Features
Joe Diner: a lifetime of experience
By GERRY POSNER If you want to find a life that has had a series of twists and turns mixed in with a wide variety of experiences, look no further than Joe Diner. He has had a lifetime of what I would call rich experiences in many different places and settings.
It began simply enough as Joe was born in 1942 to Clara (Brenner ) and Lou Diner, the middle child of three boys (including the late Alex and Richard). Until Joe was nearly 12, he was raised in the north end of Winnipeg. In 1954 the family moved to 621 Waterloo Street in River Heights.
Joe went to Kelvin High School and later obtained a BA from Moorhead State in Minnesota. That might well have led to the start of a different path for Joe as compared to most of us. Who could have predicted what would follow?
His first job upon graduating was with the Department of Education on the Peguis Indian Reservation, where he was a teacher of an adult upgrading program. Before he could even blink, he was promoted to assistant to the supervisor. As part of his work he travelled to several reserves and, in fact, had a two-month assignment administering a new course in Churchill, Manitoba.
Joe wrote a social orientation programme; however, in doing that he ended up losing his job – at the behest of the then Minister of Education, because Joe had dealt with the Federal Government without authority.
Joe Diner was not afraid to speak up then or now. That firing prompted him to connect with a former professor from Moorhead State. Subsequently, that led to Joe’s going to New Orleans, where he had a teaching assistantship in a Master’s program in government.
While in New Orleans, Joe did what he has always done best: he made a series of connections that proved to be fortuitous. One summer in Louisiana he worked as a jockey’s agent for the renowned jockey, Esteban Medina, followed by doing the same with the then leading apprentice jockey, Harry Lee Patin, and others. How that came about surely is a story waiting to be told in greater depth.
Joe was even befriended by the famous breeder, trainer and horse owner, C. Wade Navarre, and the leading quarterhorse jockey, Leroy Miller. Joe had the opportunity through these contacts to take a champion horse by the name of Tru Tru to New Mexico for high altitude training prior to competing in the most prestigious of all quarterhorse races, the All American Futurity race, which had a purse of $ 1,000,000 – back when that was a lot of money! It is certain that Joe did not pick up those horse skills on Waterloo Street.
Soon thereafter, Joe accepted an offer to work as an assistant to one John W. Mecom, the king of deep sea oil well drilling. Mecom happened to be a very well known horse breeder and owner, as well as being the owner of an NFL football team, the New Orleans Saints. That job might have continued a long time but sadly, Joe was asked politely to leave the country, as he was living there on an expired student visa.
What might have seemed calamitous in fact created yet another twist and turn for Joe – and ultimately led to his finding his true vocation. He reached out to an old friend, Len Steingarten, who was the accountant for a prominent realtor in Winnipeg, J.J.Gibbons and it was not long before Joe was working for that firm. Joe’s friend, Michael Nozick, provided him with substantial business at the beginning of his career and that business has continued ever since for Joe. It’s allowed him, as Joe puts it, “to make it” in the real estate business.
That training period with Gibbons ultimately led to his purchasing (with some financial assistance) the former Aronovitch & Leipsic empire (a rather remarkable accomplishment) and later, to his becoming a member of the Canadian Commercial Real Estate Network. In fact, Joe suggested that all independent associates give up individual names and instead adopt the national name of JJ Barnicke Ltd. Sure enough, A & L became JJ Barnicke.
Joe Diner became very friendly with JJ Barnicke himself and was so well regarded within that company that he received the JJ Barnicke Lifetime Achievement Award. His success in real estate led to Joe’s acquiring such major clients in Winnipeg as Michael Nozick (Fairweather Properties), Monte Nathanson (United Equities-MPN Holdings), and Arni Thorsteinson (Shelter Canadian Properties).
As part of his work in real estate, Joe also became a consultant for both the Province of Manitoba and Government of Canada. One major assignment that he was given was an invitation to present a marketing plan for the redevelopment of the old CPR rail station. It was Joe’s idea to sell the station to Aboriginal organizations, which would then own, occupy and manage the site for themselves. Joe also was able to arrange financing for the project. Now that was an idea that was highly original for that time.
As anyone who has been to the site would recognize, Joe’s concept succeeded beyond expectations. In addition, Joe has been a part of major real estate shopping centre developments, including Madison Square, the Brick Centre, Leon’s Centre, and even the Eaton’s Warehouse Building, also the Free Press downtown building.
Perhaps one of Joe’s greatest coups was his work on a voluntary basis as agent for the Winnipeg Jewish Community when he engineered the acquisition of the present 13-acre Asper Campus site. He also aided the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs and Southeast Resource Development in several major acquisitions. In short, over a span of 40 years, Joe Diner was been a pivotal figure in the city of Winnipeg. You probably just didn’t know it.
However, Joe would consider his greatest project one he undertook for himself and his wife, the former Sandi Kraut, whom he married in 1980. In 1989 he purchased a waterfront lot on Salt Spring Island, BC, and some twelve years later, he finished the building of their home there. As Joe puts is so well, that is where “they live and smile today.”
Joe Diner has a been through a lot in his lifetime, but he would say much of what he did was because of what he learned and absorbed at the feet of his parents. Joe says that his mother Clara was up ever day at 7am, baking, cooking and cleaning, in addition to being very active in Hadassah and Meals On Wheels later on in her life. His father Lou, a former sargent major in the Canadian army during WWII, a founding member of Rosh Pina Synagogue, a councillor on the town council of Winnipeg Beach, a past president of the Maple Leaf Curling Club, and a supporter of many community causes, provided Joe with what might be called perspective in life by his appreciation for “having lived to see stage coaches across the west all the way to a man on the moon.” Based on what Joe told me about his life, I would say that he was a good student and learned his lessons well.
Features
Exchange Rate Factors: What Global Events Mean for Savvy Investors
When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, it created ripples in all financial markets, including currency markets. The Euro weakened while the dollar surged and emerging market currencies wobbled. Global factors can quickly affect financial markets and shake established trends. Apart from such rare events, currencies tend to change their price because of interest rates, inflation, and overall investor confidence. For investors managing money abroad, understanding these movements is critical to avoid losses and mitigate risks.
Below, we will break down how global political, economic, and cultural events influence exchange rates, with insights for savvy investors.
Economic factors
There are several key exchange rate factors with a consistent history of shaking financial markets. These factors include inflation, interest rates, trade balances, employment rates, and so on. Since economic factors are shaping markets almost daily, we start with those.
Inflation and interest rates
Inflation and interest rates are closely connected as one can easily affect the other. When inflation rises, central banks step in and raise interest rates to reduce inflation, and when inflation is lower, central banks can lower interest rates to make borrowing money cheaper. As a result, investors closely monitor these two metrics to anticipate changes in interest rates. Higher inflation makes currencies weaker, and whenever banks change the rates, the changes are immediately reflected in global currency rates. In the United States, the Federal Reserve is the central bank that sets interest rates in the country.
Trade balances and economic growth
A country that exports more than it imports has a stronger demand for its currency. More demand equals a stronger currency. However, the Japanese yen was always weaker against the dollar because the BOJ of Japan tends to have super low rates near 0 to support its exporters. Economic growth also increases demand for local currency as more investors try to invest in the country’s economy. Long-term investors often track this data to detect early signs of any changes in currency strength.
Political and geopolitical factors
Elections, sanctions, and overall political stability are also crucial factors. If the country gets under sanctions, its economy crumbles and its currency becomes inflationary, losing its value quickly. Elections are also crucial for a currency’s strength. Geopolitical events can have a serious impact on the currency as well. The most obvious example is the 2016 Brexit events that made GBP lose its value rapidly and violently. Global conflicts, such as wars, can seriously impact global financial assets, especially currency markets. When tensions are high, safe-haven currencies like USD and CHF (Swiss Franc) become very popular among investors as they seek a safe place to protect their capital.
Cultural and social factors
People like tourists, workers, and diaspora communities can shape currencies as well. Tourism usually drives seasonal demand, and countries that are popular destinations during certain seasons experience their currency appreciation as demand spikes. The perception matters as countries seen as safe and opportunity-rich tend to attract more investors, solidifying their currency strength.
Technology and innovation
Technology is seriously affecting everything, especially the financial sector. Digital payment systems, blockchain technology, and fintech startups have made it easy and swift to move money around. Cryptos and stablecoins enable investors to protect their capital using stablecoins during volatile times. The latest trend among banks is to work on CBDCs, which signals a new era where national currencies are blended with technology and blockchain. Despite this, currencies, even in their crypto form, will continue to be influenced by all major factors mentioned above, and knowing how these factors impact your currency is key to keeping your capital safe from risks.
Practical lessons for savvy investors
So, what do all these factors teach us about global currency rates and investing strategies? The key lies in proper preparations and anticipation. Monitoring macro trends, policy announcements, and major geopolitical and political developments is critical.
Diversify
The number one method which is used by professional investors is diversification. This simply means to spread your risks across a basket of assets. By not investing all your capital in one instrument, you can mitigate risks. If one asset experiences a loss, other ones will counter it with returns. Building a diversified portfolio is key to properly diversifying. For example: divide your capital to buy stocks, commodities, currencies, and cryptos so that if one fails to perform, others will counter it. This ensures a stable income without unnecessary losses in the long run.
Hedge
Forex options and ETFs are great hedging assets. Forex options let investors lock in an exchange rate for a future date, which is very useful if you expect volatility but want stability. Currency ETFs, on the other hand, track specific currencies or a basket of currencies and allow easy trading or protection without trading forex directly, but they are still risky.
Monitor the economic calendar
Economic calendar is a free online tool that aggregates important macroeconomic news data such as interest rate decisions, CPI, inflation, employment rates, central bank announcements and speeches, and other crucial information. By monitoring them, investors can always know when important news data will be released, and they can postpone their investment decisions to avoid volatile times and only invest after the main trend is determined.
Features
The Canadian Dollar is on a slow decline. Should you save in euros or US dollars instead?
The Canadian dollar has been losing its value against the dollar this year. For Canadians, this raises a simple question: if your CAD is losing ground, is it better to move savings into euros or U.S. dollars, especially bonds, stocks, or a carry-trade strategy? Carry-trade strategy in this context means to borrow in CAD and invest it in the USA or the EU zone. This is a complex matter, and to understand where the CAD is, how attractive other currencies might be, we need to analyze these currencies more deeply. Below, we will walk you through the data, practical costs, and risks so you can reach a usable conclusion after reading this guide.
Quick snapshot – What the markets say right now
Recently, the Canadian dollar has hit multi-month lows due to weaker oil prices and a post-Fed (U.S. Federal Reserve) market reaction (which raised the rates, making the CAD weaker against the dollar). Canada’s central bank has cut its policy rate to 2.25%, while the Fed’s fund rate remains notably higher at about 3.75-4%. The ECB (European Central Bank) main interest rates are lower than the Fed’s and near the low-to-mid 2% range. While the Euro currency to USD rates remain mostly predictable, due to higher US bond yield rates, the EUR remains stronger, still. The U.S. 10-year Treasuries are around 4.1%, Canada’s 10-year near 3.2%, and Germany’s 10-year around 2.7%, meaning that today the USD-denominated bonds have the highest nominal yield among the three. As a result, the dollar seems much more attractive when it comes to bond yields and stocks.
Bonds – Which currency is the best for fixed income?
The short answer is: USD bonds. When it comes to nominal yield alone, US bonds beat almost all other competitors. U.S. government bond yields (10-year) are noticeably higher than Canadian and German/Eurozone bond yields right now. As a result, US bond buyers have more income potential than Canada and the EU. Euro-area core yields are lower, meaning they are paying less than the USA.
However, nominal yield does not mean it is guaranteed real return, and metrics like inflation, currency rates, and hedging costs can impact potential returns directly. If you buy USD bonds but the dollar falls against the CAD, currency losses will most likely wipe out the higher yield rate. If the Fed lowers its rates, it will make the dollar weaker against the CAD and EUR.
Another challenge is that, if you live and spend in Canada, you are using CAD, and when exchanging it for dollars, you get exposed to foreign currency rate risks, which must not be underestimated.
Stocks – Euro or dollar?
Both the EUR and USD have their advantages. USD has strong liquidity and strong long-term performance, while EUR equities offer valuation opportunities and recent relative strength.
Why USD?
The U.S. market remains the most liquid stock market with strong earnings for many tech and large companies. This makes USD stocks very attractive for long-term-oriented investors. S&P has been rising historically, and even after crashes, it often recovers its value relatively quickly.
Why EUR?
European indexes have performed well this year and in many cases cost less than their U.S. counterparts. While cheaper does not always mean better, these indexes still have some growth potential. Some major banks in the EU zone, together with industries, have recovered strongly with a recent focus on military manufacturing, making many EU stocks very attractive, together with local indexes.
However, here is a caveat: if you are using CAD daily and it loses its value against the euro, the returns from euro holdings might shrink, exposing you to greater currency risks.
Carry-trade analysis – Is it viable to borrow CAD and invest it in USD or EUR?
The basic promise of carry-trade is simple yet powerful: you borrow cheaper currency and invest it in currencies with higher yields. In our case, is it lucrative to borrow in CAD and invest in either EUR or USD? To answer this question, we need to look at numbers. BoC policy rate is 2.25%, Fed funds from 3.75%, U.S 10-yr is 4.1%, Canada 10-yr is 3.2%. If we deduct Canadian rates from the U.S. rates, we get around 1.8% positive before costs. So, in theory, it could be lucrative to invest CAD in USD assets using a carry trade. Since the ECB has around 2%, it is not profitable to use a carry-trade strategy for the euro.
The bottom line
While the CAD has been weakening lately, it is still not cheap enough to naively invest in USD or EUR. However, if you want a pure yield and can tolerate foreign exchange rate risks, USD bonds are more attractive today. When it comes to stocks, USD equities provide stable and liquid markets. If you want valuation potential and diversification, then euro equities have become more attractive this year. When it comes to carry-trade strategies, the USD remains more lucrative than the euro, but on paper, traders and investors should evaluate all the risks and costs before investing in any currency.
In the end, Canadians who have CAD for their daily costs should be careful when trying to get exposure to other markets. US bonds, US stocks, US carry-trade, and EU stocks remain attractive choices for experienced investors.
Features
Why Reading Online Reviews Matters Before Making a Purchase
People usually pause before purchasing to read reviews from other customers. It’s become part of everyday online life, a quick way to see how something really performs before making a decision. According to the Pew Research Center, most internet users read reviews to get a better idea of what they’re buying. The feedback from actual users becomes more reliable than marketing statements because it comes from everyday consumers instead of sales-oriented corporate messages.
Reading reviews also helps spot patterns. If the same comment, good or bad, appears again and again, it usually means there’s truth to it. People now use this collective feedback as their main method to evaluate online products and services for quality and reliability.
When There Are Too Many Options, Reviews Narrow the Field
Shopping online can be overwhelming and a bit of an adventure. There are always more options than anyone needs, hundreds of gadgets, countless household tools, endless entertainment subscriptions. All listings present themselves as excellent value propositions with operational excellence, yet it remains a bit of a challenge when it comes to verifying which ones deliver actual results.
Reviews become useful at this point. Real users provide information about product details, which marketing content fails to show, by sharing their experiences about delivery speed and setup ease and product durability after several months of use. The product details show its operational behavior when used in regular business activities.
Users tend to begin with reviews. For instance, a tech product might have amazing packaging but fall short on battery life or integration. Maybe a new game or casino platform might sound promising, and reviews on trusted choices can confirm whether it includes flexible payment options, a wide content library, and responsive support. When feedback keeps mentioning strong points like clear instructions or helpful customer service, it shows consistency. The product or service delivers its expected results because customers have personally seen its performance.
Reviews Build Faith Through Shared Experience
Reviews gain their strength from the emotional bonds which readers find with each other. Reading about someone else’s experience feels familiar, even if you don’t know them. It’s basic word-of-mouth marketing, like receiving recommendations from a neighbor who has already purchased the item you are considering.
This shared experience has built an informal community of online voices. People rely less on what a brand claims and more on what other users notice. When different reviewers mention similar strengths or small frustrations, it adds authenticity. The story becomes more believable.
Reviews show what other users have experienced, but they do not offer any guidance about what to do. This type of his collective info turns into an important part of how people build trust online. It’s a small thing, but it makes a big difference in how confident we feel about the choices we make.
Balanced Feedback Feels More Honest
A perfect score does not prove that something lacks any imperfections. A combination of positive and less-than-perfect feedback creates a more authentic impression. Small complaints about packaging or delivery delays make glowing reviews sound real. A recent study showed that participants answered honestly instead of trying to make their responses attractive to others.
Most readers know that nothing works flawlessly all the time. People look for reviews which provide both positive and negative aspects because they want to find balanced opinions. Customers can establish realistic purchase expectations through combined information which they can apply before buying. Review systems maintain their value because reviewers maintain honesty in their assessments.
Why Recency and Volume Matter
The best reviews and product ratings are the ones written recently. They reflect how a product or service performs right now, not how it worked a year ago. Things change, materials, delivery services, and even the way companies handle support.
A steady flow of new reviews suggests consistency. When lots of people share their experiences over time, patterns appear. Those patterns tell readers what’s typical, not just what’s possible. It’s the difference between one person’s lucky experience and a reliable average that others can count on.
Quantity matters too. Ten balanced reviews from this month will usually tell more than a single five-star comment from last summer. Together, recency and volume create a clear picture of reliability and quality without relying on assumptions.
Recognising Genuine Reviews
Not every review online is authentic, real, and written by a consumer. Some are written by automated accounts or people hired to post positive comments. Real feedback tends to sound natural and personal. It might mention something specific like the texture of a fabric, how easy the setup was, or whether support staff replied quickly.
Authentic reviews vary in tone and detail. Some are short, others long, some are full of small observations. That mix of styles feels human. On the other hand, copied or fake reviews usually repeat the same phrases or sound overly polished.
Many websites now try to identify and label suspicious posts, but readers can also help by paying attention to repetition, timing, and tone. A quick scan across different platforms usually reveals what’s genuine and what’s not.
Reading Smarter in the Online Marketplace
Reviews have become a solid foundation for how people make decisions online. They give an honest view of how something performs beyond what’s written on the label. Every comment, short or long, adds another piece to the puzzle.
More than that, reviews show how businesses handle problems, how quickly they respond, and whether they follow through on promises. They offer accountability in a world where shoppers and sellers rarely meet face to face.
Reading a handful of reviews won’t guarantee a perfect experience, but it provides helpful context. It shows what’s typical and helps people make choices with more confidence. In an online world full of noise, reviews remain one of the easiest and most reliable ways to learn from others.