Debts etc

Been a busy few days, with the cricket, and managed to come 10th in the Monday tourny, thou my heart wasnt really in it.

Had my share of 'run-good', and some enjoyable verbal sparing with my nemesis, (who came 8th), but, with the cricket workload, going thru the nite .. at one stage, u could watch 23 hrs of cricket on sky, back to back, its too much, for an oldie.

In the last few days, the Gambling Commission have suspended the Gambling licence for cricketbetlive.com,

http://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/gh-press/news_archive/2013/suspension_of_operating_licenc.aspx

which, I hope, is just a temporary set-back for them .. as, they seemed good people, and money on desposit appears to be safe .. unlike other companies, which went bang, and didnt pay.

I am in the process of moving, and went thru some old papers, which really should have been thrown out, years ago.

Some memories were revived, when I found an uncashed cheque, for £2000, from someone, who has now died of cancer. He has a brother, (who also owes me money) .. but thats another story.

I never really expected to get paid .. from either .. they were friends or associates, who, asked, and when u are flush, its really hard to say no.

Gambling debts are always troublesome .. and there are often, more than 3 sides to a story.

I remember reading the autobiographies of both Kerry Packer (once, the richest guy in Australia), and Bill Waterhouse (the Biggest Bookie in Aus) .. and, how disputes arose, and were maybe settled .. I suspect, only they will know. If you are a bookie, its often said u have to win twice .. beat the horse, and then get paid .. and, its v true.

As a further digression, a favourite story about Kerry Packer :

Before he sold his corporate empire, on a Saturday, when he went racing, he had a personal limit, of how much he could lose .. $1m, after he sold, he had no limit (Aussie bookies pay a % of hold, so, he could only lose what bets they would accept), but, this limit would have been .. say $20m.

Anyway, this was before, and went racing to his local Sydney track ..Randwick.

He had a bad day, and by the 5th race, has lost his $1m, so, called his driver, to take him home.

Kerry was a big framed guy .. whose staple diet was hamburgers and milkshakes .. and on his way home, no doubt mulling over the day, asked his driver to stop at a deli, so he could get a sandwich.

Now in Aus, there are lots of take-aways .. but, he happened to find one, that was just closing - but, he barged in the door.

The manager, politely told Kerry .. we are closing .. but, Kerry insisted, and asked for a chicken sandwich, .. which would have been easy enough to prepare, as the ingredients were not yet packed away.

For some reason, the manger and Kerry, had an argument, and the manger, told him to go next door .. literally, and finally, Kerry acquiesced, and did just that.

Next door, he gets his chicken sandwich, and pays the guy, $10,000. The guy, not unnaturally, says, "whats this for" ? ..

Kerry says .. "Just do me a favour : Tell the guy next door, what I paid you, for a chicken sandwich"