There are moments when I get the feeling the whole world has gone mad.

Have you seen the nonsense written about a game of golf being an instrument of unfair advantage if you are rash enough to use the time on the golf course to figure out a business deal with your golfing companion?

There must be more business done over a good dinner or a few glasses of wine in a wine bar than is ever concluded on the fifteenth tee.

The nineteenth hole, perhaps. But out on the course? Your companions are likely to be too busy explaining how their last putt was blown off course by an unfriendly gust of wind to worry about a business deal.

Of course that is an over-simplification and I am sure business is discussed during a round of golf just as it is in the health club, the sauna or the wine bar.

But what is wrong with that? You may not be too surprised to hear it stems from that fount of all wisdom, the European Union.

It is being suggested women are placed at a disadvantage if men are allowed to conduct business outside the workplace and the laws on sex discrimination could be called into evidence if women do not get as much business as male colleagues because they do not follow the same path.

Are there not enough matters of grave moment going on in the world today without the EU coming up with fatuous decisions like that?

The ponderously-named Sex Discrimination (Indirect Discrimination and Burden of Proof) Regulations 2001 could open the floodgates to a whole raft of cases, since it is well known that much business in the city is done outside the office.

But who would be able to prove where the decision to do business was actually taken?

What is more ominous is the ruling that it will be assumed by the tribunals that discrimination against women has occurred unless it can be proved to the contrary.

That seems to be standing current practice on its head, since it has always been assumed you are innocent until proven guilty, not the other way round.

Is this really what women want from the EU? And, more importantly, is it what the EU should be busying itself with?

There seem to be a number of weird decisions hitting the streets lately.

When I was young there was a whole series of games which we used to play in the playground or on the pavement, such as hopscotch, twosies, tag, to name but a few.

Skipping was another great favourite in all its numerous variations. Now those men (and, not to risk an accusation of sex discrimination!) women in suits have decided those traditional games are dangerous and run the risk of legal challenge if any child were to get hurt while playing them.

What are we doing to our children, for heaven's sake? Do we want to raise a generation whose only leisure occupation is zapping imaginary enemies in their computer games instead of playing outside, with perhaps a little more rough and tumble but a lot more deep breathing and some decent exercise?

We are in real danger of turning out a nation of softies, overweight from eating junk food, and with litigation against any form of authority as a preferred A-level option.

Today's papers are full of articles about Britain being full of "fatties" and we are told many would-be army recruits are just too unfit to join the forces.

The overworked and overspent NHS is being pressured into providing an anti-fat pill free when its resources could be better spent on drugs to ease the pain of destructive illnesses such as motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer's, none of which are self-inflicted.

We need to encourage our young people to be active members of society rather than passive onlookers.