PLANNING PAST THE 2010 ELECTION

This last election was very interesting. I had hoped that name-calling and other low-down thinking would not be so prevalent. I wonder if the name-calling would have been the same if there was an Anglo American person serving as President!

However, when one compares the election of President F. D. Roosevelt over outgoing President Herbert Hoover. Like President Obama and the Democratic Party, President Hoover and the Republican Party was blamed for America's economic crises. Thankfully, President Roosevelt was able to bring Congress together and get both sides of the aisle to agree to some compromises in order to get the country up and running again. Perhaps President Obama will get support from forward-thinking Republicans and Democrats to be able to forge a coalition to help all Americans during our current economic crises.

Maybe I should run for President! I have enough experience as a working American who understands economic cycles, the impact of wars on one’s economy, the need for immigration reform, the importance of education, the rationale of capital punishment and smaller prison budgets, encouraging “Buy American First!”, and doing all those things to help the country that a radical, moderate, progressive conservative should do in these challenging times. Unfortunately, I would not run as a Republican or as a Democrat and would not have the millions behind me needed to brainwash people to vote for me---the lesser of the other evil people!

Maybe it’s time for a dictatorship to take over America. Most Americans know what needs to be done to have lower taxes, less government intrusion, higher wages for the masses of working people, accountability in education and government, to keep more jobs inside the country than going outside the country, the consequences of having cheap labor from the millions of illegal and some legal immigrants, uncovering the ungodly profits made by the quiet stockholders and the shrewd corporate executives, and the hundreds of other little pieces of the puzzle that needs to be put together in order to have a smooth-running economic vessel, trudging along in troubled fiscal waters. At least a dictator with a strong military group could just make things happen, and run ship-shod over civil rights, personal property rights, equal rights, the Bill of Rights, and all the other “rights” people want.

However, after the red AND blue “true” Americans rise up and overthrew the dictator and have taken back power from the military machinery, some human will still have to be willing to stick out their neck. This person would have to be willing to work with political parties that would care more about pleasing special interest groups that raised the money to make it possible for the person to even sit in the special chair and be called “President” or some other executive name. This person would have to be willing to have their personal and business life held up to the inquiring minds who would want to know the details of the scratches on their leader’s armor. This person would have to be willing to work long hours for the little pay received for the harm done to their bodies. They would also have to stand quietly by while their opponents with small brains and simple intellect throw missiles of hatred toward members of their family, as well as throw mud on any project the person would put forward to help the masses of the American public.

It’s really easy to fix the problems we face in America. We could begin by merging smaller cities and towns, thus eliminating the need for so many overlapping positions that require more tax money. We could cut Congress by at least ½, as well as cut every office supported by tax dollars by 70%, choosing to use more technology without feelings, than using so many people with selfish feelings.

To help America, we could insist that everyone take better care of their own health and economic well-being without the aid of government programs. Those who are unable to do so would be helped, but only after agreeing to serve their communities and their government by doing those chores normally done by a public servant. Everyone would be charged a fee for health care, based on the color of their card, without regard to the color of their skin, or their limited resources. The rich, and those with resources, including good jobs with good pay and good benefits, would be charged on a sliding-fee scale, based on how far they went in school, and on how wise they were in choosing a way to take/make money, or in choosing an occupation that paid very well and/or had great medical benefits.

To further help America, we could charge all countries a fee for helping them win their freedom/democracy. They would pay by giving America their resources, and/or by becoming a puppet of American democracy (since we would know what is best for them). All wars would be on a “cash-basis” only. Before we would enter a war, or a “peace-keeping” mission, we would figure out the cost to win and thus charge our allies accordingly. If they could not pay, America would not enter the war or mission, realizing that this country might be taken over by an enemy of America and turn that country with hatred for America and all Americans.


To stem the tide of “sleeper spies,” terrorism, and drugs coming into America, we could move the United Nations building to Sweden or some other “neutral” country. We would then eliminate “diplomatic immunity” and check everyone coming to our shores, both friend and enemy. We would also put a team to watch all “outsiders,” making sure no drugs or anything that could hurt America is being brought in. To insure a “drug-free” country, we would develop a private military group to destroy all production and personnel associated with illegal drugs in all countries, including ours, as well as keep track of those associated with “legal” drugs. Those drug users who refuse to go into rehabilitation and stay clean would be sent to the moon or some other safe place, away from all of the “healthy” citizens in America. They would be given tools for food production, housing, and would be offered training so they could develop their own rules for living.

All those refusing to at least complete community college or trade school would be trained to become the new, military “fighting machine,” and sent abroad to “keep the peace” for all of America’s interest, as well as the interest of America’s allies. To ensure compliance to do what is right, and to ensure there is no rebellion, each of these individuals would undertake a brain lobotomy to ensure their loyalty to their training against all enemies and protection of all Americans.

Eventually, all budgets to aid the poor, the sick, and the unemployed would be eliminated, saving the American taxpayers billions. These groups would become the responsibility of their families, faith-based groups, and communities. In return, these groups would do mental, physical, or other work for their communities to ensure local budgets had funds to help their every need. No death-row inmate would have to stay on death-row any longer than one year; eliminating the harsh and unjust treatment they now receive for having to have life sentences. Their organs could be processed to aid those they have hurt, as well as aid others who are living productive lives who could profit from their organs. Plus, the victims and the families of victims would not have to suffer for years, waiting for justice to help balance the scales. Those waiting for sentencing, those in jails, and those in prisons would be required to work 10 hours a day, six days a week. They would be fed a minimal, but nutritious, diet. They would also be trained to be useful while they wait for execution, or when they were released. In time, this process would balance the budget as well as help our schools. The billions saved from this process would be shifted to our education system where all citizens could be trained to become productive and prosperous, with little need for others paying for their health care or government programs to subsidize them, or farmers, or manufacturers, or any other industry.

All budgets could be balanced by some common-sense cooperating. America has too many cities and too many counties supporting too many politicians and too many overlapping departments. All cities could be merged into metro-cities with regional governments getting input from town hall-type meetings. Such meetings would be run by unpaid elected neighbors who would get input from their neighborhoods. Computer systems would be set up to gather input (yeah, Big Brother, but get over it!) with paid college students and senior citizens manning the systems with oversight from military personnel.

With the merging of cities and counties, there would be a reduction in property and business taxes, causing more citizens to have more income for savings (mandatory), medical/dental/long-term care policies (mandatory), and retirement funding (mandatory). The courts could also be combined, with judges, including the Supreme Court, having to face the electorate every 10 years. There would also be a reduction in the numbers of people (and staffs!) needed as representatives in Congress. This alone would save billions, cutting away the fat in pork-barrel programs, and shrinking the number of lobbyists being paid to control the thoughts and votes of fewer politicians.

All federal departments, and the federal budget, would come under review of a blue-ribbon commission of civilian auditors, CPAs, and successful CEOs. Members of this commission would only be those who have not sent jobs overseas or laid off employees without a review by the local town-hall groups. This commission would be appointed by the President, reviewed by regional leaders, with veto power given to America’s billionaires who would sit on regional boards. Should the government still have an unbalanced budget due to previous decisions of deficit spending, the billionaires and millionaires would be given the opportunity to make donations to cover the deficit. In exchange, they would receive “naming rights” for streets, roads, bridges, highways, freeways, light rail systems, train depots, airports, universities, and other items of significant value in America’s landscape. For example, the 406 or so billionaires who have made much of their money in America could wipe out the present deficit of $11 trillion by donating $30 million each. This would cover the ever-growing interest adding more red to the deficit until paid in full.

With the federal budget being controlled by the most successful people in America answering to the poorest of the poor via townships and regionalships, America would never have to engage in deficit spending ever again. As far as items like Social Security, health care, unemployment, and help for the helpless, there would be a special fund set up by local townships for each local area to see after their own residents. Funds paid out would come from funds paid in by registered, documented legal citizens. No illegal immigrants would receive free education, free health care, free Social Security, or any other benefits.

No pregnant immigrant would be allowed into the United States, negating immigrants coming to America pregnant so their children would be American-born citizens. No one would be allowed to work without a background check conducted by local citizens. The current unemployed would be given jobs to check on all job sites to ensure that all workers were legal citizens. If any company was found to have illegal immigrants working, they would be fined $1 million a day for each infraction. If any company was found to have sent jobs overseas, they would be fined $5 million a day for each person employed overseas, unless such person was an American citizen helping to do a joint project with a foreign country. Only those foreign employees necessary for the joint project would be hired by an American company unless the agreement with the foreign country stated otherwise. Such an agreement would be reviewed by a panel of union leaders and professional employment counselors in America.

Such moves by the above would eliminate unemployment among America’s native-born citizens, curtail the hiring of illegal immigrants, and stem the flow of billions of dollars leaving America by illegal immigrants sending their ill-gotten paychecks back to their home country. Although hiring native-born American citizens would require companies to pay more than by hiring illegal immigrants, the paycheck income would stay in America, and eventually wind up back under the control of companies who would have invested in homes, car dealerships, retail stores, and every other business that employees would be spending money on.


As far as health care, there would be special cards issued to every American citizen, in cooperation with insurance companies. Those with plenty of money would still, of course, receive the best health care money can buy and would receive a health “gold card.” Those with expensive health coverage, allowing them almost the same kind of care as the rich would receive a health “blue card” and pay no deductibles for anything. These employees and retired personnel must prove they are maintaining and/or improving their health by good health habits, limiting negative health lifestyles, active in a health club 4 or more times a week, with documentation of eating healthy meals, drinking plenty of water, and checking in with their health and medical team 6 or more times a year would keep their health “blue card” and pay a 10% deductible.

Those American employees and retirees who have a proven record of going to health clubs 3 or more times a week, with documentation of eating healthy meals, drinking plenty of water, and checking in with their health and medical team 3 or 4 times a year would receive a health “green card” and pay a 20% deductible. Those American employees and retirees who have a proven record of going to health clubs 1 or more times a week, with documentation of eating healthy meals, drinking plenty of water, and checking in with their health and medical team 1 or 2 times a year would receive a health “orange card” and pay a 30% deductible.

Those American employees and retirees who do not have a proven record of going to health clubs 1 or more times a week, with no documentation of eating healthy meals, nor drinking plenty of water, nor checking in with their health and medical team once a year would receive a health “yellow card” and pay a 40% deductible. Those limited-income Americans and retirees who do not have a proven record of going to health clubs, with no documentation of eating healthy meals, nor drinking plenty of water, and not checking in with their health and medical team because they could not afford such a team would receive a health “purple card” and visit a regional health center and clinic where medical students, retired health professionals, medical researchers, and alternative health care providers would care for them. All would pay according to a sliding scale based on their net income (not gross from a business), but no less than $10 per visit per day. As the overhead of the community health center and clinic increased, so would the fees. Also, since the FDA and all federally-funded health research programs would be merged or eliminated, the health center and clinic would assume those responsibilities, with funding coming from individuals, foundations, corporations and pharmaceutical companies.

Should there be a national disaster, the federal government would only give oversight, with local governments and companies taking the responsibility for returning their area back to its status quo. Foreign governments and individuals would be allowed to help, and the local militia would help the regional law enforcement keep the peace. Anyone found looting or hurting anyone for selfish motives would be shot on the spot by the regional law enforcement, the militia, or any private citizen licensed to have a gun.

It will only take 36 months before these and other progressive measures can be put into place. This will give those on welfare and unemployment (including government officials) time to get trained for employment and/or develop legal ways of supporting themselves. Those who refuse to comply, or cannot find livable wages, will be allowed to do public service for their communities, living in group arrangements provided by their families and their local communities. Others will be encouraged to live the country and given opportunities to live in countries where the cost of living (and standard of living) is much lower and affordable.


Those who choose to commit crimes to support themselves will be given speedy trials and allowed to do public work on behalf of a community in a state located at least 2,000 miles from their earlier place of residence. This way, they can learn how to conduct themselves as good citizens in a new area and earn the respect, trust, and employment of their new domicile.

As far as education, no longer will it be a free right for all. Everyone will pay for their need for childcare, kindergarten, K – 12 education, community college, university education, advanced academic work, as well as for any training. Each will pay according to their ability to pay on a scaling scale. Local businesses, residents, foundations, and others will be encouraged to contribute to a fund to ensure all residents have opportunities for education, training, employment, and the necessities of life (shelter, food, clothes, transportation, etc.). Those who drop out of their education or training will be sent to “conditioning” camps and trained to become eligibility for military or public works service, including working in parks and responding to local, state, national, and international disasters.

The best minds in America will be brought together in economic think tanks to work out all of the details of this outline. All Americans will be given opportunity to share their wisdom in the development of this united effort to keep America strong. The development of “We Must Save America” plan could be ready by 2016, with the merging of cities, counties, and the federal government completed by 2014.

Yeah, I just might run for President on the Independence Party ticket if I cannot become the wonderful, loving dictator that America needs to solve all of its problems!

Community Learning Laboratory Enrichment Program Needed

There is a serious need to set up a network of interested individuals from rural and suburban America to help their neighbors in inner city/urban America without regard to labels, such as Democrat, Republican, Conservative, or Liberal. These neighbors are often deficient in getting information and resources to help them acquire skills leading to self-sufficiency. They don’t care about the labels of those who can help; they just want the help!

The history of the development of this program:

Most African ex-slaves who developed into African Americans were conditioned to depend upon Anglo Americans for their very existence. When they wanted better for themselves and their children, they were often denied opportunities and resources. This condition has been inherited by later generations who continue to trail immigrants (legal and illegal) who often wonder why today’s African Americans cannot improve their economic conditions, but often depend on others for their basic survival.

To appease the African Americans’ desire for better, those with resources conditioned those African Americans to look for better after death, or in the “sweet bye and bye.”

Those who rejected the philosophy of waiting for better after death became bitter and rebellious and saw that the use of force had caused many Anglo Americans to have better. Thus, slave riots and work slow-downs became weapons for getting better for many African Americans.

Since the philosophy for better for African Americans was tied to serving God and obeying the dictates of Anglo Americans, rejection of God, Jesus and Heaven began to develop more and more for enlightened slaves, and continued even into the 20th century. Even in today’s work force, many African Americans, especially men, will only work as hard as they must to get a paycheck. Many used to work harder, but when they observed those African Americans ahead of them being passed over for promotions, they became discouraged, feeling that Anglo Americans would never change.

When laws were passed to assist African Americans get better education, better housing, and better jobs, there were Anglo Americans who used information to get around those laws and continue to stifle the economic opportunities for African Americans. When that no longer worked, many Anglo Americans encouraged immigrants to come to America by the millions. When these immigrants hit the shores of America, they were often met by relatives, friends, or sponsors who would help them get the information necessary for housing, employment, education, and health care. African Americans have watched this scenario played out for generations and have watched their employment numbers go down, while employment number for immigrants steadily increase. For the past 50 years, African Americans have noticed the increase of immigrants from Europe, while also noticing Anglo Americans reaching out to Asians, Hispanics, and even to a few Africans.

After visible slavery ended, economic and mental control slavery of African Americans continued. However, some good-hearted Anglo Americans believed they had an obligation to help former slaves and their descendants. Some helped African Americans return to Africa. However, many of the newly-transplanted African Americans were not “pure” Africans and had difficulty being accepted by “true” Africans. Other Anglo Americans helped, even giving their fortunes and often, their lives, to help African Americans succeed. These “enlightened” people shared resources and information that caused some African Americans to excel. However, the masses of African Americans were now conditioned to look to the government, supported by new laws, and the military, as their way for better. For the past several decades, many African American youth believe that only excelling in sports or entertainment will help them achieve their dreams. Of course, some African American youth, as well as some youth from other cultures, have settled for just taking what they wanted, including lives.

Since the champions for better for Africans Americans was often voiced by the Republicans Party before the Civil War, many African Americans joined forces with the Republican Party. Others joined because they just liked the planks of the platform of the Republican Party. Or, they had friendships within the Republican Party and those friendships went further than just signing up another African American to join.

Unfortunately, members of the Democratic Party, mostly in the South, threatened the Republican Party leadership after the Civil War with further economic and government stress if they didn’t pull the troops and forget about “Reconstruction”.

In order to get the help of the Democratic leadership to help rebuild the country after a costly Civil War, the Republican Party caved in to the demands of the Democratic Party concerning help they were giving African Americans. Such demands of the Democratic Party included allowing the white Democrats in the South to take back control of their political and economic fortunes. This resulted in depriving many African Americans of their gains through Reconstruction. In order to have more control over African Americans in the South, white Democrats threatened African Americans who had joined the Republican Party. In this void, southern Democrats forced many African Americans to join the Democratic Party---or suffer severe consequences.

When the Republican Party pulled the federal troops out of the South to avoid a political bottleneck and further economic woes of the country, African Americans were left at the mercy and control of Southern Democrats. During this time, around 1863-1877, murder and mayhem was heaped upon African Americans. This worked so well in taking power from African Americans, that such fear tactics have continued into the 21st century. Groups like the White Citizen’s Council and the Ku Klux Klan arose and frightened or murdered African American men, women, and children in order to almost totally control African Americans.

It has been estimated that African Americans lost over 9 million acres of their land to crooked laws and “drive-by lynching,” which increased the wealth of southern whites and others living beyond the southern borders. From about 1890 to the 1960s, over 6 million African Americans migrated north, often leaving their homes, farms, and businesses to Anglo American bullies who encouraged them to leave. Some of the descendants of these African Americans returned to the South during the years 1995 to the present, partially reversing their ancestor’s historic out-migration from the South. Many have returned to the South to reclaim their heritage and raise their children in a much freer atmosphere as evil subsided and good white people grew beyond their fears and hatred.

Many African Americans who moved north joined the Republican Party. However, since the Republican Party had abandoned their African Americas allies in the south, African Americans began converting to the Democratic Party by the millions when they were snubbed by white members of the Republican Party. However, many of the “black intellectuals” have remained within the Republican Party. As some African Americans became more savvy about political power, some Anglo Americans in the north and south helped southern African Americans in the Democratic Party to increase their share of the Democratic Party power.

To ensure long-term control of African Americans who were now becoming politically-savvy, Southern Democrats re-invented themselves as “The Party of the People,” or “The Working Man’s Party,” not formally connected with another party of the same name which was founded in 1829. Some within the Democratic Party became very wise and even used other slogans and other names to encourage more members of the working class to join the Democratic Party.

Since President Herbert Hoover, a Republican, got blamed for causing the stock market crash and the ensuing depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a Democrat, was celebrated, especially by African Americans. However, some Southern Democrats lost their love for President Roosevelt upon discovering he really cared about helping all Americans, including African Americans. It didn’t help his cause any when his wife, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, became friends with the African American educator, Mary McLeod Bethune!

Mrs. Roosevelt, a Democrat, even spoke out against racism against African Americans. She angered southern Democrats so much that the Ku Klux Klan put a bounty on her head for $25,000! Making matters ever worse, she invited the contralto Marian Anderson to perform at the White House in 1938. This African American would perform for the visit by the British royalty.

Further angering southern Democrats and other Anglo Americas, this First Lady had agreed to present the Spingarn Medal to Mrs. Anderson at the NAACP's annual convention. The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) refused to allow Marian Anderson to perform in Constitution Hall in the spring of 1939. This led to Mrs. Roosevelt resigning from the DAR and her writing and speaking about the incident made the front pages of more than four hundred newspapers. This led to Mrs. Anderson singing at the Lincoln Memorial for the site of the Easter concert. This event was covered live. This incident caused the First Lady to use her writing column as a platform, asking her readers why some cursed Hitler but suppressed Marian Anderson! Such feats tended to draw more African Americans into the Democratic Party.

The involvement of Mrs. Roosevelt and other dramatic developments, led many African Americans all over America to become members of the Democratic Party. Most now saw no future for political or economic gains in the Republican Party since no one from this group championed the causes that were dear to African Americans. Plus, the Democratic Party helped institute programs to help the poor during this time, including many African Americans. Such help caused masses of African Americans to depend upon the Democratic Party of the government for their upward economic mobility. Many African Americans joined the Democratic Party as it seemed this party was most interested in helping African Americans improve things for them and ensure a better future for their children.

As the Democratic Party swelled with the ranks of African Americans in their control, they offered their party as THE party for many struggling immigrants as well, including those from all over the world, but especially from Hispanic countries to gain cheap labor that would not complain and did not even want equality. Later, members of the Republican Party would get in trouble for making use of this new, cheap labor.

The Republican Party in the years of the 1950s to the present opened their eyes and arms to African Americans and other ethnic groups almost too late. However, they, and some moderate and conservative Democrats, saw how the liberal side of the Democratic Party was taking and abusing their political and economic gains by still controlling the African American vote, and limiting their number of delegates to local, state, and national Democratic Conventions.

Although some within the Republican Party have been able to seduce and/or educate African Americans and other ethnic groups about opportunities existing within the Republican Party and/or become more conservative in their thinking, the masses of African Americans, many Native Americans, and most Hispanic Americans are now firmly in the grasps of the liberal side of the Democratic Party. In fact, they are so entrenched within the Democratic Party’s liberal agenda, they have grown to hate Republicans and all they represent, including their values and religious beliefs.
After the riots of the 1960s and later, and the failed government helps programs, many African Americans no longer believe in the values, normally associated with conservative or Evangelical Christians. Many have joined other organizations and religions, seeking some solace for their souls.

Many African Americans have embraced the Muslim religion, as well as the religions and pseudo-religions that offer realistic opportunities for their sanity and for their economic opportunities. It has been estimated by some social scientists that by 2020 or 2030, thee will be more African Americans who are Muslim, than African Americans who are Christian.

While many Republicans and evangelical Christians and other conservatives have offered an olive leaf to African Americans, their offers have still been seen as too little, too late, even though offered with no strings attached. Further, as African Americans and some other ethnic people in America and abroad see the disrespect Republicans, conservatives, and Evangelical Christians show President Obama, the stronger their hatred grows toward such groups.

Many Republicans and conservatives have social, family, and economic ties with other African American, are often reluctant to voice their political views. Some are even silent in such issues as gay rights, gun control, immigrant reform, or capital punishment.

In order to balance the scale of justice with African Americans, conservatives and evangelical Christian must now honestly, and quietly, show concern for African American issues by beginning to listen to them. They must now muster all of their economic and political resources and develop realistic plans to help African Americans become economic independent, something the liberals in America have been slow to do. And, they must show respect to the multicultural person who now occupies the White House.

Most African Americans believe that the current economic woes of the country were deliberately planned to make President Obama look like a poor leader. This is especially so when some conservative news commentators or politicians refer to President Obama as “that little boy, er, little man in the White House.” Some have called President Obama “a lecturer behind a podium, rather than a leader for our country. Then, when some of these same people mention that voters must “take back our country,” it seems to refer they want to go back to where they controlled the economic fortunes. Or, as some African Americans have stated, they want to take the country back to where black and brown people had no power in American economics or politics.

The failing automakers, the failing banks, the enormous housing foreclosures, and the losses from Wall Street could have been avoided. Unfortunately, greed became the norm for their leadership. Stockholders, who profited from the greed of these economic leaders, either turned a deaf ear or closed their eyes and silently profited while the masses of Americans, including those black, red, brown, yellow, even white, suffered.

Many of those masses and some in the middle-class will never regain their economic losses in their lifetime. At the same time, those with economic power will gobble up homes, businesses, and stocks and profit, and will dare blame the light-skinned, ½ Kenyan and ½ Anglo American President and “his” party for any failures. However, those who know and study history and economic cycles know who are the real culprits of our failing economy.

A force that many political pontificators didn’t count on are the upcoming young and powerful who helped put President Obama in the White House. This group will soon inherit the largest transfer of economic wealth ever known in American history. They, and some older financial independent thinkers like T. Boone Pickens, Bill and Melinda Gates, Warren Buffet, and other like-minded wielders of wealth will help transform the thinking of young lions of American industries, wealth, and power.
Out of the ashes of failed government programs, greedy corporate and Wall Street leaders, and self-serving politicians and preachers will arise a new face in America. This face may be the independent thinking, astute voters weary of the “dirty diaper” thinking of entrenched, career politicians on both sides of the aisle.

The new face of American politics will be the open-mindedness of clear-headed individuals who may create a new political party made up of individuals more concerned about developed the full potential of all people on this island called America, an island surrounded by many foes.

Those foes care less about political party or which color controls economic powers. These foes merely want the downfall of America and the American Dream. Those foes have slipped a "Trojan Horse" into America, waiting for the chance to destroy all Americans, without regard to race, religion, color, gender, or political party. Those foes have placed “sleeper spies” throughout the American fabric of democracy. They hate this republic known as the United States of America. They just want to destroy all Americans, as well as the allies of America.

Will a common foe of Republicans and Democrats and those who love freedom allow an enemy to destroy America? Only time will tell, and time is running out for both Republicans AND Democrats to learn from this Community Learning Laboratory Enrichment Program which we call Earth!