Reflecting on my personal life for the last couple of decades, as I have been lately, it's alarming how seductive is that Soviet way of thinking. i.e.: Everything is fine. Executive fiat says it cannot be otherwise, so the evidence to the contrary must be faulty. The sensible thing to do is to carry on as though everything is fine. Because it is. Eventually the evidence will fall back into line. Well, that's a relief. La, la, la…