405 in Everett.  Let me tell you everything under that hood was incredibly hot and we somehow managed to not get burnt. Bonus. So we got those working and 40 minutes later we were on the road, in gridlock for 2.5 more hours but hey, such is life.

Let's fast forward to Friday night.  We check into the hotel at about 9, get my car off the trailer and we head out to meet up with the locals who are going to a go-kart track for some laps.  We end up meeting up with the rest of the Canadian crew there as well.  After the go-kart we all head back to the hotel and then once everyone is checked in we discuss what is on our minds.  Obviously it’s food.  So we are looking for something in walking distance as we are all tired of driving.  You might not believe this but around 11 pm on a Friday night in Portland it is very hard to find a sit down restaurant that is still serving food.  As we are wandering around the streets contemplating just getting snacks and beer at the gas station down the street we see our friends Duane and Don (not to be forgotten is Duane's wife Marylyn).  This was unexpected to see them so we go running over and everyone says our hellos as some of us haven’t seen each other in a while and it was a very joyous occasion.  Either way they were looking for food too and together we figured out that the gas station snacks and beer was really our only immediate option.  So over we go, like a bunch of insane people we choose our snacks and select our beers so that we can head back to the hotel.  10 or so of us was too much for one hotel room and some of us were at different hotels that were actually next door to each other.  So clearly we have a parking lot party, hanging out on my rented flat deck car hauler, telling jokes, poking fun at each other and laughing the night way.

Now comes Saturday, and let me tell you it was far less eventful than Friday but still special nonetheless.  Saturday we all went to a high performance shop with a dyno so that everyone can talk about how much power their cars make and then prove it.  Which is great fun, everyone gets to talk about what they've done with their cars and what they'd like to do to make more power, hang out in the sun and just have a really fun day in general.  One thing that is notable is that Duane set a personal best of 1035.92 horsepower.  You read that right, and yes that’s a huge accomplishment.  SO after the day at the shop everyone takes off for a scenic drive through the beautiful state of Oregon - drive was amazing, and there is something really special about driving down I-84 with 30 other Supras at the same time.  For a guy who's into those cars, it’s really tough to top that.

Sunday was the day of the car show at a beautifully renovated Toyota dealership in Beaverton.  This was a pretty basic car show and other than being in good company all day went off without a hitch and was uneventful in the sense that nothing crazy or out of hand happened.  This whole event was very well organized by a local supra owner named Shay.  I don’t know how she managed to do it but everything was perfect.  There were awards for all the various generations of Supras, fastest and highest horsepower cars.  After those were handed out and the door prizes were claimed that was it, the meet was over.

Now the thing about the meet being over is that it felt like it only just began - the point of all this is that the people made this event so amazing. Magic is really the only way to describe it.  As I said a lot of these people come from different walks of life, but we were all brought together by the love of Toyota Supras.  A bumper gets pulled off in a parking lot, we rally together and fix it, get it back together and get the info we needed.  Electric cooling fans stop working in grid lock and we get them re-wired and fixed so that we can get to Portland come hell or high water.  We see our friends in the parking lot and immediately set up something so that we can all socialize and enjoy each other’s company.  Duane breaks his own personal record on the dyno and the entire crowd cheers.  We drive together and then meet up together to all shine our cars up and show them so that everyone can see what you've done, maybe inspire someone else who has just got into the Supra game to further their mechanical knowledge and desire to work on their car.  This is what I took from this whole weekend is that it is very important to get together with people who share the same interests and passions as you.  It’s refreshing, it’s always the best weekend of my summer when this annual event comes around.  Whether your passion is knitting quilts, drinking craft beer or even my little pony I suggest that you go to one of these meets, conventions or quilt sales.  Whatever it may be, no matter what it is just do it, get yourself out there and get inspired, or inspire someone else.  You won’t regret it I promise you that