There I’ve faced constant demands to justify why I should want equal treatment and, more perturbingly, threats of violence and even death.

He did not seem to perturbed, however, adding: “I am looking to be very supportive of his nomination.”

“We have two granddaughters who live over there and they were a bit perturbed by having 200 people staring at their house. But no, they were very good.”

Far from being perturbed by this prospect, Azi seemed excited at the thought that out of the smouldering ashes of democracy, new kings would emerge: corporate dictators ruling over their networked empires.

It failed awkwardly, leaving legislative leaders perturbed at the governor.