I find Salander fascinating. I would certainly ask her out to dinner; an invitation she would be sure to refuse. It’s typical of me to be taken over by the unusual-the challenge, the mental process, the brains, the freedom.

No matter…I’m quite good at fantasising within the scope of my own scope.

What do you think of Asperger’s? Are you afraid of it? Fascinated by it? Could you cope with it? Are you perhaps slightly Aspergic? But what’s the point if you can’t multiply 4275x 3435×6819 in less than 3 seconds?  Do you care? Does it matter?

I would make a terrible regulator! I like to believe that people are innately honest but I have learned from experience that, once someone breaks the rules, it is not too difficult to do it again.

Is it true that one must have a slightly warped personality to be a reliable regulator? Or, put it this way, does one have to imagine the worst of people? What happens if a company is under financial strain? Might not the CEO encourage his staff to bend the rules a little; then a little more; then a little most? The bending may lead to a break.

Anyway, consider those words: see you later, alligator; in a while, crocodile! What is the message? Those who are exposed to the regulator may be sympathetic to the singer of this tune. It was certainly a big hit.

Do you ever ask yourself about animal behaviour and how it relates to humans?

When your dog who appears really to like your best friend one day turns round and bites him, whose fault is it?

This may appear to be completely unrelated but I am thinking about theRohingya people of Myanmar, the already appalling behaviour towards them, the possibility of impending genocide, and the apparent defence of the country’s attitude towards them by the previously almost sainted Aung San Suu Kyi.

Perhaps this is reminiscent of the treatment of the Red Indians in the USA or of the Aborigines in Australia or of the black people in South Africa or of the Jews in Nazi Germany?

I am sure of one thing: hate and fear are hugely powerful emotions which we would do well to avoid.

Never mind about psychology; just follow the advice of the famous baseball player, best known as Yogi Berra: take it!

I get the feeling that Mr No Trump might score more games if he followed that advice instead of so frequently walking straight into the fork. Or at least to step gently forward and be all too willing to retrace his steps and take the other fork.

There’s much to be said for engaging brain before mouth. Try it, Donald, before you run out of quack and fall On the prongs.

Proteas, also known as sugarbush (suikerbos) represent change and hope. Perhaps those are the messages which are now relevant to the South African cricket team.

I have the feeling that the next step in an attempt to restore the team’s results and reputation will be to replace Faf du Plessis as Captain. This move must surely be right in no way reflecting on Faf’s talent but rather an expression of his bad luck which rebounds on his side’s performance.

Luck and temperament are unpredictable elements of the psychology which impinges on all sports. They are vital ingredients of success without which a team is likely to be doomed as are the Proteas all too frequently.

So, step aside, Faf! Bringing back AB could be the coup but that probably won’t happen. I suggest Vernon Philander as Captain.

Maybe this is unfair but I am bored, BORED by Harry and Meghan. Nothing to do with Race but background and upbringing are relevant, Meghan is not cut out for the role she has (willingly and then reluctantly) assumed.

All sounds lovely but is that true? No it isn’t! Being a high profile Royal comes with huge responsibilities.  History will surely agree that Charles’s marriage to Diana was a serious error of judgement but Harry and Meghan could prove to be equally unwise!

Common sense may yet prevail. It’s not that the EU is the answer to a maiden’s prayer, unless it so happens that the maiden is hitched to one of those senior bureaucratic fatcats based in or around Brussels.

The point is that Brexit is not working. It’s one of those uncomfortable non-solutions which most of us have experienced in our lives. And why? Because there is absolutely no reason why those BBFs should make it easy.

The trouble is that what is really needed is the renegotiation of the Brussels Sprouts so that they are cooked to perfection and served with a little butter and pepper.

But the chef needs to be very well chosen and independent. I can think of two or three.

When I was younger and in mixed company, ‘climax’ had a very clear and desirable meaning. There was a general expectation that the process from start to finish wouldn’t take no more than a few minutes.

As for Brexit, more likely we should expect a damp squib. Whatever the conclusion ‘yea or nay’ the result is bound to be unsatisfactory. Perhaps it’s like a typical mediated divorce settlement: a compromise where neither party has won a victory but will accept the result.

But here, we face the probability that both sides (1 v 27) will be dissatisfied. There cannot be a winner. Oh Dear, what a mess! Why did the UK ever get involved when foresight would have provided a convincing case that it would prove to be a terrible mistake.

How bored we must all be by the not very clear (not at all?) consequences of Brexit. Will that word, should that word survive and, in due course, take its wrongful place in the Oxford English Dictionary?

Now the cry  is getting louder for a second referendum. No but yes, rather than yes but no. Yes but no would be the result of a vote now: if the first referendum result were to be overturned, those who wanted to leave and still want to leave would rightly demand a third vote.

No but yes would be the logic of a second referendum with all the key pros and cons of the proposed settlement put out before us. Why not? That’s fair.

Democracy!?

The trouble with democracy is Democracy. Fancy leaving decisions in the hands of the masses such as Boris Johnson!

Where is the common sense? Where is the logic?  It’s true that the European Union is mightily flawed. It may be the case that the concept is unrealistic.

But it’s there. And Britain is part of it. Withdrawing is a bit like the child who won’t play because the other children won’t let her pick up the ball. It’s not helpful to withdraw from the game.

What’s helpful is to change the rules. It’s not too late to abandon democracy in favour of practicality. But not via another referendum. That’s  not government.