WhatFinger


Bob Christie

Bob was born in Toronto and began his financial career as a trader on the Toronto Stock Exchange. He relocated to California and became SVP and CFO of a $multi-billion diversified financial entity. He served on the board of many companies in Canada and US. An avid yachtsman, he owns a twin diesel ocean going vessel once featured in Architectural Digest magazine. He maintains a hockey web site. "slapshotreport.com" and currently resides in Sausalito, California.

Most Recent Articles by Bob Christie:

You Might Not Be Granted The Courtesy Of A Hood Over Your Head

Americans should brace themselves for the coming failure of one of the biggest banks in the country that does not have the word "bank" in its title. And no impressive polished brass safe in the lobby either. Why should Americans care about this bank? Because they own it!
- Wednesday, March 15, 2017


Who Is A Pundit Anyway?

How does one get to be labeled a pundit? How much expertise is required? The dictionary describes pundit as "an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called on to give opinions about it to the public."
- Saturday, January 28, 2017

Could You Be More Specific Bill?

They just keep on coming . . . the reasons why The Donald is president-elect. Bill Clinton now goes on record blaming "angry white men" for Hillary's election loss. Hmmmm.
- Monday, December 19, 2016

What are your intentions? I need the correct answer . . . or else.

A few years ago, returning from a few fun days at Santa Catalina Island (a 20 mile voyage from my then home port of San Pedro, California), in mid-channel I noted a blip on my radar screen a few miles ahead off my starboard bow. The "blip's" observed course was northwest. I scanned the horizon with binoculars and observed what appeared to be a navy ship approximately positioned where the blip was evident.
- Friday, December 16, 2016

DEFCON "?"

DEFCON is an acronym for "defense readiness condition". It currently has five levels, the highest number "5" indicating relative calm and the lowest number "1" suggesting nuclear war is imminent. Presumably the next gradation is "Ground Zero".
- Monday, October 24, 2016

We ain't Seen Nothin' Yet

Here we are just one month from November 8, voting day in U.S.A., and major bombs are dropping on the electorate to influence voting and bring a merciful end to the political conflict. When will the bombs stop? A history lesson seems appropriate.
- Saturday, October 8, 2016

In Round Numbers (to keep it simple)

During Obama's tenure in the White House the federal government collected $20 trillion in taxes. Oughta be enough to pay for all our stuff, you say! Unh Unh! Not so fast pilgrim!
- Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Non-PC Types (Don't You Love them?) Can Also Be Hypocrites

In a recent article carried in Canada Free Press, I labeled my essay "PC= BS". According to comments, readers agreed that political correctness, particularly as practiced by pols, has exceeded its shelf life and should be relegated to the rusty dumpster out back.
- Thursday, July 21, 2016

PC = BS

The genesis for this brief essay is the recent event in Orlando and the attempts to understand how and why it occurred. In the coming days, weeks, months, there will be countless pronouncements on the subject from pundits, beginning at the top (President Obama), all the way down the ladder to bottom rungers like myself. One of us may stumble onto the real answer by chance, or maybe even by logical reasoning.
- Tuesday, June 14, 2016

Why The Economy Is Like The Subway

When you venture beneath the city streets, go through or leap over the turnstile (not recommended . . . a consequence may be a fine, or a broken leg), stroll down the platform to the favored spot where your preferred car will stop, three things can happen.
- Friday, May 27, 2016

Go To Jail, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200!

There is an almost unanimous consensus among economists worldwide that the most worrisome disease infecting somewhat less than healthy and truly sick economies on almost all continents is low, non, or negative growth.
- Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Canada's future population

Canada is the second largest country on planet earth . . . and one of the least populated. Density, the number of people per square kilometer, is 3.63, making it 230th out of 244 jurisdictions worldwide. It has long had a policy to increase its meager population. Since WWII, the government paid a "baby bonus" to women to birth children. I had no employer but contributed to the family income as a child. For decades immigration policies have attempted to bring in large numbers of peoples from foreign lands.
- Friday, April 8, 2016

An Issue For Debate: Universal Suffrage

Most people recognize the expression "skin in the game" and accept that it means those persons who have something of value at risk have purchased a specific privilege or right deemed worthy of the gamble. Those without "skin in the game", non-players in effect, are not entitled to the same privilege or right. If you have ever played poker with your buddies you know you are not entitled to be dealt a hand and perhaps rake in a pot or two without having met the requirement to "ante up". It is speculated the phrase "skin in the game" draws its origins from William Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice in which the antagonist, Shylock, stipulates that the protagonist, Antonio, must promise a pound of his own flesh as collateral, to be exacted by Shylock in the event that Antonio's friend Bassanio defaults on the loan to which Antonio is guarantor. (Wikipedia)
- Sunday, March 13, 2016

Terrorists Notwithstanding, Our Own Idealogues Are Killing Us

The dictionary describes an idealogue as "one given to fanciful ideas or theories". Unfortunately the Department of Homeland Security is replete with such people. They are dangerous to our health and well being because of their fantasies, in particular the notion that one's social media activities are private and not subject to search.
- Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Significantly Simplifying The U.S. Tax Code, And Other Hopeful Myths

Determining the length of a book is a simple matter . . . just open the back cover and look at the last page for the answer. Not so with the U.S. tax code, apparently. Google the question, "How many pages in the tax code?" Many answers appear. It could be as many as 75,000 pages, or just a few percentage points of that number, depending on who is answering the question and the motive for obtaining your acceptance of the answer. However, according to an official IRS site(see link below) regardless of the number of pages or words, the code is unbelievably confusing . . . even to so-called experts.
- Tuesday, December 1, 2015

How many outs in this game?

Toppling heads of state has been a consuming passion of US administrations, regardless who is POTUS. Let's call the repetitive process a "scourge". Definition: A person or thing that causes great trouble or suffering.
- Monday, November 16, 2015

Trying To Square The Circle

Three serious problems negatively affecting the US economy are eerily related. Consider the following:
- Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Who Got It Right?

In a rare event earlier this week a Georgia woman was executed by the state for her role in the murder of her husband. She persuaded her lover to kill her husband, which he did with multiple stabs to the victim. The killer was sentenced to life in prison but is eligible for parole in 2022. Assessing the death penalty, the judge and jury decided the woman was more guilty than the actual killer because he would not have done the deed without her encouragement.
- Sunday, October 4, 2015

Wind turbines fouling the landscape

Well done, Judi! Your essay on wind turbines touched a nerve! It has long been one of my pet peeves . . . I have railed against these atrocities for years, citing all the reasons you stated.
- Monday, April 13, 2015

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