Contributors’ Corner

By:  Kian Ghanei, Vancouver

It's always a good thing when an investment pays off. That's why you invest, after all - to win - not to lose. But when you win on an investment, there is almost always a price to pay in the form of taxes.

By ROBERT WALDMAN, Vancouver

Certain actors seem born for a role. Back in the 1960s Sean Connery was saving the world as James Bond, agent 007. Move on to the 70s and we had Clint Eastwood cleaning up those grimy San Francisco streets as Dirty Harry. Sky high fun occurred whenever Christopher Reeves took flight as a superman while closer to home Sylvester Stallone did what John Rambo had to do to wreck havoc on American enemies in South East Asia.   Modern heroes like Indiana Jones and Spider-Man made household names internationally of Harrison Ford and Tobey Maguire. Now we must add Robert Downey Jr to this list of pop icons thanks to his latest work.        

By Kian Ghanei , Vancouver

Kick a small ball of snow into motion from the top of a hill and by the time it gets to the bottom, it will be HUGE. That’s the snowball effect – and you can get the same growth effect in your investments thanks to the ‘magic’ of compounding.

By ROBERT WALDMAN, Vancouver

Words of wisdom are hard to convey when we enter the murky world of the mixed-up/messed-up Wetherhold family. Life on campus takes a back seat to family upheaval as we track an otherwise normal group in Smart People, a savvy undertaking from Miramax Films now setting off debates at Tinseltown (on Pender, free parking). the Fifth Avenue Theatre, Esplanade 6, Empire Studio 12, Colossus and Famous Players Theatres around B.C.. Sure to spark interest come Oscar time this oddball feature marks some notable musings from it’s A list cast of actors.

By:  Kian Ghanei, Vancouver

Don’t pay more taxes than absolutely necessary by taking advantage of all the federal tax credits available to you -- including a number of tax relief measures introduced recently that you should know about.

·         Basic personal tax credit – raised to $9,600.

·         Spousal/equivalent-to-spouse credit – for support of an eligible partner whose net income was less than $9,600.

·         Eligible dependent credit – for support of an eligible dependant whose net income was less than $9,600.

By ROBERT WALDMAN, Vancouver

War can bring out the best in people. Set in the 1930s, The Counterfeiters is a tense tale of struggle and survival from Sony Pictures Classics now shining brightly at Tinseltown (on Pender, free parking). Once again Germany shows its true colours and mettle as a sensational filmmaking center with this movie from writer/director Stefan Ruzowitsky a clear front-runner for best foreign film this year. Right in the tradition of The Lives of Others The Counterfeiters serves to open eyes to the ultimate war machine and human tragedy.

Direct hits don’t come that often in Hollywood.  Score a homer for Columbia Pictures with the release of Vantage Point.  Timely and tense beyond belief, filmdom’s freshest thriller is now firing folks up at Tinseltown (on Pender, free parking), Esplanade 6, Oakridge Cinemas, Empire Studio 12, Colossus and Famous Players Silver City arenas across B.C.

By ROBERT WALDMAN, Vancouver

Come mid February for most people love is in the air. Hot on the heels of Valentine’s Day appears Definitely, Maybe, a superior romantic comedy from Universal Pictures now opening hearts at the Empire Studio 12, Colossus and Famous Players Silver City Cites around B.C.