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The French and British colonized Canada during the 15th century, and today the nation is one of the strongest economies in the world. It’s home to a growing seafood industry and is also considered one of the biggest manufacturing hubs in the world. Naturally, the financial system of the country is interesting to study closely. The following are 10 facts to support this statement:
Canada is the world’s third-richest country in natural resources. It’s also one of the world’s largest oil-producing countries and is rich in minerals like rock salt, coal, and uranium which have a huge demand in the international markets.
Canadians love to shop just like people in other parts of the world. In fact, as per the records, around 89% Canadians owned at least one credit card in 2016! Maybe that has to do with the fact that some of the best credit cards in Canada offer some very enticing perks. However, what a lot of people don’t realize is that several products like gas, tires, books, etc. cost more in the US. What’s even more surprising is the reason behind the same which a HuffPost report says is that Canadians always believe that things are more expensive in their country even when there is no logical explanation behind it.
British Columbia has the country’s some of the richest families followed by Ontario. In 2016, a study found that Vancouver has the highest number of millionaires in the country with the average household having the net worth around $1,036,202.
In 2004, the practice of counterfeiting reached new heights. In fact, it was the year when the number of fake currency notes that circulated in the economy were the highest- for every million real currency notes that were passed, there were 500 fake ones. In total, there were 553,000 fake currency notes in the economy during the period.
You may already know about bilingualism in Canada as the people here speak two languages- English and French. However, do you know that the very same thing costs the country around $2.4 billion a year? This is because the government has to offer its services in two languages which means there are bilingual forms, advertisements, signage, etc.
In Canada, it’s a tradition that the finance ministers must buy and wear a new pair of shoes on the day when the budget is delivered. Although the exact reason behind this tradition is unknown, its first mention is given in a newspaper article that was published around the 1960s.
Retailers in Canada aren’t under any kind of legal obligation to accept banknotes or coins in a select denomination. In fact, many use this rule to their advantage and often refuse to accept payments in $100 or $50 bills to avoid the risk of counterfeiting. That said, nothing’s stopping them from even refusing coins of Canadian dollars.
Canada’s banking sector is a lot stronger and resilient than of the US. For instance, during the Great Depression even as 9,000 US banks simply failed, in Canada, every single bank survived the tough period. In fact, so far, only two banks in Canada have failed since 1923. On the other hand, a whopping 17,000 banks in the US have failed since then!
By the end of December 2017, the banks in Canada had disbursed over $225 billion worth of credit for the SMEs in the country. That was a 22% increase in credit amount compared to 2012.
Technology has totally revamped the banking sector in Canada. Today, around 76% of Canadians use banking services through the Internet and mobile applications. What’s more, more than half i.e. 53% say that online banking is their most common banking method.
The Canadian economy is strong and the facts above are surely interesting and amusing. Which one surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Artificial Intelligence which is popularly known by its abbreviation AI has become of the most powerful technologies that we have today. It’s used in a variety of settings including, but not limited to: healthcare, security, data accounts, etc. Lately, it’s also started helping retail and institutional investors. The following are some of the ways how it’s going about that:
Robo advisors are AI-powered programs that guide people making investments. There is a slew of options in the market-leading people to often compare services like Wealthfront vs Betterment to learn about features like new investment options, portfolio rebalancing tools, retirement planning, etc. These programs have an AI program to take care of heavy analytics.
Artificial Intelligence has greatly enhanced customer service by giving rise to smart chatbots. For instance, there are AI interfaces and bots like Eno and Cleo that can have conversations with the customers and answer basic queries. Since many queries that are raised today are repetitive, bots can efficiently identify this and respond.
Online investment tools and services have made it easier for retail investors to create and maintain portfolios on the go. However, security has always been a concern for them as they need to protect their financial and personal information from hackers and various kinds of cyberattacks. This problem is now tackled with the help of AI as advanced programs can easily detect anomalies in transactions and unusual investment habits to prevent frauds and identity thefts.
AI-based investment software can help users to invest with excellent tax-efficiency. They use tax allocation strategies and directing equity investments in taxable investment accounts, and interest-bearing investments into tax-sheltered retirement plans.
It’s no secret that one of the best ways to become rich is to invest money in the right products. However, in the fast-paced world that we live in today, few people have the time that’s required to study the market, stocks, and other investment options to make the right decisions. This is why artificial intelligence is used in investment apps that can do the homework for the users. This way, the users just need to review the information collected by the apps and make appropriate decisions.
Portfolio rebalancing is important if you want smoother investment returns, review mutual funds in your portfolio with ease, and more. The problem is that many investors struggle with the idea and often spend long periods of time without adjusting the portfolio. However, AI is today helping them succeed in this endeavor by offering auto-rebalancing services. With this, a portfolio can be readjusted to a fixed allocation whenever its values change.
It can be quite challenging for those who have never invested money before to get started from scratch. Then there are many who don’t really have an interest in investing even though they understand the value in the same. This is again where AI is coming to the rescue as it’s used by investment programs to understand the requirements of individual investors and create appropriate strategies so that their financial goals can be met while facing minimum resistance.
We humans are both flawed and made powerful with emotions that affect us on many levels. Talking strictly about investment, then emotions can often cloud our judgment and force us to make decisions that fundamentally lead to poor returns or loss of money altogether. For instance, it’s emotions that compel investors to buy when the market is high and sell when it’s low, even though that’s the opposite of what they should be doing.
AI is powerful because it’s purely based on facts, data, and results. So, it’s used by investors to make the right decisions for them based on information rather than emotions or “gut feelings”.
Human advisers can be quite knowledgeable and offer sound investment advice. However, their services can also be expensive which is why many people can’t afford them at all. AI-based programs, on the other hand, are easily affordable. They don’t require the users to invest a minimum sum which can vary depending on financial position.
AI-based services are available on the Internet or in the form of standalone apps for investments, personal finance, budgeting, etc. So, investors can access them anytime they want and anywhere. This is a big advantage for today’s investors who are often mobile most of the time.
As you can see, AI has changed a lot how investments are made today and related new-age apps have made the process faster, easier, and more affordable. That said, we have just scratched the surface now and there is a lot more to look forward to in the years to come.
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In this article, the cuteness overload of the Japanese cartoon fictional characters is gonna be shown. Honestly, no kidding, Japan is really cute because of their cute Japanese cartoon characters which are adorable just like a baby! Some characters are only known because of their cuteness like Hello Kitty. Anyone knows the anime industry and the manga in Japan is pretty strong. It takes time before an artist sketches a one of a kind cartoon character because he got to think of it a lot of times.
Below are the 10 cutest cartoon characters in Japan.
In 1974, a Japanese company Sanrio created a fictional character known as Hello Kitty. Yulo Shimizu designed this famous little girl who is also known in Japan as Kiti Howaito. There are lots of children who believed that she’s a cat. However, Sanrio says it wasn’t. The company characterizes her as being a cheerful and happy little girl with a heart of gold.
Do you watch Pokemon anime or Pokemon manga? If yes, then you’ll probably know Pikachu. It has a small mouth, cute in size with a yellow fur. It’s included in Pokemon creatures.
A lot of cosplay participants often choose Pikachu as the top for their costume. After Hello Kitty, I believed Pikachu is the best -love anime and cutest in the Pikachu Anime Television Series.
Rilakkuma is another cute cartoon character from Japan. “Relaxed mood bear” is the meaning of Rilakkuma. He is a stress-free and lazy cute bear with two companions: Kiiroitori, a yellow chick and Korilakkuma, a white bear. His First appearance was from Rilakkuma Seikatsu (picture book) that was presented by San-X Company.
There are a lot of toy shops in Japan that sell Rilakkuma plush toys and some of these toys are huge! Rilakkuma will make you feel stress-free and relaxed in everything he does. You can check it out on Youtube. There are some Rilakkuma backpacks for kids on Amazon website.
There are over hundreds of thousands of avid fans of Mario all over the world and that includes me! Growing up playing the addicting game super Mario in Nintendo. A video game Japanese designer Shigeru Miyamoto created Mario, an Italian plumber who featured a mustache and similar to a Mexican.
Afro Ken is a dog with an appealing colored rainbow afro. He doesn’t communicate but he expresses his feelings through facial expressions. He’s innocent, good mood all the time, honest, and happy. He is fascinated with fluffy things that looks the same as him. Whenever he gets closer to the objects, his hair transforms to look like those things. The designer who created this kawaii creature said that he liked dogs. Just as he started working with the San-X company, he sketches many dogs in which Afro Ken is included.
Who doesn’t know Doraemon? He’s like a celebrity during the 21st century just like Julia Roberts, Tom Hanks, and others. It’s a reality that a lot of kids love the series of Doraemon and to read the manga.
Doraemon manga is probably the best series of manga for the Japanese kids. Recently, there are free online games about Doraemon and very addictive.
In other countries, some children choose to watch Doraemon instead of studying. It’s like a Doraemon fever because of its popularity.
Totoro, have you heard of a name like this or it’s your first time? A fascinating, magical character, cute, furry, giant, and silent. The Totoro character originated from My Neighbor Totoro, an animated movie filmed by director Hayao Miyazaki in 1988.
A popular fictional character in Japan as well as in other countries. Also known as Shin Chan.
In anime series, watching him is hilarious as well as reading its famous manga. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, I recommend that you watch it.
Do you know who Jiji is? Jiji is a color black cat and Kiki’s companion. This character appears in Kikis Delivery Service or Majo no takkyubin and super adorable. It was shown in the year1989 by Director Hayao Miyazaki, the greatest director of animation. Hayao movies always have something special in their cute fictional characters. He smiles and always bothered by something else. It’s great to watch a movie with your family and friends during the holidays or at weekends.
In Japan, Anpanman is considered the cutest character created even if they’re not familiar to you. If this is the first time you knew this character, it’s a must to check it out on one of the anime DVD.
There are 1000 series of Anpanman series episodes (Soreike! Anpanman). Anpanman usually appears in games, clothes, toys, and on public transportation (JR Shikoku 2000 train).
The large head of Anpanman was created from the idea of Anpan, (a bun which is sweet that’s filled with Anko; red bean Japanese paste)
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Only those insane, paid-to-do-this and suicidal should ever travel these roads.
Every year, people die due to traffic accidents and it reaches almost 1.3 million. The WHO stated that from the year 2011 to 2021 is “A decade of action for road safety.”
Death by accident can be prevented if only they drive better. There are roads that would really test the courage and skill of a driver, either it’s the sheer mountain drops, war zones roads or hairpin bends.
Here’s our list of 10 most dangerous roads in the world.
There are several roads that appear more dangerous than how they actually are. But it doesn’t mean that admiring the scenic view of alpine instead of focusing your eyes on the road is acceptable.
This route resembles a scribble of a child and has more hairpins compared to Helena Bonham Carter. So, never be fooled crossing Stelvio Pass in Italian Alps.
A mountain drop that is so steep that’s why looking down is a no-no. This route climbs of about 2 kilometers and only a low-set concrete barrier stands between that sheer mountain drop, the reason why looking down is a big no-no.
This highway connects Pakistan and China at Khunjerab Pass with 4,693 meters high. The road in Pakistan is unpaved and what’s worse is that, this highway is prone to floods and landslides. However, it remains to be a tourist attraction as they pass by some breathtaking gorges along Old Silk Road. The government that built this named it “Friendship Highway” in spite of the deaths of 82 Chinese and 810 Pakistani workers during its construction which was caused mostly by landslides.
The steep, dizzying curves winding through the Andes amidst Uspallata, Argentina and in Los Andes, Chile. A secluded area elevated about 3,176 meters high and what’s more frightening are those series of articulated lorries passing this route and this road is without any safety barrier. However, this road is also used by tourist coaches when it’s not blocked by snow during winter. Traveling by air is another easy option or thru Transandine Railway if it will open its services.
From 2006-2008, there are 34 serious or fatal accidents. That’s why in 2010, the Road Safety Foundation named this picturesque country road by England’s Peak District – as the most dangerous route in the United Kingdom. A lot of these casualties involve motorcyclists who enjoy the bucolic scenes and vast open space. However, the treacherous bends in the road are edged by stone walls and steep embankments which make it too dangerous than how it appears to be and it was named by locals as the “widow-maker.”
This country has average yearly traffic accidents of 11,650, and there’s no doubt that Croatia is included in the list of Association of safe International Road travel for the most dangerous roads in the world.
Speeding and congestion are the problems encountered along the Adriatic coastal route, which are well-known for their sharp curves that cling to its cliff face and also the absence of the safety barriers.
This Guoliang Tunnel Located in Henan Province, China is terrifying for the drivers nowadays. However, in 1972, the Chinese drivers that hacked this tunnel of 1.2 kilometers long along Taihang mountains edges prove that it was deadly. During the construction, some died and this tunnel was done primarily using hand tools. It’s 4 meters wide by 5 meters high; some areas have an open-edge over the rocky cliff that’s why it was nicknamed “the road that does not tolerate mistakes,” which is clearly appropriate.
Located in between the Ladakh and Kashmir is Zoji La Pass, a mountain route that looks like a dusty roadway through Western Himalayas. However, this road keeps the Ladakh community connected to the world outside of their own even though it is often blocked by heavy snow during winter. This 9-kilometer road zigzags at 3,528 meters off the mountain without any barrier on its edge and a compact rock face on its other side. Definitely not for someone with vertigo or with fear of landslides.
A U.S Aircraft bombed the Iraqi trucks and tanks along highway 80 coming from Kuwait City towards Basra. This happened in February of 1991 during the 1st Gulf war while the vehicles are retreating which destroyed 2,700 vehicles which marks this road in history as “Highway of Death” . The number of deaths was never accurately confirmed and it ranges from roughly about 300 up to 10,000. The war ended days after photos of charred bodies and burnt-out vehicles were televised all over the world.
It was previously declared as the world’s most dangerous road by the inter-American Development Bank. The road traveling from La Paz going in Coroico drops steeply over 65 kilometers that even the actor Charlie Sheen would have second thoughts.
For the adventure cyclists, this road becomes their playground in which it is actually dangerous. Overcrowded buses and local trucks maneuver this road in which sometimes fly off in the route killing 200 to 300 a year.
Several roads are labeled “most dangerous”. However, traveling this 65-kilometer highway in Jalalabad to Kabul justifies the real meaning of it snaking across the Taliban territory.
The danger side of this road has nothing to do with the insurgency. There are two factors that make this route dangerous: it is narrow, twisting road that climbs extending to 600 meters via Kabul Gorge Highway and the Afghan drivers recklessly overtaking the fully loaded haulage trucks.
It is important to stay safe while driving or traveling. Check out these 10 most common ways to avoid car accidents.
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Dogs have all kinds of excellent features but usually, it’s their playful character that makes them fun to be with. There’s no single thing like having a goofy pup that could brighten up the day regardless of how gloomy it is. Although it’s in their nature to be playful, there are just some who are extremely playful. Here’s the list of our ten most playful dog breeds in the world.
The boxer is a playful, sweet-natured dog who loves being around with kid’s high energy. An easy-going, curious, energetic, happy dog breed that’s perfect for a playmate.
This kind of breed has a lot of energy, including a fondness of playing in the outdoors. Do activities like agility training, hiking, tracking, and fetching for this dog.
A Corgi is a breed that’s continually active and playful. He loves playing with kids and also in outdoors.
Size doesn’t matter! This dog is one of the high-energy dogs on our list. The JRT is a vibrant, playful dog that loves swimming, agility, hiking, running, flyball, and just about anything that involves the use of their energy.
This smart and cute little papillon loves to be entertained so better give time to play with this small dog or else, he’ll find the way to entertain himself. Take him to a long walk in the park or neighborhood. He’ll surely excel in dog sports too!
One of the most popular dog breeds, these two breeds are filled with playful energy and fun-loving, which make them a wonderful family buddy. Both of them enjoy playing outdoors with the family.
As what the name implies, they love being in the water. A beach companion or your swimming buddy- anytime!
The high-energy Australian shepherd desires to play constantly to have a cheerful life. They are quick to react to whatever tasks given to them such as fetching newspapers, playing soccer, assisting in the garden, and whatever fun games that come to your mind.
The Brittany dog is always ready to almost anything only if it’s interacting with their playful side. They love to hike, play fetch, run, tug-of-war, and do other activities.
The ancestors of this breed are known to be performers in the circus with some playful tricks, and also they are once coach-pulling dogs. That’s why if you’re searching for a high -energy, goofy buddy, Dalmatian is the best for you.
We have also the list of the world’s most expensive dogs but are extremely charming. Check it out!
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A gourmand with a true appetite for sweets considers desserts as a queen in every table, which is very well explained by their taste. Below are the 10 most popular desserts in the world with a fascinating history.
Pakhlava is an Eastern traditional dish, a tiny square with thinnest slices filled with crumbled nuts in honey or syrup. It melts in your mouth and makes you sense the wonders of the Eastern exotic.
It was speculated that Pavloka cake derived its name in remembrance of Anna Matveevna Pavlova, a ballet dancer in Russia; in consequence of Pavlova’s beautiful light as well as her white skirt too. During the 1920s, she visited Australia and New Zealand for a tour. This dessert has over 600 recipes and with many legends and controversies surrounding its origin. Anyways, once you had a bite of this dessert, which is made with crisp meringue, fruits, and cream, it would be definitely unforgettable.
Comes from Indonesian word Dadar which means “pancake” and Gulung which means “to roll”. It’s no surprise that this is the most popular dessert on Java island. This dessert is made with Pandan leaves; its green rolled pancake is filled with grated sweet coconut.
A simple dessert to prepare in your home when you have an oven. Francois Massialot, a chef of the Duke of Orlean, invented Creme Brulee during the 17th century. In 1691, this recipe was published in a book that he produced. However, Creme Brulee makes one also think about Catalonian cream in which there was a version that he took this recipe when he traveled through Catalonia.
This soft pastry with cream and a thin layer of crisp caramel is served not only in any cafes but also in Europe and any other places in the world.
This cake is among the world’s best desserts, created in 1832 by 16 years old Franz Sacher that made him famous. It was named after him in his honor. It is composed of biscuit sponge filled with sliced apricot jam coated with chocolate. Its authentic secret is secured strictly, and only those pastry men of Vienna’s Hotel Zaher know about it.
Apples were discovered by the New World with the first colonists. It took years before rooters bear fruits. This dessert was way older than the country itself and their fanatic love for this dessert made it as their national symbol for wellness.
It is a pie filled with apples in crispy crust topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or cheddar cheese.
This famous Canadian dessert derived its name from Nanaimo town, a British Columbia province. This is a no-bake three-layered tart with the first layer of waffle bits followed by a rich-heavy creamy icing topped with glazed melted chocolate.
Gulab Jamun is famous in South-East Asia and a favorite dessert among the Indians. It is similar to a small donut with sugar liquor. It’s a solid based dry milk roasted with ghee butter.
Among the finest desserts that came from the East is the Mochi, a traditional Japanese dessert which dubbed its name from sticky rice type of Mochi Gome. The Japanese kept on pounding it in a mortar until it turns into a paste and they make pellets or scones out of it. A famous dish not only during their New Year celebration in Japan but all throughout the year. This dessert is served with a scoop of ice cream, and it is not limited in Japan only, but other countries include this dessert in their restaurants and cafes too.
This dessert is an epitome of a heavenly taste. Its name was taken from the layout itself. A biscuit with meringue which the colors white and yellow resemble the Catholic church color. Kardinalschnitten is served from 1974 in cafe Mozart.
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