Short Term Trading Weekend Lounge: 14 - 16 Aug, page-19

The biggest news of the week was Russia rolling out a vaccine. According to reports.... Putin's own daughter has received a dose. Hands up all those who believe anything Putin says. (does he even like his daughter?).... l wish someone asked Putin if he's taken the shot.

It's a measure of how serious the pandemic is (and the economic fallout it creates) that not just Russia but the whole World is willing to forshorten accepted safety protocols (which any antivaxer will tell you are a bit suss anyway).

I am a baby boomer... l grew up in the certain knowledge it was only a matter of when it was that l got nuked. My generation understands paranoia better than the X, Y or Z's.... and from my perspective, l am seeing a lot more paranoia in our society than l can ever remember. If anything, this is far more dangerous than even climate change.... because paranoid people don't know who or what to trust. We are seeing the beginnings of chaos... with emotions overpowering intelligence.

During the week l saw this article
https://www.corporatecrimereporter.com/news/200/andrew-kimbrell-on-the-origins-of-covid-19/
The case for Covid escaping a laboratory is pretty strong. This thing is not a 'flu' but, personally, l am still being baraged by friends of mine sending me endless stuff they have trawled off the net essentially claiming it's not a problem. If that's really true.... then how come Russia is willing to punt on an untested vaccine? How come half the World's pharma labs have dropped everything to scramble for an effective response.

The point about the likelihood Covid being an escapee and not naturally occurring is it calls into question why it even exists. If it did come from a lab... what was the lab trying to do? Us baby boomers, when called upon, do paranoid better. If it's come from a lab it might be a part of a bioweapons program. Maybe

So for all of those who want to distrust authority and doubt everything they say... put that in your pipe and smoke it.

On to practical matters... in the recent drop of the gold price l did not get spooked. I bought the dip on GOR, and ALK. Didn't have much free cash so took my profits on AIS to fund it (still reasonable value below 6 cents but not as strong financially as the other 2). Topped up PLS and LVT on their pullback.

Sold out of VMS on the prospect they will face opposition from environmentalists in Tas (does look like management has a case to answer to my eyes)... took a very small position in WC8 and bought some BEAR on Friday. Happy with my small universe of stock picks for the time being.

Lastly... Beatles demo version of Back in the USSR...