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It is three minutes after 10. A very good morning for you. Can we not do this again? Can I not?

The first message I've seen this morning out, I mean, thank you, Fiona. It's a lovely sentiment. But can we not begin the again? Can I not, the first message I've seen this morning, I mean, thank you, Fiona.

It's a lovely sentiment. But can we not begin the new year with the words daddy's home appearing in my

text inbox, please? I mean, I quite like the sentiment, but I don't know. I'm not sure that I like

the delivery. I'm just making a little list, not a Christmas list, obviously,

although I hope you had a lovely one,

of things that are sort of floating around in my mental orbit this morning

as we prepare to address the extraordinary events

with regard to the USA and Venezuela.

I'll start with four, and there are prizes galore on offer for anybody who can explain why all four of these people are in my thoughts this morning.

But I shall explain why.

The first is Yuval Noah Harari, whose geopolitical writings, well, in fact, it's essential commentary on

humanity itself has been one of the great joys of the last 10 years to discover. The second is

Mario Puzzo, who is, I think, probably up there for most people, whether they know his name or not,

...