The barmy thrush that claimed our rowan tree as its exclusive territory last autumn is back again this year, guarding its larder of berries and ferociously chasing away any other birds that dare to stray near. It clearly intends to keep every single berry for itself.

During the long sleepless hours (described in last week’s column), one of the things I find myself wondering is if this is how we’ll all end up if the gobal economy goes into total collapse despite Big Gordon’s best efforts: guarding our larders from raiders intent on getting their hands on our stockpile of baked beans. Mind you, there’s much else to keep the mind churning: so many questions that don’t have viable answers.

Why, for instance, did the foolhardy lending of money by American banks to thousands of people who weren’t able to repay it bring the world’s entire financial system to its knees? Was the whole edifice of global capitalism built on such shaky foundations that it couldn’t withstand the impact of all these chickens coming home to roost? Has it all been a massive illusion, a bluff that it was hoped would never be called?

Nor do I understand how, in a society which at least pays lip service to social justice, so many people in a financial sector which was being so recklessly run were allowed to jointly claim billions in bonuses at a time when their organisations were failing.

These people exist at a financial level way above the heads of most of us. The average UK salary works out at not much more than £25,000 a year (which means that a lot of people are earning less). And the incomes of pensioners are way below even that figure.

The Government reckons to frown on massive payments and pay-offs, but little will be done about it. Those who have will continue to thrive disproportionately – perhaps until those who haven’t finally get angry instead of letting themselves be distracted by the X Factor, take to the streets, and vent their fury on the fat cats.

That’s if they’re not attacking each other and running off with their victim’s stash of non-perishable foodstuffs as social order breaks down and the law of the jungle takes over.

The Government needs to be hugely boosting the police force for what could turn out to be a very rough ride indeed if the worldwide double bluff of promised rescue packages doesn’t sustain the boost of confidence the system demands.

And how will it pay for it? Well some of the money could come from the cancellation of the 2012 Olympics. It surely isn’t too late. Given the state of the world economy, the private sector is claiming it isn’t able to do its bit as promised and the burden has already started to fall on the British taxpayers.

We can’t afford it. The rest of the world surely would understand, given the unprecedented circumstances we all find ourselves in.