Prime Minister Stephen Harper set off an alarm last month, when he suggested that Canada couldn't afford to pay Old Age Security benefits for boomers who will be retiring in the next 20 years.

Government finance experts were aghast. They wanted to know why Harper was creating a crisis when none existed before.

Hey, have you heard the one about the employee with a great sense of humour?

Maybe he's on to something. Numerous surveys and studies tell us a good sense of humour is an asset on the job.

You get an email from your bank, saying your account has been compromised. Do you clink a link to get more information?

No way. The email may be from a fraudster and the link may lead to a phony website, where you're sharing confidential data with someone who can raid your bank account.

Welcome to email phishing (spelled with a PH), also known as brand spoofing...

A pat on the back, or a slap on the wrist? Is that how your boss manages you?

It can be tough to know how well you're doing at your job day to day. Some managers wait to spill the beans until that all important performance review at the end of the year. That's when you sit down and find out if your work makes the grade.

The Supreme Court of Canada said a national securities regulator would be unconstitutional. The decision came out late last year.

I'm not terribly disappointed. The United States had a national securities regulator for decades, but fraudster Bernard Madoff still pulled off the biggest Ponzi scheme in history.

So, how do we improve the outcomes for Canadians who save and invest their money? How do we ensure they get redress when their trust is abused?

Sure, Hanukkah has begun and Christmas is still a few days away, so it feels a little early to fast forward to the New Year.

But that's exactly what you've got to do if your resolution is "find another job."

The cold weather is getting you down. You want to escape to a warm place, but you want to keep costs in line. So, how can you save money on travel?