Alex Baer: It's Good to Be Sane. Mostly.

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citizenshipHere is a question for you:  Is America worth your personal investment of a couple hours and some medium-to-moderate thought?  No, it's OK -- this is not a disguised recruitment tool of any kind, nor is this an attempt to sell you aluminum siding.  Your long-distance carrier or digital service plan provider is not involved here, honest.

Although, to be fair, I think this is a pretty good experiment of a couple different kinds.  The primary one is whether you would be willing to spend a couple hours to see if you are sane -- if you're operating on good information that makes sense to you and to some others who are accomplished in such matters.

Put it this way:  I spent the two hours and I have to say, you know, that I'm relieved about a lot of things, and yet troubled about some others.  Maybe I should start at the beginning.

Let's say this were possible:  Out of the blue and without warning, and with no time for preparation, you are given 10 seconds to determine the kind of America you want to live in, and the kind of America that you want your friends and family to live in, too.  Whatever you say goes -- it will be done.

OK, based on average reading speed in this country:  Time's up.  So:  What kind of America do you want?

Maybe I should rephrase that:  What other kind of country would you like to live in, if you couldn't actually have an America in which you are a more-or-less benevolent dictator, simply swimming in seaside villas and snowed-in with mountaintop chalets, awash in food and drink, and where you are all stocked up, chock-a-block, with all possible manner of vehicles, toys, gadgets, pools, masseuses, chefs, personal tasters, and a bunch of people who can hook up that really impressive, Hollywood-Bowl-sized home-theater thing you've been itching for?

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