F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O.

Group Members
President:Colin Vice President: Jay Secretary of Press: Brittany Writer: Emily Technology Expert: Michael

Name of Your Project Proposal
'**F**inal **E**arth **R**escue i**N**itiative **'A**fter **N**atural **D**isaster...**'O**'ption

Explain the Problem
A meteor is hurtling through space towards the Earth and in a short period of time, it will collide with our planet, causing an extinction-level event. The casualties will be innumerable, and the face of the Earth will be re-shaped forever.

Explain the Solution (Bunker for 1,000,000 people)
Fortunately, humankind has hope! In the limestone cliffs of Missouri, caves have been carved out that have the potential to house a million people for two years until it is safe to begin rebuilding society. Although only a small fraction of the population will be saved from certain doom, we are fortunate enough to be able to keep the human race in existence.

Those chosen to carry on will be notified as soon as possible of their selection, and will be transported by law enforcement officers in bulletproof vehicles to Missouri.

It is possible that some of those selected to live in the caves will die before they are required to take refuge. Therefore, a secret waiting list will exist so that space in the caves will be maximized. This waiting list will not be known by the public for fear of assassination attempts on the lives of those selected. (If people knew they could gain a better chance at survival, they might kill to move up on the list.)

Explain How You Would Choose[[image:Fernando-handout-2010-2011.jpg width="560" height="683" align="right" caption="Team Fernando Handout"]]
Composition of Accepted
 * 65% female
 * 35% male
 * Members of U.S. Government (Congress, Supreme Court, Vice President)
 * 50,000 doctors of various specialties
 * 10,000 architects and professional construction workers
 * 75,000 law enforcement officers taken from the army and police squads around the country
 * 5,000 knowledge keepers-- well-renowned professors in specific studies (specific areas of history, chemistry, physics, etc.).
 * 5,000 teachers
 * 1,000 farming experts
 * 1,000 animal experts
 * For general populace, .33% of population of each age group will be selected for placement in the cave (age groups divided based on decades, ie 14-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50) through a lottery process.
 * *Note: Affirmative action will not be taken!
 * Qualification Restrictions
 * Drug tests will be mandatory before entering commune. Prescence of illegal drugs in bloodstream (with marijuana as an exception) results in immediate dismissal. No illegal substances (except for cannabis) or any firearms are allowed in the cave (with the exception of the police force-- can have tazers, riot gear, etc.)
 * Those who have committed felonies are disqualified
 * No STDs
 * If qualified to vote during previous election, one has to have to have voted in the last election (presidential or otherwise).
 * No one with an IQ below 110 will be admitted into the caves

Explain Why This is the Best Solution Possible
F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O. represents a beacon of hope for anyone who aspires to survive the coming extinction-level event.

Gender ratios and the age window that one must be in if entering the cave will yield a high likelihood of future reproductive success.

The new government is nearly guaranteed stability due to the selection of governmental officials to be saved and the presence of many law enforcement officers.

The rest of the chosen American citizens represent people who are capable of rebuilding society from the ground up, based on their professions, status of health, and probability of reproductive ability (hence, no babies and no senior citizens).

Explain Why it is a Fair Solution
F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O. is a fair and just solution for a problem of such a great magnitude for a variety of reasons.

Creators of this plan have chosen to exclude anyone with the potential to be a detriment to the new society. Hence, those infected with sexually transmitted diseases, drug users, and non-voters will be excluded from the caves. (Non-voters are excluded because apathy is the biggest threat to democracy.)

Even if one is not a stellar member of society or the best at their craft, they still have a chance of admittance.

Since race will not be taken into account, (reverse) discrimination will not be a problem.

Radio Message
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Copy of Speech President Should Give to Nation
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My fellow citizens,

Today, it is my unfortunate duty to inform you that a giant meteor is approaching the Earth at a rate of approximately "really freaking fast". When the meteor strikes the Earth, the ensuing aftermath will be a apocalyptic combination of toxic fumes, massive tidal waves, and flaming debris raining down from the skies. Any living organism on the surface of the globe at the time of impact will most likely be killed within twenty four hours after the collision.

However, hope for mankind remains in a previously highly confidential project that has been in development for the past several months. This project is code named F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O.: Final Earth Rescue iNitiative After Natural Disaster…Option. The first part of the project was the formation of a network of caves miles deep into the soft limestone underground of Missouri. By the time of impact, we plan to have developed a network large enough to house numerous plants and animals along with one million people for a two year period.

Of course, the question that you all must be asking is, “Who gets to go into the caves?” This is a question that everyone involved in F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O. has taken very seriously. We decided upon the process of determining who gets to go in the caves and who doesn’t based on the hope that the one million survivors that emerge from the caves will form a society composed of intelligent, hard-working citizens who are willing to cooperate with each other for the sake of restoring humanity. With the process as dictated by F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O., we will have the best chances possible that such a society will be created. Is F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O. elitist? Extremely. But we believe that F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O. is the best possible solution in a situation where nobody wins.

As of now, about 150,000 citizens have already been selected to enter the caves based on their professions. This includes a police squad, doctors of various specialties, professors and researchers of varying fields of study,teachers, architects, and the current members of Congress and the Supreme Court.

A lottery shall be held for the remaining spots, though, unfortunately, the majority of American citizens won’t qualify for it. In order to be eligible for the lottery, you must be between the ages of 16 and 50, possess no chronic diseases, disabilities, or STD’s, have committed no felonies or crimes of a higher level, and have voted in the last election if you had been eligible to do so at the time. The remaining candidates for the caves must take an IQ test, after which those who score below 110 will not be eligible.

After that, the lottery will commence. In order to increase the likelihood of a greater number of births after the collision, 65% of those selected for the caves will be female, while the remaining 35% will be male.

I understand how shocking and tragic this information is to all of you.I can do nothing to alleviate the sadness that now permeates this nation. But though we never thought that we could lose, I believe that there's no regret. If I had to do the same again, I would my friends...F.E.R.N.A.N.D.O.

Thank you, and good night.

Epilogue: Project Terminus

 * Emergency Vice President Message