Cats, Comedy, Kilburn and Currency

I thought I might share a few random bits and bobs from my little life for you to ponder today, starting with various interviews.

Here I am on the mighty James Delingpole’s podcast, talking about most subjects, though squabbling about conspiracy theories.

Then there is this interview with Jasmine Birtles for the Money Magpie podcast, talking mostly about gold and property. (Audio on Spotify; video on YouTube).

Also this radio interview with ABC Australia, I was quite pleased with. Here it is.

And, if bitcoin is your thing, here I am on the Discovering Bitcoin podcast.

Right. That’s all the interviews done.

A Thief in our Midst

Turning to matters closer to home, there is a beautiful cat, pictured below, which belongs to a Chinese lady, who lives three doors up. She visits my garden every morning (the cat not the Chinese lady) as I am getting my 15 minutes of sun, purrs seductively, gets stroked, and then wanders off on its day to do who knows what. If I leave the back door open, she will come into my house and visit me at my desk, stretch out luxuriantly and, if I pick her up, start padding my chest pleasantly. I thought we had become friends.

Well, you can’t trust anyone.

I now discover this feline fiend has been sneaking into my son’s room to steal his socks, which it then brings back to its owner three doors up.

Here it is. Caught red handed.

A Rare Trip to the Theatre

On Wednesday I went to see The Comedy About Spies in the West End. It’s not something I would have normally gone to watch, but my friend Tom Woods had some tickets he couldn’t use and so off I went with my next door neighbour. I thought it was terrific. Thank you Tom!

I’m obsessed with farce. Always have been since I first watched Fawlty Towers as a little boy. (I actually did my university thesis on Fawlty Towers). It’s my favourite form of theatre by a country mile. I love the precision of it, along with the heightened emotion and panic. Done well there is no better narrative form, in my opinion.

Films like Midnight Run and TV series like Curb Your Enthusiasm, in my view, embrace farcical plot schemes. But if you want a farce in its purest form on film, watch What’s Up Doc. Just the best.

The premise of The Comedy About Spies is a little bit forced, but the jokes are fab, there are hundreds of them, one after the other, they are brilliantly executed and with incredible precision - it’s wonderful to see a show this tight. By the end I even found myself moved by the characters. I LOLed many times. What can I say? It’s really good.

What’s your favourite farce? Let me know in the comments.

The South Africanisation of Everything

In other, less positive news, on Tuesday evening I found myself walking down the Kilburn High Road for the first time in about 25 years. It was always a bit rough around the edges - up there with Elephant & Castle and Streatham High Road as one of London's most worst thoroughfares - but my God it was eye-opening as to where the UK is going / has gone.

Litter everywhere, people off their faces, drugs being dealt openly on the street, beggars, a woman knocked over by a bloke cycling a Lime bike on the pavement, the bloke unapologetic, little trust between visible between people in this multi-cultural mayhem. Talk about lack of cohesion.

(I drove through Harlesden the other night and that was bad too).

It confirmed my theory of the South Africanisation of everything. (Actually it’s my friend Alex’s theory, but I have purloined it).

It prompted me to dig up this piece from a couple of years back, which at one point was the most read piece on this ‘ere Substack. On re-reading it now, I’m rather proud of it. Recommended.

The Secret History of Gold

In personal news, I am glad/relieved to say I submitted the final proofs for my new book on gold which comes out in August - the Secret History of Gold (I haven’t actually announced it yet, which I will in due course). Writing a book is an enormous undertaking. Publicising it is an even greater one. I’m glad stage one is complete.

How about this for a fact?

In 1930 the price of gold was £4.25 per ounce, as it was in 1716 when Isaac Newton set the price over 200 years earlier. FOUR POUNDS 25p. Today it's £2,475 per ounce. From £4.25 to £2,475.

That's how much we've been robbed by currency depreciation.

How have they (successive governments) been able to get away with this?

Because representative democracy does not work is why.

Thank goodness for gold. Thank goodness for bitcoin. Speaking of which:

As always, if you are looking to buy gold, the bullion dealer I use and recommend is the Pure Gold Company. Pricing is competitive, quality of service is high. They deliver to the UK, the US, Canada and Europe or you can store your gold with them. Find out more here.

The Mid-Year Review

Wearing my satirical comedy hat, I have a big gig coming up on May 20 in East London. These nights are usually pretty memorable - and for the right reasons.

If you are free, come along. You can get tickets here. It would be great to see you.

Finally, in case you missed this week’s commentary, here it is:

Have a lovely bank holiday weekend.

Fun fact: Mayday - not as in the bank holiday, but as in the distress call for a ship or a plane is actually from the French, “M’aidez” - help me. May Day is an ancient festival to celebrate the beginning of summer (or as is the case in the UK this year, the end of summer), though socialists hijacked it with International Workers’ Day.

So now we are all crying “M’aidez” on May Day.

Tell your friends about this entertaining catch up.

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