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The Greatest Country in the World (2012)

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“There is absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we’re the greatest country in the world ... we lead the world in only three categories: Number of incarcerated citizens per capita. Number of adults who believe angels are real. And defence spending, where we spend more than the next twenty-six countries combined. ... The first step in solving any problem is recognizing there is one. America is not the greatest country in the world any more. Enough?” ( The Newsroom , HBO, 2012)   But it could be, but it won’t happen unless we all do a serious reality check, and perhaps get a bit angry.   So here, for my sins and my perdition, are my observations and my prescription: A girl in Chicago who’d worked for the Board of Trade and blown the whistle because of all the corruption she’d seen.   The bureaucrats lining their pockets and killing their country.   They’d fired her for it and she ended up living on welfare in a tent city near San Fran...
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Is the Undiscover'd Country the Greatest Country?

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Dear Juliet Don't overdo it. Don't sleep in the subway, darling... I can see your itinerary for today (frame, mental health, ZepFEST wrap-up) so just try to conserve your energy. It'll be okay. So anyway, this is really just a foreword for the next blog, which is a reprint of one I wrote just after the second crossing, 13th September 2012. The new and freshly-minted real published author, firmly in command of the original Enterprise . I think I was peaking about then although I'm not exactly past it yet. It was another era. Obama's America. And the past's another country. Well, I hope you enjoy it. Love, James My cousin Keith with President Obama, August 2012. Juliet the Notebook in Chicago.
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Good Morning, Gorgeous (part three)!

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Dear Juliet Well, since you seem to be on, good morning and have a nice day! I'll probably post an old article written while I was crossing from Utah to L.A. shortly, hope you're okay? Love, J.
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Coming in 'Cross the Continental Divide...

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Dear Juliet Yeah, first came into Salt Lake nearly thirty-seven years ago (about 9th September 1989), but I was coming from Los Angeles, not going towards it: "The bus came out of Nevada, over the sprawling salt flats of Utah, past Salt Lake itself and into the city of the same name early the next morning - a Saturday." ( Down and Out in Los Angeles and New York ) So was Bert Munro , who wanted to race his Indian motorcycle at Bonneville, just get her past 200 mph one time and then piss off back to New Zealand, as he put it. And that's a little like the way it was coming back twenty-one years later... Hadn't planned on writing about this right now, but you're out there so I might as well. Coming back across the Continental Divide, it was something like the same thing for me. All the other reasons and rationalisations for the trek had fallen away like snow in summer. All there was left for me was the road and you. I was coming in on a wing and a prayer  and all I w...
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Good Night.

Dear Juliet Good night, Juliet. Just thought I'd say that. Love, James
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Finding the World's Fastest Indian...

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Dear Juliet Murray? Ah. I'm a bit short of time this afternoon, but I've been around there twice. First in 1989, coming in over the Bonneville Salt Flats from California; and second in 2012, coming across from Chicago... The 1989 photos aren't digital, but I've got text from the time. Saw the Temple, headed out to Cheyenne and Omaha the next night and day... But this is probably Green River, last stop before Provo, 18th August 2012 or thereabouts. Always thought it caught the grandeur of small-town America. And there's another story. The World's Fastest Indian , starring Anthony Hopkins, is one of my favourites. The trailer should explain things . I've had a bad afternoon and have to go out to work, but I'll talk about it a bit more tomorrow. Have a good festival! Love, James
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Alakazam and the Asperger!

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Dear Juliet Bit worried about you, so I'll be brief... If there's something really worrying you, you can turn to me. You did ask me about Scott Allie, remember? Don't worry, the shoe won't drop. Being an Asperger, I have the ability to face and deal with terrible facts; and being an author, I can concisely suggest what you may wish to do. I just don't know exactly what the problems (if any) are? I can't just say "Alakazam!" and fix everything, but I can try. And I think that earlier article of mine ( Sciatica ) was definitely on the right lines: don't wait until it's too late! Okay, that's all I'm going to say. You know how to find me. And you do mean the world to me. Love, James
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