Tag: history

A Baseball Story

by earlthepearl137

My brother Kevin was not athletic as a child. Let me be more precise: the neighborhood girls got picked before him when we chose up teams for softball. And that’s not because the girls were that good. It was because Kevin threw not like a girl, but like an alien, someone who had absolutely no idea how to throw a baseball.

He knew nothing about sports. Nothing. So, you can imagine my shock when I heard years later that he was living in San Francisco and coaching a soccer team. Not a professional team, but, still, Coaching. A sport. With rules. And balls. And a team depending upon him. But that’s another story.

This is a baseball story.

Back then, the rest of us were obsessed with batting averages, RBIs, and who could hit the ball over the telephone wires. Kevin, meanwhile, treated the entire enterprise like a field trip. He’d stand in the outfield — usually right field, the traditional home of the unskilled — and watch the game as if he were waiting for subtitles to appear.

When a ball finally did come his way, he reacted like someone being handed a live ferret. Arms flailing, feet unsure, eyes wide with the realization that physics had betrayed him once again.

And yet — and this is the part I love — he kept showing up. Every game. Every summer. Every humiliation. He showed up because that’s who he was long before he became a writer, a father, a deputy, or a man brave enough to tell the world who he really was.

He showed up even when the world didn’t quite know what to do with him.

And maybe that’s the real story — not the baseball, not the throwing, not the picking of teams. It’s the persistence. The quiet courage. The willingness to stand in right field, waiting for a ball he knew he couldn’t catch, simply because the rest of us were there and he wanted to belong.

No.  That’s another story.

This is a baseball story.

My brother Donald, or the artist formerly known as Brother X, is a big baseball fan. The kind of fan who can quote batting averages the way some people quote Scripture. So, when Donald heard that Barry Bonds was going to be making an appearance at San Francisco’s City Hall, he got excited.  At the time, our brother Kevin was head of security at San Francisco’s City Hall.

“Get me his autograph,” Donald said. Simple mission. Clear objective. No ambiguity.

Except for one small problem: Kevin didn’t even know who Barry Bonds was.

Donald had to give him a crash course. Home run king. Giants legend. A name spoken with reverence in San Francisco.

Kevin listened politely, filed the information away, and went back to running security for one of the busiest municipal buildings in America.

A couple days later, Donald called him.

“Did you get me the Barry Bonds autograph?” “No,” Kevin said. “He didn’t show up. He sent his Godfather instead.” “Well, did you get his autograph?” “No. Why should I?”

Donald’s voice went up an octave. “His Godfather is Willie Mays!”

Silence. Then Kevin, genuinely puzzled: “So… who’s Willie Mays?”

Like I said earlier: Kevin knew nothing about sports. Donald nearly had a stroke.

“You didn’t get Willie Mays’ autograph…” Donald screamed until the phone lines melted.

In our family, competitiveness is practically a sacrament. And Kevin — who hated being outdone — decided that if he had just committed a baseball error, he was going to atone for it. Somehow.

He dove into learning everything he could about Willie Mays. Stats. Stories. The basket catch. The Catch. The Say Hey Kid. He studied like he was preparing for a final exam in Willie‑ology.

One day, Gavin Newsom was scheduled to say a few words at an event honoring Willie Mays. Kevin, who once was a speechwriter for Vice-President Dan Quayle, volunteered to draft the remarks.

And he nailed it.

After the event, Gavin showed Willie a copy of the speech and told him Kevin wrote it.

Willie Mays, the man Kevin once couldn’t identify in a lineup of two, decided he wanted to thank him. He signed a baseball and gave it to Gavin to pass along to Kevin.

Once he got it, Kevin didn’t hesitate. He sent it straight to Donald.

It took him a lifetime, but Kevin finally hit a home run.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

Trump’s Peace-Prize Resume

by earlthepearl137

Trump has publicly asserted that his administration ended the following conflicts:

  • Israel–Hamas: Brokered a ceasefire in October 2025 after two years of war. Despite hostage releases, over 400 Palestinians and 3 Israeli soldiers have died since the deal, raising doubts about its durability.
  • Cambodia–Thailand: Trump signed a peace agreement in late October 2025. Fighting resumed shortly after, undermining the claim.
  • India–Pakistan: Claimed credit for a ceasefire, but India disputed the characterization and no formal peace was ratified.
  • Rwanda–DR Congo: Mediated talks that led to a tentative agreement, though implementation remains incomplete.
  • Armenia–Azerbaijan: Brokered a deal that still awaits ratification and has not fully stopped hostilities.
  • Egypt–Ethiopia: Claimed resolution of Nile River disputes, but tensions persist and no binding treaty was signed.
  • Kosovo–Serbia: Facilitated talks that led to a temporary agreement, though enforcement is weak.
  • Israel–Iran: Claimed credit for ending a 12-day war, but threats and proxy skirmishes continue.

The Places Trump has disturbed the Peace, threatened, or provoked a war

Canada – Trump wants to force it to be our 51st state. –

Portland, Oregon – Even nude cyclists and frogs couldn’t stop I.C.E. invasion.

Greenland – The easy way, or the hard way!

Venezuela  – First they came for the fishing boats.

Los Angeles, California – He sent the national guard against the will of the Mayor and the Governor.

Washington, D.C. – Now MAGA can go to Washington restaurants safely, that is, if you’re not worried about employees spitting in your food.

Minneapolis, Minnesota – The murder of Renee Nicole Good.

Chicago, Illinois – Chicago Chicago, that tawdlin’ town.

Denmark – Nice island you got there.  It would be a shame if anything happened to it.

Norway – Give me the Peace Prize, or I’m gonna stop being so peaceful.

Cuba – Little Marco wants Cuba.

Ukraine – Trump’s first impeachment case.  He’s had a special feeling for them in the place where his heart should be.

Europe – Let’s just say that Trump has screwed up everything so much that we’re rooting for German soldiers to prevent a U.S. invasion of Greenland.

Nigeria – One small step for Trump.  One giant step to bringing apartheid back to Africa.

Trump is attacking the home states of his political foes.

Obama, Chicago – Operation Midway Blitz involving large-scale operations and helicopter-led raids on Chicago.

Kamala Harris – California – Major raids in Los, Angeles.

Tim Walz – Minnesota – Major raids in Minneapolis, which included the murder of Renee Good.

All this from the man who claimed that Biden weaponized the Justice Department.

I.C.E. stands for Ignorant Collaborators Employed by the Gestapo.

If you’re doing something honorable, why do you need to wear a mask to hide your face?

Real cops don’t wear masks to cover their faces, unless they’re the Lone Ranger.

End the I.C.E. Age.  Impeach Trump and his henchmen.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

Renee Nichole Good

by earlthepearl137

I’m 77 years old and the only benefit of old age that I have noticed is perspective.  Old people have seen enough stuff to be able to put things into proper perspective.

For example, the biggest horror of my teenage years was Viet Nam. More than 40,000 Americans died in Viet Nam.  More than 5,000 subsequently died from wounds they received in Viet Nam.  More than 1,000 were missing in action, captured, or declared dead.  In total, at least 50,000 young Americans died as a direct result of that war.  Thousands of Americans protested the war, but it still kept raging on year after year.

Then, on May 4th 1970 the National Guard shot and killed four students who were protesting the war at Kent State University.  Their tragic deaths caused protests to grow much louder, as the once quiet average American now joined in the protest.  It wasn’t just the hippies protesting the war, anymore.  The average American got involved and pretty soon, America got out of Viet Nam.

The average American is a lot more powerful than they think.  They just don’t stop to think about just how many of them there are, and the strength they have in numbers.

On January 7th, an I.C.E. agent murdered Renee Nichole Good.  It looks, to me, like that is going to be the spark that will once again unite the awesome power of the average American.  I sure hope so.  It would be a fitting tribute to an average American who selflessly put herself in harm’s way to try to protect the rights of her neighbors.  Renee Good gave all.  Let’s all give what we can to honor her, and someday, when we’re successful, we will have a holiday to celebrate her life.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

Own Goal

by earlthepearl137

In soccer, the most humiliating mistake a player can make is the own goal — kicking the ball into the net you’re supposed to be defending. For Republicans, their own goal was Donald Trump.

Terrified of his MAGA voting bloc, Republican congressmen abandoned their constitutional duty of checks and balances. They kissed the ring, rubber-stamped his Cabinet picks, and confirmed judges without scrutiny. In doing so, they surrendered their power — not to the people, but to one man.

The result was a Cabinet filled with incompetence. Loyalty tests replaced qualifications. Pete Hegseth, among others, became emblematic of this rot — a figure whose reckless decisions may one day be judged in the harsh light of accountability. Meanwhile, scandals were buried, Epstein files delayed, and oversight abandoned, all to avoid the wrath of Dear Leader. This wasn’t governance. It was capitulation. And like any own goal, the damage was self-inflicted.

The consequences of this submission are now plain. By elevating loyalty over competence, Republicans enabled chaos, and did nothing to lower the cost of living for working-class people. Families struggling with rent, groceries, and healthcare found no relief from a party too busy protecting Trump’s ego to protect their constituents. The GOP’s obsession with appeasement left ordinary Americans footing the bill for dysfunction.

And then came the moment that crystallized the absurdity: Nobel-snubbed Donald Trump accepting the inaugural “FIFA Peace Prize.” A made-up gold trophy, a medal, and a certificate — handed to a man whose tenure was marked by division, not diplomacy. It was a parody of statesmanship, a photo op masquerading as honor. The image of Trump smirking beside a bewildered FIFA official will live on as the perfect metaphor for the GOP’s descent — a party so committed to the illusion of victory that it mistook satire for achievement.

Now, the scoreboard is shifting. Miami just elected a Democratic mayor for the first time in 30 years. That victory is more than symbolic; it is a crack in the dam. Gerrymandering won’t save the GOP in 2026 when voters connect the dots: Republicans chose to confirm incompetence, cover up corruption, and ignore the economic pain of working families. The floodgates are opening, and history will remember not just Trump’s failures, but the complicity of those who enabled him.

The irony is rich. In their desperation to protect themselves from Trump’s base, Republicans scored against their own team. They weakened their brand, alienated moderates, and set the stage for a blue wave in 2026 and a blue tsunami in 2028. Miami is the first ripple, but it won’t be the last.

The GOP thought they were defending their net. Instead, they kicked the ball straight in. And history will record the Trump era not as a victory, but as the greatest own goal in American politics.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

End Racism – One Mind at a Time

by earlthepearl137

I grew up in a conservative household, but my parents were progressive in how they treated people who weren’t like themselves. They taught me to respect others, regardless of race or background. Still, as a child, I carried the subtle belief that people of different races were somehow different from me.

One evening, my family went out to dinner at Beefsteak Charlies, a modest restaurant that catered to families. At the table next to us sat a Black family. I remember looking at their teenage son and feeling uneasy—my first impression was shaped by the fact that he was Black. He seemed intimidating to me.

Then, his mother asked him to take his younger brother to the bathroom. He stood up and asked his brother, “Do you have to do pee pee or boom booms?” In that moment, everything changed. I realized that my fear had nothing to do with who he was, but with my own bias. His words were the same silly phrase I might have used myself. Suddenly, I saw how much we were alike.

That was a great day for me. It was the moment I understood that racism isn’t just about hatred—it’s about assumptions, impressions, and the walls we build in our minds. And those walls can crumble in an instant when we recognize our shared humanity.

A friend of mine, a kind, generous man raised in a white household, never had that moment. He sees a difference where I now see similarity. I believe change happens one mind at a time. If we can share stories that reveal our common humanity, we can help others break free from prejudice.

Racism doesn’t end through arguments or statistics. By winning four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Jesse Owens singlehandedly disproved the Nazi propaganda that white German athletes were superior to black athletes. That powerful display, however, didn’t open Hitler’s eyes to how wrong his racist ideas were. Racism only ends when someone realizes that the boy at the next table, who looks so different, is really so much like them. It ends when we see the humor, the love, and the ordinary rituals that connect us all.

We can end racism—one mind at a time.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

Pay to Play

by earlthepearl137

In 2025, President Trump issued a wave of controversial pardons that raised eyebrows across the political spectrum. While presidential clemency is a constitutional power, the pattern of recipients suggests a troubling trend: those with wealth, influence, or political loyalty were far more likely to receive mercy than those without.

The Donors and Allies Who Walked Free

  • Juan Orlando Hernández: The former president of Honduras was convicted of trafficking over 400 tons of cocaine into the United States. His pardon followed lobbying efforts by Trump ally Roger Stone. Roger Stone, by the way, was pardoned by President Donald Trump on December 23, 2020. He received a full and unconditional pardon for his conviction related to charges of lying to Congress, witness tampering, and other offenses connected to the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Stone had been sentenced to 40 months in prison, but his sentence was commuted and then fully pardoned by Trump.
  • David Gentile: Orchestrated a $1.6 billion Ponzi-style fraud targeting over 10,000 investors. Praised by Trump’s pardon czar Alice Marie Johnson.
  • George Santos: Convicted of wire fraud, identity theft, and campaign finance violations. A vocal supporter of Trump.
  • Changpeng Zhao: Founder of Binance, convicted of money laundering. Binance had promoted Trump family crypto ventures.
  • Trevor Milton: Founder of Nikola, convicted of securities fraud. His business aligned with Trump’s economic messaging.
  • Rod Blagojevich: Former Illinois governor who attempted to sell Obama’s Senate seat. A former contestant on Trump’s “Celebrity Apprentice.”
  • Devon Archer: Convicted in a $60 million bond fraud. His ties to Hunter Biden were used by Trump to fuel political attacks.
  • BitMEX Co-founders: Pardoned for violating anti-money laundering laws. Their crypto influence aligned with Trump’s push for digital finance.
  • Henry Cuellar and wife: Facing federal bribery charges. Trump framed their case as DOJ overreach.
  • Michele Fiore: Convicted of charity fraud involving police memorial funds. A vocal MAGA supporter.
  • Scott Jenkins: Involved in a “cash-for-badges” scheme. Tied to Trump-aligned law enforcement circles.
  • Let’s, also, not forget the 1600 MAGA-merch-wearing insurrectionists who were pardoned by Trump for their attack on the Capital and Capital Police. He called them heroic patriots.

These pardons share a common thread: political loyalty, economic influence, or usefulness to Trump’s narrative. While no direct bribes have been proven, the optics suggest a system where clemency is granted not based on justice, but on proximity to power.

Meanwhile, over 80 Venezuelan boatmen—accused of drug smuggling but never tried—were killed in U.S.-led maritime strikes. They had no lobbyists, no campaign donations, no celebrity connections. They didn’t “Pay to Play.” They paid with their lives, and Trump and Hegseth should pay for their “Kill them all” war crimes with Impeachment and prison.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

Remembering John

by earlthepearl137

I haven’t written a blog since my best friend John passed away a few weeks ago. It’s hard to find the right words when the silence left behind feels louder than anything I could write.  I always considered John to be my best friend, and I tried to be his best friend. There was plenty of competition, though—he treated all his friends as best friends.  That was John. He didn’t ration affection. He didn’t play favorites. He made you feel like the center of the room, even when the room was full. And somehow, you believed it—because with John, it was true.

John lived in Long Beach, Long Island with his wife Margaret.  In a twist worthy of a song lyric, he met his wife Margaret one night while we were out celebrating my birthday.  They raised three remarkable children—Eileen, Andrea, and Johnny—each carrying forward a piece of his spirit. Eileen, who illustrated my children’s book, lives upstate with her husband Christopher and their two children, Jack and Nora. Andrea is a scientist, married to Mark, and together they’re devoted Phish fans. Johnny works behind the scenes on television stages and at Lincoln Center, a quiet craftsman in the world of performance.

John and I met in 1971 at the N.Y. Telephone Co. We bonded over music, mischief, and the kind of friendship that doesn’t need explaining. We played on the same Telephone Company softball team, The Newtown Suns.  He loved Family and Friends, Baseball, Music, and Long Beach.  One year, Eileen gave him a birthday gift that lit him up—a guest DJ spot on a radio station in Woodstock, NY. That was one of his best days. He was in his element, spinning tracks and stories like he’d been born for it.

We had plenty of great times together. I went to all his parties, and after I moved to Lancaster, he came out here a few times a year to cheer on the Lancaster Barnstormers with me.

I have dozens of CDs he made for me.  I can listen to them and think about him, but nothing can replace him.  John loved Baseball, especially the Yankees.  So, now that he joins Willie, Mickey, and the Duke in a Field of Dreams somewhere, I’ll play this song for him.

Willie, Mickey, and the Duke (Talkin’ Baseball)

 He was just a very special person.   I was lucky enough to know him and party with him for more than 50 years.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

The Department of Vengeance

by earlthepearl137

As America prepares for the No Kings Rally — a celebration of democratic resistance and constitutional humility — it’s worth asking: what kind of kingdom are we resisting?

Recent headlines suggest we’re not just dealing with a president. We’re dealing with a monarch-in-waiting, armed not with a crown, but with a blacklist.

He’s already renamed the Department of Defense the Department of War — now he’s eyeing the Department of Justice for a makeover: the Department of Vengeance.

Donald Trump has made no secret of his desire to punish his political enemies. He’s called himself “your retribution”. He’s floated criminal referrals for Letitia James, who dared to hold him accountable for civil fraud. He’s targeted James Comey and John Bolton, not for crimes, but for defiance. And he’s done it all while testing the waters of public appetite for vengeance — a campaign strategy that doubles as a loyalty test.

This isn’t justice. It’s grievance cosplay.

The so-called Department of Vengeance isn’t a real agency, but it might as well be. Trump’s allies have proposed purges of federal institutions, loyalty oaths for civil servants, and even a new “Department of Government Efficiency” — a euphemism for gutting agencies that don’t kiss the ring.

Let’s be clear: this is not about restoring order.  It’s about rewriting the rules so that dissent becomes disloyalty, and accountability becomes treason.

And yet, the system resists. Grand juries refuse to indict political targets. Judges push back. Juries — those pesky peers — still ask for evidence, not vendettas. The machinery of democracy may be creaky, but it hasn’t collapsed.  Journalists, too, are standing up.  They walked out of the Pentagon after they refused to sign agreements that they would only write approved stories.

So, as we gather for the No Kings Rally, let’s remember: the crown isn’t just a metaphor. It’s a warning. When a leader builds a Department of Vengeance, he’s not just settling scores. He’s auditioning for tyranny.  Trump is a wannabe Fascist, but like John Bolton once said, “To be a fascist, you have to have a philosophy. Trump’s not capable of that. You know, Adolf Hitler wrote a profoundly troubling book called Mein Kampf — My Struggle. Donald Trump couldn’t even read his way all the way through that book, let alone write something like it.”

Nonetheless, Dumb Donnie wants his revenge fantasies. We just want to keep our republic.  Join the rally and help us.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

Don’t Believe Me, Just Watch

by earlthepearl137

Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, is most often associated with the quote: “If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself.”  Goebbels’ propaganda strategy was repetition, emotional appeal, and the manipulation of public perception.

Jen Psaki recently aired a chilling montage: 36 Sinclair-affiliated newscasters in 36 different cities reciting the same exact script, word for word. It wasn’t a blooper reel—it was a broadcast strategy to “flood the zone” with their message.  “If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it.”   Ironically, their message was “We’re concerned about the troubling trend of false news…” Obviously, the irony was lost on them.  What are the odds that 36 different opinion influencers in 36 different cities all had the very same word-for-word opinion about a current problem?  You have better odds of hitting the Powerball Grand Prize. When 36 newscasters in 36 different cities say the same exact thing, it’s not journalism—it’s choreography.

This isn’t just lazy journalism. It’s tactical repetition—a propaganda technique.  Joseph Goebbels believed that if you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes truth, not through evidence, but through echo.  The modern Republican messaging follows this blueprint with eerie precision. When a false claim emerges—whether about elections, vaccines, or climate—it’s not debated. It’s deployed. Within hours, the same phrases surface across Fox News, congressional tweets, and local radio. It’s not persuasion. It’s programming.  This isn’t about disagreement. It’s about manufactured consensus. The goal isn’t to win an argument—it’s to flood the zone with noise until truth becomes indistinguishable from fiction.

  • It starts with Centralized Messaging: GOP operatives distribute talking points like marching orders. The purpose is Repetition Over Reason: The same phrases—“weaponized DOJ,” “rigged election,” “woke indoctrination”—are repeated ad nauseam.  Then comes the Emotional Anchoring: Lies are tied to fear, patriotism, or outrage, bypassing logic and triggering tribal loyalty.  The final step is to Flood the Zone. Currently, the Republicans are blaming the government shutdown on Democrats. Not with nuance, not with evidence, but with a synchronized chant: “Democrats are shutting down the government to give billions in healthcare to illegal aliens.” It’s an outrageous lie. A loud, coordinated, cynical lie. But it’s everywhere—on cable news, in press releases, across social media. The goal isn’t persuasion. It’s saturation. “If you repeat a lie often enough, people will believe it, and you will even come to believe it yourself.” 

This isn’t new. But the scale, speed, and shamelessness of its practitioners are unprecedented.

When truth becomes optional, democracy becomes ornamental. Plato warned that unchecked rhetoric leads to tyranny. Goebbels promoted it. And today’s Republican echo chamber is actually proving that it works in real time.  They were able to get a twice impeached, convicted rapist and felon elected to the highest office by spreading lies without caring if they were true or not, “They’re eating the dogs!”

We don’t need censorship. We need media literacy, moral clarity, and the courage to call the repetition of lies what it really is: a weapon.

“Don’t believe me, just watch.”

Bigger than Kimmel: Psaki shows what’s really behind the comedian’s suspension

If you don’t want to hear the entire story, fast forward 5 minutes into the video to get to the reveal.

If you’re disappointed that this post was all about Propaganda instead of Bruno Mars, I included the Bruno Mars video to make you feel better.

Mark Ronson – Uptown Funk (Official Video) ft. Bruno Mars

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl

From Fort Sumter to Los Angeles: Echoes of Tyranny in Two Presidencies

by earlthepearl137

History has a way of repeating itself—not in the details, but in the echoes. As I watch the current administration deploy Marines and National Guard troops into American cities to confront protests over ICE raids and immigration policy, I can’t help but feel a chill. It’s not just the uniforms or the optics. It’s the precedent. And for me, that precedent begins not with Donald Trump—but with Abraham Lincoln.

Yes, Lincoln. The man most Americans revere as our greatest president. But I’ve long questioned that legacy. Lincoln, in my view, was a stubborn, hardheaded leader who plunged the nation into a war that cost over 650,000 lives. A war he believed would be over in months. A war he arguably provoked.

Let’s rewind to Fort Sumter. No one died in the initial bombardment. The only casualties came when a cannon exploded during the surrender ceremony—one Union soldier died. Yet Lincoln used that moment to summon 75,000 troops, escalating a regional standoff into a full-blown civil war. He suspended habeas corpus, jailed political opponents, and silenced dissent in border states like Maryland. All in the name of preserving the Union.

Fast forward to today. Trump, facing protests over immigration enforcement, has summoned federal troops into cities like Los Angeles—against the wishes of governors and mayors. He’s accepted a $400 million jet from Qatar, raising serious constitutional questions about foreign influence and the Emoluments Clause. He’s used executive power to reshape the judiciary, roll back civil rights protections, and stoke division at every turn.

And yet, like Lincoln, he claims to be saving the nation.

The parallels are uncomfortable. Both men faced divided nations. Both used federal power to suppress opposition. Both were hailed as heroes by some and tyrants by others. When John Wilkes Booth shot Lincoln, he shouted “Sic semper tyrannis”—thus always to tyrants. That wasn’t just a madman’s cry. It was a sentiment shared by many in the South who saw Lincoln not as a liberator, but as a despot.

Today, many Americans—especially those on the political left—see Trump in the same light. A man willing to tear the country apart to preserve his own power. A man who, like Lincoln, may be remembered not just for what he did, but for what he destroyed in the process.

This isn’t a defense of Booth, or of violence. It’s a plea for perspective. We must stop mythologizing our leaders and start scrutinizing them. Lincoln’s war may have ended slavery, but it also ended hundreds of thousands of lives. Trump’s war—if it comes—may not be fought with muskets and bayonets, but with executive orders, surveillance, and militarized streets.

History doesn’t repeat, but it rhymes. And right now, the tune sounds all too familiar.

Peace & Love, and all of the above,

Earl