Dooley Wilson’s famous song from Casablanca, “As Time Goes By” starts with:
“You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.”
In pursuit of truth and as must virtually everybody else in the world I am going on second hand evidence. After all, I was not kissed full on by Luis Rubiales and I have never been drawn to the visage of Jenni Hermoso (I might have been if I had had a look – it is just that I have not and likely never will). Further, for instance, I do not know whether Luis was sporting the Continental habit of chewing garlic. Thus, all in all, this uproar by 50% of the human race seems ill-founded. Given the ignorance all round I suggest that the decision to enforce Luis’s departure be made through the toss of a coin. Fair’s fair. Or unfair – depending upon whose view you take.
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I am on rather firmer ground in the matter of Nadine Dorries’s departure from the Conservative party and her triggering a Mid-Beds by election. One has only to read her resignation letter (if necessary Google for it – you will end up on the BBC news page) to conclude that Nadine thought she would pick up a peerage only to find such an appointment blocked by Rishi himself. Certainly I cannot find anything in her resignation letter upon which to base a reasonable criticism of him – and quite a lot upon which to base a reasonable criticism of her. This suggests to me that the voters of mid-Beds might come out for the Conservative candidate despite the widely expressed view that they will not. Just for the hell of it I have had a small bet against the Lib Dems’ winning despite the very sound and long-running advice that one should never engage in political betting unless one is an insider. My only defence is that it may be too early for anybody to claim insider knowledge of the position.
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I sold my Pantheon Resources (PANR) last week since favourable news had failed to come through. Needless to add this morning sees a massive rise in certified reserves. Although, curiously, the share price has not yet rocketed. I’m afraid the market has become rather sceptical. That noted, I suspect that a buy around 15p might prove very profitable.
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Elsewhere, Pelatro (PTRO) has announced that it is ducking out of AIM since the compliance costs are just too high. This leaves PTRO tightly controlled by the directors and the vagaries of a matched bargain market for those who want to get out. Still, a purchase at, say, 1p might give a nice surprise. I stress the MIGHT.
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Yesterday, Tony Martin brought Belgoprince over from Ireland to win at Epsom at 15/1. Tony is a very astute man who is not to be trifled with. He’ll do it again.
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Book review: I bought a copy of Richard Cobb’s A Classical Education published by an imprint of Faber. Here he recounts his Salopian contemporary “Edward”‘s conviction for murdering his mother in 1936. With an axe, I may add. (It slightly reminds me of Lizzy Borden who took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks “when she saw what she had done she gave her father forty-one”.) Worth a read.
PS: Do not emulate Edward.